The beautiful people have been coming to Montreux for centuries. Poet Lord Byron, silent-movie star Charlie Chaplain, rock star Freddie Mercury — they have all basked on the shores of Lake Geneva, surrounded by the Swiss Alps and vineyards. For high-end holidaymakers past and present, Le Montreux Palace has been the place to stay for more than 100 years.

Certainly palatial in size, shape and color, Le Montreux Palace was built in 1906 by two Swiss hoteliers, who commissioned noted local architect Eugène Jost to create what has come to be known as a jewel of Belle Epoque architecture. The glory of the beautiful era survives today, with the hotel’s parquet floors, crystal chandeliers and immense arched windows and doorways harkening back to pre-World War I Europe.

In 2007, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts acquired the property, which features 235 rooms and suites including the Freddy Mercury Suite, a tribute to Queen’s flamboyant front man who was a frequent visitor at Le Montreux Palace. Earlier this year, the hotel kicked off a major renovation of the rooms, lobby, reception area and its Le Brasserie du Palace restaurant, spending millions to bring a contemporary look to these guest areas. The century-old property has kept pace with twenty-first century amenities such as wi-fi and flat-screen TVs in the guest rooms.

In addition to the Brasserie with its traditional French and Swiss fare, the property also hosts Harry’s New York Bar with an eclectic a la carte listing ranging from tapas to rib-eye steak. Open during the summer, La Terrasse du Petit Palais is the al fresco option, while snacks and aperitifs are available at the Lobby Lounge Bar.

While the alpine Lake Geneva is not known for its sandy shores, Fairmont Le Montreux Palace makes up for the lack of beach with a spacious grassy garden and outdoor pool overlooking a lakeside promenade. A heated indoor pool has an equally superb view of the garden and lake. The 2,000-square-meter Willow Stream Spa offers an international menu of relaxation and aesthetic treatments, with themed packages featuring Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Indian scrubs and massages. Among Willow Stream’s signature treatments is the Caviar Facial & Eye Treatment (CHF 39, LE 196), using caviar from the Caspian Sea.

While it’s hard to think about work in a place like this, the hotel also offers Le Petit Palais Conference Center, with facilities capable of hosting up to 1,200 people. About an hour from the Geneva International Airport, Fairmont Le Montreux Palace is located in the heart of the city, with easy access to the Casino Montreux, Chillon Castle, and of course, all the Montreux Jazz Festival venues. The city of Lausanne — home to the International Olympic Museum, the Gothic Cathedral and boutique shopping — is just a half-hour drive away.

Though it looks like a royal home, Fairmont Le Montreux Palace has always been a high-end hotel.

Fairmont Le Montreux Palace is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), a New York-based organization representing some 450 luxury or deluxe hotels. Member properties undergo periodic inspections evaluating accommodations, service, cuisine, employee behavior and facilities according to LHW standards of luxury hospitality. After all, you may not be a pop star, but there is no reason why you can’t be treated like one.

Fairmont Le Montreux Palace Grand Rue 100, Montreux, Switzerland, CH-1820 Tel: +41 21 962 1212 or Toll-free 1 (888) 590-0005, Email: montreux@fairmont.com www.fairmont.com/montreux et