The Best Boutique Hotels in Zurich

We search out small-scale accommodation with a modern design twist in Switzerland’s most populous city.

When it comes to travelling to a place as mesmerising as Zurich, it pays to find accommodation that complements your surroundings. Small-scale boutique accommodation is the perfect option for travellers who crave an intimate experience and care about the details.

If design plays a big part in your travel decision making, there are a group of hotels that you need to have on your radar, especially if you want to capture another dimension of Zurich’s vast beauty.

Lady’s First Design Hotel

Don’t worry if you’re a bloke (or a couple) – men are welcome in this slickly renovated, 28-room, 19th-century townhouse in quiet Seefeld, near the shores of Lake Zurich. The rooftop and top floor wellness and spa area of the Lady’s First Design Hotel is, however, strictly for the ladies – a nice change if you’re not quite used to letting it all hang out in front of manly strangers.

Single rooms from $263 per night; double rooms from $332 per night; Mainaustrasse 24.

Townhouse Boutique Hotel

The decadently Baroque-style wallpaper, richly-coloured furnishings and other quirky touches of the Townhouse Boutique Hotel are a little different to the more minimalist restraint often found ‘round these parts. Reasonably priced and just a block away from the main train station.

Single rooms from $223 per night; double rooms from $258 per night; Schützengasse 7.

Widder Hotel

This rambling, beautifully blended triumph of centuries-old architecture and modern design spreads out over nine historic townhouses. Each room and suite of the Widder Hotel has a unique character – think exposed wooden beams, abundant antiques and art, plush leather bedheads, and richly coloured Moroccan rugs.

Single rooms from $538 per night; double rooms from $744 per night; Rennweg 7.

B2 Boutique Hotel + Spa

B2 boutique hotel zurich — B2 Boutique + Spa, Zurich.

Located in an old brewery near the city centre, the B2 Boutique Hotel + Spa has quickly risen through the ranks to become one of the city’s most Instagram-able locations. Guests can unwind with a glass of wine and a cheese plate in the awe-inspiring library surrounded by 33,000 books, or take a dip in the rooftop thermal baths overlooking the city.

The rooms themselves have a luxe industrial chic vibe, which is a nod to the building’s past life.

Rooms start at around $450 per night; Brandschenkestrasse 152.

The Storchen

This is one of the oldest hotels in Switzerland, dating back to 1357 … to say it has a rich history is an understatement. The Storchen underwent a multi-million dollar renovation in recent years which has injected a little five-star glamour into the grand old dame.

Set on the banks of the River Limmat in the heart of Old Town, the location is hard to beat. The glam waterside bar is a great place to listen to some classic jazz in the evenings.

There are 66 freshly designed rooms and suites decorated with a warm colour palette, offering either river views or an outlook over Old Town.

Rooms start at $540 per night. Weinplatz 2.

Hotel Wellenberg

Boutique accommodation in Switzerland can be on the pricey end, but thankfully Hotel Wellenberg is here to offer a (slightly) more affordable option.

Some of the rooms are decorated in a mildly gaudy manner which won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but it’s very clean and well located and manned by friendly staff. Most of the rooms have views of the beautiful courtyard and there is unique artwork dotted throughout (a feature wall of old Hollywood photos is particularly eye-catching). The accommodation also offers a shared library and lounge area, and a good breakfast is included in the room tariff.

Rooms start at $290 per night. Niederdorfstrasse 10

Small Luxury Hotel Ambassador

small luxury ambassador hotel — Small Luxury Hotel Ambassador, Zurich.

Part of the former Uto Castle, the Small Luxury Hotel Ambassador is an interesting blend of Neo-Baroque architecture with modern interiors. Set opposite the city’s glorious Opera House and right near Lake Zurich, it’s a great jumping off point for your Swiss adventure. If shopping is your thing, it’s just a 10 minute walk to the famous Bahnhofstrasse district.

With just 44 rooms there’s a great sense of peace at this boutique hotel, making it a great place to unwind after a day of sight-seeing (the hearty Swiss breakfast each day will also put you in good stead for a day pounding the pavement).

There are good single rooms on offer, which will appeal to solo travellers.

Rooms start at $391 per night. Falkenstrasse 6.

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Marktgasse Hotel

Set in the lively Niederdorf district surrounded by an array of small boutiques, galleries, restaurants and bars, Marktgasse Hotel is the perfect mix of old and new.

While the 39 individually styled rooms have been decked out with an array of art pieces and modern furnishings, there are still delightful heritage protected details to be found. The junior suite with its own private roof top terrace is worth splashing out on if you can afford it. The views over Zurich are superb.

There are two strong food and beverage offerings on the ground floor – the staff at Baltho Bar know how to mix a mean cocktail and the delish Café Take-out is a great spot for breakfast and lunch.

Rooms start at $322 per night. Marktgasse 17

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

The best boutique hotels in Zurich