The Greulich is the hotel for visitors who want to stay where Zurich lives rather than where it shops. It stands on the Herman-Greulich-Strasse in Kreis 4, close to the Baeckeranlage park and the Langstrasse, the district's long street of bars, restaurants, shops and clubs, and about one and a half kilometres from the main station. The hotel is small, with 18 stylishly furnished rooms, and it has a character that large chains cannot match: a design-led interior, a restaurant called 555+ that serves Thai street food in the main building and a birch grove behind the house that works as a quiet retreat from the neighbourhood's energy. Guests can borrow bicycles at no charge, which makes sense in a city with good cycling lanes and a lakefront to reach, and the hotel is listed as fully accessible for wheelchair users, families with strollers and guests with visual or hearing impairments. Pets are allowed, free high-speed internet is included and there is outdoor parking. Kreis 4 has changed in recent years from a rough-edged district into one of the most interesting neighbourhoods in the city, with the Langstrasse's restaurants and bars, the Helvetiaplatz and the nearby creative scene, and the Greulich fits the new mood. It suits couples, design-minded travellers, repeat visitors and anyone who wants an alternative to the Old Town.
What the rooms are like
With only 18 rooms, the hotel feels more like a guesthouse than a conventional property, and each room is designed as a calm, simple space with good beds and contemporary furnishings. The hotel is classified as three-star superior. Rooms differ in size, so check the category and the bed type when you book, and ask which rooms face the garden or the quieter side if you value silence, because the neighbourhood can be noisy at weekends.
Accessible rooms are part of the offer, which is rare for a boutique property of this size.
Eating and drinking
The restaurant 555+ serves Thai street food, and it is a good place for a relaxed evening meal without leaving the building. The Langstrasse is a short walk away, and it offers a wide choice from casual kebabs and pizza to modern restaurants and small bars. For breakfast, check what your rate includes, and remember that cafes along the Langstrasse and around the Baeckeranlage open early.
The birch grove is a pleasant place for a drink or a quiet moment after a day of sightseeing, and the free bicycles are the best way to get to the lake or to Zurich West.
Location and who it suits
Kreis 4 is not the postcard Zurich of the Old Town, and that is the point. The hotel is about one and a half kilometres from the main station and well served by trams, and the Old Town, the Bahnhofstrasse and the lake are all within a short ride or a long walk.
It suits couples, solo travellers and design-minded visitors who like a neighbourhood with bars, galleries and an urban feel. Light sleepers should ask for a quiet room, and travellers who want a concierge, a spa or a large lobby should look elsewhere. Pair it with a visit to Zurich West and a food tour of the Old Town.
Why stay here
- ✓18 design rooms
- ✓Restaurant 555+ with Thai street food
- ✓Birch grove
- ✓Free bicycles for guests
- ✓Fully accessible
- ✓Free high-speed internet
- ✓Pets allowed
- ✓Outdoor parking
Good questions
Where is the Greulich hotel?+
On the Herman-Greulich-Strasse in Kreis 4, near the Baeckeranlage and the Langstrasse, about one and a half kilometres from Zurich Main Station.
Does the hotel have a restaurant?+
Yes. The restaurant 555+ serves Thai street food in the main building. Check when you book what your rate includes for breakfast.
Is the hotel accessible?+
It is listed as fully accessible for wheelchair users, strollers and guests with visual or hearing impairments. Ask about the room you need when you book.
