A Slice of History - Grand Hotel National

welcome
TO LUCERNE‘S LEGENDARY GRAND HOTEL

A Slice of History
- ONCE UPON A TIME –
1868 – 1870
Development of the Grand National
1868
“To accommodate kings you must first build a palace”: With a rise in tourism
in the mid 19th century, Lucerne realised its potential as an attractive holiday
destination. The French nobility, the Russian aristocracy and the Britons all
enjoy visits to Switzerland. And so a plan developed to create luxury accommodation
for wealthy travellers: the „Hotel National“ was born.
January 1868
Builder Colonel Maximilian Alphons Von Pfyffer Von Altishofen submits the
hotel plans to the town council. The hotel construction is quite spectacular for
this period: The plan is larger than previous Lucerne architecture, at 84
metres in length, 25 metres in depth and 27 metres in height.
28. May 1868
Planning permission for the „Hotel National“ is given – the building firm
responsible is “Baugesellschaft Segesser & Cie.”
1870
Opening of the Grand Hotel National on the banks of Lake Lucerne. The
luxurious hotel, built in French renaissance style, is larger and more
magnificent than all of its predecessors and sounds the bell for a new
revolutionary style in hotel construction.

A Slice of History
- ONCE UPON A TIME –
1870 – 1890
Progression and prominent Management
1870 – 1877
Colonel Maximilian Alphons Von Pfyffer Von Althishofen becomes Director of
the Grand Hotel National.
1877
César Ritz takes over management of the hotel – already a rising star in the
hotel business. Over the years César Ritz lays the foundations for a traditional
and stylish hotel culture; his innovative ideas are still in use to this day. His
dynamism, his intuitive understanding of guests and his excellent contacts
make the „Hotel National“ both famous and successful.
1881
The famous “Chef de Cuisine”, Auguste Escoffier, treats the guests of the “Hotel
National“ to a range of fine creations. The Ritz-Escoffier team gives the
hotel an international reputation. A number of major personalities including
numerous members of the German imperial family, Sissy, Empress Elisabeth
of Austria, maharajas from India - anybody who is anybody – visit the “Hotel
National” to be indulged.

A Slice of History
- ONCE UPON A TIME –
“A trade‘s perfection must be coupled with simplicity“: This is the revolutionary
motto of the top two restauranteurs. For César Ritz this meant doing away
with ostentatious curtains and eccentric welcoming clichés – instead light
colours, flowers and attentive, personal service would make the guests „friends
of the hotel“: Auguste Escoffier conjured up refined but equally simple dishes.
Of course, these changes have to be seen within the historical context, for
today both Escoffier‘s creations and Ritz‘s „simple style“ still seem extremely
opulent.
1890
Colonel Maximilian Alphons Von Pfyffer Von Altishofen is struck by an acute
influenza infection at the age of just 56. In the years previous to this he had
begun once again to devote himself to his military career and been promoted
to Chief of the General Staff.
1890
César Ritz leaves Lucerne and heads to London. Alphons and Hans Pfyffer,
sons of the builder, take over the management – they were followers and great
admirers of César Ritz and applied the knowledge that they had gained from
him to their future management of the hotel.

A Slice of History
- ONCE UPON A TIME –
1890 – 1950
Hans Pfyffer is responsible for the “Grand Hotel National” for 60 years –
either as manager or as a member of the executive board. His name is linked
not only to a large piece of hotel history, but also to the history of the town and
the region. He worked tirelessly for both the hotel and the whole region until
his death. Tourism and its promotion were his passions.
Hans Pfyffer is a pioneer in cooperation and regionalism, weaving together
both national and international strands to form a dense network of relationships.
It is his commitment that ensured that the Grand Hotel National
managed to escape relatively unscathed from the years of war and crisis - unlike
many other grand hotels in Switzerland.
1890
Hotel’s name changed to “Grand Hotel National”. The limited partnership of
“Pfyffer & Cie” founded.
1897 – 1900
Expansion & Enlargement

A Slice of History
- ONCE UPON A TIME –
1897
Extension to include a large dining hall. Between the 1890s and the outbreak
of World War I the number of tourists visiting Lucerne continues to rise – in
1892 there are 77,950 guests, in 1900 140,000 and in 1910 a massive 192,500
guests. The growing number of visitors and increasing demand leads to the
“Grand Hotel National” being extended to include an additional dining hall.
The “old dining hall” was turned into a ballroom.
1890
“Grand Hotel National AG” founded – César Ritz sits on the executive
boardThe joint-stock company forms the basis for extensive renovation and
modernisation of the hotel. For example, all rooms were fitted with an en
suite with bath and WC, and electricity.
1899/1900
Start of the large “Nationalhof” project Extension of the hotel to include today‘s
„east wing“ - an ambitious venture that increased the size of the hotel by 50%.
The “Nationalhof” was designed as a heated „winter house“ to make Lucerne
and the hotel attractive right through the winter months. The „apartments”
built in the east wing were very modern and forward-looking, and the 20th
century saw this new form of accommodation (suites) being introduced into
luxury hotels worldwide.

A Slice of History
- ONCE UPON A TIME –
During the extension work the basic structure building of the building was
preserved: Apart from small exterior restructuring and the extension of the
connecting wing, the hotel’s architecture and structure have been preserved
to this day. Of course, the interiors and the facilities have moved with the times.
The “function rooms” of the past are now restaurants, whilst the hotel hall, or
the „large restaurant“, is now the banqueting and conference rooms. The “
ballroom” has been preserved.
Emil Vogt is the architect responsible for the extensions, setting new standards
in the world of hotel architecture with his innovative ideas. Emil Vogt, also
known as “the architect of comfort”, is very closely linked with César Ritz –
during the turmoil of World War I he was responsible for the construction of
significant hotels like the „Ritz“ in Cairo, and the “King David“ in Jerusalem,
and for the extension of the “Luxor” hotel.

A Slice of History
- ONCE UPON A TIME –
1900 – 1914
The golden years
1901 – 1906
The “Belle Epoque” – a golden age for the Grand Hotel National with up to 46
000 stays per year: A volume that was never surpassed in the „Golden 20th
century”. International guests, in particular those from Great Britain and North
America, hold the hotel and Lucerne in very high esteem.
The guest book from this period reads like a “who’s who” of history. Members
of many royal families, not just in Europe but also from the whole world, travel
to Lucerne and grace the traditional hotel with their presence.
1910
The 3rd extension: An extra storey added to the connecting wing. The Grand
Hotel National and the Nationalhof are linked by the connecting wing.
1910 – 1914
“Lucerne takes to the skies” – Lucerne becomes the first city in the world to
offer passenger flights and acquires its own airship, the „Ville de Lucerne“,
built by the French company „Compagnie Générale Transaérienne“, for the
purpose. Hans Pfyffer was the forerunner. However, the flight ban introduced
from 1914 onwards due to World War I brought a sudden end to this innovative
business.

A Slice of History
- ONCE UPON A TIME –
1914 – 1945
Hard times for the international hotel business
1914
World War I starts - difficult times for the Swiss luxury hotel industry. During
the later years of the war, the cellar and ground floor of the “Grand Hotel
National” serves as a warehouse - other luxury hotels fared worse: the
“Maloja Palace” was transformed into a barracks, the “Montreux Palace” into
a hospital, and the “Palace” in Gstaad was simply closed.
1916
César Ritz dies.
1920
Special meeting between the Italian President Giolitti and the English Prime
Minister Lloyd George takes place in the Grand Hotel National - during this
meeting the foundations were laid for the Treaty of Versailles.
1922
New marketing strategy developed – Hotel Director Alfred Demicheli goes
on business trips, visiting travel agencies and tour operators to negotiate
contracts and cooperative deals.
1923
The Lucerne flights company goes into liquidation. Although Lucerne was the
first Swiss city to “take to the skies”, to this day it has not rebuilt another civil
airport. Citizens continue to vote against it on the grounds of noise pollution.

A Slice of History
- ONCE UPON A TIME –
1929
Installation of a telephone system, with telephones put in for every guest room.
29.10.1929
Black Thursday – stock exchange crash in New York. The Grand Hotel National
is affected immediately, although the stock exchange crash does not affect
Switzerland until two years later, but many guests continue to travel from
North America.
1918 – 1932
Upturn in the economy and more crises in the changing times. At the end of
World War I, a massive upturn in the economy begins – guests return and the
guest figures rise. By 1923 the number of guests staying has already reached
the pre-war figures.
However: Times have changed. Food prices have risen massively and the new
laws for employees have a real effect.
Fair wages, shorter working hours and holidays take their toll on the hotel
industry‘s turnover and bring about a massive drop in profits.
In 1931 and 1932 the picture changes dramatically – the world economic crisis
caused by “Black Thursday“ starts to take its toll. The number of guests staying
falls to 5000 in 1931 and again to less than 4000 in 1932.
From 1933
Difficult times still lie ahead for tourism and the hotel - the continuing fall of
the dollar and World War II increase the strain on the industry.

A Slice of History
- ONCE UPON A TIME –
1970 – 2007
Take over & modification of the hotel
1970
Architect Umberto E. Erculiani buys the majority of the shares in the Grand
Hotel National AG.
According to his drafts, the 220-room hotel would be changed into a hotel with
78 guest rooms and 41 residence suites. The hotel becomes a member of Steigenberger
Hotels and Preferred Hotels and Resorts.
2001
Umberto E. Erculiani decides to further limit the hotel business. The 6th and
7th floors and half of the 5th floor are leased to EF Education and form the
global headquarters of their financial holding. EF Education is the world’s largest
language school, and since the company has occupied part of the hotel,
it has coordinated its global financial activities from Lucerne.
Following extensive restoration and renovation, the Grand Hotel National is
now located in the east wing and stands as a luxurious 5-star superior hotel
with 41 guest rooms and suites. Great value is placed on upholding the traditions
of the 19th century and combining these harmoniously with modern facilities.

A Slice of History
- ONCE UPON A TIME –
2001 – 2003
Umberto Erculiani spends a long time searching for a competent management
team that can market the historic Grand Hotel on an international level, whilst
maintaining its connections with the local region.
June 2003
“THP Touristic & Hotel Projects Ltd.” takes over management of the legendary
hotel. The partners are the internationally-renowned hotel expert Pierre
Vacher, the famous Lucerne business consultant Bodo Von Düring (of Düring
Management AG), hotelier Gabriele Pedrazzetti (Hotel Continental Park) and
the Lucerne businessman Ernst Maréchaux, owner of Maréchaux Elektro AG.
2004
The 4 boardrooms are integrated into the same meeting floor
2005
Façade and soft renovations (right-hand wing)
2007
Façade and soft renovations (left-hand wing)
2009
Restaurant TRIANON and National Bar renovations

“It is the lives we encounter that
make life worth living.”
GUY DE MAUPASSANT