Lucerne Families
Disler, Helfenstein & Schmid
Anton Disler, an entrepreneur from Lucerne, married the granddaughter of Alois Helfenstein (1808–1884), founder of a dynasty of hoteliers and restaurateurs active in establishments such as the Hotel Engel, Hotel Rütli, the Stadthof, Café Huguenin, the Lido in Lucerne and the Hotel Ariana in Lugano.
The Schmid name entered the life of the hotel when Alice Disler, the founder’s daughter, married Otto Schmid, son of Julius Schmid (1843–1915), owner of the Schmid wine retail in Lucerne. In the hotel museum we chose to display several vintage tools used for bottling wine – instruments that Otto Schmid himself employed in the hotel, offering a tangible testimony to the new family legacy that intertwined with that of the Disler family.
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Helfenstein Family
Family tree from 1590, courtesy of Jack Helfenstein
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Disler and Helfenstein families
Family tree of the owners of Hotel Rütli in Lucerne
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Kinship between the Disler and Gelpke families
Family tree showing the relationship between Anton Disler and Otto Gelpke, engineer responsible for the triangulation of the Gotthard railway tunnel
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The building at Via Nassa 68, before the transformation
From family home to hotel via the Apostolic Administration
Great-grandfather Anton Disler's hotel concept
"The hotel must be comfortable, without excessive luxury, in light colours
Offer and project by arch. Giuseppe Pagani
The architect and entrepreneur in tourism development and the birth of the hotel in record time
Origin of the name "International au Lac"
Accessibility and location: how they influence hotel names
All Roads lead to Ticino
There are many ways to discover breathtaking scenic routes, from glaciers to palm trees.
The Bel-Etage: the social heart of the hotel since 1906
The noble hall: an atmosphere of bygone times, tradition evolving with the needs of the guests
From the Chamber Pot to Today's Comfort
Initially, the rooms did not have a private bathroom: they were equipped with washbasins with running water
Underground garage in the heart of the historic centre
Courage and foresight: the birth of the hotel's underground garage
Ten years of commitment to air-conditioning 100 venues
The freshness that passes through walls
The Return of the Belle Époque to Room No. 221
One room, two eras: from the founders to today's guests
A new generation thermal system is born
47.5% reduction in CO emissions thanks to the technological leap
Triptych of room renovations
Investing in the future, preserving the past and building the new, safeguarding history
ICOMOS/ UNESCO and NZZ Recognitions
Awarded for the art of combining history and modern comfort by the International Council on Monuments and Sites and the Neue Zürcher Zeitung
Words from our customers
Based on hundreds of reviews from travellers around the world, we assure you that choosing to stay with us was the right decision.
The Hotel International au Lac Today and Tomorrow
A combination of unique services in an unbeatable location plus the fifth generation and pages yet to be written