Marriott Zürich
The Marriott Zurich is not directly situated in the main shopping area of Zurich, but a few steps away. Its location is very convenient if you arrive by car or train, since you have not to pass downtown Zurich, which could be sometimes crowed. You could easily walk to the hotel from main station, by leaving the main station hall through the side entrance at “Landesmuseum” and follow either the small park behind “Landesmuseum”
or the road along the river. One can cross river Limmat over a bridge in front of the hotel.
The hotel has two building. There is the 19 storey tower at the bank of river Limmat and connected by a covered walkway a city wing building, which also has some meeting rooms. If you staying on a very low rate, you will get a room in the city wing, rather than the Tower building. City Wing Rooms mean also you have to change elevators to reach your room.
The main entrance is at the Tower. You have to pass the driveway and it’s not really a nice entrance area outside of the hotel. Once inside the building you are standing in the medium sized lobby of the hotel. On the right side are the check-in desks. There are several desks available for checking in, usually two members of staff are working there, but the number could be higher in a time of higher demand, especially if the hotel is really full.
On the left side of the entrance are some lounge chairs and in the lobby is also a Concierge desk.
The hotel has three restaurants. There is the “Bar & Lounge 42” serving international dishes, the “Parkview” is serving breakfast in the morning and is also open in the evening. The “White Elephant” is a pretty good Thai Restaurant and open noon and in the afternoon.
On the third floor is the gym, which is medium sized and also open to the public. The hotel has had a pool, but it was closed in 2007 and the former pool area converted to another meeting room, which is a pity (and for me a reason not to stay there anymore if I got another hotel with pool for a better rate).
Beside the main entrance, the hotel offers several side entrances, so it is not that difficult to enter the hotel without passing the check-in desk. In terms of security, not the best thing, but this is Zurich and the criminal rate is not that high.
Stays on 30 March 2007
direct link to hotel Marriott Zurich
Arrival Date: 30 March 2007
Departure Date: 31 March 2007
Room type booked: Standard (Priceline stay)
Rate Plan: Priceline
Room Number: 4104
Room Rate: app. 92 USD
Status of Guest Program: Base
I arrived by train from Bale in the early afternoon and walked the 500 metres from the station over the bridge in front of the hotel. I was greeted by one of the agents working at chck in. The guest information sheet was not prepared with my information, so I had to fill it out completely and could not attach a business card like I have done in the past at many hotels. They had some difficulties, as they thought of me as an American
rather than a German and therefore needed to change some things in term of credit card verification etc., which took a couple of minutes.
I got the key to my room for City Wing and was explained how to reach it. I was told where and when breakfast was served, however did not get any information about the price for it. I had to ask for location of gym and pool.
This was a usual and average check-in process. I was addressed by name, but the check-in agent was neither friendly nor unfriendly, just doing her routine work and shows this clearly.
The room I have had during this stay was a renovated room. However, the doors and the built-in-closet were old but renovated.
The interior style of the room is like a typical hotel room. You enter the room and found yourself in the small entrance corridor with the built in closet on the one and the bathroom on the other side. The bathroom was small, but very bright lightened. It had a toilet, a sink and a bath. Bathroom amenities were the Marriott brand towels were available for three persons, bathrobes and slippers were missing. As a downside, there was only a sliding door, which could not be locked (there simply was no lock) and the
water pressure in the shower was very low. Contrary to them, the bathroom had floor heating, which was a nice touch.
The room was very small. The decoration and interior style was not modern, but somehow the typical Marriott design you find around the globe.
The room had the bed on the left side along with two bedside tables with reading lamps and a phone. A lounge chair was standing in front of the window, which could not be opened by the guest. On the wall opposite to the bed was the small working desk with another telephone, a reading lamp and a sideboard with TV. The mattress was a bit too soft.
There were not tea and coffee facilities in the room: The prices of the minibar were not that high, mineral water was 5.00 CHF; beer 6.00 CHF, white wine 12.00 CHF and peanuts 5.00 CHF.
Internet was available for a fee (wired) 35 CHF for 24 hours, wireless internet is available in some rooms in the tower and the City Wing. You have to ask for a room with wireless connection during booking and they cannot guarantee it.
The room was okay, but no local touch. This hotel room could be found anywhere between Amsterdam and Tokyo like in many Marriott Hotels..
Check out the next morning was also slow, but I had used my American Priceline Profile for the reservation but had provided my German Address which irritated the trainee a bit, but was solved after some minutes.
Overall it is a solid hotel with the downside if an average friendliness level of staff. The location is a big advantage of the hotel and the renovated rooms, too. The major downside are the closure of the pool and the very small rooms one got as a guest without any status on cheaper rates. The Marriott usually is not available more less than 190 CHF.
