36,000 Francs per Month: This Is the Most Expensive Rental Apartment in Switzerland

This is the most expensive rental apartment in Switzerland. It has been advertised in a prime location on the lakeside promenade of Lake Lucerne in the city of Lucerne. Cost: 36,000 francs per month. Or, in other words: 432,000 francs a year. That’s the Champions League on the Swiss rental market, as the “Handelszeitung” writes. The apartment was rented for twenty years. The apartment was rented for twenty years. Now it is vacant. An on-site inspection.

For this top amount, the tenant receives 7.5 rooms on an area of 343 square meters, double-story, with a roof terrace. Unfurnished. If desired, the apartment will also be furnished before moving in. Whoever can afford this apartment, that much is clear, has been financially provided for.

In comparison: An average 4.5-room rental apartment in Lucerne costs 2110 francs, according to Iazi’s real estate report. The only difference is that the Rolls-Royce of high-end apartments is around three times as large as an average 4.5-room apartment with 115 square meters. The location is much more exclusive. And on top of that, there are no ancillary costs, just as there is no hassle with the laundry room plan.

The most expensive rental apartment in Switzerland on the market for three months

Since January, the most expensive rental apartment in Switzerland has been advertised on Immoscout 24. Those who have an interest should seize fast. Because the apartment will probably not be empty for long, says landlord Gabriel Stucki, hotel director of the Grand Hotel National in Lucerne. What may sound unusual to some, namely that a noble hotel rents out apartments, is daily business there. The Grand Hotel National has been renting out residences for years. Diversification of the business model.

For twenty years, the most expensive rental apartment in Switzerland was occupied. “A stroke of luck for us,” says Gabriel Stucki, who has been in office for a year. At 31 years old, the native of Wiesendanger (ZH) may be one of the youngest general managers in Switzerland. Previously, he had already led The Hotel in Interlaken as general manager. Recently, the permanent tenant had moved out and moved in one floor below, in a small residence. 7.5 rooms became too big for the tenant in his old age.

8.6 million in 20 years

Gabriel Stucki does not want to disclose the name of the tenant. A search shows that the tenant was surprisingly not an Arab or American, who are frequent guests in Lucerne. This is because the city is particularly attractive to foreigners living in Switzerland, as they are taxed at a flat rate. A special incentive for people with large assets. The tenant was, in fact, a Swiss national.

The most expensive rental apartment in Switzerland instead of a villa in the countryside. Projected over twenty years, the previous tenant paid 8.6 million for the residence. For this amount, he could have bought a chic villa in nearby Meggen, also with a view of the lake. The question is: Why does someone prefer an admittedly exclusive rental apartment to an upscale villa? Maybe it’s because of the exclusive location. Or because it is possible to live discreetly and unrecognized in the hotel for decades? Or perhaps because of the services that are included in the rental price?

24-hour service included

These include a 24-hour concierge service, a butler service, and valet parking, including carrying bags, but also grocery shopping, travel arrangements, and filling the refrigerator when you return from a trip. Even out-of-the-ordinary requests are met, such as friendly dispatching of phone callers, helping to pay bills, or arranging a helicopter ride for the next day. And of course, all the hotel’s facilities are included, such as the spa and fitness center.

However, you have to be good on foot. The huge hotel, now 150 years old, in impeccable condition, as it has undergone constant renovations, drags on. To get to the luxury property on the sixth floor, you pass several restaurants, ballrooms, sales showcases, and cafés. Getting lost is no problem. That’s because there’s still a hotel wing with 41 rooms, offices that are rented out, and the residence wing, which has 22 residences. High ceilings, thick carpeting, and fine marble are the hallmarks of the building. The elevator takes you to the sixth floor, but only for those who have the elevator key.

Lake view as far as the eye can see

The vestibule presents an astonishingly colorful picture – rather, a carpet that offers all the colors of the rainbow and does not match the style of the surroundings at all. This had been laid at the request of the previous tenant. “Before the new tenant moves in, it should be replaced,” says Gabriel Stucki. Once you have entered the maisonette, your eyes immediately fall on the window front. This offers an impressive view of Lake Lucerne and the distant Alps. Without furnishings, the most expensive rental apartment in Switzerland looks even more enormous than in the photos.

At first glance, the kitchen can’t quite keep up with the rest. It is often not used by the tenants themselves, Gabriel Stucki explains. Most of them have butlers who do everything, including the cooking. That’s why, he says, it’s also important that the residence includes many additional bedrooms for staff and visiting guests. In this case, there are three bedrooms. They are found on the lower level of the maisonette, without a lake view, except for the Master Bedroom.

Waiting lists for luxury residences

The rent is high-priced, Gabriel Stucki admits. But if you compare the amount, at 1200 francs per square meter, the residence is much cheaper than comparable high-end apartments. In Zug or Zurich, one pays 1700 francs for the square meter. In addition, there are already three interested parties who have come forward, says Gabriel Stucki. A contract signature is imminent.

The hotel rents out 22 residences, 16 of which are currently rented out, with rents ranging from 5,000 to 25,000 francs per month. The lake view is, of course, more expensive than the city view. Some of these residences would not even be advertised. For example, the three lovers’ residences. The demand for them is so great that there are waiting lists. The tenants come from all countries. The first tenants are Swiss, followed by Americans, Norwegians, Germans, and French.

Tenants stay for a year in the most expensive rental apartment in Switzerland

“Most of them stay for a year,” says Gabriel Stucki. There are tenants who have to wait a long time for their own home and live in a hotel until they get there. “But there are also employees of companies who are only here for half a year.” And then there are those who have lived here for several years, he said. Older people, in particular, would appreciate not having to live alone in the most expensive rental apartment in Switzerland. In the hotel, people know each other, the tenants greet each other, and there is always something going on here.

Nevertheless, one question remains unanswered. Is this the Rolls-Royce of the most expensive rental apartment in Switzerland? Or is it more the case that the location and the service have Rolls-Royce quality?