Belvédère Strandhotel, Spiez | Review
Spiez is an incredibly scenic Swiss town on the shores of Lake Thun in the Bernese Oberland. On my previous trips to Switzerland, I have only ever spent a few hours in Spiez so on my recent visit to Switzerland, my husband and I couldn’t resist the opportunity of staying in the town.
My first choice when it came to booking a hotel in Spiez was the Belvédère Strandhotel Spiez.
The hotel was brought to my attention when I interviewed Kasiu Morgenstern about Spiez – and the hotel – in episode 15 of the Holidays to Switzerland Travel Podcast. It sounded absolutely fantastic, and I’m happy to say, it exceeded my expectations.
This four star superior property offers fabulous views of Spiez Castle and the harbour. In addition to a wellness centre and infinity pool, the hotel also boasts its own private beach.
In this review I’ll tell you all about the hotel and the room we stayed in. I’ll also share helpful information about the amenities, including leisure facilities and dining options, as well as the location and how to reach the hotel by car or public transport.
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About Belvédère Strandhotel, Spiez
The Belvédère Strandhotel (sometimes referred to as the Hotel Belvédère) in Spiez has been established for more than a century. A dedicated team, led by Bruno Affentranger, manage the property, and their main aim is to make each and every guest feel welcome.
From our point of view, this was the most luxurious hotel we stayed in during our Switzerland trip and we absolutely loved it.
The four star superior hotel is perched on a hillside overlooking Lake Thun, with vineyards and mountains beyond. Spiez’s ‘home’ mountain, Niesen, is in full view at the front entrance of the hotel.
As well as the fabulous location, many guests – including myself – are attracted by the infinity pool and the wellness facilities.
This photogenic property was an absolute pleasure to stay in, and is definitely one to include on any bucket list trip. It’s a beautiful property offering breathtaking views over Spiez Castle and the lake.
Our Room
Panorama Double Room with Lake View
We stayed in a Panorama Double Room with Lake View, and it made the perfect base for our two-night stay in Spiez.
Other available room types include Boutique singles, doubles and family rooms, plus a selection of Lakefront and Penthouse suites.
Chocolate and fruit made a lovely arrival gift and the standard of the room was excellent. It was spacious with a very comfortable king size bed.
Other furnishings included a large wardrobe plus additional hanging space, a lounge area and a desk.
The room also came with a Nespresso machine, cable TV, a small fridge for chilling drinks and snacks, and a safe. There was a reliable, fast WiFi signal throughout the hotel.
Like the bedroom, the bathroom was generously sized and came equipped with twin vanity units, a large shower, separate bathtub, luxury toiletries and a hairdryer. Pool and hammam towels were also supplied.
The WC was in its own separate room.
Our room at the Strandhotel Belvédère, Spiez in Switzerland also had a spacious balcony furnished with an outdoor table and chairs.
The fact that this overlooked the pool and lawns – with views to the lake and castle beyond – was one of the highlights of our stay.
> Click here to see all room types and check prices.
🎥 You can watch a short video walk around of our room’s interior > here.
Facilities
The position overlooking the harbour and castle is one of this hotel’s greatest selling points, with most other hotels in Spiez located much closer to the castle, and therefore, without the wonderful views.
Of course you can’t stay at a hotel with an infinity pool and not try it out and we made really good use of both the pool and the lakeside lido during our two night stay at the Belvédère Hotel in Spiez.
The lido, which is located right on the lakefront (about a five minute walk from the hotel), has a changing room, shower, toilets, and sun loungers for relaxing on. Access is only available to hotel guests so it’s a great spot to enjoy a refreshing swim in the lake and some sunbathing without crowds of people.
The main attraction for many guests, though, is the solar heated infinity pool which is open all year round. During winter, the outdoor infinity pool is heated to a balmy 30°C, whilst in summer the temperature is maintained at 26°C, so the water is never chilly.
The pool is open daily from 8am until 10pm so there is plenty of time to enjoy a relaxing dip and snap a couple of photos for your Instagram page!
Beside the pool is a lawn area where you can rest on a sun lounge whilst enjoying the lake views. Here you’ll also find a barrel sauna, and there’s a pretty garden, too.
We spent most of the afternoon by the pool and at the lido, soaking up the glorious Swiss panoramas and appreciating the beautiful facilities of the Strandhotel Belvédère.
The hotel also has an indoor spa area which features a hammam, blossom steam room, bio sauna and whirlpool bath. A range of treatments can be booked here, including massages and therapeutic relaxation rituals.
If you are more dedicated than me and like to keep up with your gym sessions whilst on vacation, the hotel also has a fitness centre. This is equipped with Technogym equipment including a treadmill, indoor bike, weight machine and more.
Other hotel facilities include a great restaurant and bar (which I’ll share more about below), and on-site parking is available for guests.
If you fancy getting out on the lake, the hotel owns a motorised fishing boat which guests can rent by the hour. You don’t need a licence to use this, and the kitchen staff will even pack you a picnic upon request.
Ebikes are also available for hire.
Hotel guests also receive a PanoramaCard Thunersee which entitles them to free travel on local buses and discounts on lake cruises and other local attractions.
> Click here to see all the hotel facilities and book your stay.
Food and Beverages
The hotel’s restaurant is well known for its top quality cuisine and we enjoyed two dinners and two breakfasts in the restaurant, plus lunch on the Captain’s Bar terrace during our stay.
The breakfast buffet offered a very good selection of hot and cold options, and high quality meals were served later in the day at the Belvédère Restaurant Spiez.
Complimentary coffee and cake are served in the restaurant between 1.30pm and 6pm each day. We couldn’t drag ourselves away from the pool in time to take up this generous offer but based on the meals we enjoyed at the restaurant, I am certain the cake would be delicious.
The Belvédère bar – known as the Captain’s Bar – offered a huge range of drinks, including fine wines and cocktails. A light bar menu is also available here.
The Captain’s Bar is so named because of the teak flooring, bow-shaped terrace and sail-like sunshades. And with views straight to the lake, you really do feel like you’re onboard a ship.
The standard of dining both inside the restaurant and out on the terrace was excellent.
Large glass windows in the dining room give guests incredible views over the captivating Swiss landscape, lake and mountains, so you don’t need to miss out when the weather is less than sunny and warm.
If the weather is fine, I highly recommend you request a table on the terrace… and do stay for the sunset and to see the lights twinkling in the bay below.
Hotel guests can choose between a half-board option which includes a four-course menu, or an a la carte menu. Vegetarian, gluten-free and lactose-free dishes are available.
We selected the a la carte menu on our first evening and the half-board option the next evening. Every meal we ate was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious.
Booking is advised as this is a popular place to eat in Spiez.
Where is Belvédère Strandhotel, Spiez?
Spiez is situated on the shores of Lake Thun in central Switzerland and is positioned between Bern and Interlaken. Belvédère Strandhotel is located on a hillside overlooking the lake’s pretty bay and Spiez Castle.
From the hotel it takes around 20 minutes to walk to the centre of town, or to the harbour. The castle, meanwhile, is about 30 minutes away on foot.
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How to get there by car and public transport
Spiez is a stop on the Bern to Interlaken railway line. It takes around 20 minutes to reach Spiez by train from Interlaken, or about 30 minutes from Bern. Train services operate every 30 minutes.
The hotel provides a shuttle service to and from the train station.
There is a car park at the hotel, and parking costs CHF 10 per night. It’s free from the fourth night of your stay onwards.
Driving to Spiez from Bern takes around 30 minutes, or you can travel from Interlaken in around 20 minutes.
What to do in Spiez
Despite being a fairly small town, there are numerous enjoyable things to do in Spiez. These include visiting Spiez Castle, boat cruises on Lake Thun, swimming and watersports on the lake.
There is also a small tourist train, called the Fun Train, which operates from the beginning of April until mid-October.
Spiez is also a great base for enjoying the many hikes and mountain excursions in the area. Mt. Niesen, which is reached from Mülenen – just 7 minutes by train from Spiez – is a particularly popular excursion. The Jungfrau Region can be easily reached from Spiez by both train and car, too.
Our verdict
We loved our stay at the Belvédère Strandhotel Spiez, and only wished we could have been there for longer. Our room was very luxurious and having a balcony with a stunning view was an added bonus.
The hotel is located in a quiet residential area of Spiez and it was a great place to unwind whilst enjoying the magnificent scenery and hotel facilities.
All the meals we had were delicious and the service was superb – attentive, friendly and helpful.
With a glorious infinity pool and wellness centre, alluring lake views and a top class restaurant and bar, no-one could be disappointed by a stay at the delightful Belvédère Strandhotel Spiez.
We will definitely be returning!
Ready to book your stay at Belvédère Strandhotel? Book it here.
🇨🇭 > Click here to read all our travel guides about the Bernese Oberland.
Disclosure: We received a discounted rate for our stay at the hotel as well as a complimentary dinner one evening but this in no way influenced my opinion of the hotel.
