Hotel Dolder Waldhaus - Zurich, Switzerland     

This hotel, while pleasant enough, was nothing like we expected it to be having viewed their website and read reviews which gave the impression of a modern, four star hotel. On arrival we were quite surprised to discover a hideous grey pebbledashed tower block blighting the gorgeous views over Zurich below! Unfortunately things didn't get much better inside as we found ourselves in a smoky- smelling lobby best described as 1970s chic...we joked that we were half expecting Burt Reynolds and Paul Newman to appear at any moment! The staff were extremely helpful and polite however and the room was large and clean, if basic (and furnished in the same style as the lobby area!) and sadly lacking in the promised panoramic views from the balcony (which looked straight onto the other pebbledashed wing of the hotel). Things to know about the Dolder Waldhaus hotel: 1. It's situated a little way out of Zurich town centre - a tram from the station to Romerhof and then a ride on the Funicular railway - AVOID IF YOU HAVE A FEAR OF HEIGHTS. 2. The hotel bar is not open at the weekend - seriously. Given that we were a couple of trains away from the town we thought we'd stay at the hotel for dinner and drinks - except that turned into dinner (see point 3) and an exercise in mini-bar raiding. 3. The restaurant was probably considered the height of elegance back when the decor was considered modern....it's very old school traditional. We each ordered a large beer as we perused the menu and the waiter checked twice that was what we actually wanted - then when we asked for another two at the end of the meal, having declined coffee, they mysteriously failed to arrive - we suspect they had us marked as drunken trouble makers after our pre-dinner pints of lager! Dinner itself was fine - unspectacular though and, in our opinion, did not warrant the prices charged (approx ?22 for a main meal). 4. There is an indoor pool at the hotel so bring your swimmers. There is also a sauna and a couple of exercise bikes but the other activities mentioned (tennis, golf etc) are actually located about five minutes further up the hill. Massage treatments are offered but only during the week. 5. If you don't want to take the funicular and tram into town, a taxi (bookable from reception) is about 30 CHF and takes about 15 mins. 6. The smoking ban hasn't made it to Switzerland yet, so be sure to book a non-smoking room if the smell bothers you - and just get used to the smell in bars and cafes - it seems like EVERYONE smokes. Overall we would say that the Dolder Waldhaus is a reasonable hotel if you are looking for somewhere quiet, out of town and you aren't staying for long. If you're into walking, jogging or biking the location would be pretty perfect as it's only ten minutes walk from the forest. The service at the hotel was faultlessly efficient and polite, so if you're looking for a retro stay in Switzerland, pack your flares and enjoy your stay!!