A weekend at the Hotel Storchen, Zurich
Zurich is always worth a trip and what better way to start the year than treating yourself to a bit of Swiss Bliss: perfectly serviced luxury hotels, high-quality dining, stunning vistas and decadence on the road and on water. Plus Zurich has a great selection of non-branded five-star hotels making it one of the most interesting cities for us to visit. I have already seen most of the city’s leading hotels, so I decided to try out a classic this time I haven’t visited before: the Storchen on the river Limmat. Undoubtedly, the best-situated hotel in Zurich, the Storchen is a true institution in the biggest city of Switzerland. Recently been completely refurbished and now under the helm of The Living Circle, a boutique selection of four high-end hotels (three in Zurich and surrounding as well as one property in Ascona on Lake Maggiore) – the Storchen was one of the missing pieces of my Zurich puzzle. Getting to the hotel by car is almost as easy as it is by train. Not wanting the hassle of snowy roads and rush-hour traffic, I decided to hop on a EuroCity train commute the three-hour journey from Munich. This way I arrived in Zurich relaxed and did the ten-minute walk through Bahnhofstrasse and the old town until I entered the Hotel Storchen for the very first time.
An elegant interior design, as well as a friendly lady from the front desk, were the two perfectly matching impressions I had after being impressed by the stunning location of the hotel on a small square directly on the river Limmat. Check-in was super quick and they already awaited me with a smile. Soon afterwards, I was shown the way to my Riverside double room on the second floor. Even though I highly recommend booking a higher floor, I loved to be just one floor above the restaurant as I took the stairs every time I left the room. In terms of size, my room was an entry-level double room, one category above the queen room which they declare as matching a single-person stay. Especially when visiting a city like Zurich, the room size really doesn’t matter as you are here for the culture, the outdoors, appointments or just to meet some long-time-no-see friends like me. Therefore I much appreciated the fresh feeling of the room as one can really tell the entire hotel has got a major lift-up. Immediately when I entered the room, I was surprised by the beautiful interior and the matching brass fixtures.
Everything inside the room matched perfectly and though the entryway seemed small, I had enough space to hang my clothes and store my suitcase. On the right side of the entrance was the tiny bathroom that really had a sexy look with a spacious walk-in shower fully covered in chic marble, a single basin in black granite as well as a stylish shelf right behind the toilet. Also inside the cosy bathroom, there was plenty of storage space and besides hotel-branded toiletries in reusable bottles, I was happy to find the entire range of bathroom products (including shaving and dental kit). How great it was not having to call the night porter when you find out you forgot your toothbrush at 3 am. Thanks to the twice-daily maid service, the bathroom never looked too cramped and the housekeeping did a great job within the room. It’s great to see that even though the room was not on the big side, there was a very spacious writing desk as well as two armchairs. Actually the Riverside double room had everything I could wish for during my stay in Zurich. There was a well-equipped minibar, a welcome bottle of the brand’s own red wine from Ticino, a welcome note along with fresh fruits and some Swiss chocolate.
I have to mention that the attention to detail here at Hotel Storchen is impeccable. Even the light switches match the bronze tones of the interior. If there is one thing I could wish for the next time I stay here it is the beds. There is no such thing as a king bed at the hotel, so when you are travelling alone, the Queen rooms (having one double mattress) might be just perfect for you. On the other hand, my parents, for instance, love to have two single beds – so this might be the perfect hotel bed for the ones preferring to travel on a twin-bedded basis. This is all about the bad news because the best is yet to come: Speaking of which, I haven’t had any better views in a city hotel in Zurich before. You’re literally waking up to an alpine Disneyland: might it be the unparalleled view of the Limmat, the landmark cathedral Großmünster or the white-capped Alps on the horizon of Zurich lake – make sure to have your breath taken away at the Hotel Storchen. You will ask yourself if this view keeps getting better and the answer is yes.
As soon as you woke up and had a first glimpse of a quiet and sleeping old town, you will be ready to enjoy some Swiss breakfast. This is the moment when you’re impressed twice shortly after waking up. The views from Storchen’s La Rotisserie are definitely next level, especially when you arrive just at sunrise and the sky turns pink while you are being served your Cappuccino and still can’t decide between Eggs Benedict or a posh omelette with the best Swiss charcuterie and famous cheese. Service at the hotel’s breakfast venue is incredibly good and they are always here to take your order as soon as you finished the last sip of coffee. Matching the sustainability philosophy of The Living Circle group, the buffet is on the small side in order not to through away too many of the breakfast products. However the offered quality of the buffet was very high and as one would expect for a Swiss hotel of this calibre, bread is gold. Being located close to the homes of the world’s biggest banks and investment firms, one doesn’t feel the rush and pace of the city upstairs at La Rotisserie: my colleague and I were sitting at our first-row window table way past the closure of breakfast and nobody dared to kick us out.
Overall, I had a wonderful time in Zurich and thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Hotel Storchen. After having stayed at the Widder (which also belongs to The Living Circle) and having visited Alex, their third property in Zurich, I choose the right hotel for my preferences and personal taste. I simply loved the colour scheme, the interior design, the cosy and intimate size of the hotel as well as the views and location, offering me to sleep with an open window and not hear a single noise. There is no doubt, I would stay with The Living Circle again the next time I am in or around Zurich. Their resort feeling is really a unique selling proposition as one can use the facilities of each other’s property. This way, guests of the Storchen can get reservations at the highly frequented AuGust Brasserie of Hotel Widder and Widder or Storchen guests get access to the spa of Alex on the shores of lake Zurich. Another Sweet Spot: as a hotel guest of The Living Circle, you can enjoy a complimentary test drive of brand-new Genesis G80 or GV80 vehicles. I will never forget the fun ride we had from Zurich city along the shores of the lake to have a late lunch at Alex where the sun came out and put the best of Switzerland at our fingertips. Cheers to another perfect weekend!
Disclaimer: The stay was provided by The Living Circle and we were guests of Hotel Storchen for editorial purposes. However the above written has not been influenced and represents the author’s own opinion.
