First Look: Mandarin Oriental Zurich
I got a tour of the MO Zurich last week (followed by a dinner at their brasserie) and thought to write up my first impressions of this newly opened and first Mandarin Oriental in Zürich.
Savoy Zurich
After undergoing a comprehensive makeover, the Mandarin Oriental Savoy in Zurich has reopened its doors this winter. Established in 1838, this historic gem, recognized as the city's earliest grand hotel, has newly joined the lineup of Mandarin Oriental's high-end luxury hotels.
Before that it was a chain-less independent hotel called The Savoy. I have not seen it then, so I can’t make a comparison. But I do think that a brand can bring you expected style and service levels that you can’t know for sure at independent properties (which are still going strong in Switzerland) - sure, it’s not always a guarantee for quality, but at least you can refer to the brand when complaining. I am happy to see that Mandarin Oriental is trying to get a foothold all over the country: first one was Geneva, then Lucerne, now Zurich.
View from the rooftop of the Mandarin Oriental Zurich onto Paradeplatz and Bahnhofstrasse
The property has been reimagined by interior designer Tristan Auer and is strategically located on Zurich's Paradeplatz, amidst luxury boutiques, the ancient city, and the scenic path to Lake Zurich. Marrying classic grace with contemporary flair, the Mandarin Oriental Savoy does fit well into the city of quiet luxury (which seems all the craze right now - with kind regards from Loro Piana directly next to the hotel).
The tour
The staff I interacted with was genuine and friendly, always trying to help - as you would expect here. But I also found that the clockwork in the team is somehow off by a minute - they couldn't bring full order to the chaos at all times. I attribute it to the fact that it's a newly opened MO and may need some time to get into gear.
The tour included a standard room (since it's a historic building no room is the same in layout - as we were told) and the presidential suite (which was stunning with a long window front and balcony opening up toward the Paradeplatz). The rooms seem fine and the window isolation good enough to cover the outside city noise. But I am not sure about the trams on Paradeplatz - these might be noticeable at least until around 10 pm and starting again around 8 or 9 am in the morning - at least in the front-facing rooms - like the Prez Suite.
Superior Double Room
Presidential Suite
I do like the location itself as it's directly in the center of Bahnhofstrasse for shopping and the beautiful old town directly in the back. The view from the room we visited was quite Disney-esque with old buildings and cobble stone street in front and church in the back.
Of course there is the problem of parking. They don't have a garage, as the Park Hyatt for example, so they have to bring your car to a far away place.
The dinner at the brasserie was fine, but not something to write home about, especially the main course. But I would bet some money that their fine dining Italian restaurant Orsini is significantly better as two-Michelin star Consultant Chef Antonio Guida (formerly at Mandarin Oriental Milan) is heading the kitchen.
The rooftop bar will definitely be a hit in summer when it opens. Already when I was there the lobby was bustling as was the brasserie. Our “tour guide” told us that they weren’t expecting to have so much business especially with event bookings so quickly after opening. But for me it was always clear that this hotel will be a hit. Zurich tends to gobble up new luxury openings like hot cake.
Considering going?
Are you planning a visit to the MO Zurich or rather fancy the Dolder Grand or any other luxury hotel in Switzerland? Just give me a quick note and I’ll get you VIP perks as a travel advisor working with brands like MO, Four Seasons, LHW or Virtuoso for the same price as the regular rate. So you get more while paying the same!
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