Kameha Grand Zurich Hotel, Autograph Collection

We spent two nights at Kameha Grand Zürich while in transit through Europe, and used the time to explore the city. Staff were friendly and helpful, and email replies came quickly. We arrived early after a morning flight, and front desk receptionist Ella greeted us warmly. She was polite and courteous, and got us checked in quickly. The room was a decent size and comfortable. Despite being near the airport and having tram tracks beside the hotel, the surroundings were quiet, and we slept well both nights. Breakfast had a good variety, everything was fresh, and eggs were cooked to order. Getting into the city was easy: the tram stop is a five-minute walk away, and the ride takes about 30 minutes. We had a wonderful time visiting Zurich’s Christmas Markets, enjoying the festive atmosphere and the good food recommended by the hotel staff.

The service was very poor. A waitress told my friend that her child was making too much noise and asked her to order food in the room. My friend did, but then had to wait another hour for the food to be sent upstairs. The internet stopped working the next day and stayed down for the following three days. I’ve never stayed in such a badly serviced hotel. It felt like living back in the old days. The rooms are listed as 35 square meters, but felt more like 20. A lot of space goes to huge bathrooms that aren’t useful, and the interiors are tacky. An Afghani chef serving eggs was the only person sweet to us. The rest of the hotel showed no service standards at all.

The bathroom design was a letdown. The shower drained more slowly than the water flowed, so the floor was wet after every shower. I chose to stop in Zurich for one night to unwind and use the sauna and spa, but they were open only from 3pm to 9pm, making them almost impossible for a transit guest to use. That schedule made it seem like short-stay travelers weren’t welcome. As a Titanium Elite member, I also felt my loyalty wasn’t valued. I wasn’t offered an upgrade, while my friend, a crew member staying that same night, got one. After checkout there was no guest survey or follow-up for feedback. I’d planned to eat at L'UNICO, but at check-in was told it closes on Tuesdays. Breakfast was decent with a fair selection, and I appreciated the small welcome gesture in the room. Still, those touches weren’t enough to make up for the operational and service gaps. The hotel looks stylish, but the stay wasn’t satisfying.

The staff were very friendly, and the room was spacious. It’s well located, close to a tram station and the airport. The buffet breakfast would be perfect with a few more food choices.