Two Days in Zurich – Introduction

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The train ride from the airport to the Crowne Plaza Zurich lasted about fifteen minutes, I also had to walk for about ten minutes until I reached the hotel from the train station. The Crowne Plaza Zurich is located about a thirty minute walk from the city centre, or a ten minute tram ride.

Hotels in Switzerland are generally a bit expensive and on my dates in Zurich, all were around 300 CHF, which is a ridiculous price to pay for a hotel room. The SPG hotels were around 400 CHF… insane for a Sheraton! Instead of spending an unnecessary amount of money, I redeemed my IHG points for one night at the Crowne Plaza Zurich for my first night.

The Crowne Plaza Zurich is a four-star hotel, which really feels like a three-star hotel. While the lobby or exterior is not impressive at all, the rooms are clean and modern. The staff I interacted with also wasn’t very friendly.

Once I arrived, I had to wait a bit and then was informed I had been upgraded to a “premium” room thanks to my IHG Spire Elite status. The room was a corner double room, so that was essentially the upgrade. I asked for a late check-out and was told the hotel was full..

The hotel features a restaurant along with a Holmes Place Club and Fitness Centre, which includes a swimming pool and hot tub. I was informed I’d have complimentary access to the Holmes Place Club.. and I was surprised that not all guests have free access to the swimming pool.

My room was located on the highest floor, near the lifts. I can’t remember if I had originally booked a double room or not.. but either way, I was upgraded to a corner room on the highest floor. Yeah, IHG Spire Elite isn’t that great.. (at least it’s better than Hilton Diamond).

The bed was actually very comfortable and I was amazed at the quality of sleep I was able to enjoy.. that was definitely the best feature of the hotel, comfortable beds.

The desk featured the standard amenities such as stationery, a menu, phone, etc. The room also featured a tablet, which I assume was used to order things off of the menu (?), though it wasn’t working so I didn’t use it.

The room was regular sized and featured a large screen TV along with a minibar, kettle, tea, and coffee. The wardrobe featured robes and slippers.. something I really enjoy when they’re provided since I hate walking barefoot on hotel floors. The slippers and robes are also useful for going to the fitness centre or pool.

As an IHG Elite, I sometimes receive some type of welcome amenity. With IHG, it is a bit hit-and-miss as to if I will receive anything, and this time it was a muffin, nuts, and an apple. Personally, I would prefer extra points (like what SPG does), but free food is always a good thing.

The room also featured a kettle with tea and coffee. Biscuits were included.

The bathroom was large by European standards and featured a separate bathtub and shower. Interestingly, the bathtub also had a shower.

The larger bathroom also contributed to the fact that this room was a “premium” one. Overall, I find most IHG hotels to be fairly clean and this one wasn’t different. The bathroom was spotless and included a variety of amenities.

Most of the amenities in the bathroom were composed of seaweed and consisted of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, etc. Additional amenities were standard such as a shower cap, etc.

The view from the room wasn’t that interesting, but better than a busy street view.

There was a menu, which I assume was for the restaurant.. or the room service? Either way, you can have a look at the options and prices. Personally, I tend to stay away from hotel restaurants and eat in the city centre, as usually the food there is better and less expensive.

All in all, the Crowne Plaza Zurich was enjoyable for a one-night stay. While the hotel isn’t directly in the city centre, it is a short ride away from Zurich’s most important sights. The best thing about the hotel are the modern and clean rooms, and perhaps the Holmes Place Club which features a swimming pool.

I didn’t have many options as to where to stay in Zurich, so this was the cheapest and best option for me.. Normally I would have stayed at one of the SPG hotels using cash and points, but it was not available for my dates. The swimming pool and hot tub are an added plus, where I was able to relax after a long day of sightseeing. I definitely wouldn’t spend 300 CHF on one night here and therefore redeeming points seemed like the best option.