--- type: "Article" title: "Vitznauerhof Hotel: luxury hotelier and flying Dutchman power duo" description: "Hotel Vitznauerhof and its gourmet restaurant Sens; hotelier Raphael Herzog and his innovative gourmet chef Jeroen Achtien spoil their guests" resource: "https://travelmemo.com/switzerland/vitznauerhof-hotel-restaurant-sens" author: "Walter Schaerer" publisher: "Travelmemo" photo_count: 46 tags: ["Boutique Hotel", "Gourmet", "Switzerland"] entities: - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/switzerland" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/vierwaldstaettersee" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/zuerich" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/ibiza" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/boutique-hotel" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/culinary-tourism" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/restaurant" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/hiking" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/lake" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/luxury-travel" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/nature-tourism" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/organizations/travelmemo" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/organizations/swiss-international-air-lines" - "https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer" timestamp: 2026-07-04T14:21:39+00:00 --- # Vitznauerhof Hotel: luxury hotelier and flying Dutchman power duo > The Vitznauerhof is a 4-star superior Art Nouveau hotel on the shores of Lake Lucerne in Vitznau, Switzerland, combining spectacular lake and mountain views with inventive fermentation-forward gourmet cuisine at its Sens Restaurant. ## Destination Vitznau, Lake Lucerne, Switzerland — Seestrasse 80, CH-6354 Vitznau. ## Getting there Vitznau is accessible by boat on Lake Lucerne; the hotel has a private boat dock. The Rigibahn cog railway departs from Vitznau up to Rigi Kulm. ## When to go The hotel and Panorama Terrace restaurant operate through the summer season. The terrace offers the longest sunset view on Lake Lucerne. ## Why visit A youthful hotelier-chef duo delivers luxurious lakeside hospitality alongside a genuinely experimental tasting menu — dehydrated watermelon beef tartare, kombucha-pickled lobster, and fermented vegetables — all with sweeping views of Lake Lucerne and the Bürgenstock. ## What to see - **Lake Lucerne and Bürgenstock views** — Every room and suite faces the lake; the hotel claims the longest-lasting sunset view on Lake Lucerne from its garden terrace. - **Rigi mountain** — The world-famous Rigi is visible from the hotel and reachable directly by the Rigibahn cog railway from Vitznau. - **Sens Restaurant island** — A small island just in front of the gourmet restaurant offers 360-degree lake views for dining. ## What to do - **Dine at Restaurant Sens** — 16 Gault Millau point tasting menus (4, 6, or 8 courses) showcasing chef Jeroen Achtien's fermentation and dehydration techniques; start with aperitifs in the Sens Lounge around sunset. - **Panorama Terrace ring-grill dining** — Mediterranean fare cooked over a circular fire pit in what the hotel bills as the most beautiful garden restaurant on Lake Lucerne. - **Rigi ridge hike** — Take the Rigibahn to Rigi Kulm or Rigi Kaltbad and follow the ridge trail down to a small cable car that deposits hikers near the hotel. - **Lake Lucerne boat ride** — Scenic boat trips on the lake depart regularly; the hotel has its own private dock for arriving by yacht. - **Vitznauerhof Spa** — Around 900 square metres of spa facilities including sauna and steam bath. ## Good to know The Sens Restaurant menu lists only course count and price (115–185 CHF, VAT included) with no dish descriptions — guests discover the menu as a surprise. All prices include 7.7% VAT. Book the restaurant separately via the hotel website. ## Photos ```yaml photos: - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Hotel-Vitznauerhof-Bronzestatue.jpg" caption: "Bronze statue in the Vitznauerhof's garden" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Raphael-Herzog-Hoteldirektor-Vitznauerhof-Lobby.jpg" caption: "Hotel director Raphael Herzog" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Wanderung-Rigi-Schweizer-Kreuz-Steigelfadbalm-Dossen.jpg" caption: "Directly behind the Vitznauerhof on the Rigi south face: the Swiss Flag Steigelfadbalm-Dossen" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Hotel-Vitznauerhof-Restaurant-Feuerring.jpg" caption: "Fire ring at the Panorama Terrace Restaurant" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Hotel-Vitznauerhof-Feuerring.jpg" caption: "Close-up of the Panorama Terrace fire ring" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Hotel-Vitznauerhof-Feuerring-Restaurant.jpg" caption: "The pitmaster doing his thing" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Hotel-Vitznauerhof-Restaurant-Terrasse.jpg" caption: "Panorama Terrace Restaurant" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Hotel-Vitznauerhof-Restaurant.jpg" caption: "Panorama Terrace with view of the Bürgenstock" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Hotel-Vitznauerhof-Insel-Restaurant-Sens.jpg" caption: "Sens Restaurant island" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Hotel-Vitznauerhof-Kuechenchef-Jeroen-Achtien.jpg" caption: "Jeroen Tamme Achtien - a.k.a. «J8»" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Jeroen-Tamme-Achtien-Restaurant-Sens-Hotel-Vitznauerhof.jpg" caption: "Jeroen Achtien is into fermented veggies" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Hotel-Vitznauerhof-falsches-Tartar.jpg" caption: "«Faux» beef tartare made from dehydrated watermelon und «egg yolk» made of veggies, too" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Hotel-Vitznauerhof-Jeroen-Achtien-Raphael-Herzog.jpg" caption: "Youthful power duo by Lake Lucerne: Chef de cuisine and hotel director do away with opulent menus" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Hotel-Vitznauerhof-Sens-Restaurant.jpg" caption: "Restaurant Sens in the Vitznauerhof's park" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Hotel-Vitznauerhof-Sens-Restaurant-Logo.jpg" caption: "Entrance to the Sens Lounge" ```