3 Best Hotels in Montreux, Vaud

Silver mansards and yellow awnings flag this vast institution as a landmark, though its aristocratic interiors are now filled with cell-phone-chatting travelers. This colossal belle époque folly of stained glass, frescoes, and flamboyant molded stucco opened in 1906 and counts Vladimir Nabokov among its notable former residents (a bronze of the author stands in the lakeside gardens). Updated facilities do not compromise the allure of this grand hotel. You can be cyber-connected from any corner or secluded in a massage suite at the Willow Stream Spa. Guest rooms have fruitwood furniture, bold accessories, and whirlpool tubs trimmed in granite and marble.

If you enjoy being away from the downtown resort scene, book into this demure little inn on a hillside in Veytaux, between Chillon and Montreux. Since it was built in 1829, it has had only four owners, and the current family takes pride in its genteel period decor and the personalized attention that attracts repeat guests season after season. You'll find floral prints, brass beds, pristine linens, buffed parquet floors, and expansive lake views from the numerous balconies. The breakfast buffet is generous, with homemade breads and jams.

In a town of world-renowned musical heritage, it's appropriate that the rooms of this small modern inn, tucked in the sharp curve of an Old Town thoroughfare, are themed for jazz, rock, and blues stars. The black, white, and red interiors are far from kitschy in their sleek minimalism, and the top floor has views over the city's rooftops, with postage-stamp balconies and contemporary showers. An active wine bar doubles as the morning breakfast nook.