From Verbier, and a quick stopover in Geneva, Lauren and I were really looking forward to spending some time in Zürich. In my personal opinion, what Geneva lacks, Zürich has double – I really like this city. It is postcard pretty, has incredible shops, cuisine and lively bars.
The Baur au Lac is one of Zürich’s most iconic addresses, and I adored our stay there. Here’s how it went!
Pre-Arrival
– Was there any pre-arrival communication by the hotel with myself via email or social media?
No.
– Did I try to engage the hotel via Twitter? Did the hotel interact with me and made me feel welcome/special?
I did sent a tweet out before arriving, and got a response after my stay.
– Has the hotel tried to gather any personal information (e.g. preferences) prior to my stay?
No.
Arrival
– The wow factor! What was the hotel decor style?
The Baur au Lac is one of Zürich’s best hotels, if not the best. It is part of the city and its history and welcomed many dignitaries. It is old-fashioned, preserving beautifully its heritage. It recently underwent a refurbishment, which brought it to its former glory. This was what I was expecting and exactly what I got.
– How quick and efficient was the hotel check-in?
Outstanding and super friendly.
– Was I addressed by name once reservation has been located? (it is all about the small details, some others are outstanding with this, and I love it, like I do when I board an airplane)
I was indeed. I was staying with my friend Lauren, and we were always addressed by our individual names.
– Did I get an upgrade from my confirmed pre-booked room type?
We were upgraded to a beautiful suite.
– Did I feel genuinely welcomed by the hotel staff?
Absolutely and throughout my whole stay. From the doormen, to the concierge and the reception staff. One thing I noticed – every time we walked back to the hotel, our key was immediately given to us, without we having to state our room number. This is worth noting, as shifts changed a few times during our stay and was a lovely touch.
– Luggage – how many people did I have to tip before the luggage made it safely to my room?
We had some proper luggage and were helped by one team member, who escorted our luggage since we arrived at the hotel.
– Wi-fi – was I told anything about it? Was there a charge?
WiFi is complimentary to all guests, yay!
Room Experience
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We loved our suite at Baur au Lac
– First impressions – décor, size and wow factor
As I mentioned before, the Baur au Lac preserved its history beautifully, but it has also been recently refurbished. It is worth mentioning that it is incredibly tasteful. The room was beautiful, spacious and with great light.
– Welcome amenity
Being in Switzerland, we were treated to beautifully handmade chocolates.. and macaroons!
– The bed
Absolutely fantastic!
– Closet/Wardrobe – proper hangers or those annoying ones where you need a PhD to get them out one by one? This is a personal pet peeve of mine. I can’t stand them.
To be honest, I didn’t unpack as I was only staying one night.
- – Iphone Charger/Dock
Not in our room.
– Bathrobes and slippers
Absolutely, and lovely.
– Coffee and Tea
There was a Nespresso machine.
– Free bottled water
Yes!
– Power sockets in useful places – we have more and more devices and we know where we want them! By the bed, by the working area.
We did struggle a bit with this as we had plenty of devices to charge! We also didn’t have enough Swiss plugs (which sometimes are not compatible with Euro plugs), but were promptly helped by the hotel.
Bathroom
– First impressions – décor, size and wow factor
We had a beautifully design bathroom, as you can see – classic in style but modern and efficient. I loved it.
– Bath, shower and taps – I am looking for Duravits and Hansgrohes (or other fab brands) around the world. How fab was the shower? And a little pet peeve.. was I able to operate the shower without asking Mr. O for help?
No issues here whatsoever – the shower was amazing and great to see Duravit at its best!
– Towels – yes, please! How many and how soft and lovely?
Absolutely fantastic and lots!
– Toiletries – own brand, super brand, baby ones or proper ones? I shall find out!
Baur au Lac toiletries are specially commissioned for them, and in generous sizes too.
– Amenity kit – I don’t want more sewing kits thank you very much, but I will need a shower cap.
We had everything we needed and more – and yes, a great shower cap!
– Hairdryer – is it a human one, or just something stuck to a wall that only makes noise?
To be honest, I didn’t use it!
Breakfast
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It was Baur au Lac’s breakfast room that inspired me to start the “My hOtel series”
– Décor of breakfast room
Breakfast takes place at Le Pavillion, which is also Baur au Lac’s fine dining restaurant. To say it is a beautiful room, it would be the understatement of the year. It was this room alone that got me thinking about this “My hOtel” series and to include a section on the decor of the breakfast room.
– The spread (inc yumminess)
Absolutely delicious – the spread was beautiful, with a wide selection of on order items. I loved the selection of juices and the “seasonal special”, which was purple and went beautifully with the room.
– Cost
Breakfast is included in room rates.
General thoughts
– How good and reliable was the wi-fi?
The wi-fi was good and worked without a problem. It is also free.
– Did the hotel interact with me via Twitter during my stay?
Not during my stay as such, but post stay we had some interaction, which was fun.
– Location
You can’t beat the location – right in the centre of town, close to the Lake and the shops. Outstanding.
– Cost
Rooms start at 800 CHF per night (approx. €700, USD 900) and suites. For more information, visit the hotel’s website.
– Would I recommend it to my best friend?
Absolutely, it is a beautiful hotel, with impeccable service. My mother would also approve, without a doubt.
– Would I stay again?
Without a problem. In fact, pretty sure it will be my home away from home in Zürich from now on.
Disclaimer: I was a guest of Baur au Lac on this stay. I adored this property and my opinions are, as always, my own. For more information about Baur au Lac, click here.