A craftful Journey Baur au Lac Reloaded
On our blog "Baur au Lac Reloaded", we invite you to revisit the stunning transformation processes in our forecourt, lobby area and terrace which have been recently completed. Follow up on what happened during the "makeover" of Zurich's grand dame.
22/07/22 | Baur au Lac reload completed
We started out on a craftful journey last year in October…a lot has happened over the past 10 months, and we are thrilled to finally announce that our big "make over" project has been successfully completed. Shining in all its glory, our new entrance and reception area is finally ready to welcome our guests from all over the world "home" at Baur au Lac.
Follow us one last time (for now) on our craftful journey and see where it took us…
08/07/22 | It's all coming together…
Just a few months ago, we could hardly imagine all the amazing and even touching moments of transformation our craftful journey would hold in store for us.
A new entrance gate and driveway on the outside, refurbished wooden panelling, renewed tapestries, stunning new marble floors and restored stucco elements on the inside – numerous workers from various local workshops are still busy swinging their tools. While each one is ambitiously focusing on their specific area of expertise, above all, teamwork makes our “Lobby dream” work.
Take a closer look for yourself and follow the busy hands around while it's all coming together…
24/06/22 | Melting away
The clay models, which are handcrafted with much detail, are measured, scanned and digitised using modern laser technology. Right out of the 3D printer, the reproduced models will give you an idea of the magnificent shapes and serve as a template for the casting moulds.
When the fire blazes in the casting factory and the crucible glows, the workers are fully in their element. In spectacular and dangerously hard work, they cast the works of art from brass. The individual brass gold pieces will frame the newly designed fireplace in the lobby as a comprehensive work of art.
Stay tuned for the excitement of the unveiling...
10/06/22 | Knock on wood
The original wooden elements that cover the walls in the reception and lobby area tell their very own story with all they have witnessed over the years. Thanks to local and skilled craftsmanship, those special memorabilia will shine on bright for future generations to come. Soon, they will be put back on their rightful spot and our guests get to put their letters and postcards into the nostalgic "Boîtes aux lettres" again.
27/05/22 | Chim Chim Cher-ee
Based on the design of the famous "Peacock Room" by Thomas Jeckyll, which was originally furnished as a dining room in a London townhouse around 1876, the fireplace in our lobby is getting a spectacular makeover.
It is still only partially possible to guess how magnificently the redesigned fireplace will blend into its surroundings. Already visible is the light-coloured stone casing, which is made of "Pierre de France" and complemented by a decorative trim of blue granite. An ornate brass gold frame is currently being handcrafted in a Swiss art foundry based on the floral clay modelling. The complete work of art will soon be available to admire on our blog.
13/05/22 | Baur au Lac Terrace - Reloading completed
Finally, the wait is over and it's time for the first grand unveiling: freshly spruced up and with new culinary delights, the Baur au Lac Terrace is now open and ready for the upcoming summer season. Our green oasis in the heart of Zurich invites locals and travellers, sun worshippers and bon vivants to enjoy Mediterranean vibes from noon to sunset.
Hereby, the first part of the extensive renovation work has been completed, which lasted from October 2021 until the beginning of May. So far it was a long and exciting journey, and more is yet to come. Stay tuned for the remaining renovation work in the reception area of the Baur au Lac.
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06/05/2022 | Your summer tale is about to start
The first milestone of our "Baur au Lac Reloading" transformation process is completed, and the countdown has started: our Baur au Lac Terrace is reopening on Thursday, May 12, unveiling its stunning make-over. We can't wait to welcome you back soon for days full of sunshine, scrumptious food and refreshing drinks. Calling all the curious sunseekers amongst you out there: come by, explore, and take a seat. The entrance at Talstrasse 1 is accessible again for pedestrians only. Upon entering, you can catch a sneak peek of what we are about to unveil next….
Due to high demand, we recommend that you reserve your table in advance.
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29/04/2022 | Green & blue – the “it” colours of our upcoming terrace season
The Baur au Lac terrace is preparing for its grand opening. New things are popping up daily. This week, among other things, our florist and gardening team filled the new plant pots, which surround the big umbrella, with beautiful hydrangeas. Currently still green, they will turn a deep blue over the course of the next few weeks and will soon welcome our future terrace guests with a gorgeous blaze of colour.
22/04/2022 | The Final Sprint
In a few short weeks, the renovated Baur au Lac terrace will have its big debut, together with the redesigned forecourt. The final touches are currently being completed. We can hardly wait to unveil the first highlight of the Baur au Lac's major transformation process. Stay tuned!
14/04/2022 | Baur au Lac Reloading - Easter Edition
Rumour has it the Easter bunny was spotted on and around the Baur au Lac construction site. Fortunately, we caught it on camera. Look closely and catch a glimpse of our little visitor hopping around.
We are all ears today! How many times can you spot our surprise guest? Hop over to Instagram or Facebook and leave us a comment for a chance to win a sweet little surprise.
08/04/2022 | Guardians of the Baur au Lac
They are back! Over the course of the renovations, the four Ionic columns that had supported the roofing of the Baur au Lac's main entrance for many, many years were carefully removed and put into storage. A single column weighs 1.4 tonnes, including its magnificent capital boasting the typical snail-shaped ornamentation. This week, the four majestic guardians returned to their rightful place.
01/04/2022 | Raising the curtain for the next act
The re-composition of the Baur au Lac is happening simultaneously in several places: inside as well as outside, from the magnificent marble foundation to the impressive columns that will hold up the roof of the new main entrance. Like a symphony orchestra, numerous helping hands are supporting the renovation and creating a masterpiece in the process.
25/03/2022 | A piece of history
The original stucco elements give expressiveness to our lobby and vestibul at Baur au Lac and turn them into rooms that people feel and talk about. These traditional and artistic style elements are conserved, restored and also reproduced in high-quality and precise craftsmanship by a local stucco plasterer. A piece of history is carried forward and allows the hotel to flourish.
18/03/2022 | Baur (au Lac) - No, we are not changing our name
There is always something going on at the construction site, craftsmen are bustling about in all areas and a lot has happened in the last few days. Exciting work dominates the picture, including an interesting discovery above the original hotel entrance.
But do not worry, this is only temporary...
11/03/2022 Michelangelo meets Nero
Following the forecourt, paving work is now also starting in the lobby. The white Calacatta Michelangelo and black Nero Carrara marble tiles were made from blocks that were sourced from Tuscany and had been handpicked by the owning family. Selected were only stones, which showed no stains, but only fine veins. Like over-dimensional puzzle pieces, the fragments of the precious natural stone are now put together to form a large chessboard pattern. The "puzzle work" will continue until May.
04/03/2022 | Rolling out the green carpet
This week, the paving work in the driveway started to roll out. A chess board pattern made of dark green granite will adorn the forecourt in the future. A single granite tile weighs a whopping 120 kilograms. Therefore, 8 hands are required to position it precisely. The precious stone was sourced from a quarry in northern Italy, where the individual granite blocks were hand-selected last year. The different shades of the tiles come from a special surface treatment and impregnation.
25/02/2022 | Behind closed doors
The reconstruction work in our lobby is progressing in rapid strides. However, our guests in the adjacent lobby bar Le Hall only notice a little of this. In our new video post, we take a peek through the keyhole.
18/02/2022 | Memorabilia
If walls could talk, how many stories could they probably tell us? For example, how many guests have been walking past the beautifully decorated wooden panelling on their way to reception, or how many travel postcards and perhaps even love letters have been put through the slot of the "Boîtes aux lettres". Through careful craftsmanship, these wooden witnesses of time are now being given a new shine so that they get to remain part of the Baur au Lac‘s story. Stay tuned for more insights!
11/02/2022 | Threads of Time
The Gobelin tapestries have adorned the walls of the historic lobby of the Baur au Lac since its opening in 1844. At that time, they were handcrafted in the traditional and renowned tapestry manufactory "Manufacture nationale des Gobelins" in Paris. Let's have a look and watch the restoration of these unique carpets.
04/02/2022 | Haute Couture & Craftsmanship
With its 178-year history and privileged location, the Baur au Lac is also known as the "Grand Lady" of Zurich. A lady naturally prefers to wear Haute Couture. Accordingly, no "prêt à porter" resources are chosen for the ongoing renovation works, but instead stones, fabrics and timber that were hand-picked by the owner family. Traditional craftsmanship is trusted in the processing of these exquisite materials.
The Baur au Lac is one of the few hotels in the world to employ its own team of craftsmen. This team, consisting of a carpenter, decorator, painter and electrician, is dedicated to the daily care and maintenance of the high-quality furniture, delicate fabrics and technical refinements. For the present reconstruction work in the entrance area, local craftsmen have additionally been entrusted with the task of giving our "lady" a full makeover.
Next week, we will be taking you to the workshop of one of these selected craftsmen, where our lobby tapestries from the 19th century are currently being restored.
28/01/2022 | Side by side with a construction site
Bulldozers instead of Bentleys, construction helmets instead of chauffeur's hats – the sight of the heavy machinery and the scaffolding in the forecourt certainly raises the question of what regular hotel life is like at the Baur au Lac currently. The balancing act between the ongoing renovation work and the ambition to offer our guests a familiar comfortable stay required a lot of creativity, reliable partners and, above all, teamwork. Fortunately, change is part of the Baur au Lac's DNA, as you can see in our latest video.
21/01/2022 | Sneak Peek from above
For all those who are curious about what is going on behind the construction fence at Talstrasse 1, we took off at the beginning of the week to capture the action from above. Just in time, as a tent was set up over the entire forecourt as early as Wednesday. This will protect the incipient ground work from sun and snow. Instead of Rolls-Royces and Bentleys, an imposing excavator is now standing in the driveway, digging its way forward layer by layer. Find out more about this next week.
14/01/2022 | Every act of creation begins with an act of destruction
These words by Pablo Picasso perfectly describe the recent events in the great Baur au Lac transformation process. Within a few days, the familiar image of the hotel lobby has completely vanished, taking with it wood paneling, tapestries and marble floors. The canopy in the driveway has also been tackled. While on one side of the construction fence numerous workers are busy swinging their tools, on the other side business is going on as usual. The Salons I & II provide our reception and concierge team a noble transitional home. On sunny days, the newly roofed bridge, connecting the garage and hotel entrance with the new reception area, offers panoramic views of Lake Zurich and the Alps.
07/01/2022 | Striking out on new paths
This week, we kicked off the spectacular makeover process of the Baur au Lac's entrance and reception area, which will be completed in June 2022. Until then, we await you on the other side of the Schanzengraben at Glärnischstrasse 18, from where a covered and heated bridge will take you to the reception and concierge desk as well as the Pavillon restaurant and our lobby bar Le Hall. In our latest video post, we are taking you on a 1-minute journey to show you how to find us.
23/12/2021 | New year, new look
The turn of the year is neither an end nor a beginning, but a moving on. At the Baur au Lac, this moving on process includes the continuation of the extensive rennovation works in the entrance and lobby area. For this, it will be necessary to literally break new ground. As a result, the forecourt as well as the lobby area will be temporarily inaccessible from 03 January and until mid-June 2022. Arrival will be via the hotel's own garage during this period.
02/11/2021 | #Come fly with me...
Follow the umbrella’s stunning return from various spectacular angles in our latest blog post!
On the evening of 12 November, hotel guests whose rooms faced the Baur au Lac Park were witness to an unusual spectacle. Our brand-new umbrella floated gracefully over the century-old treetops to its permanent place on the Baur au Lac terrace, where it will protect visitors from sun and rain as of spring 2022. The whole operation took over two hours and every detail had to be perfect.
The first curious visitors were able to catch a glimpse of the almost 10-metre-high and over 3-tonne umbrella and the newly renovated terrace end of November, for example at the annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony. However, the outcome of the terrace makeover will only unfold its full splendour when spring arrives…
02/11/2021 | #TransformationTuesday
A building site is always the beginning of something new. The way there holds many different moments of transformation in store. Since the big patio umbrella literally made its "take-off", so many things have happened! But see for yourself and be amazed how the transformation of the terrace progresses stone by stone and tile by tile.
One thing is certain: the keystone has not yet been laid. More exciting things are about to happen! Look forward to the glorious return of the flying umbrella...
08/10/2021 | Spectacular take-off
The renovation work on the Baur au Lac terrace is in full swing. This week, the umbrella, which is almost 10 metres high and weighs around 3 tonnes, and thus the centrepiece of our terrace, was lifted out of its anchorage by means of a crane and transported away.
Be curious about what is coming!
04/10/2021 | First impressions...
After a record-breaking season, the Baur au Lac Terrace kicks off at the beginning of October so that locals and travellers from all over the world can once again enjoy the green oasis in the heart of Zurich just in time for the spring awakening in mid-April.
Change is part of our DNA
From horse-drawn carriages and electric lighting to virtual hotel tours and a live streaming studio - over almost two centuries, the Baur au Lac has not only successfully withstood the changing times, but used them to reinvent itself time and again. In this way, the hotel has always been able to offer its guests from all over the world the latest amenities in the areas of comfort and technical sophistication. From October 2021 to June 2022, this tradition will now be continued: Zurich's grande dame is getting a spectacular "makeover".