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The Swiss know service. Whether you’re on business at Le Kempinski Lake Geneva or at play and staying at Cervo Mountain Boutique Resort in Zermatt, you’ll find outstanding food, pampering spas and super friendly staff. Nira Alpina hotel is renowned for its fantastic chef while Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa in Interlaken is a haven for sybarites in search of serious spa time. The Dolder Grand in Zurich looks like a fairy tale castle and boasts a museum-worthy art collection.

From one of Switzerland’s most iconic lakes to quaint cobblestone backstreets, there are certain unforgettable views in Zurich. Elegance and efficiency are entwined at Zurich’s Paradeplatz, home to many of the largest Swiss banks. Expense and affluence are flaunted on Bahnhofstrasse, lined with designer shops. Nostalgia fills the air around James Joyce’s grave at Friedhof Fluntern cemetery, and the view of the stained glass windows in Zurich’s Fraumünster church is sublime.

There’s no shortage of diverse dining options in Zurich West - from the stylish tapas-sized dishes in Josef to the classical French-Italian cuisine of LaSalle. The opening of Zurich’s first permanent closed market created a plethora of restaurants including the modern Restaurant Viadukt and the popular Markthalle, offering hearty meat-centric dishes. Diners wanting to hit new heights should eat at Clouds - a high-end restaurant atop Switzerland’s tallest tower.

Dining in one of Zurich’s classic restaurants is not only a treat for the taste buds, but also a step back into Switzerland’s past. The almost 100-year-old Kronenhalle is among the most esteemed of Zurich’s restaurants, with its fabulous food matched by the expensive decor. Alfresco dining doesn’t get better than snuggling under a blanket outside the Zunfthaus zur Zimmerleuten and indulging in an all-you-can-eat fondue session. Zurich is also home to the world’s oldest vegetarian restaurant.

This has GOT to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. Located in the German side of Switzerland, Lauterbrunnen is a place fairy tales are made of. Waterfalls falling everywhere around you, the sound of cowbells in the distance, and little wooden shacks in the hills like you pictured when reading “Heidi”. Pretend you are in a different age and be Swiss for the day by taking a gondola up the mountain and indulging in a hot pot of cheese fondue and sourdough bread.

Switzerland’s largest city mixes urban pleasures with lots of natures, most notably Lake Zurich. The Swissôtel’s location near the train station is convenient for business travelers, while 25 Hours Hotel Zurich West offers a business lounge alongside playful local touches such as a kiosk selling Freitag bags. For 5-star service, book the Baur au Lac, set along the lakeshore and close to Zurich’s famous shopping street Bahnhofstrasse. Escape to the fairytale-like Dolder Grand for a true splurge.

Founder’s Note: Uncommon Travels

If indulging in some of the most expensive food in Switzerland is not your thing, Zurich offers a host of cheap eats. Try a 10 franc sandwich with your choice of filling from a flower shop near the ETH Zurich or the vegetarian buffet close to Zurich’s Opera House. Don’t forget Zurich’s department stores which have affordable buffets; the best of which is atop Manor and is priced by the plate not the pound.

Along with its renowned cheese fondue, the Suisse Romande region offers a range of walks, spas, chocolates, and wines to enjoy. Dotted around this French-speaking part of Switzerland are traditional cities and towns like Gruyeres and Fribourg that serve up melt-in-the-mouth cheeses. Then delve into Romande Suisse culture with a trip to Lausanne’s Gothic cathedral, or experience the sound of the famous Swiss alpenhorn in Martigny.

Switzerland only exports 1 to 2 percent of its wine production, so few know of its stony whites, which pair ideally with raw hard and melted Swiss cheeses. While most cantons make wine, there are few places better to sip Swiss wines than the UNESCO-listed Lavaux, dangling on the banks of Lake Geneva and 90 minutes north of the city in Canton Vaud. An e-bike is the best way to explore the steep hilly region peppered with slate-roofed chapels and chocolate-box villages. The grapes here were planted by 9th-century monks; the terraces they built for them are lined with stone walls that retain the sun’s heat, extending the grape-growing season. Unique varietals like ermitage, doral, and gamay, and ancient Lémanic reds like the Plant-Robert varietal, are grown only here. E-bike rentals can be picked up from most Swiss railway stations; Lausanne, 20 minutes away, is the closest. As with all wineries in Switzerland, calling ahead to arrange a visit is essential.

This easy, flat hike offers a chance to see one of the most scenic corners of Switzerland without the crowds. From Lauterbrunnen, take the funicular up to Grütschalp, where you’ll begin the 90-minute walk to the car-free village of Mürren. The hike roughly hugs the tracks of the tiny tourist train to Mürren, but it veers away frequently to quiet, wildflower-strewn Alpine meadows, cowbell-festooned chalets, and points with stunning views of a mighty trio of mountains—the glacier-chocked Jungfrau, Mönch, and Eiger.

Rösti, a pan-fried grated potato dish, is famously associated with Switzerland’s German-speaking population. In fact the “Rösti Divide” is a term jokingly used to refer to cultural differences between Switzerland’s German and French linguistic regions. These days you can order rösti throughout the country but some of the best is found at Restaurant Brasserie Anker in Bern. This family-friendly spot serves hearty portions straight from the frying pan. When washed down with a local beer, it’s an experience that locals and visitors both relish.

Atop the Prime Tower, Switzerland’s tallest building, Clouds offers two dining experiences: an ambitious restaurant that serves Mediterranean-inspired dishes such as a Jerusalem artichoke velouté with smoked mackerel as well as a bistro with more casual dishes and a terrific weekend breakfast. Both offer phenomenal views from floor-to-ceiling windows. Photo © Clouds.

Behold Gandria! When my Airbnb host first suggested I visit Gandria I was a little unsure, mostly because of it’s name. But boy was she right, this little village navigable exclusively by foot was so picturesque and quiet. Situated on a hill just off of the Lugano Lake this place is perfect day-trip distance from almost anywhere in Switzerland. Lugano and Gandria are only several thousand feet from the Swiss-Italian border making these towns seem like extensions of Italy. They speak Italian, serve great pizza, and even better coffee.

In a picturesque setting near the shores of Lake Geneva and the famous Jet d’Eau fountain, the Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva is a modern, upscale hotel that serves as a high-end summer and winter retreat. Its 412 rooms, suites, and apartments mix contemporary and classic decor and come with modern technologies such as flat-screen TVs and in-room iPads. If you want views of Lake Geneva and the Alps, you’ll need to book one of the Deluxe rooms, most of which have the added allure of being situated in the historic part of the hotel.

The service is immaculate, with a concierge team that can work miracles. The hotel has three restaurants and a second-floor bar with a fantastic terrace. Weary travelers can revive themselves at the spa. For the ultimate health break, you can also take advantage of the hotel’s on-site pharmacy and dentist.