FIVE Zurich - a destination with various talents
It was last weekend when I had the chance to go to Zurich again. I love the city for its location on Lake Zurich, its upcoming food scene (shoutout to my friends Linda and Meret with their outlets Zur Goldigen Guttere and Roter Delfin) as well as the upscale and very versatile hotel scene. From old school grand hotels, and newly opened boutique venues to city resorts. This time I was in for a more calm city experience and decided to stay at FIVE Zurich. Declaring itself as the hottest party destination in Zurich, I was up to be flashed with another unique hospitality concept. What began as a single hotel in Dubai now comprises two properties in the United Arab Emirates and one European outpost here in Zurich. Owned by an Indian businessman, this group has a very different approach to hospitality than the competing luxury hotels in Zurich which sets it apart from the classic hotel scene in the Swiss city. Located below the Uetliberg, the hotel offers a shuttle to the nearby tram stations which comes in handy if you want to explore Zurich by public transportation. My main motive for this trip was to support my friends who opened their second restaurant, so I was in for just a relaxing stay with a bit of culinary bliss. FIVE Zurich best catered for my preferences and after all, was the perfect choice for this short but relaxing city stay.
I had the pleasure of being joined by a long-time no-see-friend so we both arrived at the property at around 9 pm and were warmly welcomed by a very friendly front desk attendant. Upon finishing the check-in, we were handed over the keys and indicated the way to our room. The property is wonderfully designed and one can tell that no costs were spared to create another five-star-superior hotel in Zurich. From marble floors to brass walls and heavy wooden doors, everything matches the local theme a lot and with colourful details, FIVE hotels tried to give the interior an international touch. We were allocated room 202, situated on the second floor and facing the city. Prices for our Luxe Suite with Balcony started at around 440 francs for two persons which is quite a good value for money, considering you get a well-designed 51 square meter large suite with two balconies and a stunning view of the city. Upon entering our suite, we were welcomed by a dark wooden parquet floor that matched the beige colours pretty well. Following the hallway, the living room looked very inviting with a comfy sofa, a coffee table with an array of sweets as a welcome gift and a sideboard containing the extensive minibar underneath one of the two TVs. A spacious wardrobe connected the living and bedroom and came with a coffee machine, tea kettle and even an ironing board. Of course, the main highlight of the room was the heavenly king bed facing the balcony and the huge glass windows. Upon waking up, we both were sun-kissed while overlooking the morning glow of Zurich. A cosy fur blanket gave the room the alpine vibes to match the mountain theme of Switzerland. Wherever you looked, there were expensive carpets and luxurious furniture - the nightstands and bedside lamps were so gorgeous that I was thinking of taking them home. My friend had to do some work calls and was happy to find a generous working desk oriented towards the amazing view. Overall the Luxe Suite has a comfortable size and a very elegant vibe so I would not hesitate to stay inside this room again. The bathroom was no less spectacular. Designed with beige travertine marble on the walls and the floor, the vanity desk in black granite matched just as perfectly. Even though the toiletries came in refillable bottles by Rituals, the array of guest products was impressive and also towels were comfortable enough to rate this bathroom as very comfortable. I did not find out how the underfloor heating works, though the general temperature of our room was warm enough not needing additional floor heating.
On the first evening, we had the chance to dine at the hotel’s celebrated Penthouse on the fourth floor. I like it when hotels have interesting stories and this property is no exception. Originally opened as the Arabella Sheraton Atlantis, it was abandoned in 2004 before it was entirely renovated and reopened in 2015 by Swiss-brand Giardino. Financed by a Qatari national until 2020, the top floor was only accessible to the owner and his family from the Middle East. When Indian businessman Kabir Mulchandani bought the property in 2022 and announced to opening of a FIVE Hotel in Zurich, the entire top floor was redesigned and made accessible to the public. So FIVE Hotel’s Penthouse is a brand new F&B outlet that is yet very unique for a city like Zurich. When we arrived, a live Jazz band was playing and we immediately felt transported to a Hong Kong or Dubai scene. FIVE Zurich’s top-floor location stands out for its lively atmosphere, excellent service, mouth-watering Japanese fusion food and one-of-a-kind drinks. We had very tasty sushi rolls among some sashimi, spicy edamame and tartar toasts. Though the hotel calls itself as a party destination, we were surprised that after midnight, the only place to party was our Luxe Suite. So that’s great news for all business and leisure travellers not into hard partying and still enjoying a good night’s rest - making FIVE Zurich a very diverse destination with various talents.
Another great reason to stay at FIVE Zurich is the wonderfully designed spa. Even though the Spa is situated underground, the indoor pool still enjoys plenty of daylight thanks to the outdoor waterfall construction that also gives a very relaxing vibe when lounging by the pool. After a round of sauna, I was more than happy to jump into the refreshing indoor pool and thanks to the low occupancy on that Friday morning, I could easily do my laps for half an hour. Just right by the pool is a jacuzzi for a bit of relaxation before heading to the steam bath. At around noon, I treated myself to a 60-minute deep-tissue massage. I love the design of the spa and the treatment room was more than spectacular. All lights were dimmed to an absolute minimum and the textured wall perfectly set the scene for the upcoming sixty-minute treat. My therapist had excellent pressure plus informed me well ahead of the next steps which I very much appreciated. Towels were available everywhere at the spa and changing rooms were also clean and bright - one can even leave the stuff in a locker and get changed on the day of check-out. To be honest, FIVE Zurich has got nothing to do with the average five-star hotel in Zurich at all, our experience more felt like we were staying at a destination itself. You have a wide variety of F&B options (they also have a very international restaurant downstairs called Soul Street plus the brand-new fine dining venue Cinque Studio), elegantly designed rooms and public spaces, a chic and comfortable spa, amazing views and of course the unparalleled Social Pool - an outdoor pool area that is designed to feel like at the brands FIVE Dubai outposts.
