Kameha Grand Zűrich

“You are in the Diva suite,” I was told as I checked into the Kameha Grand Zürich. What could I have possibly done to deserve this? I suppose the look on my face said it all as my fears were immediately put to rest when it was explained to me that is one of 11 of the hotel’s themed suits.

Kameha Grand Zűrich by night

Having arrived to be confronted by a giant cowbell in the lobby, I had instantly got the impression that this is a hotel that stands out from the crowd. No wonder that Dutch design genius Marcel Wanders was labelled by the New York Times, the “Lady Gaga of design” At the Kameha, it looks as if he has spearheaded a revolution in design.

Unlike so many hotels where you forget which country you are in, here you know that you are in Switzerland. Wanders has given a whole new meaning to the typical Swiss associations. Gold-flecked sofas that resemble Toblerones, bank vaults that hide coffee machines and mini-bars, lights that look like cowbells, brown-padded panels which morph walls into slabs of chocolate, and decorative references to the clock and watch industry are just some of the quirky and ingenious touches that give this hotel a sense of place. 

The lobby

Here at the Kameha Grand, lifestyle and design merge into a splurge-worthy retreat that is an antidote to rushed city life. Part of the Glatt Park development project, you are only a short walk from the park and a 550-metre long man-made lake where you can swim. The airport is only a 10-minute drive away and you can reach the city by tram which takes approximately half an hour. Fashioned to be a destination, this hotel has definitely fulfilled its ambition. It is like being on a voyage of discovery, there is always something to see.

I thought I had landed up backstage on a Hollywood film set when I entered the Diva Suite. Flavoured with an indulgent layer of glamour, it also had all the mod cons including push button blinds, a large flat screen TV and importantly free, fast Wi-Fi.  

The dressing table had an illuminated mirror, perfect for applying make-up. There was a dressmaker’s mannequin and even a wine cooler. The generous-sized bathroom with a free-standing bath had a walk-in rain shower with a separate mirrored loo which did take some getting used to. Full-sized Molton Brown toiletries were another lovely touch as was the scrumptious cup cake I located in my bedroom.

The Diva suite

Keep fit fanatics should book for a stay in the Workout suite which has its own treadmill and weight-training bench For those that like a flutter ask for the Poker Face suite that comes complete with a roulette table. Just want to be reminded that you are in Switzerland? Then plump for the Watchmaker suite.

Others include a Serenity suite and Princess suite so you are bound to find one that floats your boat. There are also 224 premium and deluxe rooms as well as two executive suites, six business suites, the King Kameha suite and the Space suite.

The hotel also has a gym and if you want to indulge in some pampering there is a superb spa. For those of you that still like to light up there is a cigar lounge which is reminiscent of a gentleman’s club. Clamouring for Arabian nights?  Make a beeline for the rather exotic shisha parlour.

Japanese cuisine lovers will certainly appreciate the food at Yu Nijyo. It serves up some of the best I have tasted outside Japan. For pasta, homemade of course, and a good selection of sauces, try the Italian restaurant, L’Unico. The name, I was told, is the Italian translation of  Kameha, the Hawaiian-origin word that means “the unique”. Perfect for a cocktail is the chic Pure Gold Bar.

You will be hard-pressed to find fault with the service at the Kameha Grand. You are treated as if you are the most important person in the hotel. Written into the fabric of the hotel is the motto “Life is Grand” and here it certainly is. One warning: don’t get too ensconced here, you ought to spend some time seeing Zurich. 

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

British Airways currently flies from London City to Zurich up to 4 times a day. Each-way hand baggage only fares are available from £69 (based on a return hand baggage only fare) and are available to book on www.ba.com/londoncity

(In addition BA has services from Heathrow with connections also available from across the UK and Ireland.)

All British Airways fares include online check-in 24 hours before departure, complimentary refreshments and drinks on board and no debit card charges

Customers have a quick and easy journey through the Docklands airport, with hand baggage it takes just 15 minutes to get from kerbside to airside

This is such a great way to fly

Kameha Grand Zűrich (Tel: +41 44 525 5000) Email: zuerich@kameha.com

Website: www.kamehagrandzuerich.com) offers accommodation in the heart of Zurich. Rates start from £225 per room (per night)  

A destination in its own right. This superb hotel is a short drive from the airport and an half-an-hour tram ride to the city. Highly recommended

Putting the glamour into flying

A lovely smile and a warm hello greet me from British Airways as I checked in for my flight to Zurich at London City Airport. 

I tell this lady that I did not have time to check in online nor do I have any other paperwork with me. “No problem,” she says sweetly. "Where are you travelling to?”  No extra fees to pay, no hassle. She asks me only for my passport and if I have any luggage I want to go in the hold. “Yes, one bag,” I say. 

This is luxury. For me a holiday starts from the moment that I get to the airport and with British Airways  I am getting off to a flying start (excuse the pun).

So often when you go to other UK airports and fly low-cost you feel from the moment you step inside the airport you are in a cattle shed. People everywhere and staff who act as if they doing you a favour to let you fly with the airline. 

It is a welcome change, therefore, to be treated so well. A ticket price that includes a suitcase allowance makes travelling much easier especially when you are going away for more than an overnight stay. 

You can feel ripped off as you fork out for all the extras the low-cost airlines pile on. By the time you finish, you may as well fly with an airline that treats you as a customer who matters.

 “Have a nice flight and an enjoyable stay in Zurich,” says the lady as she hands me my boarding card.

Getting to London City Airport is easy from central London. You can take the Tube and Docklands Light Railway. So much better and cheaper than having to go miles out of town. If you have baggage you can arrive up to 20 minutes before departure and for those with hand luggage it is only 15 minutes.

Going through security is quick and simple, although for some reason here I nearly always set off the alarm. I do not know why as there is never a problem. This airport, I am told, is pretty stringent and has a high rate of examining people thoroughly which actually makes me feel better.

Time now for some light refreshments and to log on to the free Wi-Fi to see what emails need to be dealt with before jetting off.  This is such a super airport. You feel as if it has all the trappings of being a business class lounge even if you do pay for your own drinks and food. They also have just the right amount of shops for that last minute treat.

Before long the flight was called and I was ready to board. I remarked to myself as I got on the plane how well-groomed and professional the BA team are. This airline does have high standards as it showed in the BBC documentary which makes it stand out from the crowd.

Easy, no pushing, no shoving – wonderful. Settled into my seat my neighbour, an interesting business man strikes up a conversation.

Not long after take-off we are presented with a snack served by another polite and friendly member of staff. The coffee was good (so often on planes, you pay a fortune and you can’t even get it down as it tastes so vile) and the pasta salad with salmon was actually quite tasty.

This is such a great way to fly. Relaxing over a light lunch and not being hassled to buy s scratch cards, magazines, duty free or whatever. You only wish you would have taken some earplugs with you to drown out the noise.

I am glad to say that the service on the return flight well and truly matched the outward bound. BA, in my books, still makes flying glamorous.

 By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

British Airways currently flies from London City to Zurich up to four times a day. Each-way hand baggage only fares are available from £69 (based on a return hand baggage only fare) and are available to book on www.ba.com/londoncity

(In addition BA has services from Heathrow with connections available from across the UK and Ireland.)

All British Airways fares include online check-in 24 hours before departure, complimentary refreshments and drinks on board and no debit card charges 

Customers have a quick and easy journey through the Docklands airport, with hand baggage it takes just 15 minutes to get from kerbside to airside

Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois, Basel, Switzerland

Taking in the early morning rays of sun on the terrace of the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois, Basel’s most chi-chi address, the only sound I could hear was the aqua-blue waters of the Rhine flowing rapidly beneath me. 

This hotel certainly lived up to its name. I felt regal as I tucked into my lavish breakfast of coffee, fruit, smoked salmon and poached eggs served up well-done, just the way I like them. It was the perfect way to start the day.

Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois at night

An ode to old-world elegance, the immaculate and opulent décor of Les Trois Rois is  resolutely traditional. One of Europe’s grandest and oldest hotels it has been attracting the great and the good for centuries. Les Trois Rois must have been proud of Napoleon’s visit as there is a suite named after him. 

Starting out life in 1681 as the Inn zu Drei Königen, an establishment for gentlemen only, it  had morphed by the middle of the 19^th century into a first-rate hotel. Thomas Straumann, the current owner who bought the hotel in 2004 became its new knight in shining armour. 

He bought the neighbouring former Basel Cantonial Bank as an extension and had the buildings painstakingly restored to pay homage to the lavishness of the legendary Belle Epoque property. With contemporary comfort slotted in to reflect the very essence of what guests now demand of a luxury establishment, 20 months later Les Trois Rois reopened its doors.

Double room overlooking the Rhine

Time and effort has been put into every detail. Ascending the carpeted steps, huge glittering chandeliers greet you as you enter. There is definitely a sense of occasion as you enter the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois. Antiques pepper the establishment. The marble gilded pillars of the atrium add style and sophistication.  

As I checked in I was presented with a single red rose –such a lovely thought. After a warm welcome. I knew that this stay was going to be an experience that I would treasure.

My spacious room overlooking the Rhine was served up with a dollop of nostalgia enhanced with discreet nudges of high-tech such as Wi-Fi, a heated bathroom floor and a flat screen TV. Awaiting me was an elegant vase filled with water ready for me to place my rose. Other lovely touches included three pears, chocolates and a plate of little cakes. The mini-bar was complimentary. Cocooned in the finest of linens on an extremely comfy bed, I slept so well.

The Brasserie

The two-starred Michelin-starred restaurant, the Cheval Blanc was full so I never got to sample the delights of the renowned chef Peter Knogl. I went to the Brasserie instead where I had superb food dished up with a distinctive French and Swiss flavour in a congenial atmosphere with a wonderful setting. 

The river and its banks had taken on a different character at night, something more magical, I thought as I sipped a delicious glass of chilled Swiss white from Vaud. This country does produce some real palate pleasers. 

I was spoilt for choice as the menu had plenty of mouth-watering dishes to tempt me. On the recommendation of the Maître d’hôtel Brasserie I began with cerviche of scallops which was wonderful. 

For the main course I tucked into the turbot with an exquisite champagne mousse accompanied by minted peas and home-made ravioli bursting with fresh vegetables. It was absolutely sensational. A glass of citrus-drenched Chablis Premier Cru went down a treat with this dish.

Finding room for dessert was difficult but they were too tempting to turn down. The variation de sorbets maison was magnificent. Flavours of passion fruit and coconut assaulted my senses.  

Service throughout Les Trois Rois is impeccable. Everything is done to make your stay most memorable. The only problem is that it will be extremely difficult to trump this hotel.

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

British Airways currently flies from London City to Zurich up to four times a day. Each-way hand baggage only fares are available from £69 (based on a return hand baggage only fare) and are available to book on www.ba.com/londoncity

(In addition BA has services from Heathrow with connections also available from across the UK and Ireland.)

All British Airways fares include online check-in 24 hours before departure, complimentary refreshments and drinks on board and no debit card charges 

Customers have a quick and easy journey through the Docklands airport, with hand baggage it takes just 15 minutes to get from kerbside to airside
 

This is such a great way to fly

Train fares from Zurich to Basel start at £40 standard class return. For bookings visit www.voyages-sncf.com or phone 0844 848 5848 or call into the Voyages-sncf Travel Centre, 193 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EU

Travelling by train is easy in Switzerland. Good frequency trains are punctual and altogether a pleasant experience

For more information on the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois (www.lestroisrois.com) 

For more information on Basel visit www.basel.com/en

Rectifying summer hair fade

I am not quite sure how it happened as I had not had my hair in the sun but my fringe had faded to a distressing shade of yellow, making me look drained and washed out. I immediately hit the phone  to book an appointment with my trusted colourist Daisy Twyman at London’s prestigious Daniel Galvin salon.

Shock horror!  Daisy was away for a few weeks. Having had more colour disasters than I would like to remember, I am always loathe to put my tresses into the hands of somebody new. I normally say it is not where you go but who you go to that counts. However, in the case of Daniel Galvin, it is the other way round. I know how well trained the colourists are and as the record keeping is meticulous, I didn’t feel that trying somebody new would be a problem.

Josie Weston, was the lady this time that was going to take me from drab to fab. We had a lengthy consultation and Josie agreed that we needed to change the formula to make the front darker.

“When hair lifts, it can have a devastating effect on your skin tone, leaving you looking exhausted,” explained Josie. “It is something you have to think about especially in the summer when hair lightens more quickly than in the winter.”

If you are deciding to follow the Bronde trend which is currently one of the hot hair colours of the moment, you may want to reconsider and go for a different option.

A combination of blonde and brunette, this can look effective when first done, the lighter bits on brunettes have a tendency to go brassy. If you have a cool or neutral skin tone, the warmth may not be flattering on you. 

That perfect caramel shade you had when you left the salon can turn orange with a few washes and a few outings in the sun. I had them put in at another salon years ago and bitterly regretted it.

Before I knew where I was, I was back at the salon having a toner applied to restore my locks to their former glory.

Josie’s advice to anybody considering a major change is to weigh up the pros and cons. How will it fit into your lifestyle? Are you prepared for high maintenance? Will you have to change your wardrobe and buy a whole new set of make-up?

Before you rush into anything always talk it through with a colourist. Ask how the new hue will work with the underlying tones in your hair.

As we tend to wash our hair more in the summer causing colour fade, a good item to have to hand is Davines More Inside Texturising Dust for Instant Volume (£18.90). It is great for creating that extra oomph especially in humidity when hair can flatten quickly. Plus, it does not dry out the hair as some of these types of products can.

Josie, did a great job on my hair. A true pro, she constantly checked the colour to make sure I did not end up too dark. I got the look I wanted. I left the salon swinging glossy brunette tresses quietly confident that this would last for a good few weeks.

 By Daralyn Danns

 Daniel Galvin (www.danielgalvin.com)