Originally Posted by
FD1971
First of all, they do not have any small rooms.
Additionally, the small bag of some type of confectionary is actually the Diamond Amenity, the bag I received during my last stay retailed at CHF 10.50, so ~ USD 10, quite expensive 'free' gift and significantly more than some other hotels offer.
Fresh fruit and water, replenished daily is standard for some Park Hyatt properties, among them Zurich.
Service in Switzerland, especially at the peak of the lodging industry is supposed to be cold, unemotional and perfect and the vast majority of employees perform like this.
PH IST is a very nice hotel, but not nearly as well organised as the PH Zurich, although I def. agree that the average 'slightly upgraded room at the PH IST offers more amenities than an Executive King at the PH Zurich.
Rooms, albeit spacious and full of high quality furniture items are not really outstanding...
Agree, I had no complaints about my NBT award night there earlier this month. I was checked in efficiently and greeted warmly -- for the Swiss. I was walked to my room and have no complaints that I was not upgraded to a suite or something more "magnificent". I had a high room with a view of the street, but so what? It met all my needs for the two-night stay. I found the fudge tasty and tempting. I received a small bowl and a small bag to take home, which I did and which I am still resisting a binge on. There was fruit and water, and I nibbled on the fruit in the early morning hours as my China-time zoned body rebelled against sleep and I tried to find some interesting things to watch on TV. There was plenty to satisfy my breakfast appetite (which were I not a Diamond would have set me back over $50 a shot) and I did not find the eggs particularly distasteful...I've had a lot worse in other 5-star properties. Service was efficient and quite different from what I had just experienced at the PH in Shanghai, but that's Asia, this is uber chill Switzerland.
(Yes, the rooms are certainly not the architectural/Monicle designer types I had at both Hyatts in Shanghai, but for the local culture, and the period when it was built, quite appropriate and more than acceptable.)
I found the hotel conveniently located , a block from the #13 tram line which can be caught outside the Hauptbaunhof (hang a left out the main entrance for the tram stand) where the train from the airport lands us. The train ticket includes a free transfer to the tram or other public transit in the city. For my sightseeing, I ended up walking into the main shopping street, then up to the station and over to the national museum and various art galleries further into the old manufacturing section of the city. I could have taken the #13 tram, but enjoyed the walking and exercise it afforded. (A pitstop was made at the nearby Nespresso shop, but unlike the ones elsewhere in the world, copping a free cup of java was not permitted! Maybe they've caught on to the routine. However, there was a cafe that was more than willing to sell me a cup and some pastries.)
Heading back to the airport on an early Sunday morning was a breeze, with an efficient check out and walk up to the tram stop. After a few minutes the #13 arrived and I used my return rail ticket to ride to the station (ensuring I time-stamped it at the tram stop kiosk). A quick check of the schedule board showed the next train to ZRH was departing from platform 10 in three minutes, so a quick stroll got me onto the train and off for a 15-minute ride to the station with hardly a huff or a puff.
In short, a very efficient if not cold stay at the Hyatt. (Cold because it was about -6C and snowy...but coldly efficient as one would expect.)