Hotel du Grand Lac Excelsior

Breakfast was fine, enough to get the day started, though nothing memorable. The lakeside setting is lovely and our stay was generally okay, but the hotel feels worn. The carpets were visibly dirty, and the rooms could use a proper renovation. We also had no kettle, tea, or coffee in the room, which was inconvenient and unexpected at this level. Some updates and better room basics could make a real difference.

The room was basically just a bed and table, with no coffee machine, kettle, tea, or coffee. It was also incredibly noisy: we could hear the woman next door talking on the phone in a normal voice, and heard noise from the room above too. Even the elevators smelled moldy. Avoid this hotel if you can.

Breakfast was decent, and the coffee there was very good. The coffee machine in my room wasn't working, though, and Mohammed at reception said he couldn't do anything about it. I asked for an iron, but it wasn't brought that day. The next morning I had to ask again and was told it would be available after 7:30, when the new person arrived. Poor service.

We asked to move rooms, but the only alternative was another junior suite with the same problems. Since we'd been asked to pay in full on arrival, we requested a refund, and the duty manager arranged it without argument. We were glad to leave after just one night. I feel for the staff, who must have to absorb a lot of complaints about this ageing, inadequate hotel. We were in Montreux as part of a short tour through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and France, so had plenty to compare it with. We booked a junior suite for three adults for two nights. The staff were helpful and polite throughout, which was the one positive. Our room was on level -3. I understand all the junior suites are there because they have terraces and access to the lakeside walk. The room smelled strongly of horses, and the corridor outside was damp smelling too. The corridors looked very tired, with faded, stained carpets, and a large pebble holding a fire door open, which seemed an odd approach to safety. The room looked as though it hadn't been decorated in a long time. Its furniture was flimsy and poor quality, and the bathroom setup was awkward: the shower screen was too small, while the toilet was so close to the basin you had to be careful where you put your jaw to avoid hitting it. The inside of the building doesn't match its grand exterior at all. It feels neglected, which is a real shame, because it could be a beautiful hotel. As advertised, it simply isn't a four star place, and I suspect there are more suitable options in Montreux. Don't be misled by the small website photos, which make it hard to see what you're actually getting. If you're coming for the Montreux Jazz Festival and think you've struck lucky with this accommodation, you haven't. Stay in Lausanne or Geneva and travel in.