We stayed at The Montana for a fortnight in early September & didn't really suffer the stifling heat problems mentioned on previous reviews. We found it to be a five star hotel in every way - except official ranking ! Rating could be influenced by lack of pool etc.

We stayed in a Junior Suite with two side windows & two windows looking on front over the Lake. Exceptionally spacious & super bathroom - a very comfortable room indeed.

The Restaurant is very busy with locals - usually a good sign - and it is necessary to book. The offering was sublime. During our first week we did try several other Restaurants. The Old Swiss House was good. Jaspers at The Palace Hotel was expensive and rather disappointing. The much trumpeted Cantonese 'El Tai Pei' was also rather disappointing as was the italian restaurant at The National Hotel. Good value traditional italian at The Weissen Kreuz Hotel - pizzas & pasta dishes were of good quality.

By the second week, we had decided there was nothing to better The Montana & ate there most nights ! Not cheap - but food isn't in Lucerne - about Sw Fr 200 for four courses & wine for two people. Not a bad idea to request an area where you would prefer to be - they have an unfortunate habit of preferring locals to hotel residents in terms of the better located tables - and seem to place large groups next to the windows with lake views (when, from my experience, large business groups are busy in conversation etc & not too bothered where they sit !).

We had travelled from UK independently - rather than with a tour operator - and hotel weren't terribly au fait with the workings of the 'Fly Rail' Baggage system - no doubt usually handled for guests by UK Tour Operators.

One other piece of useful info. The bar adjoins the foyer/reception area and the whole area is usually terribly smokey - particularly from late afternoon. It quite often hits you as soon as you emerge from the funicular lift into the reception area - surprised their reception staff put up with it. There is a non-smoking area next to the bar but the whole of that area seems to be affected & no sign of a public area smoking ban in Switzerland yet !

Overall though a top place !

I was booked through Swiss tours to stay in this hotel, the very agency that promotes tourism in Switzerland. I was to check in on Sep. 8, 2006 for 2 nights. Once I got there, I was told that the hotel had cancelled my booking just 2 days earlier and shifted me to some smaller hotel nearby. Since I was booked to stay in a four star hotel and had already payed the entire amount before arriving there, I refused to go to another hotel. Plus I was travelling alone and most certainly did not want to shift to any dodgy hotel I had not heard or read about. I almost caught the next flight back to London! Finally, a compromise was reached and they found me a room in Hotel Monopol, which was probably the only halfway decent gesture they showed towards me. Monopol was certainly not the place where I would have gone to for a holiday had I the choice but I have to admit that my stay there was comfortable and it is well situated, which made it easier for me to simply walk to all the sights and excursion points.
From the moment I left Montana, I had the feeling things would've been different for me had I been European or American and not Asian or Indian. There is certainly a racist factor there, so if you're Indian and have booked in India, be careful. I could have easily booked from London too, I doubt if I would've been subjected to such treatment then!

My husband and I stayed at this hotel for 4 nights during September, 2004. I can't say enough good things about this hotel. Starting with the breathtaking view - our balcony faced the lake and the low alps. The rooms were done in art deco style and the bathrooms were very large and modern. The staff was extremely professional and courteous. Anything we asked, it was taken care of immediately! Their delicous buffet breakfasts were served on the terrace overlooking the lake. You could also have dinner at their indoor restaurant overlooking the lake. Magnificent! Tthe location is great - a short 10 minute walk across the lake to the old town. And finally, a very welcome feature (at the end of a long day) is the hotel's own cable car from the lobby to the street. No need to walk uphill or climb stairs. We strongly recommend it and would love to return! The only negative we found was that rooms didn't have A/C. We were fine because it was September but I can't say how it would be in July/August.

very nice hotel with nice staff but a little stuffy. make sure your get a room facing this amazing view to the lake. the breakfast was great and is served on the tarrace overlooking the lake
the hotel has no airconditioning and it is very hot in the summer. they gave us a small fan not much good i would never have stayed there had i known they had no a/c the hotel is not near resort type of stuff so if you are looking to do water sports probblably not a good spot. if you are only spending a couple of days and are just visiting through very nice hotel just remember there is no airconditioning and it gets very hot in the summer