The Radisson Blu Hotel, Zurich Airport, gives new meaning to a flying visit. You can be in and out, meeting over and deal signed, and still not have left the airport grounds. Zurich’s centre is less than eight miles away, but why head into town when the reception desk is within 150m? When it’s time to board the plane, you’ll be able to check out then check in at the gate in around 20 minutes.
What’s truly dizzying is the atrium, home to the world’s third, and largest, wine tower. Sixteen metres high, this laminated glass and steel structure holds up to 4,000 bottles in temperature-controlled conditions. ‘Wine angels’ glide up and down, led to the right bottle with LED lights, and held up using computer-controlled winches, performing acrobatics on the way. It’s probably safe to assume that the poses they contort, more Cirque du Soleil than crouching over bin ends, weren’t learnt at sommelier school.
It’s all part of a rebrand. What was once Radisson SAS has become Radisson Blu. Each hotel in the group will have a showpiece — here the 27.5-tonne tower, in Berlin a vast fish tank. As the wine tower cost around £2.4m to build, it’s a significant investment for the group, and the rest of the hotel wasn’t left to chance. Italian architect Matteo Thun and Zurich’s Atelier WW are behind the design; an enormous stone-and-glass box that looks like a vast Rubik’s Cube, particularly when lit up at night.
The investment seems to be paying off, if the popularity of the wine angels is anything to go by. Transit travellers trip across the terminal to take in one of the regular acrobatic shows, and perhaps order a bottle — the angels are on duty daily between 11.45am and 1.30pm and 5.15pm and 11.30pm. If you’re staying in the hotel and are security conscious, don’t worry about the extra visitors. The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- style glass elevators can only be used if you have a room key.
As well as all the bouncing around in leotards, the hotel focuses on business and conference facilities. There are 23 meeting rooms spread over a 2,400-square-metre event area, as well as a conference centre on the seventh floor delivering runway views. Two restaurants and a PACE wellness area complete the ‘airport resort’ package. The 330 rooms are in three different designs, the main noticeable differences apparent in colour. So expect a more colourful palette for At Home, a contemporary edge for Chic and plenty of white in Fresh. Standard are fairly, well, standard in size, but the bed is huge and the room can accommodate up to three guests. The Presidential Suite features coconut chairs by George Nelson, Philippe Starck tables and Bisazza mosaics in the bathroom. Free internet access also helps guests keep the show on the road — and away from the centre of town. We’ve seen the future, and it’s runway chic all the way.
Radisson Blu Hotel, Zurich Airport, +41 44 800 4040, radissonblu.com
British Airways flies to Zurich from London Heathrow and from London City airports. Book a flight on ba.com now.
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