BRIAN BOYDstays at the Easyhotel In Zurich
WHEN YOU describe the reception area of easyHotel Zurich as being orange, you’re not really describing the exact hue of orange, or just how potent the shade is. This struck me only when I repaired to a nearby bar shortly after and the orange kept reappearing whenever I looked at the bar’s white-tiled wall.
With easyHotels we’re not talking Philippe Starck. These no-frills hotels, of which eight are dotted around Europe, are from the easyJet people, and basically they replicate all the pros and cons of a budget airline in a hotel room. What you get from an easyHotel is a bed and a shower . . . and that’s it. No chocolate on the pillow, no room service, no cocktail bar, no nothing.
This is fundamentalist accommodation. But very well done.
EasyHotels come into their own when you’ve missed your flight, are all out of money or are stuck somewhere overnight. They are fantastically cheap – depending on time of year and availability, you can spend a night at the Zurich branch hotel for between €30 and €50. And that’s for a city-centre hotel in an expensive city in an eye-wateringly expensive country.
A five-minute bus ride from the main train station, the no-nonsense-looking hotel stands on the quiet Zwinglistrasse. Talking to a number of English guests, it turns out that this hotel is quite popular for people who have flown out after work from London and just need a cheap hotel before heading onwards to the Alps in the morning for a weekend of skiing.
Space is at a premium everywhere – reception would be overcrowded with more than 10 people in it – and everything is stripped down to its most basic function. But you’re not here for an aesthetic experience. This in no way means the place is a dive. Compared with some fleapits I can think of, and which dare to charge a similar price, this is spotlessly clean, the staff are perma-smiling and there is no sense of grinning and bearing it.
The room is an experience. It’s like one of those Japanese pod hotels. When you open the door you stand there wondering at the design mavens who managed to minimise everything and reduce a room to its most basic function without sacrificing a certain sense of style. That peculiar and potent orange is the most prominent aspect of your accommodation, but after a while it fades into the background a bit.
There’s a mix of single and double rooms. The sheets are cotton and freshly laundered, the duvet is of good quality and the en suite – basically a glorified cubicle – contains a shower. Tellingly, just one towel is provided. If you’re staying for a few nights you have to pay “small extra charge” – about €5 – to have your room cleaned.
You’ll soon get used to the small extra charges, all of which seem to come in at the same price. Want to store your baggage? That will be €5. Want to use the internet for an hour? That will be €5. Want to activate your TV? That will be €5. For those familiar with the pricing structure of a budget airline, this will be familiar territory.
Food and drink? Forget about it. There are some very good restaurants and bars nearby, however, and, to be fair, easyHotel is not somewhere you want to linger – it’s just hasn’t got that type of ambience.
For a city such as Zurich, this hotel is a godsend. You’re looking at prices of €150 a night upwards for a single room elsewhere in the city, and if you want to pay less than €75 a night you’re usuallly venturing into dodgy territory. This is why easyHotel is a fantastic find.
Because it uses the easyJet pricing model, the earlier you book your room the cheaper it will be. And they are refreshingly upfront about their appeal: they don’t pretend to be midmarket, and they don’t try to oversell themselves. They just give you a bed and a shower for a very good price in a city-centre location and in a place where you’ll feel safe and secure.
And because the price of every add-on is clearly signalled, the bill is just the bill – without any nasty extras. Functional? Yes. Value for money? Splendidly so.
Go Overnights are reviewed anonymously and paid for by The Irish Times
WhereZwinglistrasse 14, Zurich, Switzerland, 00-41- 900-327994. easyhotel.com.
WhatNo-frills budget hotel in the centre of the Swiss city.
Rooms33.
Best ratesDepends how far in advance you book. A single room costs about €40 on average, but prices can fluctuate alarmingly.
Restaurants and barsNone.
Child-friendlinessNot particularly suitable for children. The hotel is small and compact, with nothing to do.
AccessA ramp gives wheelchair access to the hotel, and a ground-floor bedroom is available for guests with mobility issues.
AmenitiesThe shower's very good.