Lake Lucerne: designed for family adventures 

Ask a child what they remember about Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne and they won’t mention the infinity pool or the five-star dining. They’ll talk excitedly about the funicular: the little red carriage that hauls itself straight up the mountainside like in a movie, trees blurring past the window as you catch glimpses of the sparkling lake below.

For international school families used to the exhaustion of travelling with children, Bürgenstock Resort offers something different: an adventure that’s a short drive away, whether you’re coming from Zurich, Zug or Basel. 

WILDER THAN A SCREEN  

The resort, spread across 60 hectares of nature, 500 metres above the lake, has been welcoming families since 1873. The Kids Club is conveniently tucked next to the Alpine Spa, where qualified child minders run daily activities, craft mornings and hands-on creating for children aged three to 12, from 10 am to 7 pm. Budding pâtissiers can get their hands covered in cocoa at a chocolate-making masterclass with Pastry Chef Damián Carini and his team, while the more curious can head down the valley to see how mountain milk becomes Swiss cheese. Screens stay in the suitcase, save for the resort’s 69-seat private cinema, a nod to its Goldfinger past (Sean Connery stayed here while filming in 1964), which runs family screenings with treats. A playground close by, plus dedicated pool sessions, means younger siblings are catered for, and babysitting can be arranged for evenings that call for grown-ups only. 

ROOM TO ROAM 

Beyond the Kids Club, the real draw is the 70 kilometres of trails threading through meadow and forest: walkable, bikeable and traffic-free. Families cycle together, take on gentler loops with younger children, or head out with a guide to learn about the mountain’s ecosystem. For older children with a taste for engineering, or just a healthy appetite for a thrill, the Hammetschwand Lift, Europe’s highest outdoor elevator, does not disappoint, while the Cliff Walk beyond it offers views that make even the most unimpressed teenager put their phone away. Rooms matter here, too. The two-bedroom family suites keep everyone on the same floor, with no corridor walk required just to say goodnight. 

TIME APART, TOGETHER 

When the children are entertained, the Alpine Spa is close enough for parents to slip away for an hour. What Bürgenstock Resort understands, and what makes it worth the detour for expat families building a life in Switzerland, is that the best family travel doesn’t separate the generations so much as give each one their own reason to love the same place. The children will talk about the funicular for weeks; the parents will secretly be dreaming of the spa.  

Ready to find out for yourself? 

FAMILY GETAWAY 

The resort’s own shortcut to a properly planned family week. It includes a treasure hunt across the estate,‘Splash’n’Flash’ pool time for the children, unlimited spa access for parents and a private screening at the Bürgenstock Cinema. 

Package details: https://burgenstockresort.com/en/offers/family-getaway 

Find out more or book a stay: https://burgenstockresort.com/en/kids