Chenot Palace Weggis is the flagship of the Chenot Method, a reference in detox for decades. As co-founder Dominique Chenot recently told us, you don’t come to the Chenot Palace just to relax, you come for real results and a complete makeover . What are the ingredients behind the success of the Chenot Method? Pascal Languillon, CEO of Luxe Wellness Club, gives us the full story of the various detox programmes at the establishment. Spoiler: he loves them.
Opened in June 2020, the promise of Chenot Palace Weggis is to transform us into a better version of ourselves. We’re supposed to emerge from a cure not only slimmer, but above all with more vitality and even greater clarity of mind. This palace offers a detox method in a very pleasant setting, on the banks of one of Europe’s most beautiful lakes.
A hotel set on a magnificent mountain lake
The Chenot Palace Weggis is located on the shores of Lake Lucerne, just 20 minutes from Lucerne and 45 minutes from Zurich. It is therefore easily accessible from all major European cities. With its own private beach and various pontoons, in summer you can swim facing the mountains in crystal-clear water. The hotel is pleasant in all seasons.
I’ve been lucky enough to go there three times already: one week in January 2021 when it snowed a lot, which is relatively uncommon at this altitude (436 meters). The snow gave a truly magical feel to the landscape, and I find that a winter holiday is highly recommended.
I then went back in April 2022 during spring (snowy then sunny), and a third time in August 2023 in the middle of summer when temperatures were 30 degrees all week… In fact, all seasons are perfect, because the lake is magical in any weather!
The small town of Weggis is charming and the center is within easy walking distance, making a nice daily stroll if you like. Lucerne is a 30-minute ferry ride away. This city is a real marvel!
The hotel is made up of historic buildings (the former Park Hotel Weggis) and new buildings designed by Italian architect Davide Macullo, which now houses the medical spa and new rooms. The hotel has a total of 97 rooms and suites.
Meticulous interior architecture
The architect’s mission was to preserve the historic charm of the old buildings, while adding a resolutely modern touch to the Palace’s new wings. Don’t worry, you can stay in your bathrobe throughout the hotel as you move from one wing to the next without ever setting foot outside, since the buildings are interconnected. Even the private beach is accessible via a tunnel under the road!
The medical spa is impressive in its size and equipment. 5,000 m² dedicated to well-being and beauty, this alone is impressive! There’s a medical and energy wing, a hydrotherapy and massage wing, and two waiting rooms. The consulting rooms overlook several Japanese-inspired Zen gardens.
Of course, there’s a superb 21-meter-long indoor pool (see my photo at the top of the page), as well as a steam room and sauna area with a beautiful relaxation room overlooking nature. A very large fitness room (including a low-oxygen altitude training room) and a small yoga studio complete the layout.
The restaurant has a very sober decor. Several of the restaurant’s tables overlook the lake, and in summer you can dine on the lovely terrace. I particularly liked the tea room and its retro-chic style, with its breathtaking views.
Ultra-comfortable rooms
All rooms feature the same furnishings: oversized beds, cosy armchairs and large flat-screen TVs. What makes the difference between the categories is size and view. The vast majority of rooms and suites overlook the lake and mountains, with more or less direct views depending on location. I was in a 52m² Deluxe double room. Spacious.
I loved the comfort of the bedding, as well as the menu of cushions that lets you choose your cushion according to your preferences. I wanted to test an anti-aging cushion infused with vitamin E, with a texture that allows complete relaxation of facial muscles. I don’t know if it’s effective against wrinkles, but I can attest to the extra softness of the cushion, and to having slept like a baby.
The marble bathrooms are magnificent: they sparkle everywhere! Mine had a large shower as well as a bathtub. Chenot’s courtesy products are of excellent quality, especially the energizing shower gel, perfect for starting the day. Special mention to the very thick and particularly soft white bathrobes, probably the best I’ve ever put on.
Note that there is a mini-bar in the room, but no temptations here. There’s only mineral water, and no possibility of ordering anything else, as detox requires.
The Chenot diet: here’s to detox!
People come to Palace Chenot to detoxify and lose weight. It’s no surprise, then, that the cuisine is dietetic, and the portions very small. For those who like to count, menus average around 850 Kcal per day. However, portions can be adjusted up or down depending on the customer’s profile, following consultation with the dietician.
The Chenot diet is a low-calorie plant-based diet capable of activating the body’s own fasting mechanisms while providing the cells with sufficient nutrients. The development of this diet is based on significant research work to create original recipes that ensure the right balance between proteins, good fats and low-glycemic carbohydrates. The products used are all fresh, healthy, unprocessed and organic. They are selected for their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and alkaline properties.
A low-calorie diet, yes, but is it any good? The answer is unequivocal: delicious! Indeed, Dominique Chenot has spent many years fine-tuning her recipes to ensure that taste and presentation match the nutritional qualities of her dishes. For my part, I loved some of the recipes, and found the sauces in particular to be very flavorful.
It’s also worth noting that coffee has been replaced by barley coffee, alcohol by detox herbal tea, and the bar by a tea room. For my part, being sufficiently slim, I was allowed a double portion for the main course because the diet was too drastic for me.
In fact, portions are adapted to suit each customer. So while some go on intermittent fasting, others may even order fish or lean meat. So there’s a certain amount of flexibility and there’s something for everyone.
Most of the customers we met there lost a few kilos, and although I didn’t want to lose any, after a difficult start, this diet did me a world of good in terms of digestive comfort and energy .
Cutting-edge diagnostics for an outstanding health check-up
Every stay begins with a detailed analysis of your current state of health , using state-of-the-art equipment. Here, it’s not just a matter of listening to yourself breathe and taking your blood pressure. Palace Chenot has coined the notion of “Lifestyle biomarkers”, a series of indicators that show your vitality index.
To begin with, an analysis of body composition (bone, fat, water and muscle) is carried out, giving a very detailed view of the distribution of fat in the body.
Other examinations are carried out on the first day for each client: assessment of vascular age, oxidative stress and advanced glycation products, analysis of mineral deficiency and heavy metal intoxication, determination of skin collagen density… The center also assesses and tests the energy of each organ using bioresonance before rebalancing it.
On request, even more detailed analyses can be carried out, including full blood and urine analyses, as well as saliva tests for food intolerances, allergies, neurotransmitters and free radicals.
Fortunately for me, all my tests have been very positive. Finally, all these successive detoxes are good 🙂
A pleasant detox ritual
“We care for your health” is Chenot’s catchphrase. The aim of a stay is not only to recharge your batteries, but also to optimize your physical and mental capacities. The Chenot Method borrows from Oriental medicine, dietetics and phytotherapy to restore the individual to a state of optimal health.
On the program for each day is the hydroenergetic cure, comprising hydro-aromatherapy, phyto-fangotherapy and hydrojets. This treatment lasts an hour and remains one of my favorites. In fact, while the initial bath is pleasant, I particularly like the second stage: being lulled into a warm clay wrap, half immersed in a tub of hot water with jets that massage your back, what a delight! Drowsiness guaranteed.
Hydro-aromatherapy stimulates overall blood and lymph flow, making it a highly effective regenerative treatment for firming and toning tissues. Alternating hot and cold water jet massage stimulates blood circulation. What better way to get out of your torpor!
Each day’s program also includes a Chenot massage, either energizing or detoxifying, with alternating manual techniques and cupping of all kinds. This is invariably followed by acupuncture-type energy treatment (laser or needle), and energy rebalancing using bioresonance. So there’s a very pleasant little routine that quickly settles in each day to accompany the detox.
A panoply of futuristic treatments to enhance performance
While most customers stick to the “Advanced Detox” program, you should know that there are two other programs, “Recover & Energise” and “Prevention & Ageing Well”, which go even further. Where Chenot Palace Weggis breaks new ground, particularly in comparison with other detox cures, is in the use of high-end, futuristic equipment to improve physical performance. Here we recognize the touch of Dr. Gaitanos, Chenot’s Scientific Director and former sports physician to professional athletes.
So I had the opportunity to try out a whole range of treatments, each more amazing than the last, bearing in mind that the list below is not exhaustive and that the fitness center offers many other treatments.
First of all, I loved the cryotherapy chamber, one of my favorites. In fact, I’m pretty proud of the fact that I was able to stay at -110 degrees Celsius for 3 minutes! Chilling, but so stimulating. After “surviving” this, I’ll probably never be as cold as I was before. Cryotherapy improves performance, relieves chronic pain, provides firm, radiant skin, regenerates the whole body and enhances sleep quality.
Anti-gravity training allows you to run in partial weightlessness, reducing the impact of running and giving you the legs of a 20-year-old. Even more astonishing is the treatment of intermittent hypo/hyperoxy exposure, where you breathe oxygen-poor air (10.5% vs. 21% in ambient air) and then oxygen-rich air (36%) for several cycles. The cumulative physiological adaptations associated with this type of training improve metabolism, provide superior antioxidant enzyme defense and kill off bad cells in the body.
Intermittent vacuum therapy delivers negative and positive pressure to the lower extremities. This physiologically causes vessels to dilate and compress rhythmically, improving blood circulation and lymphatic reflux. NASA device: I thought I was an astronaut.
Another impressive device: Whole-body photobiomodulation, which looks like a UV bed but is very different. This process emits light waves that transmit energy to the cells through the skin. It boosts metabolism, blood circulation and healing. It reduces stress hormones, pain and inflammation and improves skin structure.
Neuro-acoustic deep relaxation is a neuroscientific technology in which our brains are exposed to chemical impulses and sound stimuli generally interpreted as triggers for deep relaxation and regeneration. This treatment reactivates the parasympathetic nervous system and signals the body to relax completely. I have to admit that I didn’t really get into it during the first session, but by the second session I was carried away and in a state close to sleep. Scientific studies have shown that 20 minutes of “siesta” with this device is equivalent to 2 hours of deep sleep.
Finally,biofeedback training (the Qiu ball) relaxes and improves the performance of the parasympathetic nervous system. I was already so relaxed that I didn’t need it…
And if all that isn’t enough, you can finish off the day in the sauna and hammam, an intimate space featuring white marble and LED lights on the ceiling.
Finally, a word about the staff. I’ve found the service to be exceptional, from the receptionist and driver to the therapists and waiters, always with a smile. A flawless performance.
Our video
Our feeling
Welcome to the future. Chenot Palace Weggis takes guests into a new dimension. At the end of a week’s treatment, the body feels renewed, and the benefits of the therapies on the inside can be seen on the outside. A wellness palace that is likely to reign supreme in the restricted field of medispas for many years to come.
Luxe Wellness Club
Book (with an exclusive Luxe Wellness Club benefit)
Take advantage of our expertise in the Chenot Method and contact us for a personalized quote, making the process easy for you. We support many of our customers in this area.
Rates: From CHF 15340 for a couple in a double room (approximately the equivalent in euros, depending on the exchange rate), or CHF 8230 in a single room, all-inclusive (accommodation, meals, full treatment program) for 7 nights.
Exclusive Luxe Wellness Club offer: Benefit from one complimentary treatment per person worth CHF 160. We recommend booking a few weeks in advance, as the establishment is often fully booked.
Call us for Switzerland on +41 22 501 75 16, the USA on +1 (646) 980 6652
or for the UK: +44 20 4577 3258 to discuss your travel plans.
