The European destination stay for art lovers

A business-branded hotel in a shopping mall in Zurich, the financial capital of Switzerland, wasn’t exactly screaming “memorable stay”. But The Home Hotel Zurich, a member of Design Hotels is laying claim to being a destination stay for art lovers.

Its big point of difference? Being a love letter to dadaism, the anti-establishment movement that began in Zurich during World War I.

The Home, built into a paper mill turned shopping centre.

As Erik Nissen Johansen of Swedish hospitality design studio Stylt Tramboli, who created Home Hotel, says, “Dada emerged in Zurich, transforming it into an unexpected hub of creativity and rebellion. More than a century later, The Home continues this legacy, celebrating the spirit of free thinkers, oddballs and innovators, and becoming a new hotspot for hospitality, culture, cuisine, and nightlife.”

The Home Hotel Zurich inhabits an exterior-facing corner of Sihlcity, a shopping mall formed from a defunct paper mill on the banks of the Sihl River in the Wiedikon district of Zurich. Once working class, Wiedikon is now an upmarket residential enclave at the base of Uetliberg mountain and is a popular starting point for hikers.

The Home Hotel Zurich is inspired by early 20th century art and design.

Dada began as a revolt against the politics of the time. In 1916, the German-born Zurich writer Hugo Ball founded a nightclub, Cabaret Voltaire, and coined the term after finding the word in a French-German dictionary, giving a name to the movement that spread worldwide and was the forerunner to other important forms of artistic expression.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, the old paper mill was used by Zurich’s artists and creatives for parties, art exhibitions and live performances.

The Home takes a “neo-dada” style.

The Home’s “neo-dada” style embraces combinations of different artistic media, layered materials and bold colour to evoke a sense of joy and wonder across the property’s common spaces and 132 guestrooms, including 32 with fully equipped kitchens, and six suites.

The ground floor houses LouLou French Grill & Raw Bar Zurich and the Home Bar & Lounge, while the lobby lounge hosts DJs, comedy and readings.

The Home Hotel Zurich is a 12-minute tram ride from Zurich’s central train station and a 30-minute train ride or drive from the airport. With a sustainability focus, it offers free use of e-bikes.

Though Design Hotels is a collective of independent properties, Marriott Bonvoy members can collect points when staying at some, including The Home Hotel Zurich.

See designhotels.com