Review of Hotel Glockenhof, Zurich, Switzerland

We received a fabulous welcome when we arrived at Hotel Glockenhof, in the beautiful lakeside city of Zurich.

The hotel is just a few minutes walk away from the central train station, and is housed in an elegant, historic building close to the main shopping street.

Friendly reception staff greeted us with a smile, and handed us a voucher for a complimentary welcome drink at the hotel's bar – a welcome surprise!

Our double room was wonderful: spacious, modern and bright. The stylish décor featured polished wooden floors, and colourful furniture and curtains. Crisp white bedlinen, glass surfaces and huge windows added to the light and airy atmosphere.

There was a comfortable seating area, tea-making facilities, coffee machine, and complimentary bottles of water. This was local, fresh spring water straight from Zurich's mountain, Uetliberg, and produced by a sustainable company that provides water with the shortest possible transportation routes. All profits from the company go to water-related development projects.

Notices in the room remind guests that the tap water in the hotel is safe to drink too. This is one of the ways that Hotel Glockenhof is committed to sustainable climate protection – the hotel also works with the EnAW (Energie Agentur der Wirtschaftis) to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

The en-suite black-tiled bathroom had a full bath, excellent shower, and eco-friendly refillable dispensers of hand soap, shampoo and body wash.

Air-conditioning, windows that open, and free wifi added to the comfort of the room. And we were very impressed with the multi-national plug socket – something we've never seen in a hotel before but think is a fantastic idea!

We had an excellent night's sleep. The beds were very comfortable, and there was a pillow menu available – although we didn't need to use it, as the pillows that had been provided were just right!

In the morning we enjoyed a tasty breakfast in the pleasant dining room. Freshly brewed coffee and hot frothy milk were served to us at our table, and we helped ourselves to the breakfast buffet.

There was a good selection of hot and cold food on offer, including bacon, eggs, cooked tomatoes and potato rosti.

An outstanding selection of freshly baked bread and rolls – as well as pastries, croissants, and cakes – was attractively presented alongside cheese, cold meats, salads, and fresh fruit. We particularly enjoyed the delicious bircher muesli.

The juices and jams were served in large glass bottles and jars, with small glass dishes for the jams so that guests could help themselves to as much or as little as they wanted. This was a good way to avoid food waste, as well as reducing single-use plastics.

Service at the hotel is superb, and we found all staff – at reception, in the breakfast room, and housekeeping – to be welcoming and friendly.

One of the best reasons for choosing Hotel Glockenhof, though, is its amazing central location. The hotel is convenient for public transport (trams run through the city, and there's a tram stop 100m away) but it's possible to reach much of the city by foot.

The hotel is close to Bahnhofstrasse, Zürich's main shopping street. This is a wide, attractive avenue of designer shops and exclusive boutiques – thought to be one of the world's most expensive shopping streets.

Just off Bahnhofstrasse is Zurich's fascinating old town – an area of narrow, cobbled streets, pastel-coloured houses and pretty fountain-filled squares.

The old town is spread out on either side of the River Limmat and is a wonderful place for a wander  – but to really appreciate this part of the city, we recommend taking a walking tour. Organised by the tourist office, this two-hour guided tour takes you into some of the most interesting areas, giving you the stories behind some of the buildings, churches and lanes.

Another easy excursion from Hotel Glockenhof is to take the mountain train from the central station to the summit of Uetliberg. The 30-minute journey winds up to the peak, where there is a viewpoint and café. There are marked walking and cycling trails through mountainside forests – and the views are spectacular.