KALTBLUT. was invited to spend the bank holiday weekend at Zurich’s recently opened luxury lifestyle hotel, FIVE Zurich. Having opened its doors last year, the hotel joins its counterparts in Dubai to offer a luxurious culinary and musical getaway. Instead of palm trees, FIVE Zurich is located by the Swiss capital’s tallest mountain, the Uetliberg.
Friday
We arrived on Friday afternoon, and it seemed that lunch was ready for us once we were shown to our suite. The suite consisted of a spacious bedroom, bathroom, living room, and two balconies – one providing a picturesque view of Zurich’s skyline, and the other offering a serene natural panorama with mountains and cows. We settled in and prepared ourselves for our first meal of the day at the Vault.
My friend Johanna and I didn’t start the weekend off very adventurously by both choosing the same meal – veal in a mushroom cream sauce with traditional Swiss Rösti. The dish surpassed all expectations, with the meat being tender and succulent, complementing the traditional potato Rösti perfectly – the ideal way to start our first day in Zurich. As FIVE is conveniently situated close to two train stations – Triemli and Schweighof – we took the opportunity to explore the city.
Despite the cloudy weather, Zurich impressed with its blend of contemporary and mediaeval charm, as well as its impeccable cleanliness. Coming from Berlin, I was amazed how clean and shiny every train was – a fact I repeated several times during the weekend in disbelief.
After our trip to the old town, we returned to the hotel to kick off the evening with drinks at the Vault and a dinner reservation at @thepenthousezurich, where we were served a range of Japanese dishes.
We started with salmon tartare and pork belly skewers, which was then followed by a fresh platter of mixed sushi, with fresh, melt-in-your-mouth fish and expertly crafted rolls. The ambience was a fusion of a bar and a restaurant, overlooking Zurich’s skyline. The later it got, the louder the DJ got too, which made it harder to have a conversation but put an emphasis on FIVE’s aim of blending hotel with entertainment. Shortly after the sushi, we had the main course – teriyaki glazed salmon and chicken, stuffed with béchamel sauce, smoked duck breast, shitake mushroom, Chinese cabbage, carrot purée and truffle sauce – both bursting with flavour.
Having had three courses already, we took on the last one: desert. Johanna had the sorbet, which she said was absolutely delicious and fruity, while I had a very realistic looking block of Camembert cheese that was actually a cheesecake with cherry and adzuki beans.
Too tired to go to the club conveniently located next to the Penthouse, we returned to our suite and had a relaxing evening on our balcony. Interestingly enough, we could hear the thumping of the bass from the club in the bathroom, but not in the bedroom, which we welcomed dearly.
Saturday
After a standard buffet breakfast on Saturday, we made our way to FIVE’s Spa, called @refivespazurich. We were booked in for a massage each with and left without any tension and stress in our backs and shoulders. Following the massage, we finished off our spa experience in the sauna and steam room. Recharged but not really hungry yet, we had lunch at the Penthouse and decided to choose four starters to share: beef tacos, skewers, gyozas and grilled asparagus.
Compared to the evening before, the Penthouse looked completely different in the daylight. The red walls and interior were flashier and it was easier to check out all the details, such as the wavy red walls.
The afternoon consisted of more sightseeing and a trip to the Uetliberg with the train, where we had a chance to overlook the city and watch paragliders dive above our heads.
Back in the evening, Johanna and I went to our last dinner reservation at @maidenshanghaizurich. We were introduced to the head chef, Luo Bing, who we talked about the differences between Germany and Switzerland. The main differences we settled on were cleanliness and the feeling of “everything just being okay” in Switzerland.
He then gave us some insights on our dishes – sweet and sour crispy chicken and pork belly skewers. He emphasised how important sourcing ingredients locally is for him, as well as the technique he uses for the sweet and sour chicken. Unlike others, he said, he doesn’t mince the meat but rather finely chops it. While eating the food, we could taste what he was telling us before and my friend Johanna finished the meal saying “it was like an out-of-body-experience”.
That’s a phrase that could sum up our whole weekend. The hotel is away from the bustling city, which allows guests to completely shut off and indulge in the resort, as everything is provided: food, lodging, entertainment and spa. All in all, FIVE Zurich is a nice getaway for people that want to go to a city without having it at your doorstep.
It’s a resort that offers calm and serenity and clubbing during the night. That being said, the clubbing aspect might not be for everyone, especially as the bass from the electronic music can be heard throughout the hotel on the weekend. But, for people who love a little glitz, glamour and entertainment in one, FIVE is the ideal destination.
Last but not least, I’d like to do a special shout out for the staff at FIVE, the restaurants and the spa. Everyone was friendly, forthcoming and made sure, Johanna and I had a lovely weekend.
Visit FIVE Zurich’s website to check out the hotel, or have a browse through their Instagram at @fivezurich.
All photos were provided by FIVE Zurich.
