If you’ve ever questioned what the future of five-star hospitality looks or tastes like, it might just begin with a glass of water.
At Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern, the definition of luxury is undergoing a quiet but powerful shift. In partnership with Swedish sustainability pioneer Nordaq, the historic lakeside hotel is now home to the world’s first AI-driven water filtration and bottling system, a groundbreaking innovation unveiled earlier this summer in an intimate press presentation hosted on-site.
Filtered down to 0.03 microns, Nordaq’s new NQ600 unit delivers water so pure it rivals bottled imports and eliminates the need for them entirely. Installed behind the scenes, this intelligent system now supplies every room, spa, fitness area, and dining space across the hotel with crystal-clear still and sparkling water, locally sourced and refined on-site.
But what makes this moment truly special is not just what’s being filtered out, it’s what’s being added in.
From the first sip in your lakeview suite to the final pairing at Omakase Restaurant Minamo, water (and Champagne) becomes an intentional part of the sensory journey. Tucked away in an intimate corner of the hotel, Minamo presents a multi-course Japanese tasting experience where every detail is choreographed with the same precision as a kaiseki meal. Here, Nordaq’s ultra-pure water acts as a subtle companion, cleansing the palate, elevating each note of umami, and never overpowering the chef’s creations.
“We didn’t want sustainability to be a footnote,” said Christian Wildhaber, General Manager of the hotel. “We wanted it to be embedded into every moment of the guest experience, from the ritual of tea to the pour of a simple glass of water.”
Equipped with IoT sensors, the NQ600 automatically adjusts to different bottle shapes and sizes, tracking each pour and optimizing output to reduce waste. Guests will notice the elegantly branded bottles across the property, each one capped with a unique, geo-tagged QR code that opens a deeper look into the sustainability journey. Transparency, in more ways than one.
Johanna Mattsson, Group CEO of Nordaq, believes this is just the beginning. “What we’re doing here in Luzern is setting a new benchmark—not only for Switzerland but for sustainable hospitality worldwide,” she said during a lakefront lunch at MOzern, the hotel’s all-day restaurant where Nordaq water is served alongside seasonal dishes. “In 2024 alone, our systems helped prevent the use of 139 million plastic bottles. We’re not dreaming of change. We’re building it.”
The collaboration reflects a shared vision: that the future of luxury isn’t about excess. It’s about intention. Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern, has transformed the most basic of human needs into a bespoke, high-tech service without sacrificing aesthetic, taste, or environmental responsibility.
From the wellness rituals in the serene spa to the multi-sensory omakase menu at Minamo, this is a place where purity, performance, and pleasure meet.
And perhaps the clearest sign of innovation isn’t what’s new but what’s no longer needed.