A rejuvenating retreat that carves a trail surrounded by nature to find oneself at home.

The soul gravitates towards a place where a sensorial experience unfolds; not to shut down the community that surrounds it, but to step back from the hustle of the everyday noise and chatter to heal, rejuvenate, and fine-tune one’s inner self. In such an occurrence, Chenot Palace Weggis enters the scene to share the seduction and gentleness of its landscape and offerings, granting anyone who steps into the place to form part of its home and beliefs.

Chenot Palace Weggis is designed for human well-being. A stand-alone property, it sits at the edge of the village of Weggis, at the foot of the Swiss Alps on the gentle shores of Lake Lucerne, overlooking the spectacular peaks of Mount Rigi and Pilatus in a region famed for its wellness offers. It calls for a sense of eternity in one of the historical areas of Switzerland through energy healing and the property’s revelation of the Earth’s wonder.

Here lies a physical feeling of belonging as the guests merge with the surrounding nature and pulsate in unison, conflating a suspension of the senses, the ideals between the past and the future, and the indifference of dream from reality. Through this wellness palace, Earth’s generosity is absorbed, as if the guests were trees that feed on the climate and environment, fusing an understanding between the architecture and the human beings.

Entering the property, a roundabout leads to the entrance. From the outside, the architecture retains its former look of a classic white and brown roof, preserving its heritage before the renovation. The lobby glows with warm lightning to craft a sense of tranquility from the onset. The area extends to the annex beside it, the home to the guest rooms and spa center. The complex comprises 97 hotel rooms, of which 52 are in pre-existing buildings and 45 are in the new timber construction.

Onto the neighboring architecture, the exterior resembles the ridges of a saw with the roof and balconies forming waves shaped like the letter ‘V’, emphasizing the interconnectedness of the community while respecting their privacy. The terraces employ wood floors and transparent glass panes to match the minimalist ambiance of the white palette inside the rooms. Overlooking the glass panels, the view of the lake, and surrounding mountains, a forest-like environment that enclose the hotel greets the guests. The hotel rooms cantilever over a mezzanine, where a lawn-like green locale hauls the view two floors up from the ground and becomes a domain to laze about while watching the sunset dip below the peaks of the mountains.

Strolling inside the wellness palace, the interior caters to the home-vibes of the earth and beige tones from the overhead lamps to the varnished oak floors. Four plush sofas form a square over a round carpet, sheltered inside a concave divider where round lamps cast a dramatic shadow. Adjacent, more sofas arranged in a similar fashion appear beside drawn gray curtains exposing the serene view outside. The reception desk welcomes the guests with its oak panels, three hanging lamps, and a vase of white flowers; the complement to the drifting serenity that wafts in the air. 

The dining hall, where guests may enjoy servings of meals and refreshments, elaborates a minimalist design through the double, tray-like coffee tables to place the saucer plates and glasses on, flower vases on top of narrow tables that divide the room, and lamps installed in the citrus fruit-shaped ceiling. Outside the canteen, bonsai-styled plants and shrubs grow among the forest rocks, absorbing the sunlight in an open-air setting.

Besides being home to wellness, Chenot Palace Weggis also evokes contemplation through a gallery curated by Davide Macullo Architects and gallerist Daniele Agostini. The collection comprises nine young Swiss artists who represent the contemporary visual arts ranging from photography and drawing to wood sculpture and bronze casting. It also houses the works of Davide Macullo, who has produced over 250 drawings that describe his intimate introspection, a storytelling of man’s search for his ideal space. His crafts also extend to the colorful rugs that adorn the public spaces and the granite Baum chairs in the gardens.

The medical spa lies in the heart of Chenot Palace Weggis. Set across 5,000 sqm, with over 100 treatment rooms and offices, the Spa and Medical Department embodies a connection with nature where colors, shapes, and space transcend openness and neutrality. It is organized by department: aesthetic, hydrotherapy, and medical.  The reception areas and doctors’ offices are set around bonsai garden courtyards, bringing in natural light and maintaining a constant consonance with nature. The ceilings throughout the spa and communal areas have been carefully designed, summoning scenes of forests, roots, water, and fire to make guests feel part of a living sculpture while echoing the palace’s philosophy of vitality.

Simplicity, harmony, and serendipity: the amalgamation of human beings and nature while nestled in a wellness hotel constructed like a palace. To respire while expelling impurities, to rest while dreaming of paradise, and to feel nurtured while taking a retreat. In Switzerland, Chenot Palace Weggis transports living beings into a sanctuary of life, rejuvenation, and wellness.

PROJECT DETAILS

Location: Weggis, Canton Lucerne

Completion: Spring 2020

Site Area: 17’423 sqm

Total Floor Area: 19'361 sqm

Architect: Davide Macullo Architects, Lugano, CH

Interior Design: Davide Macullo Architects, Lugano, CH

Landscape Architect: Fahrni Architekten, Luzern, CH

Photographers:

Fabrice Fouillet, Paris, FR

Roberto Pellegrini, Bellinzona, CH

Alex Teuscher, New York, USA