Sometimes, simple pleasures are the best, and so it is in Zurich’s Boutique & Art Hotel Helvetia. An unfussy establishment where every detail has been carefully considered by its architect-owner, Hotel Helvetia offers its guests a relaxing base from which to explore the many attractions of Switzerland’s largest city.

Located on the western bank of the Sihl River flowing through the centre of Zurich, Hotel Helvetia provides its guests with a green scene in an urban centre.  Especially on the outdoor terrace, where meals from the hotel’s excellent restaurant can be enjoyed adjacent to a leafy aspect of trees and flowers, the bucolic setting belies the hotel’s convenient position within easy walking distance of Zurich’s major sights.  One of its charming minor sights, almost unknown to the foreign visitor, is the Old Botanical Garden and arboretum found just a couple of hundred metres from Hotel Helvetia on the other side of the Sihl.  The Old Botanical Garden, like the hotel, is bordered by a waterway, known as the Schatzengraben, a canal where kayaking and paddleboarding are popular pastimes for the city’s residents and visitors, who can rent equipment at the water’s edge.  A short tram ride away from Hotel Helvetia is the Turicum Distillery, where some of Switzerland’s best gin is not only available for purchase but can also be made to order by one’s own hand in the very popular Gin Lab ginmaking sessions.

Like the trees, Hotel Helvetia’s façade is also green, adding a dash of colour to its corner location next to the Sihl Bridge.  Inside, guests find more colour and light in the 36 stylish guestrooms, of which two are attic suites and some of which have balconies facing the treetops.  Although Zurich is a city endowed with many exquisite five-star hotels, the feeling of being at home at Hotel Helvetia is ample recompense for any lack of shoe polishers or evening chocolates on the pillow.  That is especially true in the restaurant, an atmospheric space evoking a bygone era thanks to many historical features retained and complemented by black and white photos and quirky decorative items.  The appetising menu lives up to its promise when the food is delivered to the table; whether selecting classic Swiss dishes or innovative twists on fusion food, the quality is superb.  That goes for the wines and service, too, both of which add enjoyment to the dining experience.

For those unaware of Switzerland’s multilingual culture, the Latin name for the country, Helvetia, is often used as a neutral reference rather than using the name Switzerland in one of its four official languages (or in English, for that matter).  This is also the reason why Switzerland uses the suffix .ch in its internet domain names (for Confoederatio Helvetica, i.e., Swiss Confederation, the name seen on Swiss coins).  The Swiss are rightly proud of their long history at the centre of Europe and Hotel Helvetia is a perfect representation of the Swiss nation as a whole; friendly, comfortable, and immaculately clean, with an ideal location and robust cuisine, Hotel Helvetia is an agreeably satisfying option for welcoming accommodation in the city of Zurich.

By Robert La Bua – Global Travel Connoisseur

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