Airport

The nearest airport is Zurich Airport (ZRH). For international flights, we advise to check in two hours early, for USA and Israel three hours.

Alcohol

Please don’t drink when you’re drunk! We do not sell alcoholic drinks nor are we under any obligation to supply alcoholic drinks to guests. Selling alcoholic drinks to minors is prohibited by Swiss Law.

Ambulance 144

The public ambulance service is reliable and will arrive fast.

Amenities

We provide high quality amenities in all bathrooms. Please call if you need something not provided, and we will try to get it for you.

• Sewing kit
• Shoe-cleaning kit
• Toothbrush and tooth paste
• Comb
• Shower cap
• Condoms (from AIDS Hilfe Schweiz)
• Tissues
• Slippers
• Bathrobe
• Hair dryer

Animals

We welcome pets. Kindly inform us about the type, size and number of pets before booking. We can arrange for dog trainers to take care of your dog (charges apply). Please do not leave pets unattended in the room while you are outside.

Airline

Palais Kraft recommends Singapore (SQ) and Turkish (TK – business class only) airlines.

Art

Please do not touch the art works in your guest room or apartment!

Nearest art museum: Kunsthaus Zürich (1.9 km) at the Kunsthaus stop of tram 5. Highly recommended!

Baby Sitter

We cannot provide babysitters. Local babysitters can be found at babysitting24.ch.

Beds

Guest rooms have king size or queen size beds. We use synthetic anti-allergic pillows. Please mail or call if you prefer down pillows or need a special pillow. All blankets are synthetic and get washed in the hotel laundry machines. The comforters are synthetic and washable too. We use comforter covers.

Body Guards

We know reliable body guards. Please let us know early if you need personal protection or need an apartment with an electronic security system (see Security).

Breakfast

Please prepare your own breakfast! If you would like us to stock your fridge before your arrival, kindly inform us a few days before. We do not provide room service. Reliable delivery services are Mosis for many varieties of food, and Dieci for pizza.

Buddhist temples

There is a beautiful Thai temple in Gretzenbach (43 km). Please ask Alex or Wai for directions. A Tibetan temple is in Rikon (29 km).

Call abroad

We do not provice room phones. Kindly use your mobile phone. If you need a local prepaid SIM card or a local prepaid phone, please contact reception. To call abroad from Switzerland, please dial + or 00 followed by the country code and the local phone number. For international calls, we recommend using Whatsapp, Line, WeChat or Skype.

Catholic Church

The catholic Saint Martin’s church is 550 meters above Palais Kraft on Krähenbühlstrasse 50.

Charities

We recommend (and donate to) the Kantha Bopha children’s hospital and the Menschen für Menschen charity because we know their work.

Children

We like kids very much and always have kids stay in the building with their parents. We can provice crib beds for small children. Please do not leave children below the age of 12 unattended in a guest room or serviced apartment (or roaming around the building).

Cinemas

In the center of Zurich there are many cinemas, you find the actualized programs at www.cineman.ch.

Clinics

There are two excellent clinics inside the Palais Kraft building:

Alphaclinic

White House Center for Liposuction

The leading private clinic in Zurich is Klinik Hirslanden, 3.9 km from Palais Kraft.

We often lodge patients from the famous specialist clinic Klinik Professor Sailer which is only 350m from Palais Kraft. Professor Dr. Hermann F. Sailer is an expert in the field of maxillofacial surgery.

Concerts

In Zurich there are concerts and recitals of classic music almost every day if not several concerts on the same date. The most prestigious venues are Opera House, Tonhalle, Zürcher Kammerorchester. There are also high level private concerts close to Palais Kraft, if you ask, we’ll try to get you invited.

Every Saturday at 16:00 we have recital or concert in our music room. You are very welcome to attend (see Music).

Dentist

The excellent private dental clinic Klinik Professor Sailer is 350 m from Palais Kraft +41 43 268 30 70.

At Vorderberg tram stop (260 m) there is a good dental clinic for children and adults +41 44 252 83 00.

Below the main train station (2 km) there is a walk-in dental clinic open daily for urgent help, +41 43 300 30 03.

Doctor

There are public and private clinics close by. We can call an emergency doctor for you or book an appointment at one of the clinics for you.

Ambulance 144

University Hospital Emergency open 24/7, +41 44 255 11 11 and walk-in.

Children’s Hospital Emergency open 24/7, +41 44 266 71 11 and walk-in.

Bethanien Private Clinic +41 43 268 70 70.

Hirslanden Private Clinic +41 44 387 21 11.

Emergency doctor and psychiatrist 0800 33 66 55.

Dogs

See Animals

Dos and Don’ts in Switzerland

Dos:

• Do remember the full name and title of any persons you meet. In Switzerland you are expected to greet everybody you have been introduced with their full names.
• Do be careful with first names. The Swiss are in general reluctant to use first names. You’ll create uncomfortable business meetings if you address the president of a Swiss company as “Tom” in front of his vice presidents who address him as “Herr Dr. Meier”.
• For business, men should dress relaxed but not neglected, a missing tie, or a missing jacket will look worse than to take off your tie or your jacket.
• For business women should dress like real estate agents, slightly more formal than the attending men, but definitely not like for a dinner party.
• Refrain from political discussions. Switzerland is a small country and the natives are almost fanatical patriots. They’ll be happy to share with you what they think is wrong in Swiss politics, but if you criticize their army, you’ll find out in a few minutes why Hitler didn’t invade Switzerland… the Swiss would have blown up every single bridge and every tunnel and every mountain pass. In French “suisse” means private soldiers placed in front of an aristocrat’s palace as a guard (think of the Vatican), and in Italian “svizzero” means a burning, looting, raping bandit.

Don’ts:

• Never ever use public transport without a valid ticket! (We told you!)
• Don’t park your car on a space reserved for somebody else. Either you’ll make yourself an enemy for life or your car will get scratched or both.
• Don’t share your conversation with the whole tram car or the whole restaurant! Talking louder than necessary is considered impolite, rude, bad form.
• Don’t lace your talk with profanities! After a few f***s and sh***s your chance to get whatever you want will be nil.
• Don’t party with loud music and open windows after eleven p.m or before 7 a.m.! The Swiss don’t like noise. Your gentle Swiss neighbors will call the police… and the police will come and spoil your party mood.

Dress Code

There is no dress code at Palais Kraft. Please dress appropriate for an upscale residence.

Escorts

We believe that a hotel should be neither a monastery nor a brothel. For your protection, we reserve the right to check the ID (and age) of joining guests.

Fire 118

Kindly refrain from smoking in your room, your apartment, public areas. Smoking in elevators and in the garage is forbidden by Swiss law.

Fireplace

We provide free firewood for the fireplaces. Please ask staff to start the fire for you.

Football / Soccer

The FIFA HQ is 2 km from Palais Kraft, the FIFA Museum 3.1 km.

Gay and Lesbian

Palais Kraft is GLBT-friendly. We welcome every sex and every sexual orientation, every skin color, race, every religion, every political orientation… but not every behavior!

Halal

We provide vegetarian snacks only. If you require a special diet, please inform us before your arrival.

Hindu Temple

There is a Hindu Temple of the ISKCON (Hari Krishna) Sect at Bergstrasse 54, 8032 Zurich, 0.75 km from Palais Kraft. Just follow the smell of their delicious vegetarian food!

Hospitality Industry

We have special room rates for hospitality professionals who reciprocate, please inquire by mail.

Jobs

Palais Kraft is a non-discriminating employer. Please inquire by mail if you would like to join our hospitality team.

Journalists

We have special room rates for journalists, please inquire by mail.

Kitchen or Kitchenette

• Stove
• Oven
• Microwave
• Espresso Machine
• Water heater
• Dishwasher
• Large fridge
• Toaster

Kosher

We provide vegetarian snacks only. If you require a special diet, please inform us before your arrival.

Laundry

We share the laundry service with several other four or five-star hotels in Zurich. We apologize that Swiss laundry services are slow… There is no same day service. All our apartments (except the Coolidge Studio) come with washing machines and dryers. If you tell us in time, our housekeeping staff will assist you with laundry and ironing.

Limousine Services

We work with reliable, safe and comfortable limousine services. For security reasons, cars and drivers look plain.

Manners

To protect other guests and our employees, we ask you to refrain from profanities in the public areas of Palais Kraft.

Massage

We can call experienced, well trained, almost painfully serious Oriental or Western masseurs for you.

Mountain Bikes

We have mountain bikes for your use. Palais Kraft is only a short and safe ride away from extensive forests with smooth roads without cars. Please respect the forest animals and keep to the roads.

Museums

Nearest art museum: Kunsthaus Zürich (1.9 km) at the Kunsthaus stop of tram 5. There are many, many museums in Zurich.

Music

We organize recitals or chamber music in Palais Kraft. All guests are invited. The recitals last about 45 minutes, are free, and you’ll have the chance to meet the artist(s) after the performance. If you would like us to add you to our mailing list for invitations and programs, kindly send us a mail. If you would like to perform at Palais Kraft, kindly send us a mail with a YouTube link.

Musicians

We have special room rates for (mainly classic) musicians who are ready to perform in our concerts, please inquire by mail.

Opera

The Zurich Opera House is 3 km from Palais Kraft at Bellevue (tram 6).

Pets

See Animals

Pianos

There is a Petrov IV grand piano in the Madison Apartment, Baldwin console pianos in the Fillmore Apartment and the Wilson Studio. In the Washington Apartment is a Steinweg upright from 1898 and in the Monroe there is Gaveau grand piano. For recitals we have a Blüthner 1912 grand piano an Erard 1929 in the Music Room and a Bösendorfer on Level 4. If you need an apartment with a grand piano, please inform us before booking and we’ll try to accommodate your wishes.

Private Jets

Palais Kraft recommends VistaJet and Netjet private jets.

Protestant Church

There are two protestant churches within a few hundred meters Palais Kraft at Vorderberg and Kantstrasse. Just follow the sound of the bells!

Public Transport

Just above Palais Kraft is the tram and bus stop “Toblerplatz” (130 m) with trams 5 and 6 and bus 33. About 100 meters below Palais Kraft at Vorderberg (260 m) there is the tram and bus stop “Kirche Fluntern” with trams 5 and 6, and buses 33 and 751. The ticket vending machines accept credit cards. We recommend using day passes. Never ever use public transport without a valid ticket! (We told you!)

Radio

The main local radio stations can be received with your TV, most other radio stations can be received through any computer or smart phone.

Safe

The rooms have hotel safes. Some apartments have high-security safes. Please inform us if you need an apartment with a high-security safe.

Sauna

There is a small sauna on Level 4 which you may use free of charge (exclusive use). Please inform us before and we will reserve and prepare the sauna for you.

Schools

There are several public and private schools (Kindergarten to High School) close to Palais Kraft.

Security

We a have a nightguard from Protectas. He/she may walk through or around the building at night, please don’t worry. If you notice any suspicious activity (and you are sure that it is not playing foxes, badgers or squirrels) please call and we will have security check.

Shopping

At Toblerplatz (130 m) there are Migros and Spar supermarkets, a drug store and a paper shop. A good bakery and coffee shop, pharmacies, dry cleaning and a coop supermarket are below Palais Kraft at Vorderberg (260 m).

Smoking

All rooms and apartments are strictly non-smoking. As a favor to other guests please refrain from smoking in your room or in the halls of Palais Kraft. Smoking in the elevators and garages is prohibited by law.

Snacks

The vegetarian snacks in your room are complimentary. If you need vegan snacks, please let us know before.

Soft Drinks

Soft drinks are complimentary. Please let us know if you need or would like us to provide different soft drinks.

Squash

On Level 2 there is standard squash court. If you would like to book the squash court kindly inform Reception.

Taxi

Taxis from the airport to Palais Kraft costs about CHF (Swiss Francs) 60 including tip. For short distances taxis are reasonably priced. For longer distances, e.g. to Basel or Lucerne, we can arrange limousine service for you which will be cheaper than a metered taxi. The most useful taxi phone numbers are +41 44 444 44 44 and +41 44 777 77 77. Uber and similar services are almost legal in Switzerland.

Travel Industry

We have special room rates for travel professionals who have a record of booking guests in Palais Kraft, please inquire by mail.

TV

The guest rooms and serviced apartments have flat screen TV’s with digital channels. If you need to view a particular satellite channel during your stay, please inform us about two weeks before your arrival and we will try to catch it for you (charges apply).

Universities

The federal technical university (ETH) and the state university (Universität Zürich) are 1.5 km from Palais Kraft.

Valet Service

The Palais Kraft hospitality staff is happy to help you.

Vegan / Vegetarian

We provide vegetarian snacks only.

Veterinarian

The excellent University Veterinarian Clinic “Tierspital” is 3.4 km from Palais Kraft at Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich.

WiFi

We provide free WiFi in all public areas, rooms and apartments. The open WiFi network is PALAISKRAFT. Every room or apartment comes with a private WiFi network and password. You find the ID and password in your room.

Worship

In Zurich there are places of worship of many religious groups. Please inquire before your arrival and we will find out for you where you can worship.

Zoo

The Zurich Zoo is 2.1 km from Palais Kraft. Wonderful place for kids!