Transformation on the Banks of Lake Zurich
When the sun rises in the morning over Lake Zurich you’re in the right place at the boutique Alex Lake Zürich hotel. Located on the western shoreline in Thalwil, the luxurious establishment opened this summer, and you get a wonderful view of the Alps from the 44 studios and penthouse apartments and the spacious sundeck on the edge of the lake. Until recently, a rather shabby hotel stood here, but after four years of extensive conversion work the longitudinal flat building has been transformed and the four-story block at the one end raised by a further level. The conversion work is the brainchild of Swiss architectural practice Marazzi + Paul.
The interior design for the public spaces and the rooms was handled by London-based studio BradyWilliams. The emphasis was placed on light greys, beiges and blues combined with wood and brass. Each studio and apartment has its own kitchenette and a direct view of the lake. The furnishing are in part bespoke designs for Alex Lake Zürich. A stay is rounded out by a meal in The Boat House restaurant with its high-end regional and Mediterranean cuisine – which can best be enjoyed outside on the sundeck if the weather permits. Shade is provided there by ten parasols from the “Ocean Master MAX” collection by TUUCI. The square shades are made of a weatherproof Sunbrella fabric in a light-grey “Storm” tone. The parasols boast sturdy aluminum masts powder-coated with a “Hammered Bronze” finish.
Alpine and maritime – is probably the best way to summarize the style the architects and interior designers have conjured up for the Alex Lake Zürich. The hotel has its own jetty, and using the hotel’s launch or your own boat you will be in downtown Zurich in merely 15 minutes – or perhaps you’ll want to simply cruise the lake till sunset. (mh)
