Designed to only be open for 6 months for the Swiss National Expo in 2002, the Hotel Palafitte is the first and only overwater-bungalow resort in all of Europe. So popular and unusual, it still graces the shores of Switzerland’s Lake Neuchâtel 15 years later. Set in an exceptional area of natural beauty with breathtaking views, the hotel was designed to be a discreet escape from the world. Forty eye-catching and utterly luxurious pavilions feature floor-to-ceiling windows and private terraces with direct access to the water. The hotel’s design concept was meant to be a reminder of the lake’s ancient inhabitants who lived in stilt dwellings 6,000 years ago. The design was the result of collaboration between architect Kurt Hoffmann and students from the Lausanne Hotel School.

www.palafitte.com