For almost 150 years, Hotel Schweizerhof Zurich has delighted guests from all over the world with its unique combination of historic charm and contemporary luxury. Now, in August 2024, this traditional hotel, part of WorldHotels, has officially been awarded five-star status. The new five-star classification is the result of continuous quality improvement and consistent modernization measures over the past ten years. Approximately 15 million Swiss francs have been invested in the hotel, which features 95 rooms and suites. Hotel Schweizerhof Zürich thus becomes the most centrally located five-star hotel directly at Zurich's main train station: "We are proud and delighted with this new classification. It is the result of hard work, dedication, and continuous efforts to offer the best to our guests," says Andreas Stöckli, General Manager of the hotel at Bahnhofplatz. "Our goal has always been to honor the tradition of th e house while anticipating the needs of the future."
Hotel Schweizerhof Zurich
Continuous Development as the Key to Success
Hotel Schweizerhof Zurich looks back on a long and proud history: Built in 1876 as Hotel National and opened a year later, this traditional house has continually evolved through several expansions, renovations, and name changes. In the past ten years, groundbreaking modernizations and improvements valued at around 15 million Swiss francs have been carried out. These included the merging of rooms, reducing the number of rooms from the original 115 to 95, the creation of a functional boutique gym, the renovation of modern meeting rooms, and the refurbishment of event spaces.
First Five-Star Experiences with Luxury Suites
Since 2020, Hotel Schweizerhof Zurich has gained initial five-star experience through the launch of the exclusive suites "The Dufour by Hotel Schweizerhof Zurich." This successful field test significantly contributed to the decision to elevate the entire hotel operation to a five-star level.
Return to the Roots
The decision to award the hotel the fifth star is also a return to the house's glorious past. Opened nearly 150 years ago as a Grand Hôtel, the traditional house has experienced various classifications, including phases as a three-star hotel and most recently as a four star superior hotel. The transition to the five-star category reflects the commitment to honor the tradition of the house while anticipating future needs.
The inaugural Autograph Collection Hotel in Phuket redefines hospitality by weaving natural beauty with cultural authenticity to create stays that are "Exactly Like Nothing Else"
Meliá Pattaya Hotel, a 234-room hotel that pays homage to Pattaya’s ethnic diversity and commands expansive views of the Gulf of Thailand, will open its doors to guests on February 15.
Photo credits: Meliá Pattaya Hotel
Situated in vibrant Pattaya, a short drive from Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand’s east coast, the hotel stands 12 stories high on Second Road, known as Pattaya Sai Song, near an array of attractions.
In addition to its sun-soaked Lay Beach Club on Beach Road fronting Pattaya Beach, Meliá Pattaya Hotel will cut the ribbon on a rooftop restaurant with a sky bar, an executive lounge, swimming pool with an adjacent bar and function lawn, Meliá’s signature YHI Spa, kids club Kidsdom, a fully-equipped gym, coworking space, collection of versatile meeting spaces and more.
Launched by Spanish hotel group Meliá Hotels International and owned by Thailand’s leading integrated lifestyle real estate group Asset World Corporation (AWC), the five-star hotel is part of the Meliá brand’s rollout in key destinations across Thailand. Meliá Pattaya Hotel, Thailand’s debut follows the openings of Meliá Koh Samui in 2020, Meliá Phuket Mai Khao in 2021, Meliá Chiang Mai in 2022 and INNSiDE By Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit in 2023.
The hotel’s food and beverage outlets collectively reference Pattaya’s diversity of people, their shrines, and markets, especially the longstanding Chinese communities of Chonburi. The hotel’s rooftop restaurant and bar, Yitong Chinese Restaurant & Sky Bar, will serve Cantonese cuisine with some Sichuan choices in a setting characterised by pops of red, complemented by black and gold trimmings. Its views of the Gulf make the most of Pattaya’s renowned sunsets.
Specialising in fresh, locally sourced seafood, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant Sanehh Sarae tells the story of Pattaya’s Bang Saray fishing village. It is adjacent to Meliá Pattaya Hotel’s Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei restaurant Den, which pays tribute to nearby “Little Japanese Town” Si Racha and the influx of Japanese expats to the Kingdom during the “Thailand 3.0” economic era focused on heavy industry and exports.
From the moment guests set foot in the hotel, the cultural immersion experience begins with a lobby and lounge inspired by Nong Mon Market. Its surfaces reference the dish Khao Lam; sticky rice roasted in bamboo sold at the morning market. The hotel’s pool bar embraces Jomtien Beach’s culture and winks at the influx of Americans to Pattaya in the 60s and 70s.
Ranging from a convenient 27 sqm to a generous 125sqm, the hotel’s 218 rooms and 16 suites fall into seven accommodation categories for leisure and business travellers alike. The 27sqm Deluxe Rooms and Deluxe Sea View Rooms feature king or twin beds and window-side sofa.
Photo credits: Meliá Pattaya Hotel
The Premium Room and The Level Premium Sea View Room are each 31 sqm with the latter offering, as the name suggests, views of the Gulf’s azure waters. There are also one- and two-bedroom The Level suites that span 61 to 125 sqm respectively, including The Level Presidential Suite.
Of the property's room portfolio, 18 rooms and 16 suites will belong to ‘The Level’, an upgraded level of personalised service and benefits that includes exclusive access to The Level Lounge on the hotel’s second floor. An intimate area for indulging an upgraded breakfast and afternoon delicacies that is also suited for casual business meetings, The Level Lounge is fronted by a pre-function room and is adjacent to the hotel’s ballroom Nuaan. The patterned solid wood interiors of the lounge, pre-function room and ballroom are inspired by the Baan Puek Weaving Community.
There will be plenty on offer for families with the swimming pool featuring a thrilling slide and the kids club offering Meliá’s signature kids entertainment program. With a design that deploys an “under the sea” theme inspired by Koh Pai Island and its wreck dive site, the hotel’s Kidsdom will host a variety of engaging yet educational activities.
The hotel is also home to two ballrooms, that usher in an abundance of natural light and feature LED screen technology, as well as three meeting rooms and a co-working space.
Located in the heart of the action in ‘Central Pattaya’, Meliá Pattaya Hotel affords easy access to attractions such as Pattaya Beach, Walking Street, Central Festival Pattaya, Terminal21 Shopping Mall, wooden temple Sanctuary of Truth, and Bali Hai Pier. Islands such as Koh Larn are strewn just offshore, offering idyllic spots for swimming and snorkelling.
“Meliá Pattaya Hotel is part of AWC’s mixed use The Aquatique Destinations Pattaya project and a flagship project of our strategic roll-out of the Meliá brand in Thailand, aligned with AWC’s Lifestyle Destination,” said Mrs Wallapa Traisorat, Meliá Pattaya Hotel’s owner and AWC’s CEO and President. “Meliá Pattaya Hotel will redefine luxury hospitality in one of Thailand’s most iconic beachside destinations, reflecting AWC’s commitment to be part of strengthening Thailand as global sustainable destination.”
“AWC understands and shares our dedication to sustainable tourism and our strong service and hospitality philosophy that are epitomized in this exceptional Meliá Hotels International property with unparalleled facilities in the heart of Pattaya,” added Mr Ignacio Martin, Managing Director Asia Pacific of Meliá Hotels International. “Meliá Hotels International is a world leader in leisure and bleisure, positioning Meliá Pattaya Hotel, Thailand as an excellent fit with Pattaya that is renowned as a leisure and events destination with so much to see and do.”
“My team and I are looking incredibly forward to the debut of Meliá Pattaya Hotel and to delivering Meliá’s warm Spanish hospitality, distinctive passion for service and focus on the customer’s wellbeing at our one-of-a-kind hotel in an unbeatable location,” said Meliá Pattaya Hotel’s General Manager Javier Gimeno.
Meliá Pattaya Hotel is celebrating its upcoming opening by offering MeliáRewards members a Deluxe Room from THB 3,500 net per night, with breakfast for two adults and one child (aged 11 or below) and THB 500 net resort credit per stay. The opening offer is available to book from now for stays from February 15 until June 30 2025.
For more information or to make a booking, visit melia.com, email info.pattaya@melia.com or call +66 33 168 555.