The Dolder Grand

The Dolder Grand occupies a privileged perch on the Adlisberg hillside, where it opened in 1899 as a curhaus for city dwellers seeking altitude and fresh air. A comprehensive rebuild completed in 2008 saw Foster + Partners bracket the original turreted main house with two sweeping contemporary wings, and the result is one of Europe's most successful marriages of Belle Époque fabric and modern architecture. From the terraces, the panorama sweeps across the city and lake to the Alps.

Art is central to the experience rather than decorative garnish: the collection displayed through the public spaces includes works by Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol and Fernando Botero, and wandering the corridors rewards attention. Rooms in the historic building carry period proportion and character, while the wing rooms are crisply contemporary with curved glass walls facing the treetops and lake.

The 4,000-square-metre spa is among the most complete in any European city hotel, with an indoor pool, extensive thermal circuit and a serious approach to programmes. At The Restaurant, chef Heiko Nieder's intricate tasting menus have earned two Michelin stars, and more casual dining spills onto the garden terrace in summer. Ten minutes from Paradeplatz by car or the charming Dolderbahn rack railway, it functions as a genuine resort with a city at its feet.