Sharing its name with one of the world’s most famous mineral waters, Hotel Royal, Evian Resort has been synonymous with wellness for more than a century. Set on the shores of Lake Geneva in the French town of Évian-les-Bains, it’s a destination that has long attracted Europe’s well-to-do. The English novelist Mary Shelley was among the town’s early visitors, even using Évian-les-Bains as the setting for part of Frankenstein. But it was the bottling of Évian’s mineral springs in the 19th century that transformed it into one of Europe’s foremost spa destinations, attracting royalty and high society from across the continent.
Built in honor of England’s King Edward VII,Hotel Royal, Evian Resort opened in 1909 at the height of the Belle Époque to welcome this fashionable new clientele. The palace-inspired resort still retains the era’s grandeur, while a 2015 renovation introduced a more contemporary feel to its 150 rooms and suites.