Elite Hotel Lausanne
by the TopOfHotel team
Elite Hotel is a classic family-run hotel with a private garden in the city centre — and balconies with Lake Geneva views on some rooms.
Elite Hotel is a classic family-run hotel with a private garden in the city centre — and balconies with Lake Geneva views on some rooms.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Rooms are styled in classic European fashion — wood furniture, heavy curtains, and trim that reads like a refreshed Belle Époque hotel. Some superior rooms have small balconies that open onto Lake Geneva and the Alps on the French side, and reviews single these out as the highlight worth the price bump. Most rooms are reasonably spacious with good natural light. That said, some reviews note that rooms on the lower floors or the older wing feel dated and need updating, so ask for a recently renovated room when you book.
Food and amenities
The included breakfast buffet is a standout — reviews praise the range of sweet and savoury options, with fresh bread, croissants, cheese, cold cuts, and eggs to order, served in a classic dining room. The lobby has a lounge with sofas and reading material — one review calls it a lovely lounge for reading and relaxing, which is genuinely rare at this level. Wi-Fi is free throughout, and a free city transit pass is handed out for the length of your stay. There's no pool and no spa.
Location and getting there
Elite sits just 200 m from Lausanne Railway Station, but it's a short steep uphill walk — that's Lausanne, a city built across three hills. If you're carrying heavy bags, take bus line 6 or 8 from the station. The M2 metro at Lausanne-Gare is close by and runs downhill to Ouchy on the lakefront in 6 to 8 minutes. Place Saint-François and the financial district are a 5-minute walk, and the Old Town and Lausanne Cathedral are 10 to 15 minutes on foot. By train it's 40 minutes to Geneva Airport, 35 minutes into Geneva proper, and 20 minutes to Montreux.
Things to know before booking
Some rooms feel dated, particularly on the lower floors and the older side, so request a renovated room. The station walk is short but a real uphill climb, awkward with heavy luggage — use the free bus pass or a taxi for around $11 to $17. And there's no pool or spa, so this is the wrong pick if you want full resort facilities.
Our take
Elite Hotel Lausanne is best for couples and romantics who like the feel of an old family-run European hotel. The lake-view balconies and the private garden give it something modern chains can't — and if you can live with a few dated rooms and the uphill walk from the station, it delivers a real taste of old Lausanne. If you'd rather have full 4-star facilities and modern rooms, Agora Swiss Night or Alpha-Palmiers is the better fit.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- A quiet private garden in the middle of the city — genuinely hard to find in Lausanne, where real estate is this pricey.
- Some rooms have balconies that open onto Lake Geneva and the Alps across the French side of the water — reviews call this the highlight worth the small price bump.
- Family-run, and reviews are near-unanimous that the staff are the standout — attentive, friendly, and hands-on with the welcome.
- A varied breakfast buffet, sweet and savoury, with fresh bread, croissants, cheese, cold cuts, and eggs to order, served in a classic dining room.
- A lobby lounge with sofas and reading material for downtime — one review describes it as a lovely lounge for reading and relaxing, which is rare at this level.
- Some rooms, especially on the lower floors or the older side, are dated and due for a refresh — reviews flag parts of it as outdated, so ask for a recently renovated room when you book.
- The walk up from the train station is only 200 m but it's a short steep climb — awkward with heavy luggage, so plan to grab the free bus pass or a taxi.
- No pool and no spa, so if you want resort-style facilities this isn't the place.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Lausanne
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Insider Tips
- Ask for a superior or deluxe room facing the lake side with a balcony when you book — the price bump is small, but waking up to Lake Geneva and the Alps is well worth it.
- The garden terrace behind the hotel is an especially quiet spot for morning coffee — several reviews say it feels more like a village than the middle of a city.
- Confirm any lake-view request again with the front desk at check-in — only south-facing rooms from the middle floors up get the view, and they're usually the superior or deluxe categories.