History

In 1873, hotel manager Louis Faucherre had a hotel built in Bon-Port by the architects Ernest Burnat and Charles Nicati of Vevey. The hotel was situated along the strategic route from Lausanne to Valais.

Until the end of the 19th century it was an isolated and imposing building that stood between the vines and the villages of Territet and Vernex. From 1877 the location of the hotel was praised in advertisements since it had an exceptional view of the lake and Alps. It was one of the most luxurious and modern hotels of its time. However, the 1880s tourist boom in Montreux quickly made it obsolete and around 1890 it had to be renovated in order to remain competitive with the other hotels that were being built at a frenetic pace. In 1894, the architect Eugène Jost designed a covered walkway and mixed-use galleries (shops and housing for servants), the purpose of which was partly to create a monumental entrance to the hotel and partly to form a "gateway" at the entrance of Montreux.

In 1895 the hotel passed into the hands of the Société des Hôtels National et Cygne, the main shareholder of which was Alexandre Emery, the future owner of Montreux Palace. This company contracted Jost to extend the hotel. In 1898 the hotel was raised by one floor and the decor, interior facilities and furniture were partially refurbished. The work was a race against the clock with the contractors having less than five months to complete some major renovations! However, the success of the work and the enthusiasm that accompanied it only lasted a few years. The hotel was constantly faced with considerable competition from other hotels in the region. In 1910 Jost renovated the hotel interior with the Menuiserie Held company, which built the woodwork for a conservatory.

The years that followed were difficult. The two world wars cast doubt on the future of tourism in Montreux and the economic crises did not help the hotel business.

The hotel interior was renovated one more time in 1955. Later, the hotel, which was run by the Montreux Palace SA company, was declared unprofitable and closed in 1983.

Up until 2006 the hotel, which was private property, was the subject of much curiosity amongst the people of Montreux. It was completely abandoned and yet the walls of the hotel still contained all the remnants of its turbulent but glorious past.

All the historical information, texts and images come from the Montreux Archives and the Swiss Hotel Archives.