Hotel Palafitte

Through a newsletter from Bluefish Concierge, I learned about Hotel Palafitte, the only five-star hotel in Europe that is built on water. This hotel is located near the town of Neuchâtel, Switzerland and is perched on pilings on Lake Neuchâtel. The hotel opened in 2002 as part of a project between the Sandoz Family Foundation, the Lausanne Hotel School and Siemens. The hotel is eco friendly and uses solar panels and rainwater collection. Inside it's got an ultra-modern look and the junior suites are all on the lakeside with a private terrace. The hotel also has its own restaurant and bar.  A pavilion on the lake runs 440 euros per night.