TL;DR

Soft, feminine: boutique hotel with calming pastels and a relaxed, homey feel.
Ladies-first wellness: focus with saunas, steam bath, yoga, and massage services.
Peaceful Seefeld: location close to the lake, gardens, and cultural sights.
Check prices here

Alma Hotel is a calming little boutique hotel in Zurich’s upscale Seefeld neighborhood.

Women are the target audience, due to the ladies-only wellness space, but Alma is open to everyone.

Toxic masculinity dies here, though, we’re sure. The colour choices alone will tai chi it tooth and nail.

It has a classically feminine set of pastels, bright yet soft. And pale woods that give the feeling of a film set if Meredith Hayden went vegan.

There is something on the edge of twee about it all, but it stays on the comfortable side of that line, in our opinion.

Still, if you want something grand and opulent, this definitely won’t do.

It’s more the place for someone who wants to experience Zurich, a city often cited as being way better to live in than tourist in, as if they live in a younger, Swiss version of Golden Girls.

The lake is nearby, the bustle of Bahnhofstrasse is not, yet you’re not far from Zurich’s most pleasant attractions.

Sure, this isn’t the Rolex and marble chocolate fountain dream we’ve been sold, but we’re pretty sure it’s someone’s fantasy.

What are the rooms like?

20 rooms: in total, each individually styled and named after flowers.
Bright colour: palettes paired with simple, clean-lined furnishings.
Varied layouts: including singles, doubles, balconies, bathtubs, and suites.
See all the rooms in detail here

Rooms are named after flowers, mostly. From the Magnolia double to the Jasmin suite, things maintain the cheery colours of the rest of the space.

There’s something modern about the bright swathes of colour. Yellow ceilings shoutout to Mondrian, set off by soft blues and tomato-meets-coral reds that give primaries without feeling childish.

Furnishings are simple but effective, everything with clean lines and happy to let the colours do the talking.

Each room is different, with options for basically everyone.

We’ve got a single one-person room, and some doubles, with and without balconies and bathtubs.

One spacious suite and other studio suites offer extra room, sofas, bathtubs and lots of nice things. The architecture in some rooms is especially charming.

Whatever you choose, you’ll be sure to have a place to sit and/or work, a TV, natural bathroom amenities, very often a bathtub, and often views out towards the lake.

What are prices like?

Check prices here

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

Breakfast included: with vegetarian and often organic local ingredients.
Guest kitchen: available for self-catering throughout the day.
Wellness-focused: facilities including saunas, steam bath, yoga, and massage.

As a small, intimate space, Alma Hotel runs more like a B&B than a fancy restaurant-having hotel.

Breakfast is included, an extensive spread with local, vegetarian, and often organic ingredients.

Once this has come and gone, the kitchen is available for guests. You’re not required to leave the hotel if you don’t want to.

And, in a city known for expensive cuisine, this might be a huge benefit.

Other common areas include a rose garden and a lovely veranda where you can enjoy fresh air and the peace of the relatively quiet neighbourhood.

For ladies, the wellness area is a huge plus.

It’s a unique space, beautifully decorated in a sexier version of the hotel’s friendly modernism, phone-free, and super relaxing.

You’ll have access to two saunas, a steam bath, and a relaxation room.

All guests can enjoy yoga classes and in-house massage services.

How is the neighbourhood? Anything interesting nearby?

Seefeld district: offers a peaceful, lakeside atmosphere away from the crowds.
Nearby attractions: include the Chinese Garden, lake pools, and Corbusier Centre.
Easy access: to Old Town, shopping, and nightlife with a short walk or tram ride.

Once you’re ready to brave the big city, you’re in for a treat.

Seefeld sits on the east side of Lake Zurich, a bit of a trek from the centre of the city, thus peaceful and perfect for a lakeside respite.

Attractions are still in a manageable distance, but they’re definitely not right outside your door.

What is outside your door is a public lake-pool, the Chinese Garden, and a quick pop over to the Corbusier Centre.

The Operahaus marks the border of the town centre, just a 15-minute walk away.

Once there, head in towards the Bahnhofstrasse for some high-end shopping and easy tourism.

From there it’s not too far to the Arboretum, Mythenquai and the Museum Rietberg.

If you want something slightly more nightlife-y and a bit less fancy, head to Langstrasse.

It’s probably best to take a car there, but you can walk it within 45 minutes.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

“Very cozy and stylish hotel, the room was spacious with all amenities, modern and cozy. The breakfast room is very nice, it feels like you are at home. The breakfast was varied and delicious, everything you need for a good start to the day. The staff were nice and friendly. We often come to Zurich to visit our daughter’s family and from now on Alma Hotel will be our hotel in Zurich….”

“The staff were all very helpful and friendly. Our room was spot on – clean, spacious and perfect for what we needed. We loved the location – close to the lake, the centre, the tramline, and with a couple of supermarkets close by. The roof terrace was a great bonus. Breakfasts were delicious and, particularly for the 2 of us who are vegan, offered plenty of choice. We also made use of the self catering facilities, which were great. We loved the extra touches too – free water and apples, welcome icecreams, and free coffee throughout the day. If we do come back to Zurich, without a doubt we will stay at Alma….”