Cozy yet elegant Zürich boutique hotel in 20th century villa, surrounded by the lushest of gardens

Signau House & Garden / Zürich / Switzerland

There is something about be able to escape when staying in a city. Don’t get me wrong, I love cities. I love the energy, the vibe, the people, the chaos and sounds. But sometimes, like with most things, it can become a bit overwhelming after a while. That is why I am often, when staying in cities, on the look out for hotels located a little bit off, preferably in a calmer setting where you can recharge before you are ready to head back out again. This is one of those places, the Signau House and Gardens in Zürich, Switzerland.

This 9-key hotel is located in Riesbach, a mainly residential part of Zürich, neighboring the alluring Seefeld district and the lake. The hotel is housed in a villa dating back to 1912. From the beginning this was the home of a prominent Swiss family and it is easy to see how they enjoyed all the different sitting rooms, the Winter garden and the actual garden.

The hotel opened in 2018 and one of the most important things they did during their careful refurbishment was to return the garden to its former splendor. In the 60s someone had the ”brilliant” idea to get rid of the garden and turn it into a parking lot. I am happy they re-created the garden since it is truly one of the best features of this cozy, yet elegant hotel. The interior has received an equal amount of TLC as the outside, where gentle, sombre colors have been introduced into the design to highlight the historic, original elements. The vibe is discreet, elegant luxury.

Signau is perfectly located, in my book, with a short stroll (or tram ride) into the central parts of town, or you’ll have an even shorter stroll down to Seefeld and the lake, where you’ll find good shopping, some nice restaurants and bars. Or you can just leisurely walk along the lakeside promenade taking in the beauty of the lake and the Alps in the distance.

Welcome to Signau House and Garden! When you approach, you’ll find the cream colored building is embedded in greenery.

The hallway is impressive with double ceiling height and original wood work.

The entire first floor is made up of different living rooms, where you can make yourself at home.

There is a well-stocked honesty bar (and there was actually an additional one, just outside our room on the third floor).

…to our room. It was located on the top floor and was a discreet, elegant designed space.

I love the view from our room. How the trees are creating a green wall, shielding us from the neighboring houses.

M heading downstairs to explore the rest of the hotel.

The garden is one of the main reasons to stay at Signau.

In the 1960s the garden was made into a parking lot which was luckily reverted in time for the opening of the hotel in 2018.

Breakfast is served in the Winter garden. A bright space with checkered floors.

Me enjoying the first, ok the third, coffee of the morning.

The stunning Zürich Lake is located a short stroll from the hotel.

Zürich is known for its baths. This is one of the nicest ones on the lake…

…while this is one of the cozy river baths.

M, the husband, loves Tibits. A vegetarian buffet restaurant in Zürich. Or actually they have several outposts here. This is the nearest one from the hotel, in Seefeld.

We found a really good coffee place close to the hotel. It was called MAME Seefeld.

Another place where you can get a good coffee (or something stronger if you wish) is the Monocle shop/café, also located in residential Seefeld.

Love the interior (and the shopping) at Monocle.

RG inside info

This place is perfect if you…

…are looking for a small, independent hotel in a tranquil setting, a short stroll from Seefeld and the lake when visiting Zürich. If this sounds like your thing, you should check out Signau.

My favorite thing about this place…

…is the garden. It is so lovely when staying at an urban hotel, to have a green space to retreat back to after having explored a city. A place where you can sit in the shade under a parasol with something to drink. And for a moment, you can forget that you are in the middle of a city. Before you are ready to head back out again.

What not to miss when staying here…

…if you are visiting during the Summer months, a visit to one of the many baths is a must, either one located by the Zürich Lake or my favorites, the ones in the Limmat River. If you are craving a coffee and maybe some shopping, the Monocle café/bar and shop is a short stroll from the hotel and well worth a visit if you want to hang around people in the know.

If you like this hotel you might also like:

Ett Hem & Ett Hem / Stockholm, Sweden

Hotel Julien / Antwerp, Belgium

Villa Terminus / Bergen, Norway