This smallish 'boutique' four-star hotel is in an excellent location, just a few blocks up the hill from the lake-side part of Ouchy. It was just a 10 minute walk down to the numerous restaurants and small shops down by the lake, where we went each of our three nights to eat (note, however, it's a longer 15 minute walk back up again!). Ouchy is lovely, and much nicer than the centre of Lausanne itself, which we found much busier and somewhat confusing. The train station, however, is only a 20 minute walk up the hill into the town centre, so the hotel really is located pretty well between the city and the lake.
The room was beautifully appointed, with a good king sized bed (more likely, two beds pushed together) and plenty of shelf and wardrobe space all around, although not much drawer space otherwise. It had superb air conditioning, from which you could set the precise temperature, and this was very much needed when we stayed in late June.
The room included a stocked mini-bar, but we simply pushed these items out of the way and happily used the refrigerator for our own drinks. The television had 40 channels in a variety of languages, mainly French and German, but with a few English and other language channels.
All the rooms had a balcony with a couple of chairs and a table. As others have noted, however, the construction of the new Metro between Ouchy and the centre is immediately next door (on the right hand side as you look at the hotel). This didn't bother us, since we were out all day, and the construction had finished when we came back in the evening, but if you intend to sit out on your balcony during the day, I suggest you check with the hotel if the construction is still going on, or ask if you can be on the opposite side of the building.
The bathroom was beautiful, with marble throughout, spotlessly clean, and looked new. There was a great power shower/bath, a heated towel rail, hairdryer, and every kind of toiletry item you could possibly need: soap, shampoo, vanity sets, shaving sets, toothbrushes, combs, shoe shine, sewing kits, etc. The room also included a small safe that was free to use.
Other than the bed, the room included a couple of chairs, a bureau and a small side table. The carpet was thick, and very clean.
The interior of the hotel was very nice, and the hallways well decorated. The staff seemed friendly and helpful. We parked the car in a space immediately in front of the hotel. This costs nothing, but you should let them know in advance that you require a space.
The breakfast is in a pleasant room downstairs, providing a small but varied buffet breakfast. It included a small selection of hot items (sausage, bacon and scrambled egg) but we did notice that this quickly disappeared and did not seem to be replaced, so two out of three days were left with only cold items.
Be careful to check that the breakfast is included in your rate. If it is not, then we do not think it is worth paying the price, since you can find something cheap and light at one of the cafes in Ouchy. If it is included, however, you will find the selection satisfying.
We were delighted with our rate - we only paid 170 CHF per night. This was a 'weekend rate' kindly offered to us over the telephone, even though we started our three nights on a Thursday. This rate included the breakfast for the two of us, so this was real bargain for a hotel of this class.
If ever we stayed in Lausanne again, and could afford the high rates it would be great to stay on the lake front in Ouchy. Being more realistic, however, we wouldn't hesitate to return to the Nash Carlton, and would recommend it highly to others.
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