Hotel Review: Sheraton Zurich Hotel

The Sheraton Zurich opened its doors just recently in January 2014. Tucked in a quiet plaza across from the MiGros headquarters, it has a light rail station just outside that runs to downtown.

Walking up to the hotel the first thing I noticed was the whimsical cow figurine. I inquired about it and was told “it’s a Swiss thing”.

There were two hostesses at check-in, and no other guests around in the lobby.

Just to the right of reception there was a table with orange water and gummy bears which was a nice offer but I passed.

The lobby area had plenty of seating options.

I was originally given a regular room but asked if perhaps they had a suite available?

They did, and I thanked them but wondered whether they hadn’t seen the Platinum level in my account profile or just weren’t particularly proactive when it came to assigning suites.

One of the hostesses printed out a form and asked me to complete. I noticed it had a very old address on it, from over 10 years prior. She looked in her computer and found the updated one, so I just signed, elected to have points as the platinum amenity and was given a room key.

On the way to the elevators I passed a cozy room with a couple inviting fireplaces and several nooks to sit in, a computer area and their restaurant Twenty-Six.

Computer area.

Courtyard just outside of hotel, with art installation.

The elevator zipped me up to the 7th floor and I headed to my room. The main hallway was brightly lit but the alcoves with the rooms were dim. As I walked into the alcove towards my room, the light outside of my door brightened overhead. Smart technology, and I forgave them for their Vegas-style laser carpeting.

I waved my key over the sensor just below the door handle, turned the handle and the door opened silently.

After the door clicked closed behind me I saw that the floors were hardwood and the room was lit well without being way too bright.

I took off my shoes and tiptoed into the room straight in front that was the washroom. It had marvelously warm stone floors which my cold feet loved. A sliding wooden door separated the washroom from the hallway, which I preferred to a swinging door. A large magnifying mirror was in the corner.

There was plenty of counter space and opposite the sink was a cubbyhole and waste bin. The shower had a half glass door partition and didn’t require any stepping up or down to enter. There was a rain shower overhead and also a handheld sprayer.

The tub was oversized and offered a view of the building across the street.

I figured that the hotel windows were tinted, but when leaving the washroom I saw that above the easy-to-use big on/off light switch there was a button that brought a window covering down, and one that brought it back up.

No fumbling around in the dark to find the switch in this room!

There was a knock at the door, and I was handed some papers by a staff member. I thanked them and closed the door, but then looked down to find that the letter had been intended for a different person. I opened the door but the hallway was empty so I decided to run it over to someone a little later, and continued looking around the room.

Walking down the hallway  the next room to the right was the bathroom. It was kind of nice to have the throne separate from the shower area.

The bedroom had huge windows, and while I noticed a large pillar in the middle of the room it was cleverly disguised as a desk.

The desk held the phone, 3 outlets and iHome.

I was glad to find that the iHome had the newest connection available that fit the iPhone 5 and 6.

An easy to use thermostat was on the wall just inside the bedroom.

Over against the far window there was even a window seat with some cushions.

The bedside lights featured the same easy-to-use buttons which could be hit with eyes closed early in the morning.

The view looked out over the street.

There was also a view of the hotel courtyard.

The closet seemed well-designed, with drawers, a safe and plenty of hangers.

I found robes and an extra pillow/blanket set tucked up on a top closet shelf.

There was also an ingenious place that I dubbed the suitcase area. The top surface of the drawers was perfect for unfolding a suitcase and unpacking.

The closet had the same sliding door as the other rooms.

Next to the desk there were two chairs which ended up being more comfortable than they looked.

The TV faced the chairs, but it could easily be swiveled towards the bed.

There were storage spaces in the cabinets beneath the TV, and I found a minibar that seemed a bit light on snacks. A Nespresso coffee maker was next to the TV.

Two large glass bottles of complimentary still water were provided.

After having seen the bathroom and now the bedroom, I had to remind myself that this was a Sheraton. If it hadn’t been for the Sheraton amenities in the bathroom I could have been convinced it was a…another hotel chain.

I headed up to the Club lounge that was on the 10th floor, to see what was on offer and return the cards that had accidentally been given to me. Typically the Club level rooms receive a lot of nearby foot traffic from people coming to and from the Club to the elevator. The Club Lounge at the Sheraton Zurich is open between 7am and 11pm, and this hotel did something smart – put in a set of sliding doors leading to the guest rooms that requires key card access to open. This way the hallway stays quiet for guests staying on that level.

Just inside the Lounge I was greeted by a hostess who asked if she could get me anything. I replied that I was fine and just looking around, and she smiled and said that if I changed my mind to let her know. I gave her the cards intended for another guest, and a few minutes later she returned with a set written in English for me. It offered a free starter plate at the restaurant Twenty-Six, a free bottle of wine and nuts, or a cheese plate.

The lounge was spacious with plenty of seating areas.

At the buffet were three kinds of salad, shrimp & guacamole, cheeses, sandwiches, coffee, desserts and drinks.

I selected a few items (bottle of Soda and small shrimp & guac) and asked out of courtesy if I could bring them back to my room, but I was told that all food and drink items needed to be consumed in the lounge. I took a seat to eat quickly, though I would have preferred to finish them slowly in my room.

Back in the room getting ready for bed I discovered that the drapes and curtains almost blocked out the light, but one corner was a few inches too short. I used the extra pillow from the closet to close the curtain.

The LCD display on the TV was very bright so I stacked a bathrobe on top of another pillow to cover it up, and unplugged the brightly lit clock radio.

The bed itself was very comfortable. There were lamps on both night stands, and small reading lights popped out of the wall on either side of the bed. There were really comfortable pillows too, not too hard or too soft.

I slept great in the bed, and the temperature was just right.

In the morning I went back up to the Club Lounge for breakfast. There were more people there in the am but there was still open spots by the window. There was actually a pretty good selection of items, and the lounge staff was quick to replenish and clean up after guests went through the buffet.

The view from the club looked out over the popular train tracks, and every few minutes another one whizzed by.

Yogurt, meats, cheeses.

Hot items.

Bread and tea area.

Coffee area.

Cheery tablecloths.

View.

Checking out was quick, and when I informed the front desk that I needed a taxi I barely stepped outside when a waiting taxi asked if I was from room 709. I was although I wasn’t sure how he’d come by this info so quickly. He was there to take me to the airport, so the front desk must have called to him directly.

I was pleasantly surprised by this hotel. The room was much nicer than I expected, the Club lounge offerings were good, and the property had a great design.

Sheraton Category 5. 12,000 – 16,000 Starpoints for a free night.

Sheraton Zurich