Discerning collection of independent hotels expands to include its second design property in Switzerland, located in the heart of Lucerne

22 June 2015: Autograph Collection Hotels, Marriott International’s exclusive portfolio of hotels recognised for celebrating individuality, is set to welcome a luxurious new boutique property to its collection on 8 July 2015. Located in a beautiful corner building established in 1907, The Hotel, which opened in 2000, is an urban design hotel with exceptional park views set in the heart of Lucerne.

Owner Urs Karli – a leading hotelier renowned for his innovative gastronomy concepts – is behind the vision of The Hotel, and worked with award-winning French architect Jean Nouvel to transform the building into a unique space for a modern hotel. Intimate and unpretentiously hip, The Hotel sits in a buzzing area, just a stone’s throw from the shores of Lake Lucerne.

Spread across seven floors, the hotel incorporates 30 studios and suites, each providing guests with an unforgettable experience, as a play of light and color produces individual effects in each room – all of which are different. The four penthouse suites all feature roof terraces, whilst the 10 garden and park loft suites come complete with patios. All rooms are fully air conditioned and equipped with modern amenities including Wi-Fi, minibar and Nespresso machine.

Completely conceived and designed by Nouvel, the interiors are an architectural marvel and bear Nouvel’s classic hallmark – the interplay of wood and steel. All of The Hotel’s vertical panels are made from wood, whilst the horizontal panels are made from stainless steel. The purposefully understated corridor leads guests into the rooms, each with large windows that open up breath-taking views of the city and the park adjacent to the hotel. Each room is unique, with different ceiling or wall projections depicting 30 film scenes from Nouvel’s own personal background, creating a cinematic experience for guests.

With the lobby as the focal meeting point, Urs Karli has created a cosmopolitan area for lounging and dining. Bam Bou is Lucerne’s most stylish restaurant and displays unique design details, offering simplicity, comfort and innovation. The menu fuses Asian with French cuisine, drawing upon French tradition and techniques, and combining them with Asian spices. The Lounge Bar provides a further space within which guests can relax, offering a diverse range of cocktails and live DJ at weekends. The Lounge Bar is known for being one of Lucerne’s coolest nightlife spots.

John Licence, brand leader for Autograph Collection Hotels in Europe, commented: “We are delighted to welcome our second design hotel from Switzerland into the Collection. The Hotel was the first boutique design hotel to enter this market, and is known for being part hotel, part contemporary art installation. It’s this unique attribute that makes it perfect for joining Autograph Collection Hotels.”

He continued, “The portfolio is growing rapidly within Europe, and we have no doubt that guests of The Hotel in Lucerne will have an unforgettable experience, as they do at all of our Autograph Collection properties.”

Autograph Collection Hotels offers an evolving group of passionately independent hotel experiences ranging from a 15-room boutique hunting lodge in the mountains of Colorado to a 19th century neoclassical palace in the majestic city of Prague. Exactly like nothing else, each hotel is thoughtfully chosen for its quality, originality, bold character and capacity to offer today’s modern traveler a range of unique experiences suited to their individual sense of style and adventure. The distinct portfolio has proven to be a highly successful venture due to its discerning selection process and unique ability to create memories through enriching travel experiences. The brand anticipates welcoming its 100th hotel by the end of 2015.

For further information on Autograph Collection, visit www.autographhotels.com

For further information on The Hotel, visit www.the-hotel.ch