- Where · Florhofgasse, a stone’s throw from the Kunsthaus and Zurich’s old town (Switzerland)
- What · a patrician mansion converted into a boutique hotel, Lalique’s first in Zurich
- How many · 13 rooms and suites, rather than the 35 keys once announced
- Who · Lalique Group · Silvio Denz and Peter Spuhler · management Tanja Wegmann
- Dining · contemporary brasserie led by executive chef John Schiffmann
Thirteen keys is not a constraint forced upon them: it is the model. Villa Florhof, Lalique’s first hotel address in Zurich, opens with 13 rooms and suites where initial rumours suggested thirty-five. The difference is not a compromise, it is the very definition of what the group is selling here: a home, not a hotel.
1. A patrician mansion, thirteen keys
The villa is located in a quiet yet central neighbourhood, just minutes from the Kunsthaus, the universities and the narrow streets of the old town. The renovation was carried out to preserve the soul of the building while installing the comfort expected today, under the watchful eye of owners Silvio Denz and Peter Spuhler.
The intimate format is what makes ultra-personalised service economically viable: with thirteen keys, you know every guest by name without needing industrial-scale resources. The private garden, sheltered from the noise of the city, completes the setting.
2. A brasserie, and a chef change three weeks out
The restaurant is the heart of the project, designed to attract Zurich locals as much as residents. It is entrusted to executive chef John Schiffmann, formerly of the Dolder Grand and Andreas Caminada’s Buech in Herrliberg, offering a contemporary take on brasserie classics and seasonal produce. He is assisted by Christian Hoffmann, who joins from Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer and Golvet in Berlin.
This configuration was not the one originally planned: a few weeks before the opening, the establishment announced its separation from chef Christian Jürgens, who was initially expected to oversee the culinary offering. Management redirected the culinary strategy in the interim, which, on a project of this scale, comes down to fine margins.
3. A team from the top of the Swiss market
General management is overseen by Tanja Wegmann, former director of the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois in Basel, now head of the Hospitality division of Lalique Group and chair of the board of Villa Florhof AG. Daily management is handled by Kilian Rainalter, who has been with the project since 2023.
The latter’s background speaks to the level aimed for: he worked alongside Andreas Caminada at Schloss Schauenstein and Casa Caminada, two establishments where service and dining are held to the same high standards.
4. What Zurich expects from small-capacity venues
The context is one of a restructuring market. In the first half of 2026, the Zurich tourist region recorded a 1.4% decline in overnight stays, attributable to a downturn in long-haul markets, while Swiss and European clienteles remained stable.
It is precisely small-capacity properties that benefit from this shift: a local clientele, who return frequently and seek a local connection, are better suited to a thirteen-key house than a large hotel tailored for long-haul groups.
- 📍 Location · Florhofgasse, Kunsthaus district, Zurich (Switzerland)
- 🏨 Brand · Lalique Group, Hospitality division
- 🔑 Capacity · 13 rooms and suites
- 👤 Owners · Silvio Denz and Peter Spuhler
- 🏛️ Management · Tanja Wegmann (General Manager) · Kilian Rainalter (Hotel Manager)
- 🍽️ Dining · contemporary brasserie · executive chef John Schiffmann, sous-chef Christian Hoffmann
- 🔗 Website · villaflorhof.com
