Alex — Zurich, Switzerland

Hotelier Campbell Gray’s latest project makes the most of its tony perch on the edge of Lake Zurich. Framed by the Alps, the former Hotel Alexander has been given a major facelift by local studio Marazzi + Paul, its staid 1958 façade now refreshed with handsome stone and fringed with leafy terraces.
Inside, BradyWilliams – the designers behind many of London’s Corbin & King restaurants – have, for their first hotel project, swathed the 44 studios and penthouses with light timber flooring, soft linen, and French doors that open directly onto lake views.
In the kitchen, meanwhile, executive chef Alexander Kroll turns out grilled meats and fish, with current hits including turmeric cream scenting tiles of tuna tataki, and lobster, simply grilled and served with a puff of tarragon mayonnaise.
When you’re not traipsing through the Rhine Falls in Schaffhausen or discretely saying hello to your money in the basement vault of your local bank, we suggest booking the hotel’s XO 270 Cabin motorboat for a whip around the lake.
ADDRESS
Seestrasse 182
Thalwil
Lake Zurich
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
Broken up into six pavilions, this brutalist Mexican house is embedded in the landscape
Sordo Madaleno’s brutalist Mexican house, Rancho del Bosque, is divided up into a series of pavilions to preserve the character of its hillside site, combining concrete, curves and far-reaching views
-
Etihad Airways’ A321LR redefines the single-aisle experience
Abu Dhabi’s flagship carrier brings wide-body sensibility to its new generation Airbus aircraft, a rethink of what short and medium-haul travel can feel like
-
Ralph Steadman has worked with everyone from Hunter S. Thompson to Travis Scott and Quavo – now, the Gonzo illustrator is celebrated in London
A new exhibition provides a rare opportunity to experience the inimitable work and creativity of Gonzo illustrator Ralph Steadman up close. Just don’t call it a ‘style’.
-
Swiss unveils new long-haul cabins, including a superior double bed suite
Four redesigned cabins, five types of business seats, and two exclusive first-class suites. Here’s what Swiss is betting on for its next-generation fleet
-
Herzog & de Meuron redefines Swiss hospitality with Les Trois Rois hotel transformation
The Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning studio expands the hotel with a striking restaurant and bar, a sprawling presidential suite, and a decadent rooftop spa
-
In Gstaad, a seasonal restaurant takes alpine dining to new heights
Monti nods to regional craftsmanship with furniture carved from locally-sourced elm and a seasonal menu from chef Martin Göschel
-
48 hours in Geneva: seek Le Corbusier, lakeside sauna, and Swiss chocs
With Watches and Wonders 2025 in Geneva from 1-7 April, here are the city’s best downtime delights, from bars to bathing
-
A minimalist, off-grid Swiss cabin redefines the ski-in, ski-out experience
Perched above a millennia-old glacier, Cabane Tortin is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for athletic adventure-seekers – expect drama at 3,000m
-
Tour St Moritz hotel Badrutt’s Palace’s plush new wing with architect Antonio Citterio
‘You have to feel the mountains,’ says Antonio Citterio as he walks us through the new Serlas Wing, his contemporary take on Alpine vernacular at a hotel he knows well
-
2025 getaways: where Wallpaper* editors will be travelling to this year
From the Japanese art islands of Naoshima and Teshima to the Malaysian tropical paradise of Langkawi, here’s where Wallpaper* editors plan to travel to in 2025
-
The cosiest alpine retreats to book in Europe
Browse the Wallpaper* edit of European alpine retreats where to fully embrace the ski season