Butterfield & Robinson Switzerland Trip Recap

Hutton Beckcom October 11, 2018

My first Butterfield & Robinson (B&R) biking experience through Switzerland was out-of-this world incredible! A second-to-none trip you need to add to your 2019 travel plans if you haven’t already done so after following me along on my journey on social media!
The landscape of Switzerland is of course stunning, but seeing it from a bicycle accompanied by B&R’s first-class service elevated the country’s beauty beyond belief. Here is a full recap of my trip and more information on B&R.

Who is B&R?
“Butterfield & Robinson designs and runs the world’s most immersive, inspiring and unforgettable journeys. Crafted from the finest ingredients (exceptional lodgings, incomparable insider access, stellar food and wine, and more than 50 years of experience), B&R trips combine adventure with unparalleled cultural immersion in the world’s greatest destinations.”
B&R host both luxury biking and walking tours all over the globe – small group and custom private. You can select a tour based on your level of experience. Biking tours range from “Occasional” to “Expert.” My tour was “recreational” in skill-level as it was an E-bike tour.

Our super fun group of travel advisors and guides during a lunch stop

Our Itinerary
This 6 day, 5 night trip began in Lausanne and ended in Bern, the Swiss capital. Each day we road between 30 and 60 kilometers for a trip total of around 300 kilometers! I don’t think I ever stopped smiling while cycling!
Beyond Lausanne and Bern, our destinations included Vevey, Montreux, towns across the Lavaux wine region, towns across the Rhone River valley, Gruyeres, Chateau d’Oex, Gstaad, the Emmental region and more. I flew round trip into Geneva and relied on my Swiss Rail Pass for my easy 30 minute train ride from the airport to Lausanne and for my 2 hour train ride from Bern back to Geneva.
Each morning our bikes were in perfect condition and ready to go around 8:30AM with our day’s route loaded on our digital tablets attached to our bikes. Then it was off we went to discover more of beautiful Switzerland! It’s worth noting that the guides do a pre-trip ride just a few days before you arrive to ensure there’s no construction or obstacles that could affect the planned routes – how nice is that!

Bike path through Lavaux vineyards

Biking past the art installation in Vevey across from the gastronomic museum

Of our two B&R guides, one guide was always biking with us while the other drove the van. Throughout the rides, you’d turn a corner just about every 15 kilometers or so and spot the van for a rest stop! One of the guides had already setup snacks – think fresh strawberries and cream, gruyere cheese, energy bars or Swiss chocolate – and drinks – think soft drinks, sports drinks, beer, sparkling water, etc. by the time we arrived. They were unbelievable! They also got to know us so well throughout the trip, so if there was one type of beer I happened to pick up during rest time on Day 1 and 2, by Day 3 they just handed it to me upon arrival! Shout out to Chris and Margot for being the BEST guides ever!
Lunches varied daily with some at vineyards, some at local spots in town and some at local farms. We even had a picnic lunch above Vevey in the countryside, but my all time favorite lunch was at a Swiss chalet where a husband and wife made us raclette, grits, salad and potatoes – a regional delicacy! We always seemed to bike uphill to lunch and downhill afterwards to check in and rest at our hotel, which was super convenient and allowed us to eat and drink as much as we wanted, ha!

Gourmet picnic lunch

Snack break complete with local gruyere cheese, strawberries and candies

Lunch at Domaine Mermetus

Upon arrival at our hotels in the mid-afternoon, our bags were already in our rooms and they had all of our passport info, so all we had to do was grab our key and then we could go to our rooms to freshen up! This was so nice and really made all of the transitions seamless.
When you plan a trip with B&R your afternoons can be spent doing whatever you like! Think free time by the pool, a self-guided or private-guided stroll through town, etc.! The world is your oyster and everything can be customized!
At night towards the end of dinner one of the guides would go over the route for the following day and pass out a sheet of paper with the daily schedule and a whole list of interesting tidbits about the areas we’d be biking through. I really appreciated the real time info and loved learning about my surroundings!

One of my favorite dinner spots – Ze Fork, located along the lake

The Bike + Gear
B&R supplied us with bikes, helmets, water bottles and even a bike jersey as a gift at the end of our trip! We did have to bring our own biking shoes (tennis shoes for e-bikes are perfect), padded biking shorts and biking jerseys/athletic tops.
As for the bike itself, it had 10 normal gears and then 4 levels of e-bike support (eco, tour, sport & turbo), so you basically had 40 different levels to shift through depending on the terrain! Because of all this versatility, you could get a workout in when you wanted to and you could also get the support you needed when going up a steep hill. Some people on my trip had the e-bike support on the whole time and some of us only turned it on for the big hills – especially because the bike itself is pretty heavy.
All in all, whether you’re not the biggest biker or you actively cycle, you could do this trip.

A close up of the tablet, basket, regular and e-Bike gears

Signature Hotels
Across our 5 nights, we split up and stayed at the Beau-Rivage Palace or the Angleterre & Residence in Lausanne, Grand Hotel du Lac or the Hotel des Trois Couronnes in Vevey, Le Grand Bellevue in Gstaad, Bellevue Palace in Bern and I chose to end my trip with a stay at the Beau Rivage Geneve in Geneva. We also toured The Alpina in Gstaad and The Park Gstaad.
If I had to pick a top three across these hotels, it would be the Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne, Grand Hotel du Lac in Vevey and Le Grand Bellevue in Gstaad! I’m happy to expand on any and all of these properties and book your next stay so you receive exclusive amenities. Just send me an email!

A Superior Lake & Alpine View Room at the Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne

Grand Hotel du Lac in Vevey

Hotel room views onto Lake Geneva

Beautiful entry level room at The Alpina – notice the Swiss cowbells as lamps

Room service breakfast at Le Grand Bellevue

Final Thoughts
While I can’t speak for tours beyond my Swiss experience, based on the premier level of service, the fantastic, personable guides and their selected signature hotels, I can assure you that you can have complete faith in B&R no matter where you’re looking to travel to. Each day exceeded my expectations as the guides made everything COMPLETELY effortless for us. Contact me at hutton@huttonb.com to book your next B&R adventure to “slow down and see the world.”
XO,

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