Alex, Zurich

The first Campbell Gray hotel in mainland Europe has been impeccably thought through, from its lakeside location to its luxuriously low-key design. This is a very smooth, unflashy sort of place. With its flat roof, low-rise pale-stone walls and large windows, it has a Modernist feel. Inside, all is light and airy – pale-oak flooring, white-marble tables, Scandi-style furniture, picture windows – with open-flowing spaces designed to make the most of the lake views. Vast bedrooms are similarly about maximising light, with plenty of glass and wood, and clean-lined, unfussy but quietly expensive furnishings. Most have direct lake views, although entry-level rooms require a sideways squint. Many have balconies. Oddly, all have kitchenettes – admittedly, stylish ones – as a proportion of guests are expected to be long-stay. Bathrooms are cool affairs in white and dove-grey with nautical-style brass fittings. Dining in the lakeside, glass-walled dining room or on the terrace is a delight; the menu a classy affair of Mediterranean dishes with the emphasis on seafood. Choose here because you want to be out of Zurich but within easy reach - it’s a 10- to 20-minute train ride or 20 minutes by the hotel’s motor-boat – because you like watersports, or because you just want to chill-out with some lakeside living.

Why do people love staying in your hotel?
Beautiful design and appealing architecture, retreat from the city but close enough to visit, resort feeling

What is there to do in the area?
Watersports and water activities, recreational activities in the mountains, Zurich city tour, galleries, museums & art exhibitions, Lindt chocolate factory, skiing resorts in the winter, excursion to Rapperswil, Zug, Lucerne, Einsiedeln, wildlife park, and much more

What kind of breakfast do you offer?
Complimentary breakfast with a la carte supplementary breakfast items, upgrade to full American Breakfast available

Do you offer other meals? And can you recommend good places to eat out locally?
Signature dish is Tuna Tataki & Lobster with Fries, Zurich offers a great variety of high class and international restaurants, also plenty of options along the lake

Which are your most popular room types, and why?
In the summertime the family rooms are very popular. Corner studio with adjacent executive studio and outside connecting door

What facilities do you have for children and can you fit extra beds in your rooms ?
Our studios are ideal for single or double occupancy. We can add a baby cot or extra bed upon availability and surcharge. Kids can play on the adjacent playgrounds and lidos. Watersport activities are popular with families in the summer. Taking the ALEX shuttle boat into the city is a highlight for kids as well as for the parents.

What message would you like to give Hotel Guru readers?
ALEX is a waterfront boutique hotel in Zurich ideal for short and extended stays offering a luxury lakeside living experience.