TL;DR

Lakeside: Zurich boutique hotel from a respected luxury hotel group.
Stylish: 1920s-era building with confident modern interiors and subtle Art Deco nods.
Balanced: design that blends historic character with contemporary comfort.
Check prices here

Part of Ameron, a prestigious European boutique hotel chain, AMERON Zürich Bellerive au Lac brings dependable luxury to a dependable lakeside setting.

We probably wouldn’t term this 1928 building an Art Deco masterpiece, but it’s definitely got historic charm.

A prime location, right next to Zürichsee, sure doesn’t hurt either.

Under the building facade’s slightly severe modern lines is some geometric carving that works nicely with a beautifully decorated interior.

And it’s here that the style takes off.

Rugs over parquet flooring are bold and eye-catching. A black, white, and accent colour scheme works beautifully with textured furnishings in wood, wicker and stone.

It’s all delicately handsome, hitting the best aspects of masculine and feminine for a space that we think has a pretty universal appeal.

History buffs will enjoy the shoutouts to art deco, but there’s plenty of contemporary sensibility to it all. The plantlife is lush and lively.

AMERON Zürich Bellerive au Lac is a luxury hotel, and with prices to match. It does, though, have entry-level (Comfort) rooms that we found quite reasonably priced.

What are the rooms like?

Rooms: 61 sleek, modern spaces with calming colour palettes.
Varied: options from compact Comfort Rooms to expansive Tower Suites.
Well-equipped: amenities include Marshall speakers, minibars, HDTVs, and coffee machines.
See all the rooms in detail here

Rooms are a bit sleeker than the more natural common areas.

They’ve got calming blue colour schemes with a rather sultry amount of navy. Dark furnishings and globular little lamps set everything off nicely.

You could consider them the Roger Federer of hotel rooms – a slightly unfair combo of seriously good-looking and great at what they do.

Comfort Rooms are the simplest option, starting at 20 square metres with views of either the city or the courtyard.

They’re followed by Deluxe and Premium rooms, at which level you’re able to snag a balcony, for a bit of a jump in price.

Premium Rooms are worth the upgrade, in our opinion, though, with lake views and tiny but beautifully decorated sitting areas.

If it’s a special occasion, opt for their amazing Suite. From Junior to Tower, you’ll get some more interesting architecture, and plenty of options offer views of the lake.

AMERON Zürich Bellerive au Lac’s Tower Suites are especially luxurious, with terraces, panoramic views, private saunas, and more.

Whatever option you end up with, amenities are solid. Each room is equipped with a Marshall speaker, minibar, HDTV and coffee machine.

What are prices like?

Check prices here

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

Indulgent: breakfasts, brunches, and French-leaning cuisine at Studio Bellerive.
Elegant: dining spaces with Mediterranean touches and strong wine offerings.
Functional: extras include event spaces and a small but polished gym.

We love a hotel that goes all out for breakfast, thus we love AMERON Zürich Bellerive au Lac.

You’ll start your morning with a world-beating buffet, and then the onsite restaurant opens up for lunch.

You’ll find an indulgent brunch available at weekends too, which includes half a bottle of champagne.

There’s a strong element of indulgence to the restaurant, Studio Bellerive, at pretty much all times anyway, to be fair.

Cuisine is French adjacent (a bit like Switzerland!), and the decor has plenty of teal and blue for a certain Mediterranean flair.

If you’re not up for a full-on fancy meal, take a seat at the bar and enjoy the ambience with some top-notch wine.

For business travellers, big families and future newlyweds, there are options for meeting and event spaces.

That’s about all for common areas, but there is a very small but nicely set-up gym, though there are no treadmills, oddly enough.

But you have Lake Zurich just outside the door to run around.

How is the neighbourhood? Anything interesting nearby?

Lakeside: setting with swimming, walking, and running right outside.
Cultural: attractions like Operahaus and Kunsthaus within easy walking distance.
Relaxed: alternative to the Old City with good transport connections.

The neighbourhood is excellent for minor sightseeing and lots of lake time.

Literally across the road from AMERON Zürich Bellerive au Lac, you’ll find a public swimming pool.

It’s not the fanciest option, but it’s a great insight into local water recreation and a classic in hot weather.

For something a little posher, the neighbourhood is quite well-stocked with fancy hotels and independent spas.

If you want to explore on foot, you’ll find the Operahaus, Chinese Garden, Kunsthaus and Corbusier Centre within a 15-minute walk.

The Old City, Langstrasse, and Bahnhofstrasse are a bit further. If they were at the top of your list, you might want to look elsewhere.

Yet, it’s not an aggressively difficult city to get around.

Langstrasse is a 15-minute drive and has plenty to keep you occupied for a while. From there, you can walk to the Old City.

And, the high-end shopping and cafes around the Bahnhofstrasse are just over 20 minutes walking.

That will open you up to The Arboretum, Mythenquai and the Museum Rietberg.

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

Some things guests liked:

“The junior suite was exceptional and the wellbeing amenities available before bed were amazing – options such as hot milk, eye mask, sleep spray. The aesthetics of the hotel were also really chic….”

“We were in Zurich for our mini-moon. The staff made sure we were welcome for a lovely Mini Moon treat and were very helpful and wanted to make sure we were comfortable and happy with everything. The location is great as its right by the lake. Overall, we were very happy with this hotel….”

Some things guests didn’t like:

”Our only complaint was a lack of brighter lighting in the room, especially in the bathroom. There was a great extra mirror with lightning for makeup or shaving, but even that was too dim. The dim light was calming, but not good for getting ready….”

”This is me being picky but at the same time not the guest who is a pain in the ass and complains to the front desk. I was put in a handicap room; I hate the showers with curtain only because the entire floor gets wet when you shower. I dealt with it and it ended up being fine. It did not take away from the hotel nor did it affect my stay because I would stay there again. The gym didn’t have a treadmill which forces you to run outside along the lake which is so much better anyways. Again being picky, hotels need to enter into this era of fitness and have better facilities but it worked out just fine….”

Read all the reviews right here