A classic hotel that brings itself up to date while all the time maintaining ongoing standards has the right business formula – at least in Girlahead’s personal ratings. HOTEL BAUR AU LAC in Zurich fits that formula, with perfection.
Take the current temporary arrival. While a new front office is being installed, you walk in either through a stage-set white gauze tunnel from the carpark or, from Talstrasse, past a full-colour all-wall photo of what the new entrance will permanently look like, from next month. And who would think that the pop-up front desk is merely that, a fill in? Jérémie Lammy and his team of concierges are as impressive as ever, as are all the customer-facing women (immaculate grooming and couture suits with Ferragamo-type silk lapel corsages).
Fine, that is all tradition, but what is new in this 1844-vintage 125-room beauty? For a start, today’s chairman and owner, Andrea Kracht, is seamlessly handing the hotel’s reins over to daughter Marquita. And today, Friday 1st July 2022, the Kracht’s detail-oriented and passionate GM Wilhelm Luxem (see photo above), in one fell swoop, bows out, ushering in a new reign under GM Christian von Rechenberg, already a well-integrated leader of The Bauer team.
Other new features includes a redone covered terrace, popular for outdoor breakfasts through to late-night supper (and check afternoon tea time, with not a seat free and the majority choosing ice cold Ch Valentines 2020 Rosé over hot Assam or whatever). The Baur already has a year-round Brudnizki-designed art gallery and this is complemented by Summer’s annual Art in The Park sculpture exhibition, chosen by Andrea Kracht’s wife Gigi with the help of the Baur’s neighbour, Hauser & Wirth. The 20th show features large bronzes by sculptor Camille Henrot, 43, born in Paris and now commuting between New York and Berlin (her pieces, she says, highlight desire, frustration, fear of death, and exhaustion).
Girlahead’s only desire at Baur au Lac was to have more time – it takes so long even crossing a road in Zurich as pedestrian lights are numerous and rigidly followed. But, whatever, do join the e-scooterers and prams progressing round the lake, and cross a single road to check Hauser & Wirth’s own summer exhibition, pairing Giacometti with Picasso. And after dining on Laurent Eperon beetroot and buttermilk followed by Swiss veal forerib with fermented pepper, with – from 2019 world champion sommelier Marc Alment’s list – Dezaley Chemin de Terre 2018 Grand Cru, it was 27 carpetted stairs up to Suite 114.
What bliss it was, to open French Windows in the morning to watch life awake lake-side. Back down at the conservatory-like Pavilion, flowers inside and greenery outside, colour was put atop crispest white linens thanks to berries and ginger juice from the buffet, and the knife to cut the spelt health loaf was Laguiole. When you only go for the best some things never need to change.
See Room 114, below: