There is nothing more delightful, relaxing and healthy than immersing oneself in nature, even better if accommodated in an elegant and comfortable location. That is certainly provided by the renovated Hotel Atlantis by Giardino, a short distance from Zurich. Alongside the Uetliberg mountain, the building was restructured by the studio The Gallery HBA, which made the city's distinctive features the guidelines along which the project was to be developed: the dichotomy between metropolis and countryside, worldliness and calm, angular and smooth shapes, old and new, entirely pervades the space.
The Hotel has not lost any of the glamour that has marked it since its foundation in 1972, while the eclecticism of the seventies’ mood is softened by the typically modern elegance and sophistication, ensured by the replacement of some of the previous marble and details in wood with more contemporary materials. “Theatrical elements have been created with splendid stones, original textures and marvellous veining in order to become attractive focal points with the aim of increasing the expectations and astonishment of the guests," explains Inge Moore, Director and Creative Director of The Gallery HBA.
In the lobby, the design characteristics are synthesised in a way that gives guests a taste of what it is to come. The solid walnut desk, laterally irregular with visible veining, not only embellishes the ambience, it also establishes a solid link with surrounding landscape. The floor has the appearance of asymmetric patchwork culminating in the black-white colour contrast of the marble staircase, which is transformed into a fluid, sculptural element to become the centrepiece of the lobby. Once in the lounge, a sense of intimacy pervades thanks to the glow emanating from the glazed fireplace which opens onto a view of the garden, featuring various furnishings of brands of the calibre of Armani Casa, Emmanuel Ungaro and Budri (which forms a personalised cocktail table).
There are two areas dedicated to catering: Hide&Seek offers fusion cuisine to be tasted together with the experience of contact with nature: the exterior terrace leads to a path through the surrounding pastoral countryside; Ecco, award-winning gourmet cuisine with a retro flavour, against a palette of neutral colours.
Enjoying a breathtaking view, the 95 rooms of Hotel Atlantis by Giardino are a homage to the naturalness of the place, emphasising warm materials (with wood and leather for parquet and the covers of furniture and wall panels), bronze and shiny streaked marble that contributes to the encompassing, but not ostentatious, atmosphere. Contemporary paintings give their surroundings an original profile.
The Spa and Ballroom complete the facility, the former accessed through a corridor that recalls the shape of smooth rock; the second features a mahogany sunscreen wall. One of the walls in the swimming pool area is entirely clad in dark Vals stone, imported from the nearby town of the same name, which continuously penetrates the surface of water directly; black and white marble are contrasted inside the showers, which have spiral decorative motifs.