This 185-year-old grand hotel has been reborn as a Mandarin Oriental

Switzerland has never been cheap, with Zurich recently topping the list of the world’s most expensive cities to live in (tying with Singapore) and the Swiss franc sitting among the world’s strongest currencies.
But as travellers seek less touristy spots for their holidays, Switzerland (only the 23rd most visited city in Europe on 2019 figures) has attributes aplenty and offers easy access to Switzerland’s famous outdoors.

Switzerland’s largest city (but not its capital – that’s Bern) is Europe’s financial hub and has the fashionable shopping, bars, restaurants and other indulgences that go with having high net worth individuals in residence.

The city, on the northern tip of its namesake lake, also has a lovely old town and is home to Switzerland’s largest art museum, among many other galleries and museums.

And now it has a new Mandarin Oriental. Opened just before the end of 2023 – with a collection of Christmas trees in the lobby by the famed jeweller Harry Winston, no less (a neighbouring retailer) – Mandarin Oriental Savoy, Zurich inhabits a 185-year-old grand hotel, established as Baur en Ville.

Considered Zurich’s oldest hotel, famous past entries in the guest books include the composers Franz Liszt and Felix Mendelssohn as well as Charles Dickens.

Paris-based interior designer Tristan Auer whose portfolio includes work on the Hotel de Crillon Paris, the Carlton Cannes, and the Belmond Royal Scotsman luxury train, was assigned the task of combining historic details with contemporary hospitality needs and tastes, with a brief to maximise views, functionality, relaxation and comfort. Many of the 44 rooms and 36 suites have either terraces or private rooftops.

The all-day French-ish Savoy Brasserie & Bar leads the culinary front, with Orsini the signature fine-dining Italian restaurant conceived by chef Antonio Guida, from the two Michelin-starred Seta restaurant at Mandarin Oriental, Milan.