The Sorell Hotel Rigiblick offers something rare in the middle of a city: a hillside setting with a garden and a terrace, above the Limmat and the Old Town, reached by a short walk and a funicular. It stands on the Germaniastrasse in the Oberstrass district on the slopes of the Zuerichberg, six minutes on foot from the Rigiblick funicular, which runs down towards the city centre. Guests describe views over Zurich from the rooms and the terrace, and the setting is quiet compared with the centre, so it suits visitors who want a retreat after a day of sightseeing. The rooms are unusual for a Zurich hotel: they come as studios, spa suites and grand studios, each for two guests, with kitchen facilities, rainfall showers, hypoallergenic bedding and flat-screen televisions, so you can cook a simple meal, keep milk in the fridge or settle in for a longer stay. Free Wi-Fi and free self-parking are included, which is unusual in the city, and there is a small meeting room. Pets are not allowed. The University of Zurich is about fourteen minutes on foot, the ETH about nineteen, and the Zoo and the Swiss National Museum are a few minutes by car. It suits couples, academic visitors, longer stays and anyone who values quiet and a view over proximity to the Old Town.
What the rooms are like
The three room types are the studio, the spa suite and the grand studio, all sleeping two, and they are larger than a typical city-centre double, with kitchen facilities that make the hotel closer to a serviced apartment. The spa suite adds a wellness element, and the grand studio is the most spacious. Ask about the view when you book, since the slope of the hill gives the best rooms an outlook over the city, and check what is included with each type, since the services are limited compared with a full-service hotel.
Eating and drinking
Dining arrangements at the hotel vary, so check when you book whether a restaurant, a bistro or breakfast is available on your dates; the kitchen facilities in the rooms make self-catering practical. The streets around the hotel have cafes and bakeries, and the Rigiblick funicular takes you down to the neighbourhood restaurants and the tram line into the centre. The terrace and the garden are good places for an evening drink with the city lights spread below, and for a quiet morning coffee before heading out.
Location and who it suits
This is a base for visitors who prefer quiet and views to the immediate bustle of the Old Town, and it works well for couples, for visits to the university or the hospital and for longer stays. Allow time for the walk to the funicular and the tram, and plan your evenings, since returning uphill after a late dinner takes planning; a taxi is the easy option.
For an Old Town setting, choose the Widder or the Alexander, and for a lakeside district, the Seefeld. Book early in the summer, when the terrace and the garden are at their best, and ask about longer-stay rates if you plan to stay a week or more.
Why stay here
- ✓Studios, spa suites and grand studios
- ✓Kitchen facilities in the rooms
- ✓Terrace and garden
- ✓Views over Zurich
- ✓Six minutes on foot to the Rigiblick funicular
- ✓Free Wi-Fi
- ✓Free self-parking
- ✓One meeting room
Good questions
Where is the Sorell Hotel Rigiblick?+
On the Germaniastrasse in Oberstrass, on the slopes of the Zuerichberg. The Rigiblick funicular is about six minutes on foot.
What kinds of rooms are there?+
Studios, spa suites and grand studios, each sleeping two, with kitchen facilities in the rooms.
Does the hotel have a restaurant?+
Check when you book which dining options are available on your dates. The kitchen facilities in the rooms make self-catering practical.
