Locke am Platz, Enge, Zurich

BACKGROUND Locke is a design-led serviced apartment brand from hospitality company edyn. It launched in 2016 and has properties in Cambridge, Dublin, Edinburgh, London, Manchester, Berlin and Munich (see businesstraveller.​com/tried-and-tested).

The brand debuted in Switzerland in November 2023 with this property, which is a conversion of the Hotel Ascot Zurich.

WHERE IS IT?

On Tessinerplatz in the city's quiet Enge quarter. It's adjacent to a tram stop (ten minutes from the city centre) and Zurich Enge railway station (served by the S-Bahn). The hotel is also a ten-minute walk from the convention centre.

Footie fans can hop over the road to the FIFA Museum, Lake Zurich is a five-minute walk away and the Rietberg Museum just 12 minutes' walk. There's a co-working cafe next door, plus a small Coop supermarket.

WHAT'S IT LIKE?

Theatrical but not kitsch, replete with red velvet, mirrored surfaces, statues and biophilic touches. London-based studio Sella Concept has done a wonderful job of jazzing up the interiors of this rather drab building.

The lobby has a manned reception, a self check-in kiosk behind a red velvet curtain and a lift. A mirror-panelled staircase transforms into a spiral structure with tiled monochromatic floors when peering down from the top floor - a cool cinematic touch.

ROOMS

The 80 rooms are spread across apartment-style studios (22-27 sqm) with kitchenettes - ideal for long stays - and hotel-style rooms (22 sqm) and one-bed suites (39 sqm) with mini fridges.