Baur au Lac

The house in one paragraph

Baur au Lac is the least showy and, for many regular visitors to Zurich, the most convincing luxury hotel in the city. Johannes Baur opened it in 1844 on a plot that was then at the edge of town; the Kracht family, his descendants, still own and run it today, which is rare among European grand hotels and almost unheard of at this level. The result is a house with institutional memory: the doorman recognises returning guests, the reservation team knows which lake-facing balcony you asked for in 2019, and nothing about the place feels focus-grouped.

Physically, the hotel sits inside a private park at the southern end of the Bahnhofstrasse, bounded by the Schanzengraben canal on one side and the lake basin on the other. Because the park is the hotel's own, you get something Zurich simply cannot otherwise offer: a silent, green, water-edged address that is still a three-minute walk from Paradeplatz and the banking district.

Rooms and suites

There are 119 rooms and suites, refurbished in phases rather than gutted all at once, which is why the interior design reads as continuous rather than fashionable. Pierre-Yves Rochon led much of the classical work; later suites lean lighter and more contemporary. The critical distinction when booking is the outlook.

• Superior and Deluxe rooms — city or courtyard aspect, generally 25–35 m². Quiet, well-proportioned, but without the view that defines the hotel.
• Lake-view rooms — the reason to be here. South-facing, many with a small balcony looking over the park to the water and, on clear days, the Alps behind.
• Junior suites and suites — 50–90 m², with separate sitting areas; several have generous terraces.
• Signature suites — including large terrace suites on the upper floors, effectively private apartments with Alpine panoramas.

Dining: Pavillon, Rive Gauche and Baur's

Pavillon is the hotel's flagship: a glass-walled pavilion set into the park, holding two Michelin stars under chef Laurent Eperon. The cooking is French in discipline with a lightness that suits the room — expect multi-course tasting menus, a formal wine pairing and a dress code that, while not black tie, does mean a jacket.

Rive Gauche is the brasserie counterpart: Italian-leaning, louder, open to the street, and popular with Zurich locals at lunch. Baur's, opened in the former lobby lounge, functions as an all-day restaurant and bar with a strong Swiss-produce menu. Between the three, you can eat very formally or very casually without leaving the building — a genuine advantage in a city where good restaurants book out weeks ahead.

Wellness, service and extras

Baur au Lac is deliberately not a spa hotel. There is a fitness room and treatment capability, and the team will arrange therapists, but guests seeking a full wellness circuit should look to The Dolder Grand. What the hotel does instead is service depth: a concierge team with genuine reach into Zurich's opera, gallery and restaurant scene, chauffeured transfers, a private park for events, and one of the most consistent housekeeping standards in Switzerland.

Indicative rates

Indicative only, excluding the Zurich accommodation tax and verified in January 2026. Confirm live availability and pricing directly with the hotel.

Getting there

From Zurich Airport (ZRH), take the train to Zürich Hauptbahnhof (10–13 minutes) then tram 11 or a five-minute taxi. On foot from the main station it is roughly 15 minutes straight down the Bahnhofstrasse. The nearest tram stop is Bürkliplatz, one block away, which also serves the lake steamer pier for summer boat departures.