25HOURS WHEN 24 HOURS IS JUST NOT ENOUGH
Today Zurich is a place beyond just banks and business. A young hip urban population is invading and setting a new tone. Sure, Lake Zurich is still there for a dip by all generations and streets steeped in history, but a cooler vibe is taking over. Instead of palace-like hotels and mainstay restaurants that attract the upper crust, quirky joints are popping up catering to this new audience coming locally and globally.
25hours Hotel Zurich Langstrasse hits the mark with hipper hotel stays and eats as well as drinks. Langstrasse is known as the district that never sleeps. It was the home of Zurich’s Red-Light district, but now is the nightlife hub. Alongside Langstrasse headed towards the train station is Europaallee, a trendy new zone full of shops and restaurants for the newer generation. Here a collision of the old and new meet head on. Millennial suits crisscross streets with spiked red high heels.
The 25hours hotel is perfectly positioned in this newly emerging neighborhood. It sits alongside the train tracks and Langstrasse. The staff here is hip and super friendly. The vibe is funky, kitschy, artsy, and fun. Guests have to stay alert to catch all the cool stuff on display. The bar has a tile ‘porn’ wall plus signs saying, “I like it dirty” & “Drink More Champagne.” There’s a stairwell that says, “It’s fun without you” and an elevator that says, “I’m on my way to Cloud Nine.” Here 25hours has created their very own ‘Pocket Universe,’ a cocoon where guests have a safe haven to hibernate to.
The hotel has a contemporary industrial feel to it. The 170 rooms come in medium, large, extra-large, plaza suites and trainspotting. The train rooms overlook the train tracks which provide a 24/7 moving metal show of trains coming and going. But it’s a relaxing silent movie since soundproofing seems to keep the audio out. These corner rooms have impressive floor-to-ceiling square glass showers positioned near the entranceway. Beds are around the corner on an elevated platform with pillows saying, “Let’s sleep together.” Retro turntables sit on the windowsills for background music while a little red school desk with crayons is there should guests need to ‘work.’ Portable blue tooth speakers are also at guests’ disposal.
The social hub of 25hours Zurich Langstrasse is the ground floor with Cinchona Bar and NENI restaurant where locals and visitors alike meet for both business and pleasure. Cinchona Bar has perfected and popularized the concept of ‘day drinking.’ NENI serves up nomadic cuisine that is a blend of eclectic eastern Mediterranean dishes. A curated kiosk sells stuff including books, magazines, and souvenirs. A bag library, compliments of the Freitag brand offers an assortment for use while guesting at 25hours. There’s also a ‘bag tree’ of hanging bags for regulars to store stuff for their return visits. The 7th floor has a wellness area with sauna and fitness plus a terrace with a birds-eye view of the train tracks. The hotel has an artists’ studio where invited artists in residence leave one of their ‘masterpieces’ at the end of their stay.
Probably a hotel first – 25hours Zurich Langstrasse sometimes serves as a pawn shop. No cash, no problem. Guests can barter part of their bill for personal items like art, junk, furniture, electronics…all to be pre-vetted at the front desk.
25hours has another cute, coined phrase, “Ride like you stole it.” This refers to the freebie Schindelhauer bikes on-premises and the Mini Coopers on demand. After all, Zurich is a place best seen on the street.
25hours is a concept hotel like no other. They are in off-the-beaten track locations in a variety of top European cities. Today they have 15 hotels in 12 cities: Berlin, Cologne, Copenhagen, Dubai, Dusseldorf, Florence, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Paris, Vienna, Zurich. In total there are 2,730 rooms in 7 countries. Each one is not cookie-cutter but customized to its exact location. The one next to a zoo has a jungle theme, another has a circus décor, thus each ranging from cool and colorful to nostalgic.
25hours hotels offer affordable fun accommodations and even provide complimentary bikes and mini coopers upon demand. Plus, the mini bar is free with funky sodas, beer, and chocolates. There is an amazing big buffet breakfast and eggs to order. Their hip hotel bars fill up with lively crowds at night. And their signature restaurants are always packed serving up a unique menu of good food.
And the funniest hidden hotel items are their room door tags with 25 tongue-in-cheek messages like, “Police crime scene, move on,” “Remember the movie hangover, this is worse,” “Please place an aspirin in front of the door and leave”.
And the name is 25hours because sometimes 24 hours is just not enough…well said.
https://www.25hours-hotels.com/en/hotels
