Faced with slow periods, the flagship Veveysan hotel is innovating. It offers a modular, more accessible formula, without denying its standing.
The idea is simple, but daring: to offer an “à la carte” hotel, more flexible and more relaxed, while preserving the refinement that makes the reputation of the five-star house, ideally located opposite Lake Geneva. “We want to preserve the essence of our establishment and its lake side rooms, which remain the Hôtel des Trois Couronnes, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, while offering a more competitive offer for our other rooms,” summarizes its director, Jay Gauer.
The Residence includes around thirty rooms overlooking the interior courtyard or offering a glimpse of the lake, on the east side of the hotel. The principle? Leave it to the customer to plan their stay. Access to the spa and its 24-metre swimming pool, five-star breakfast, turndown service, additional services: everyone chooses according to their desires and their budget. The fitness room is accessible to everyone 24 hours a day.
In the same building
If similar concepts exist elsewhere, the novelty here lies in the fact that the offer is located in the same building. Built in 1842, the hotel offers a total of 65 rooms, conference rooms, as well as two restaurants, Manabu and 3C.
This flexibility targets leisure customers, but it also responds to growing demand from the business world. “The offer is particularly interesting for corporate clients and business seminars, who often do not have the time to use all the services of a five-star hotel but who want five-star comfort,” underlines the director. From October to April, when occupancy is lower, we can offer even more rooms in our Residence concept, going up to groups of 60 rooms.”
In a city which notably houses the headquarters of Nestlé, the formula could attract groups who would not have passed through the doors of the establishment due to budgetary constraints. Certain companies, particularly in pharmaceuticals, also apply “no five stars policies” excluding, in principle, luxury hotels. Prices vary depending on the season and the services selected, but are on average a third less than the traditional offer. For a month like April, group rates for ten rooms in single occupancy, breakfast included, start for example at 200 francs per room per night.
More customization
As Vinzenz van den Berg, head of corporate communications at HotellerieÂSuisse, points out, several establishments already allow customers to book certain services separately. This logic, also present in “serviced apartments”, reflects a broader trend towards personalization of the offer. The classic formulas – garnished, half board or full board – however remain well established.
