Lucerne, Switzerland: Chateau Gutsch

From most places in the center of Lucerne, you can look to the south and west in the hills and see a hotel acting as if it were the lord and master of the area. It must have a commanding view of the area, and so it does. 

That's certainly a reason why the Chateau Gutsch is a destination for visitors, short-term and long term. The hill is named Gutsch, and an inn first went on that piece of property in 1859. The place was expanded when a new owner took over in 1879, only to see it go up in flames nine years later. It was remodeled and reopened in 1901. 

The place picked up another facelift in 2012. Supposedly a Russian has control of the place in 2022. Considering what was going on with Ukraine at the time, he is said to be downplaying his national heritage. Good idea. 

Visitors are welcome to tour the grounds. There's a short train up a steep hill from street level to the hotel; you may even have a goat see you off for the return trip (we did). There's a nice walking trail behind the facility. If you're lucky, you can even take a look around the facility - which is elegant.

Let's go for a ride.