Location

Villa Hortensia is located in the town of Leysin, in the canton of Vaud in western Switzerland. Leysin provides you with all your daily necessities including supermarkets, shops, restaurants, and also nice local stores such as a butcher, bakery, and cheese shop. The owners have put together a guide of regional rustic restaurants accessible via both easy and more challenging walks, as well as sophisticated lodges and restaurants serving regional dishes. 

It takes about 10 minutes to reach the village center on foot from the apartment and 15-25 minutes to get back, depending on your fitness level (as there are quite a few stairs). However, taxis, buses, and e-bike services are all available to make the journey back home easier, and some shops in the village also deliver to your home.

There is also a small e-bike in the stairwell at the main entrance. If you would like to use the bike, please message the owners. They will then send you instructions on the safety, lock, battery pack, and storage of the bike.

Leysin is located at the foot of the Tour d'Aï and offers a majestic view of Mont Blanc. You also have easy access to Lake Geneva (28 km) with many water activities from sailing, rowing, water skiing, paddle boarding, and of course swimming. But you can also take boat trips with beautiful views of the banks. For more water fun, head to in Port-Valais (35 km). Here you find Aquaparc, a waterpark with a Caribbean theme, including slides, but also saunas, and a Turkish steam bath.

The city of Montreux (35 km) - located on Lake Geneva - is also a perfect destination for a day trip. Its boulevard is lined with sculptures and beautiful buildings from the Belle Époque. In July, the city is hosting the famous Montreux Jazz Festival! If you are in town, you cannot miss a trip to Château de Chillon. The castle is located a few kilometers southeasts of the city center along the lake shore and is the most visited historical monument in Switzerland.

In the summer, outdoor enthusiasts can go hiking, mountain climbing, mountain biking (there is a bike park), but also paragliding in the mountains around Leysin.

In winter, Leysin offers perfect skiing opportunities. The local ski area of Leysin is accessible by cable car which is about a 15-minute walk from the apartment, or you can reach the cable car by shuttle bus. The three interconnected resorts of Leysin-Les Mosses-La Lécherette offer some 100 kilometers of downhill runs and several cross-country trails. If you plan to ski for several days, you can use the owners' ski locker, which is located opposite the cable car.

Expert skiers and snowboarders be sure to check out the nearby Glacier 3000 resort! You can also go sledding, curling, and ice skating here. You can reach the Glacier 3000 resort by cable car from the nearby town of Les Diablerets (16 km). You can also take a unique glacier walk on ice and snow to the Refuge de l'Espace, a mountain hut perched on the edge of a cliff, with breathtaking views of the Derborence valley. The hut serves simple mountain meals.

Another special trip is to the Chaplin's World Museum, in Corsier-sur-Vevey (42 km), located on the site of the former residence of Charlie Chaplin. You can explore the “studio” where the artist's cinematographic work is presented. You can also take a walk through the museum's large park, which offers breathtaking views of Lake Geneva and the Alps.

The apartment is easy to reach by train; Leysin-Feydey station is just 5 minutes away. There is also a shuttle bus to and from the train station which has connections with the cities of Geneva (also the airport) and Zurich.

Geneva Airport is 125 km away (1h30 drive).