Hotel Bellevue Palace
Encyclopedia
The Bellevue Palace is a five-star
luxury hotel located in the Old City of Bern, Switzerland
. Owned by the Swiss Confederation, it is the state's guesthouse for visiting heads of state and government
, and is host to dozens of members of parliament during the weeks the assembly is in session.
. His heirs had the hotel torn down and rebuilt it in 1910 in the neoclassicist style. The new Bellevue Palace was reopened in 1913 and General Ulrich Wille
made it Switzerland's military headquarters during World War I
. During World War II
, the hotel remained open for business. It became a focal point of the warring powers' diplomatic and intelligence activities in Switzerland and its bar a haunt of OSS
station chief Allen Dulles. One half of the restaurant came to be frequented by Allied
guests and the other by patrons from Axis
states.
After the war, the hotel's fortunes declined sharply. To prevent the state hotel from being acquired by foreign buyers, the Swiss National Bank
acquired it in 1976, and in 1994 made a gift of it to the Confederation, which retains 99.7% of the hotel's shares. After it became apparent that the Bellevue Palace was in need of an overhaul, as it lacked amenities such as air conditioning
, it was closed in 2002 for a one-year renovation that cost CHF
40 million and cut the number of rooms from 230 to 130. Following a spate of bad publicity over low staff wages, the Confederation turned over the management to a chain of Swiss luxury hotels in 2007.
The Bellevue Palace has been host to a great number of heads of state and government, including Winston Churchill
, Mikhail Gorbachev
, Jawaharlal Nehru
, Queen Elizabeth II and Emperor Akihito
. When it was used as a negotiating venue in the Helsinki process
during the Cold War
, some participants called it "the best-protected building in Europe" due to its array of security features and extensive police protection. Parts of John le Carré
's spy novel Smiley's People
and its TV adaption are set in the Bellevue Palace. In Swiss politics, the hotel's bar and lounge are known to be the site of much late-night political horse trading during parliamentary sessions, such as arranging elections of Federal Councillors
.
Apart from ballrooms, restaurants, salons, bars and conference facilities, the Bellevue Palace features an array of suites, including an extensive "Presidential Suite" with a view of the Bernese Alps
over the River Aar. The hotel's cuisine is rated at 16 Gault Millau
points. Frommer's
Switzerland describes the Bellevue Palace as "the grand old dame of Bern" and "the most lavish and opulent choice in town", opining that "dining on the renowned Bellevue Terrace is one of the reasons to come to Bern." The hotel is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World association.
Star (classification)
Stars are often used as symbols for classification purposes. They are used by reviewers for ranking things such as movies, TV shows, restaurants, and hotels. For example, one to five stars is commonly employed to categorize hotels.-Restaurant ratings:...
luxury hotel located in the Old City of Bern, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Owned by the Swiss Confederation, it is the state's guesthouse for visiting heads of state and government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
, and is host to dozens of members of parliament during the weeks the assembly is in session.
History
The original Bellevue Palace was built by the financier Friedrich Osswald in 1865 immediately adjacent to the seat of the federal government, the BundeshausBundeshaus
The Federal Palace is the name of the building in Bern in which the Swiss Federal Assembly and the Federal Council are housed.The building was designed by the architect Hans Auer and its inauguration took place on 1 April 1902...
. His heirs had the hotel torn down and rebuilt it in 1910 in the neoclassicist style. The new Bellevue Palace was reopened in 1913 and General Ulrich Wille
Ulrich Wille
Conrad Ulrich Sigmund Wille was the General of the Swiss Army during the First World War. Inspired by the Prussian techniques that he had been able to observe at the time of his studies in Berlin, he tried to impress the Swiss Army with a spirit based on instruction, discipline and technical...
made it Switzerland's military headquarters during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the hotel remained open for business. It became a focal point of the warring powers' diplomatic and intelligence activities in Switzerland and its bar a haunt of OSS
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
station chief Allen Dulles. One half of the restaurant came to be frequented by Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
guests and the other by patrons from Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
states.
After the war, the hotel's fortunes declined sharply. To prevent the state hotel from being acquired by foreign buyers, the Swiss National Bank
Swiss National Bank
The Swiss National Bank is the central bank of Switzerland. It is responsible for Swiss monetary policy and for issuing Swiss franc banknotes.The names of the institution in the four official languages of the country are: ; ; ; ....
acquired it in 1976, and in 1994 made a gift of it to the Confederation, which retains 99.7% of the hotel's shares. After it became apparent that the Bellevue Palace was in need of an overhaul, as it lacked amenities such as air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
, it was closed in 2002 for a one-year renovation that cost CHF
Swiss franc
The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
40 million and cut the number of rooms from 230 to 130. Following a spate of bad publicity over low staff wages, the Confederation turned over the management to a chain of Swiss luxury hotels in 2007.
The Bellevue Palace has been host to a great number of heads of state and government, including Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
, Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
, Queen Elizabeth II and Emperor Akihito
Akihito
is the current , the 125th emperor of his line according to Japan's traditional order of succession. He acceded to the throne in 1989.-Name:In Japan, the emperor is never referred to by his given name, but rather is referred to as "His Imperial Majesty the Emperor" which may be shortened to . In...
. When it was used as a negotiating venue in the Helsinki process
Helsinki Accords
thumb|300px|[[Erich Honecker]] and [[Helmut Schmidt]] in Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe held in Helsinki 1975....
during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, some participants called it "the best-protected building in Europe" due to its array of security features and extensive police protection. Parts of John le Carré
John le Carré
David John Moore Cornwell , who writes under the name John le Carré, is an author of espionage novels. During the 1950s and the 1960s, Cornwell worked for MI5 and MI6, and began writing novels under the pseudonym "John le Carré"...
's spy novel Smiley's People
Smiley's People
Smiley's People is a spy novel by John le Carré, published in 1979. Featuring British master-spy George Smiley, it is the third and final novel of the "Karla Trilogy", following Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and The Honourable Schoolboy...
and its TV adaption are set in the Bellevue Palace. In Swiss politics, the hotel's bar and lounge are known to be the site of much late-night political horse trading during parliamentary sessions, such as arranging elections of Federal Councillors
Swiss Federal Council
The Federal Council is the seven-member executive council which constitutes the federal government of Switzerland and serves as the Swiss collective head of state....
.
Apart from ballrooms, restaurants, salons, bars and conference facilities, the Bellevue Palace features an array of suites, including an extensive "Presidential Suite" with a view of the Bernese Alps
Bernese Alps
The Bernese Alps are a group of mountain ranges in the western part of the Alps, in Switzerland. Although the name suggests that they are located in the Bernese Oberland region of the canton of Bern, portions of the Bernese Alps are in the adjacent cantons of Valais, Lucerne, Obwalden, Fribourg and...
over the River Aar. The hotel's cuisine is rated at 16 Gault Millau
Gault Millau
Gault et Millau is one of the most influential French restaurant guides founded by two restaurant critics, Henri Gault and Christian Millau in 1965. Gault Millau is most famous for its rating system, on a scale of 1 to 20. Restaurants below 10 points are almost never listed...
points. Frommer's
Frommer's
Frommer's is a travel guidebook series and one of the bestselling travel guides in America. The series began in 1957 with the publication of Arthur Frommer's book, Europe on $5 a Day. Frommer's has expanded to include over 350 guidebooks across 14 series, as well as other media including the award...
Switzerland describes the Bellevue Palace as "the grand old dame of Bern" and "the most lavish and opulent choice in town", opining that "dining on the renowned Bellevue Terrace is one of the reasons to come to Bern." The hotel is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World association.