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This article is part of a guide to Zurich from FT Globetrotter
With its grand exterior, fluttering flags and striped porch awnings, this elegant, century-old lakeside hotel appears unchanged, even though it has a pretty good nickname for its years. However, in 2022, it was reborn as La Réserve Eden au Lac Zürich, after a giant renovation carried out by Philippe Starck.
I admit I felt a little skeptical about how Stark's elegant modernity would translate within such a beloved property. But it is: The designer's reimagining of the interiors as a luxury yacht club lends this 40-room hotel an intimate, upscale glamor, making you feel invited into a rather exclusive setting. Indeed, with Lake Zurich so close, you can almost imagine being on the water itself.
The hotel's location is one of its many attractions – a short walk along the promenade or an express tram ride – to the Opera House and to the city centre. But for me, the real reason to stay there is that just across the road is Seebad Otokwai, one of Zurich's most beautiful bades (public open-air baths), built in 1890 in the Moorish Art Nouveau style.
Eager to experience Zurich's famous baddie culture, before checking in, I inquired at reception how to do so. I was handed a large bag containing flip flops, a towel and a special leash that allows access to Utoquai at any time of the day. Without further ado, my husband and I grabbed our swimsuits and goggles from our luggage and within seconds found ourselves walking along the warm, pristine surface of Utoquai to the steps leading down to the lake below. The water was clear, clean and cool, just a tonic after a late flight.
As we dried off in the sun, we were greeted by our fellow swimmers – a mix of ages and genders, some working from laptops while tanning their legs, others sipping glasses of rosé with friends, all looking remarkably relaxed on a Tuesday afternoon. It was an almost comical civility scene.
Rooms
In our tiny bedroom (which I imagined was similar in size to staterooms on a large yacht), we sat curled up on the bed with the balcony doors open, watching swans bobbing on the water in the sparkling late afternoon sun. And, a little further away, speedboats make their way into the expanses of the lake. In the street below, polished chauffeured cars passed by, transporting Zurich lawyers, insurance brokers and financiers to their villas outside the city. After a second glass of the hotel's excellent house champagne (proprietor Michel Ripert's own wine), I began to imagine that I might move to Zurich (a thought that was shocked the next day when I discovered the cost of a flat white in a trendy café – a mere 8 Swiss francs, or 7.20 pounds). sterling).
The decor was a tactile mix of wood, leather and silver, with a mirrored wall behind the bed reflecting the lake for a chic nautical theme. The bathroom was on the small side, dominated by a huge granite tub, and a power shower that nearly knocked me out of the room.
Restaurants and bars
The ground floor of the hotel is more mountain lodge than yacht, and the large, open-plan Eden Kitchen & Bar restaurant is part Alpine, part American national park, with exposed brickwork, leather and suede upholstery and cozy plaid soft furnishings. Think Moncler meets Ralph Lauren. However, the restaurant is modern Italian, headed by Chef Marco Ortolani. In keeping with this cosmopolitan feel, our young waiter revealed that he was fluent in four languages when he brought us an “American menu” breakfast of boiled eggs, a fruit plate and pancakes. All around us, business meetings were in full swing with groups of (mostly) men in crisp white shirts talking quietly over pots of coffee.
That evening, we headed to the hotel's exciting sixth-floor rooftop bar and restaurant, La Muña, an upscale Japanese-Peruvian restaurant that attracts the city's hippest crowds with its 360-degree views and imaginative takes on sashimi and ceviche. It was a quiet evening, so we sat on the balcony, watching the light fade over the lake, while sipping glasses of Swiss Viognier and making our way through meticulously arranged plates of sea bass ceviche with black truffle and lemon, and crab rolls with cucumber. And jalapeno and green onions.
The interior of the restaurant is located between a Peruvian cabin and the hull of an exploration ship, with hanging boats, lanterns and other nautical memorabilia. It's a cozy space to hunker down with a cocktail in Zurich's many winter months.
In a glance:
Suitable for: Lakeside location; Excellent service and very knowledgeable concierge
Not good for: Bedroom size, given the price. There is also a small fitness room, although there is access to a nearby gym
FYI: Don't miss the opportunity to rent the hotel's electric car – which wasn't operational yet when we visited, but perfect for getting around the city.
Rooms and suites: 37 rooms, three suites
Prices: Double from CHF 690 ($780/£620), including breakfast
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Rebecca Rose was a guest at La Réserve Eden au Lac Zürich
Tell us about your favorite stay in Zurich in the comments below. And follow the FT Globetrotter on Instagram at @FTGlobetrotter
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