La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich | Philippe Starck

Under the impetus of La Réserve and the vision of excellence upheld by its owner Michel Reybier, the Eden au Lac hotel is reinventing itself as La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich. A new 5-star establishment in Zurich, the hotel has been completely redesigned to provide an elegant and timeless experience in the heart of an imaginary yacht club dreamed up by creator Philippe Starck.

Thanks to its unique location in the city and on the waterfront, the hotel provides a unique lifestyle perspective on Zurich. The 40 rooms and suites, two bars and restaurants offer spectacular views of the city and the lake. To be enjoyed as a family or among friends, La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich is an atypical and highly modern place that is both majestic and sophisticated.

The premises
La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich is a proud, serene building, reminiscent of the wonderful days that have passed since its construction 110 years ago on the lakefront. But times change, and La Réserve and Philippe Starck have instilled a little art and rebellion as the mischievous creator deconstructs the Eden au Lac to better rebuild La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich.

“This hotel has been exceptional and now is even more so thanks to Michel Reybier, who is a keen sailor – like myself – and well acquainted with the sea, with water and with sailing boats. There is a total osmosis between the building and the setting, the rumors and the stories.” Philippe Starck

A Minimal yet not minimalist renovation
hilippe Starck conceived the renovation to be minimal yet not minimalist, based on a quest to reveal the structural soul and raw poetry of the place, releasing the light and maximizing the architectural volumes.

The hotel’s fabled facade, its blue and white striped blinds protecting elaborate balconies, lion heads and other historical sculptures, have been preserved as reminders of an intelligent and elegant leisure spirit begun in the early 20th century.

In an almost archaeological approach, the bricks of the walls, marble of the basements, solid wood floors and concrete details have been exhumed from beneath successive layers of plaster, tapestries or wallpaper. These newly revealed elements and natural materials infuse the place with a spirit of timeless modernity.

La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich is a structural place with the elegance of the minimum, in which a number of artistic surprises along with sophisticated, curated objects are subtly exhibited: clever lighting in blown-glass, sculptural brushed stainless steel door handles, light marble cladding, flattering mirrors and fine glass partitions.

Once the structure had been recaptured, the hotel was adorned with a surreal new dimension, becoming fertile ground for a mental game imagining and reinventing the history of the building. Philippe Starck imagined a Yacht Club by the lake. An imaginary club, yet clearly present in the wealth of sentimental objects evoking a nautical universe: chiseled red wood reminiscent of the hull of a boat; photographs and paintings of sailboats and captains like a gallery of family portraits scattered throughout the hotel; bronze Venetian gondola forcole (oar rests); a collection “half-hull” boats frozen in resin; oars placed here and there as if forgotten after a regatta; light wood floors with wide planks urge urging / inviting to walk barefoot before dashing off for a swim.

« La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich stems from the organization of all these elements, all these materials that make it a complex, rigorous and creative work. A timeless place, respectful and insolent, serious and crazy. An imaginary, modern Yacht Club by the lake.» Philippe Starck

La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich enjoys the benefit of its location and an exceptional environment in all seasons. The lake is an omnipresent attraction that remains visible everywhere and at all times thanks to an architectural design that is open to the outside. In summer: sunshine, freshness and conviviality. The cool lake breeze floats through the bay windows and gently ruffles the white curtains; while each room terraces is bathed in sun, perfect for reading and relaxing after a swim in the lake. In winter: warmth, comfort and intimacy. The windows on the ground floor allow light to enter while protecting from the elements; while the rooms are cocoons from which the view of the lake can be admired in rougher weather.

Representing the only exception in a renovation that favors and reveals existing structure and elements, the hotel lobby has been modified. Guests are now welcomed via the side entrance for enhanced comfort and privacy.
The wooden staircase leading from the reception area to the upper floors has been preserved. A large elevator set in a fine glass shaft enables guests to admire the stained-glass windows by artist Ara Starck, who creates “moving landscapes that are perpetually morphing throughout the day as the light pours through”.

The rooms
The hotel offers 40 rooms and suites in eight categories, ranging from 22sqm to 79sqm. Located on the upper floors and overlooking the lake, the rooms were created by Philippe Starck like onshore sailors’ cabins. Dream of the lake and regattas, adventures, light breezes and soft light from the terraces or private balconies. Various poetic surprises are dotted throughout, designed to pique guests’ curiosity and imagination as they continue their voyage and delicious daydreaming. Guests can find nautical charts of the lake for the more experienced sailors and postcards of yachts for the amateur boater on vacations.
Like the hotel, its rooms and suites reflect a quest for a structurally elegant and modern bare minimum. Natural, soft, light colors for simplicity and comfort, solid brick and delicate rattan walls for warmth and intimacy.

RESTAURANTS & BARS
La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich is enlivening Zurich’s culinary scene. The hotel, resolutely modern, offers contemporary, elegant cuisine in unique, welcoming and stimulating settings designed by Philippe Starck. Service is available all day long, giving guests the freedom to live at their own pace, from calm mornings by the lake to electric summer evenings on the roof terrace. In the same spirit, Room Service also operates 24/7.

Eden Kitchen & Bar
On the ground floor, with its large bay windows opening onto the outside, Eden Kitchen & Bar promises to be an essential meeting point in Zurich. Lights gently plays on the natural leather sofas and convivial tables. Light-colored floors, red wood and boat oars and hulls are just some of the design cues that create a warm and relaxed atmosphere and serve as reminders of the hotel’s attachment to the lake.

The large open kitchen stages a non-stop show, in which everyone can admire the expert touch and creativity of the teams headed by Italian chef Marco Ortolani, veteran of prestigious restaurants in Italy and London, not to mention experience gained in Argentina and Hong Kong. This wealth of cosmopolitan influences is apparent in the menu, with dishes inspired by culinary traditions from all over the world: Burrata, forgotten vegetables, basil; quinoa, pomegranate, avocado, chimichurri; macaroni, truffle, ham, Gruyère cheese; salmon with a yuzu teriyaki marinade; and exceptional grilled Swiss meat. Nor are the establishment’s local roots forgotten, Zurich-style sauté veal and potato rösti is a tribute to the city. Elegant and varied, the wine list reflects vineyards from all over the world, including great appellations from Switzerland and France, with a special place for the Michel Reybier estates.

“Eden Kitchen & Bar evokes the memory of the yacht clubs where young people used to gather for regattas canoe, skiff, kayak or sailing races. Joyful places where everyone had a lot of fun, drinking and dancing around the large bar.” Philippe Starck

La Muña
Perched on the sixth floor and accessible directly via the glass elevator in the lobby, La Muña overlooks the city from its tree-lined roof terrace. La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich’s second restaurant is a treasure chest, mingling imaginary memories of moments spent on the lake with extraordinary objects found in the city and around the world. La Muña offers a unique 360° view of the historic center, with the lake and the Alps in the distance.
The restaurant is organized into two areas.

Inside, it has taken over the former attic beneath the hotel’s spectacular dome. Continuing the spirit of a minimalist and respectful renovation, Philippe Starck has sought to enhance the existing structural elements. The monumental framework is magnificently highlighted, with the original brick walls and wooden floors once again on show. The furniture also looks as if it has always been here, in this imaginary “harbor-master’s office”: with comfortable light-colored leather or slightly old-fashioned floral fabric upholstery, and rugs picked up during trips to Persia and Asia. Wherever the eye may roam, fertile surprises and mysteries intrigue and extend a permanent invitation to travel. In the dovecote, stained-glass windows created by Ara Starck accompany and guide the light through the dome. Like a multifaceted tale, these stained-glass windows tell a different story throughout the day, for a magical and always unique experience.

Two outdoor terraces are accessible, one of which can be entirely privatized. Whether on a sofa or at a table, under the huge parasols, guests can enjoy a relaxed and festive atmosphere while sharing the Japanese Peruvian specialties of chef Tomoko Gunji Hangartner (Miya), whose inventive and delicate cuisine has already delighted Swiss connoisseurs, from Lucerne to Geneva.

Ultra-fresh and bursting with flavor, La Muña’s cuisine combines different textures, raw and marinated elements, acidity and sweetness – based on carefully sourced ingredients, including some rarely found in Europe – expressed through sophisticated, freshly prepared delicacies designed for sharing in a convivial atmosphere. Each table can select Crudo or Caliente dishes, in which ceviches flavored with spices and fresh herbs rub shoulders with beef steak teriyaki with truffle sauce, or sashimi served alongside wakame seriole with ponzu sauce for an amazing delicious gourmet journey.

A magical Peruvian plant, muña has always been used to relieve altitude-related ailments. The name of the restaurant is a tribute to the chef’s culinary inspirations as well as a nod to the unique view from the terraces, across the open kitchen in the foreground, the lake and the city of Zurich in the background.