Alma Hotel - Boutique hideaway by the lake with rooftop and ladies-only wellness

The hotel is small, friendly and tranquil, and its women-only wellness centre suggests that women travelling alone can feel safe and welcome there. We spent two nights at the Alma in a junior suite, which we both thought was reasonably priced for Zurich. The room was attractively decorated, though putting a bath in the necessarily small bathroom seemed an odd decision, especially given the hotel's concern about environmental impact.

The steep stairs to the rooftop made it inaccessible for the elderly adult travelling with us, and the lift was painfully slow. There's an outdoor lift at the entrance, but it needs a special key that hadn't been clearly explained. The main entrance itself has stairs, so getting inside was also a problem. Reception is unstaffed after 7 PM; key fob access gave us a sense of freedom, but didn't help with these access issues. The location is hard to beat, one block from the lake, with two excellent restaurants on the same block. We liked having an “honest bar” and tea, coffee, and hot water available all day. Breakfast, though, was extremely basic for what we paid, around $500 per night per room for two rooms over two nights. Alma is in an older building with sloping floors and worn wooden bathroom flooring. Some people may find that charming, but to us it felt tired, like a hotel fitted into a space that wasn't quite meant for it. We can see its appeal for travelers who value quirky character, but for us the cost didn't buy the comfort or accessibility we hoped for.

We were four friends sharing a family room. It was great, though the sofa beds weren't as comfortable as we'd hoped. Breakfast was great, the rooftop was beautiful, and there was a guest kitchen. The interior and decoration were lovely, and the staff were friendly, service minded and helpful. There isn't a luggage room, but they let us leave our bags at reception after checkout, which was great. Alma is a little outside the city area, but the neighborhood is lovely. The tram is easy to take, or you can walk farther to downtown. It's close to the Zurich lake, where there are places to swim. Service and location were perfect, and I'll definitely choose Alma next time I'm in Zürich.

I booked the Ivy room for two adults in Nov 2024. It was spacious, clean, and the staff were kind and courteous. The lake is a beautiful 2-3 mins walk away, so the location was fantastic. Breakfast came with eggs, fruit, coffee and tea, cake, muesli, and a few other items. The hotel has a welcoming, homely feel. A satisfying, pleasant stay, and I'd recommend it.