Incentive - January 2009 - (Page 47)

TRAVEL Gondola rides down Mt. Rigi or walks across the Chapel Bridge await incentive winners visiting Weggis and neighboring Lucerne European Escape The Swiss city of Weggis, next to Lucerne, offers a classic feel with modern flair By Alex Palmer T he smallest villages can offer some of the biggest possibilities for incentive trips. Take for example Weggis, Switzerland. Located just a halfhour boat ride from Lucerne, one of the country’s largest cities, Weggis gives incentive travelers a small-town European experience with a special blend of culture and luxury to ensure a truly memorable trip. Perhaps Weggis’ greatest exemplar of old-meets-new offerings is The Park Hotel Weggis, an elegant 53-room getaway that peers over Lake Lucerne. Originally opened as the Hotel Bellevue in 1875, the property has kept its sense of history while keeping with the times. Most recently it has gone through a major enhancement program, including the restoration of its original art nouveau structure and extension of its luxury accommodations, spa area, meeting facilities and culinary venues. The hotel’s 10 Adara suites are ideal for top performers. The curtained bed and bathrooms allow guests to open the room up completely to experience the view as they enjoy a Big Rain shower, a recline on the Treca de Paris bed, or a glass of wine from their own in-room wine cabinet. But it’s really all about the view. A day spent in Weggis must include exploring these rich natural surroundings. Visitors can enjoy a trip up Mt. Rigi on the Vitznau-Rigi Railway, enjoying the same view of snow-covered terrain that Mark Twain and Queen Victoria (both 19th-century visitors to the city) enjoyed, drinks or appetizers can be arranged for groups to turn the journey to the top into an adventure of its own. A trip across Lake Lucerne by boat offers similar majesty. The city presents fascinating cultural opportunities and history. A walk across the Chapel Bridge or a tour through Old Town Lucerne are pleasant and memorable experiences. One can simply walk through the city, enjoying the painted façades of the buildings and sculptured fountains to see the skill and creativity of this region on full display. (For a particularly memorable experience, visitors can drink straight from one of the city’s fountains, which run the pristine water from the mountaintops.) At night, the group can return to the Park Hotel and share bottles from the hotel’s 2,600-label collection in the secluded, vaulted rooms of the property’s Vinothek wine cellar, complete with restored brick walls dating back 130 years. Rich dining options abound in the Weggis area, but the one-Michelinstarred Restaurant Annex, located on The Park Hotel’s property, ought to be experienced at least once during the trip. I | January 2009 | Incentive | 47 incentivemag.com http://www.incentivemag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Incentive - January 2009

Incentive - January 2009 Contents Editor's Note: Rewards Must Be Sustainable Headlines Cover Story: Responsibility's New Role Incentive Interview: Patrick Lencioni Family Rewards: Who They're Working For Primer: Working Design Leap of Faith: Religion in the Workplace Cook Up Engagement: Kitchen Teambuilding My Turn: Procurement Possibilities Motivation@Work: Hard Times Recognition Legal Ease: The Tax Facts on Corporate Gifts Travel News: Where to Go and What to Do The Bahamas: Islands in the Sun Field Reports: Four European Destinations Golf: Around the World in 18 Holes Potentials Here and Now Watches and Clocks: Strike the Pose Golf Merchandise: Awards with a Solid Swing Computers: Digital Delights Retailers Band Together for Gift Card Market Gift Cards: The Prepaid Reward Spectrum Advertiser Index On the Web www.Incentivemag.com

Incentive - January 2009

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.