Hotel Greulich

I have to say that this hotel really isn’t for me. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it, so it would be unfair to give it 3 stars out of 5, but it’s absolutely not to my taste. Upon walking in, it feels more like entering a shop or showroom than a hotel reception. I was then taken to my room via a small courtyard and down a very clinical-looking outdoor corridor with doors along one side. Honestly, it felt more like walking around the outside of a factory than arriving at a hotel room. Inside, the room itself feels cold, clinical and emotionless. Dull white walls, white painted concrete floor, frosted glass separating the sink and toilet rather than having a proper separate bathroom, which offers very little privacy if sharing with someone. The extremely tall windows and ceilings only add to the sterile atmosphere. It genuinely reminded me of a private hospital room. I noticed another reviewer compared it to a youth hostel or student accommodation, and I can completely understand why. There isn’t a single picture on the wall, no artwork, no rug, no carpet, nothing to soften the space or give it any warmth or personality. It’s minimalism taken to such an extreme that, for me, it just feels bleak and soulless. The location also isn’t the most glamorous. The surrounding area feels fairly uninspiring, and there’s not a great deal nearby in terms of nice restaurants, bars or places to spend the evening, which only added to the overall lack of atmosphere for me. I appreciate that this style will appeal to some people and that the hotel is intentionally aiming for a modern minimalist aesthetic, but personally I found it completely lacking in atmosphere or comfort. One disappointment was that on the day of departure, I had a taxi booked to the airport for 12 noon. When I asked what time checkout was, I was told 11am. I asked if it would be possible to keep the room for just one extra hour. Unfortunately, I was told there would be a charge of 25 Swiss francs (€27) So despite the room was clearly available for an extra hour, I do find it quite surprising that there was no flexibility whatsoever. I could completely understand being charged if I wanted to check out three or four hours late, but for just a single extra hour it would have been a nice gesture to offer that complimentary. It’s this slight lack of flexibility, and strict Swiss cold rule-keeping which other reviewers have also mentioned, that ultimately knocks the review score down for me. That said, the staff are friendly enough, the hotel is clean throughout and the room was serviced well, so if this style of accommodation appeals to you, you may well enjoy it. However it’s simply not for me.

Don’t be fooled, you won’t be staying on the floors: the 19 bedrooms are on the ground floor! Still, the hotel is wonderful. All rooms have bathtub, the floor is heated and breakfast, although small is very good. Extremely helpful service.

Cool, minimalist hotel in a quiet residential neighborhood. If you're looking for something that's away from the tourist/commercial fray -- but easily accessible by tram -- this is your place.