Ms. Löhner, we’re meeting you at Alex Lake Zurich in Thalwil—a luxurious lakeside hotel. What were you doing before taking over last year?

I spent almost five years in Vitznau—from one lakeside hotel to the next (laughs). Alex Lake Zurich is my first role as a director.

How did you develop your passion for luxury hospitality?

As a child, I traveled a lot with my parents, which opened up so many opportunities and experiences for me. That’s where my enthusiasm comes from. Professionally, I’ve never done anything else, aside from a brief stint in Zurich's urban gastronomy. But I was drawn back to the luxury segment.

Both personally and professionally, I love being a host.

What does the term luxury mean in the context of travel?

The ability to tailor an individual, unique experience for guests. They should feel so comfortable and at home that they want to return. Given that we’re such a young establishment, we have a lot of repeat customers.

All rooms with a lake view. (Image: Alex Lake Zurich, provided)

All 43 of our rooms are lake-facing. You feel as if you’re in the lake, by the lake, and on the lake. We’re also just the right size to provide personalized service to each guest.

What excites you most about Alex Lake Zurich?

The design, the people—everything about this place is exceptional. We’re the only five-star hotel directly on the lake, making our location truly unique. There’s only a public beach between us and the water. But we still have lake access, a small spa area both indoors and outdoors. You have the proximity to the city, yet it still feels like a relaxing vacation retreat.

A huge advantage is that we are part of the City & Lake Resort by The Living Circle. Under this umbrella, the benefits of the Widder, the Storchen, and the Buech are combined. This is a great asset for our guests.

I really enjoy working with our young yet highly professional team. Everyone here has their own personality, and that’s how it should be.

And what do guests appreciate the most?

Certainly the hotel's intimate, hideaway-like atmosphere is brought to life by our characterful staff. You can see this in our reviews: they often mention the fantastic staff, the friendly atmosphere, the professional yet fresh, youthful approach. And then there's the location: stepping inside feels like boarding a cruise ship. 

And definitely the dining!

Only five-star hotel directly on the lake. (Image: Alex Lake Zurich, provided)

You've scaled back the gourmet dining aspect: less emphasis on fine dining.

Exactly, and it was a deliberate decision.

Why?

Previously, we were offering two different concepts within a relatively small dining space. That wasn’t the right approach. At Alex Lake Zurich, the dining experience needs to be enjoyable, understandable for the guests, and reflective of what we want to be and what our rooms represent.

What can restaurant guests look forward to?

We have a new head chef, Luigi de Gregorio, who was previously the sous-chef at the Widder Hotel. He has transformed our restaurant with a Mediterranean, maritime, and seasonal concept, which has been very well received.

This makes the dining experience much more cohesive for our guests and more accessible to our international visitors. A significant portion of our guests comes from the U.S. or Latin America.

What do your Swiss guests look for in the summer?

Guests from Switzerland and Germany tend to be more spontaneous in the summer, booking their stays when the weather is nice. In contrast, our American guests often book months in advance, so we’re frequently fully booked.

Besides overnight stays, we offer various summer experiences: a brunch package, a spa package, rowing lessons, «Table for Two» on the dock, or a penthouse brunch. We also have an excellent massage treatment offering, which is popular for those seeking a hideaway experience.

So if a couple wants to spend a ‹Perfect Weekend› together, you’re all set?

Yes, definitely: a little shopping and a little vacation.

What’s your insider tip in the region?

The Buech, our restaurant in Herrliberg! It’s always worth a visit. And I’m not just saying that because it’s part of our group—it truly is a fantastic restaurant. With the art you can admire up close during dinner or lunch, and the location... And you can get there by boat: you hop on an Alex boat here, ride over, and get picked up afterward. It’s a great experience.

Speaking of the boat: what role does it play in the whole Alex experience?

The boat allows us to offer a wide range of experiences at every level: from a ceviche pop-up in the city to gourmet dining at the Widder or Storchen.

The Alex boat runs four times a day to and from the city. It can dock directly at the Storchen pier. It’s the only boat, besides the Limmat ships, that has this permission.

It’s a complimentary shuttle for hotel guests, and it allows us to cross-promote our restaurants and offer this unique experience with the boat transfer.

Connection to the city. (Image: Alex Lake Zurich, provided)

You're in a profession where you experience many wonderful and sometimes crazy things. What special or surprising moments can you share from your career?

There was a memorable event at a previous job: We hosted a wedding for a very prominent guest, whose name I unfortunately can't disclose. The bride had the entire event space, both indoors and outdoors, covered with a sparkling pink floor and insisted on all glass furniture. So, we spent two days emptying the hotel to bring in the glass furniture and pink glitter. I’ll never forget that—it was truly a spectacle.

At Alex: How important is the «see and be seen» aspect?

Probably less so within the hotel, but it’s definitely important on the terrace. When the restaurant’s outdoor area is full, it’s all about who gets to sit in the front row.

And people love to show off their cars! One unique feature we offer is 24-hour valet service. We’re the only place on the «Silver Coast», or however you want to call it, that provides this service.

What's the most important thing you've learned from your mother and father?

During my travels with my parents, my father always advised me not to assume others think like I do. He taught me to analyze situations between guests and staff. For that, you need a warm heart and a cool head.

With those two qualities, you almost have a perfect definition of hospitality.

And you also need «active hands»... You must do everything in your power to create that unique experience and adventure for the guests.

The native Austrian Madeleine Löhner has been the hotel director at Alex Lake Zurich for just over a year. Recently, she accompanied Peter Keller, the wine columnist for finews.com, on his exploration of the world’s finest rosé wines. Her career as a trained sommelier has taken her through international top venues such as Johannes King on Sylt and Boca Grande in Barcelona, before leading her to Park Hotel Vitznau, where she served as the restaurant manager at the Michelin-starred Focus for more than four years.