One of Switzerland's most celebrated properties, this elegant hotel is superior to the well-known Widder. Owned and operated by the same family since 1844, this house continues to get the kind of attention other hotels only dream of. That attention, however, is not just from fans but from its owners, too, who constantly prim and preen the place to near perfection in anticipation of the high-end business travelers and loyal clientele who regularly bunk here. This is a polished, traditional hotel with exceptional service. The classic four-story building lies perpendicular to the lake, so more rooms scan the Venetian-style canal that edges one side of the property than the lakefront. Lake views are reserved mostly for diners and those in high-priced suites. Surrounding gardens and ginkgo trees supply the tranquil foreground, an extravagant use of space in Zurich's city center.
The reserved yet inviting lobby is a museum of gilded bronze and shining surfaces, and the friendly reception staff handles check-in and concierge duties. Marble floors and rich wood-inspired spaces add a touch of country-club elegance to this lakeside grand dame. The main sitting area is housed in an inner room sans window but is packed with opulence, including fresh
flowers, fine artwork and lots of doting staffers.
Dining is renowned. The stunning French room, Restaurant Francais, serves some of the most innovative haute cuisine in town, and Le Pavillon is unquestionably one of Zurich's most popular restaurants. The latter is more informal, but its Mediterranean-influenced cuisine is matched only by the attentive service and remarkable light streaming through window-walls that view garden and lake panoramas. In summer, guests dine on its large terrace facing the manicured gardens, where lake views are distant yet pleasing, and the atmosphere is absolutely first-rate. Designed for a younger crowd, the chic, redesigned Rive Gauche is a brasserie with an East-meets-West menu. Next to it sits the Rive Gauche Bar, with paneled walls, banquette seating, 100 single-malt whiskeys and a long bar softly illuminated with art-deco lamps imported from New York. Its minimalist, trendy atmosphere is in sharp contrast with the keen old-world charm of the rest of the property, making it a hot spot for the local yuppie crowd (when they're not sipping at the Park Hyatt's new bar). Set in a little villa adjacent to the hotel, Diagonal Night Club provides guests free access to one of the 
hottest spots on the lake.
A bi-level, high-tech fitness center occupies the roof, with views of the lake from the solarium. Golf, swimming and tennis are arranged in the area. Meeting capacity is 250, the garage costs a fortune and airport transfers are also expensive. The business center offers complimentary high-speed Internet access. Pets are permitted in guest rooms but not in the restaurants.
Deep-pile carpeting in the corridors muffles even the heaviest footsteps. Accommodations are likewise quiet, with triple glazing on the windows. Decor varies from Louis XV to Chippendale to Regency, and all rooms provide excellent carpets, starched linens, large traditional built-in closets with drawers (some with slide-out luggage racks), TVs, data ports, minibars, safes and electronic blinds. Beds are topped with thick duvets and large pillows. Data ports and wireless Internet access are standard. Baths come in a number of styles, all with marble surfaces, well-lit mirrors, hair dryers, oodles of plush towels, lots of toiletries and terry robes. Most rooms are air conditioned. The rooms on the first three floors have a 
slightly brighter palette, richly patterned fabrics and updated baths. Even the lowly single rooms are spacious, and junior suites here are actually two-room suites with large living rooms and bedrooms with mirrored pocket doors that close for privacy, and they boast such extras as CD players and upgraded toiletries. The best suites are 221 and 321, both with gorgeous lake views; the former, however, has a balcony that has inspired many a room-service bill. Of the standard accommodations, the quiet canal-side and top-floor rooms are the most popular, even though their baths are small.
Room service never stops. Despite the capacious public areas, the professional staff acts as if this hotel were a residence. The discreet familial atmosphere runs right up to the general manager, whose father ran the hotel before him. To maintain the exclusivity, groups are not booked, and casual tourists wandering in off the street tend to be greeted with cool stares unless their bulging wallets are visible. With its unbeatable location, formidable amenities and deferential service, this meticulous house brooks no equal in Zurich.
