The weather in Switzerland turned wintery cold very suddenly this year. Temperatures already dipped below zero by late October. And with the cold came the dreary grey mist. Fortunately, precisely on the day of my weekend excursion to Zürich we get a brief reprieve – the mist has lifted, and the temperature is up to 9 degrees Celsius, which feels positively toasty after how cold it’s been.

Location

The Dolder Grand sits perched on the side of the Zürichberg, which is, mind you, more of a hill than a mountain. On a day like today, when there’s hardly any cloud or haze, the views over the lake and towards the Alps are just lovely.

Check-In

The Dolder Hotel complex consists of the original building that dates back to 1899, and two modern buildings on either side that were completed a hundred years later. In the main building they have obviously tried to maintain the hotel’s original look and feel and it’s turned out rather nicely, I think. Of course, it also helps that the lobby has been decked out in Christmas decorations and is looking quite festive.

The check-in process is quickly done, and then the receptionist asks a young man who looks like he’s doing an internship at the hotel to take me up to the room to explain how everything works.

Staff

The staff at the hotel are brilliant. They’re all very friendly and give you the impression of being genuinely satisfied in their job. They’re also very attentive.

Deluxe Room with View

My room is in the main building with a view out front of the Alpine panorama and Lake Zürich below. The room is a good size and spacious. It is also noticeable that the finish is obviously of very good quality. I also like that instead of carpets there is a dark wooden floor in the room.

The view from the room is absolutely gorgeous, with the mountains shining in the golden light of the setting sun when I first enter the room. There’s also a balcony, so you can sit outside in the privacy of your own room in the summer.

The bathroom is a good size and features a walk-in shower with no less than eight nozzles, and a huge bath. Usually, hotel baths are a bit of an issue for me because they’re too small. I mostly end up with my legs sticking out the water to submerge my torso, or freezing my upper body while my legs are in the water. But this bath tub is just perfect in that I succeed in nearly complete submersion up to my neck. The shower with its many nozzles is also lovely. There is quite a lot of spillage on the Knight of Malta shower standard, but I’m willing to magnanimously overlook that in view of the stupendous bath tub.

What I also like about the bathroom is the sheer abundance of very big and floofy towels that are neatly piled on the heated towel shelves.

Amenities

The rooms has some neat amenities. The cosmetics are by a Swiss company in St. Gallen and have a nice citrusy smell. There are also thick slippers and bathrobes that are also stored in the heated shelves.

As a welcome gift there’s a plate with two apples and two delectable biscuits that really are nothing short of an obscene extravagance. The biscuit itself is very buttery, and between the two biscuits there is a thick layer of salted caramel and chocolate. And then on top there is another piece of chocolate.

The bar in the room is extensive and features a small Nespresso machine with original Nespresso capsules. There are also teabags, but strangely no kettle.

Dining

There are several dining options at The Dolder. In the evening I have dinner at The Restaurant on the ground floor. The Restaurant is under the management of German chef Heiko Nieder and has 19 Gault-Millau points and two Michelin stars. I have the vegetarian menu, and it really is absolutely spectacular. The ambiance in the restaurant is subdued and quiet, but without being stuffy, and the staff are excellent. The service is nicely paced and, most importantly, the food is divine. I don’t take any photos of the meal, mainly because the lights are dimmed down, making it impossible to get good pictures. However, below is the link to the restaurant’s website and the vegetarian menu for the autumn 2025 season.

The other restaurant, Das Saltz, is on the lower ground floor. This is where breakfast is served. In the summer you can also sit outside. When I check in, the lady at reception tells me that I can either have breakfast at the restaurant or in my room at no extra charge. However, she smiles and tells me that she would really, really advise against missing the buffet in the restaurant. And she’s absolutely right. This is one of the best hotel buffet breakfasts I’ve have ever. The variety of choices is simply amazing and the quality of the food is outstanding. And here too, the staff are just lovely. As soon as they see an empty dish, they come to remove it and replace the cutlery.

In the photo below, starting in the top left corner and moving in a clockwise direction: hummus, shrimp cocktail, panzanella salad, egg salad, avocado and cottage cheese, tomato and mozzarella salad with olive oil.

Conclusion

Late on Sunday afternoon I check out of the hotel and catch a train of the Dolder railway that will take me back down into the city in just twelve short minutes. From there it’s another fifteen minutes by tram to the main railway station. This has been a greatly enjoyable stay at The Dolder. It’s nice to be out in the quiet countryside and still be so close to the city. The hotel is beautifully preserved and obviously very well maintained. And the service is at a level that you don’t often find in Switzerland. Staff at hotels in Switzerland tend to be friendly as a rule, but very often they lack proper training.