I wrote the better part of this review while on the flight from Zürich back to Dubai, and while still thinking of how much of a pleasant surprise 25hours Hotel Langstrasse and Zürich in general were. For a long time, I had the impression that hotels near train stations are usually dreary and boring, but 25hours Hotel Zurich Langstrasse proved me wrong and was quite the opposite — fun, quirky, cozy, and cute.
As you walk into the hotel, you immediately notice the fun and quirky part with several earth globes artistically hanging from the ceiling and a grungy factory-like seating area – #interiordesigngoals. The check in process was quick and efficient and after taking a way too many pictures of the lobby area, I was really looking forward to seeing the room, which was spacious, modern/hip/vintage-decorated, and had one of the comfiest beds I had ever slept in. The room is also entirely sound proof which you will really appreciate when you want to sleep since it is a busy street and you’re literally bordering the train station.
As is the case with my other hotel reviews, I will not go into the factual details of the hotel which you can find on their website but I will list the ways this hotel is special and will certainly make your stay in Zürich a home away from home.
1. The food: The 25hours Hotel Zurich Langstrasse is home to Neni restaurant, one of the highest rated restaurants in Zürich, serving middle eastern food with a twist. I only had breakfast at Neni which included unusual food such as beetroot hummus, a delicious chickpea salad, and labneh which is the first time I see for breakfast at a non-middle eastern hotel. Other food includes what is probably the most delicious sausages I’ve ever had, the most delicious avocado purée that I’ve ever had, and a few pastry and fruit options. The restaurant was buzzing with locals every night throughout my stay which should give you an idea of how good the food is.
2. The coffee: I don’t know about you but almost every hotel coffee I had was “meh” at best, but not here. 25hours Hotel Zurich Langstrasse serves a mean cup of joe at breakfast and you have the choice between strong and regular coffee. I couldn’t really tell the difference but it was seriously good. I also liked the fact that they served warm, not cold, milk with it.
3. The gadgets, amenities, and services: I am a firm believer that for a hotel to be really successful, they need to put themselves in the shoes of their guests and preemptively think what would a visiting guest need during their stay. And this is particularly the case at 25hours Hotel Zurich Langstrasse — what’s the first thing you need when visiting a new city? Internet connection so you can navigate on Google Maps and upload those Instagram stories of course. The hotel offers guests a free mobile wifi hotspot device which you can carry with you around town, which is very helpful in a city like Zürich with so many small, narrow, and even confusing alleyways. What’s the second thing you need? Transportation. The hotels has cars and bicycles for guests to use throughout their stay. The use of the cars is for free while the bicycles are for a small fee.
4. The trainspotting suite: If you can afford it, I highly recommend you upgrade and stay at the hotel’s trainspotting suite which as the name suggests is a perfect place to see all the trains leaving and arriving at the Zürich train station. The suite is located on the 7th floor and has its own private terrace with two comfortable loungers overlooking the city and the station, which is the largest in Switzerland.
5. Location: As with any real estate, it’s all about location location location. The 25hours Hotel Langstrasse is located in the heart of Zürich’s hipster area with a plethora of good restaurants and coffee shops nearby (do not miss the cappuccino at Cafe Noir next door!). All the major touristy sites are also within walking distance from the hotel that I didn’t even use public transportation while I was in the city. Walk in any direction from the hotel and you are bound to find a busy square, a good restaurant, or a pub to grab a drink.
5. Art appreciation: This may come as a surprise to you but 25hours Hotel Zurich Langstrasse is not only a hotel but also a pawn shop. How?! If you do not have enough cash to pay for your hotel accommodation, the 25hours Hotel Zurich Langstrasse is one of the first if not the only hotel in the world where you can pay for your stay with art and stuff; and pretty, valuable, decorative and/or useful things are accepted in place of payment! Additionally, The hotel has a workspace for international and domestic artists, who produce and prepare for their exhibitions, leaves one of their artworks behind at the hotel at the end of their residency. The art collection can be viewed at the hotel, free of charge!
Kudos to 25hours Hotel Zurich Langstrasse and more importantly to its delightful staff for innovating, supporting artists, and truly being a guest-centric establishment. If you want to know more about the hotel, you can visit its website, Instagram, or Facebook, or you can email me at [email protected].
