Come home to the Baur au Lac.

Zurich’s Baur au Lac is more than a place to drop your head on the pillow at night; it’s your own personal palace. Since 1844, the hotel has been run by the Baur family and they truly work to make you feel like you are at home, if your home happens to be a castle filled with servants trained to discreetly meet your needs. Oriental carpets on marble stairways lead to rooms decorated with French antiques. Tradition is married with modern conveniences, such as a flat screen TV on top of an ornate dresser that hides a (FREE!) mini bar.

The old adage location, location, location, never rang more true. Baur au Lac is situated on Lake Zurich, which remains remarkably pristine, free of tacky tourist traps. Next door is the city’s Rodeo Drive, Bahnhofstrasse Street, and a few blocks away you can easily spend a day meandering through Old Town discovering old-style craftsmanship including handmade wooden tables and one of a kind bottles with glass figurines inside especially designed for Schnapps!

In the past, Zurich limited restaurants to traditional Swiss fare, but in the 90’s the city welcomed change. Great dining options abound but when you decide to stay home, unwind with a cocktail on the terrace at Baur Au Lac and discreetly spy on the beautiful people before enjoying fresh fish from Lake Zurich in the cozy restaurant.  Don’t miss the sumptuous breakfast buffet with the juice of the day at the Pavillon.  We enjoyed a purple drink with blueberries, mango, passion fruit and strawberries…sounds strange but tastes delicious.  The french toast even had a coating of corn flakes.

Afterwards, take a stroll around the grounds. You may spot immaculately styled Europeans walking their dogs or a celebrity like Barbara Streisand. The hotel screams old money but new money success stories like Bill Gates also prefer its understated elegance.

You may not be a superstar or a billionaire, but for just a night, you will be pampered like one at Baur Au Lac… and how often does that happen to mere mortals like us?

For more information from the International Travel Insighs Examiner on the Hotel Baur au Lac, click this link:  www.bauraulac.ch.  The city of Zurich's website: www.zuerich.com; and for Switzerland Tourism, www.myswitzerland.com.  Starting June 12th through August 1st, Art in the Park V with Mel Ramos' legendary Life Saver awaits you. Ronnie Cutrone crafted a new sculpture specially for this occasion. Robert Indiana's iconic numbers are there too. Jani Leinonen provides positive proof that pop art is still alive and kicking.  Fernando Botero's trademark opulence takes the form of the Man on Horse, while the works of Rotraut dissolve the boundary between paintwork and plastics.  The official website for the event is at: www.art-in-the-park.net/.  Should be some fun.  This article was written by Ruth Carlson and used with her permission.  All photos by Rich Carlson/talkintravel.