As I enter the stunning grand lobby of Zürich's Dolder Grand hotel (00 41 44 456 6000) I realise immediately that my weekend wardrobe in the suitcase now being whisked away by the concierge is going to be woefully inadequate.
The Dolder has been one of the most famous five-star hotels in Switzerland since 1899, and yet I have still managed to underestimate its almost overwhelming luxurious grandeur. But a recent redesign, fusing its classic style with contemporary design, has given the hotel less of an old-money feel, even if the makeover itself was one of the most expensive hotel projects in Swiss history. Costing around £245m, the UK architectural firm of Norman Foster spent four years on restoring some of the hotel's oldest features, while adding two striking new wings.
One of the new areas is the spa wing, which is where my extremely stylish bedroom is situated, with a beautiful view from its balcony looking down on to Zürich's lakeside. But it pales in the style stakes next to the four exclusive hotel suites. Perhaps next time I should check into suite 100, which took its retro inspiration from the 60s and London's famous 100 Club. With its pink loungers, black walls and a bedroom equipped with a whirlpool and sauna it's a perfect hideaway for any modern-day rock star.
I don't linger long in my room though, as I'm eager to check out the spa area itself, whose recent redesign was overseen by the innovative designer Sylvia Sepielli. I soon find myself wandering along a curving corridor to the stunning candle-lit meditation room where the dome-shaped ceiling is filled with broken mirror mosaic - broken so that you contemplate life rather than your image in the mirror. The vast wellness area comprises a spacious pool with panoramic views, as well as 19 treatment rooms and spa areas that are separate for women and men. I soon realise that I am about to spend the entire day here - from sipping herbal tea over the kotatsu footbath, relaxing in an aroma pool, having a snooze on a pebble lounger or jumping around in the snow paradise room. Where to start?
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