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THE NAMES OF THE NI-MO ROOMS

Our rooms do not have numbers, but names. This not only makes them a little more personal, it also ensures a bond with Zurich. Because you will find all the names in the form of squares, streets, neighbourhoods and institutions in the beautiful Limmat city.

And if you are staying at NI-MO, you might want to know more about your room. Here you will find beautiful and also exciting stories about our rooms.

Would you like to have more insider news about it? Then the book Zurich by NI-MO is just perfect for you. In this lovingly designed book, Eva Stiefel, the owner of the Boutique Hotel NI-MO, and Anne M. Stauffer have written a small masterpiece. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Bahnhofstrasse

In the popular family game Monopoly, Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich is one of the most expensive properties to own. If you own houses and hotels here, you have pretty good chances to win the game.

In reality, Zurich is associated with the world of finance, and Bahnhofstrasse symbolises luxury and extravagance.

Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich developed into one of the most expensive and prestigious shopping streets in the world. Fashion stores, jewellers and watch shops with famous names fill the sidewalks, and none of which would have been possible without the increasing ties between the Hauptbahnhof and all of Europe.

NI-MO hint: If you want to see how Zurich looked around 1800, you can visit for free the historic city model in the “Haus zur Recht” in the Niederdorf (www.stadtmodell-zürich.ch).

At the NI-MO the room Bahnhofstrasse is a Premium double room, facing the quiet courtyard.

Bellevue

Standing on the right side of the Quai-bridge, where the lake discharges into the Limmat River, the “beautiful view” is not necessarily the primary focus of attention. Rather, you need to be careful not to get run over by a car, tram or hurried biker. The historical traffic island amidst the tram tracks serves as a gathering point for all generations. A kiosk, a tourist information desk and a fast food outlet provide shelter to safely observe the busy surroundings.

Construction of the main train station (Hauptbahnhof) shifted the city gates from the lake to the station, and the hotel was no longer lucrative. Guest rooms were converted into offices, while the ground floor provided space for a cinema and the Café La Terrasse. From 1956 to 2000 the ‘’Terrasse” was a nightclub known throughout the city. In the vernacular the shows performed in the Petite Terrasse were known as the “Gemeindeschreiber-Strip”. The owner (UBS) renovated this famous real estate in 2000, and the nightclub returned to its original function as a Grand Café.

NI-MO hint: Go to the Sternengrill to enjoy a legendary bratwurst. Whether they are still the best in Zurich, I cannot say, but they are definitely part of Zurich.

At the NI-MO the room Bellevue a Premium double room, facing the quiet courtyard.

Bürkliplatz

Bürkliplatz is a fond memory of the pre-Christmas season for most residents of Zurich. Then they went to the pavilion on Bürkliplatz for candle-pulling.

Wrapped up thickly with gloves and hats, they then walked through the city decorated with lights. The smell of warm beeswax, cake and tea always creates a feeling of security, as one can perhaps only feel as a child.

But Bürkliplatz also has its summer side: then you can see sailing boats on the lake, hear music from the garden restaurant on the Bauschänzli and enjoy the unobstructed view as far as the Alps.

NI-MO hint: The jetty at Bürkliplatz is the starting point for large and small lake cruises. The dream ships offer almost everything from Sunday brunch to sunset cruises, from crime ships to salsa ships. Tickets and information are available on site at the landing point or online on the website of the Zürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft (www.zsg.ch).

At the NI-MO the room Bürkliplatz is a Premium double room, facing the quiet courtyard.

Central

When you leave the main train station and cross the bridge over the Limmat, you reach the northernmost point of the Limmatquai, named Central. The Hotel Central, which once gave it’s name to the square, is now known as the Hotel Central Plaza that today offers its guests a beautiful view of the city and the river.

Central is actually a rather small space, but serves as an important hub for six different public transport lines. Central is not worth staying around for a long while, but it is close to several popular sights.

For example, there is the Landesmuseum - the Swiss National Museum. The Landesmuseum is the most frequently visited historic museum in the country, and is housed in a very old (1898) and very beautiful building designed by Gustav Gull. The modern wing, designed by architects Christ & Gantenbein, was constructed in 2016. The museum primarily displays the history of Switzerland from its inception to the present day, but also displays current topics in temporary exhibitions.

NI-MO hint: If you plan to visit the University of Zurich and the ETH (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich), you should definitely take the historic Polybahn. Built in 1898, the is funicular brings you from Central to the ETH in 100 seconds, and offers a magical view of the city roofs and on clear days, the Alps.

At the NI-MO the room Central is a Classic single room, facing the Seefeldstrasse.

Enge

Enge, like Seefeld, represents an entire district (District 2) and is not just a street or square. You can see Enge (from Seefeld) after a three-minute walk from Hotel NI-MO to the lakeshore.

Looking towards the city and across the lake, you spot the big fountain and to its right Church Enge (Kirche Enge), located a bit further up the hill, and the district’s symbol.

NI-MO hint: A visit to the Thermal-baths and Spa on the Hürlimann-grounds is definitely worth it. The roof-terrace views of the city (especially during snowfalls) are particularly exciting.

Every Summer the Zürcher Theaterspektakel takes place on the Landiwiese at the lake. It is one of the most important festivals for contemporary arts in Europe and welcomes many visitors with its artistically sophisticated program every year.

Even without a ticket to the theatre, it is magical to have a drink in one of the restaurants or festival bars, directly at the lake, while watching the street artists perform and melt into the colourful happenings of the festival.

At the NI-MO the room Enge is a Classicdouble room, facing the Seefeldstrasse.

Escherwyss

Escherwyss represents a district of development. No other district has gone through as much fundamental change in the past 25 years as the former industrial district around Escher-Wyss square and Hardturm. This is the birthplace of Züri-West (not to be confused with the Bernese rock back with the same name).

The factory premises were gradually sold starting around 1990.

The history of Escher-Wyss AG can be applied to other businesses that established their factories in the industrial district of Zurich. These include the soap factory Steinfels, Maag Gears or the brewery Löwenbräu, who all gave up their businesses in the area between 1990 and 2001 and left behind large empty warehouses. Der Kampf umThe battle over the building and zoning regulations flared up. die Bau- und Zonenordnung entbrannte. The City of Zurich then established a development plan (“Zurich West”) in accordance with a citywide referendum.

NI-MO hint: Most, but not all, is precisely organised in Zurich, and Frau Gerolds Garten is an example. It appeared beneath the Primetower in 2012 aswan initially temporary project, but even today remains a popular meeting point opened year-round. Frau Gerolds Garten includes a city garden, restaurant and creative market.

In case you were wondering what’s up with the large tower made of shipping containers, this is the Freitag Flagship Sore Zurich and a perfect example how creative ideas come to life in Zurich. The story of the world famous Freitag bags, produced from old tires and manufactured in old shipping containers, began right here.

At the NI-MO the room Escherwyss is a Classis single room, facing the Seefeldstrasse.

Helvetiaplatz

District 4 with Helvetiaplatz, Kanzleiareal, Volkshaus and of course Langstrasse has a very eventful history behind it. In the 1980s, District 4, the "Chreis Cheib", was fascinating, multicultural, noisy in the evenings with a red-light district and new in-clubs. Around the turn of the millennium, conditions in the neighbourhood had increasingly deteriorated, dealers openly sold drugs on the street to neglected addicts, used syringes, rubbish and dirt were everywhere. Violence was the order of the day.

In the last ten years, the face of the neighbourhood has changed through various measures such as increased police presence, stricter control of the licensing procedures for the sex trade and renovation of dilapidated properties. One thing is certain, the neighbourhood is alive, changing and belongs to Zurich just like the Zürichberg and the lake.

NI-MO hint: You can enjoy off-the-mainstream and interesting movies (in their original language) in the cinema/bar Xenix in for former school barracks on the Kanzleiareal. Or just to drink a cold beer.

At the NI-MO the room Helvetiaplatz is a Classic double room, facing Seefeldstrasse.

Limmatquai

Strolling from Bellevue towards Central and passing numerous restaurants and boutiques makes it difficult to imagine that, until 2004, this stretch of road was packed with traffic.

In the 1980s, you could sit outside in just three cafés in the summer. For a long time, the Limmat was the city's main artery, transport route, water supply and energy supplier for flour mills and sawmills.

So it is only logical that many of the city's historic buildings, guild houses and current landmarks stand directly on its banks. On the way from Bellevue along the Limmat, you first come across the monument to the Zurich reformer Huldrych Zwingli. Zurich made world history with the Reformation some 500 years ago. "Never before and never since has a genuinely Zurich event had such a lasting global impact as the fundamental change in values that began with the Reformation in Germany and Switzerland.

NI-MO hint: Cross the Limmat here and take a walk in the morning sun, through the narrow streets and cute squares. If your feet are tired from all the walking, why not hop onto a Limmat-boat and enjoy Zur-ich’s old town from a whole new perspective (April-October).

At the NI-MO the room Limmatquai is a Premium double room, facing the courtyard.

Lindenhof

The history of the city begins at the Lindenhof. It is a very special place that can only be reached on foot, through the winding narrow streets of the old town. But the most beautiful thing is the view of the opposite riverbank with the Grossmünster, the Wasserkirche, the Limmatquai, and above them the prominent buildings of the university and the ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich). Here you have an overview, history becomes tangible. This is not an illusion.

Around 1477, 52 lime trees are planted, and in their shade people drink at stone tables and play chess. The medieval bowling alley, the bow and crossbow stands have disappeared, but the chess game remains. In the centuries leading up to modern times, the square was redesigned several times and a water pipe with a fountain house was brought up. When a storm caused great damage in 1865, the trees had to be replaced. According to the fashion of the time, chestnut, acacia and goddess trees were planted, but at the request of the population they were replaced by lime trees again around 1900.

NI-MO hint: NI-MO Tipp: Do it like the people from Zurich: Bring a snack and a drink and have lunch.

At the NI-MO the room Lindenhof is a Premium balcony room, facing the quiet courtyard.

Opera

The Zurich Opera house, one of the biggest opera houses worldwide, received the “ International Opera Award” in 2014. In the heart of Zürich on “Sechsileutenplatz”, adjacent to Bellevue and the lake, the opera house entertains up to 1100 guests.

In addition to classical opera and ballet with an elite international cast, other performances regularly occupy the stage such as philharmonic orchestras, matinees, song-nights, and shows for children.

There are public tours and since 2014 there has even been "Opera for All" every season, where a performance is broadcast live on the screen on Sechseläutenplatz. In Zurich, there has been a lot of building, densification and conversion in recent years. The redesign of the Sechseläutenplatz in front of the opera house has been a great success, not only in terms of the design with the beautiful Vals granite from the Grisons mountains.it dem wunderschönen Valser Granit aus den Bündner Bergen angeht.

NI-MO hint: The room OPERA gehört is one of the most popular rooms in Hotel NI-MO. The warm red tones create the perfect ambience for a perfect evening. You have good chances with the NI-MO “Opera-package” to get tickets to the Opera, even for sold out events.

At the NI-MO the room Opera is a Premium balcony room, facing the quiet courtyard.

Paradeplatz

Until the 17th century, this square was called “Säulimärt” (Pig-market) because it marked a central location for buying and selling livestock. The Neumarkt (New Market) experienced an upswing when Hotel Baur en Ville (today Savoy Baur en Ville) opened in 1838 and the large stagecoach station “Zentralhof” was established.

The elegant station with pillars in the courtyard, where the horses drank from troughs, was unique in Europe.

Post was handled here while horses were strapped to wagons. Today this cosy courtyard is a popular boulevard restaurant. The square was renamed to its current Paradeplatz in 1856 to reflect the nearby military arsenal. Google Paradaplatz and the first hit is a Zurich-based online newspaper called InsideParadaplatz. Here you find all the current news about the most important financial centre in Switzerland.

Prestigious and elegant buildings surround this car-free square, including Credit Suisse headquarters, designed and built in 1873 by the same architect (Jakob Friedrich) who built the main train station. The adjacent UBS building was built in the 1950’s, and across the square is the historic Tiefenhöfe that houses the famous Confiserie Sprüngli.

NI-MO hint: Even if you do not have any banking business at Paradeplatz, you should definitely take a peak inside the Confiserie Sprüngli and try their specialty “Luxemburgerli”.

At the NI-MO the room is Paradeplatz is a Premium double room, facing the quiet courtyard.

Rennweg

Initially, the gate at the crossing Bahnhofstrasse/Rennweg marked the entrance into medival Zurich, the only entrance into town on the left shore of the Limmat. From the gate, Rennweg led towards the old town and the Lindenhof. It is not only one of the oldest streets in town, but it was also one of the widest, where the horses could run. The gate no longer exists, and Rennweg and the old town are now integrated into a large pedestrian zone.

At the top of the road, you can either lake a left, continue straight ahead, or take a right. Turning left leads to the Lindenhof. If you choose straight-ahead, you arrive at “Rathaus-bridge” (City hall bridge) and a beautiful view of the lake and the Alps. Turning right carries you into a maze of small streets filled with cute boutiques, and leads to the Church of St. Peter.

With a diameter of 8.64 metres, the clock face is the largest in Europe. Until the 18th century, the tower clock was also the only public clock in the city, and everyone had to keep time by it. St. Peter's was the oldest and for a long time the only parish church in the city and played an important role during the Reformation. It was independent, while the other three churches Fraumünster, Grossmünster and Predigerkirche belonged to monasteries until the Reformation.

NI-MO hint: : Music is played in the Fraumünster Church every Wednesday morning from 7.45-8:00. All concert dates can be found at www.fraumuenster.ch.

At the NI-MO the room Rennweg is a Premium double room, facing the quiet courtyard.

Seefeld

The actual Seefeld refers to the narrow strip of land between the lake and Seefeldstrasse up to the city boundary behind Tiefenbrunnen. Originally, small rural and farming estates were located here, and bourgeois villas and commercial buildings were built along Seefeldstrasse, which was completed in 1839.

The land near the shore was marshy and accordingly sparsely populated. Under the direction of city engineer Arnold Bürkli, the quay facilities were built between 1882 and 1885. Over a million cubic metres of stone material and lake mud were heaped up around the lake basin.

In the last 10 years, Seefeld has also undergone a lot of renovation, often at great expense. Where small businesses and craftsmen's shops used to characterise the quarter, galleries, delicatessens, trendy boutiques and multicultural restaurants have now moved in. When you stroll through the streets in the evening, you hear conversations in English, French, German and Swiss German. Over an Apérol Spritz, research projects are discussed and business plans are drawn up; here, Zurich is educated, international and independent.

There are innovative start-ups like the first vegetarian fast food restaurant Tibits next to traditional houses like the Ringier publishing house or the NZZ (Neue Zürcher Zeitung). And right in the middle of it all in Seefeld is the Hotel NI-MO. While enjoying a delicious breakfast, you can see the bustling activity on the street as if through a shop window. On three floors, 15 freshly renovated, spacious rooms await guests. The same tenants have lived in the flat on the 4th floor for 30 years.

Directly opposite, Blattner AG, always called "Eisen-Meyer", has been selling tools, screws, nails and household goods for 78 years. A visit to the basement of the shop is not only an experience for DIY enthusiasts. Last year, the Blattner couple sold the shop due to age. No, not to an investor, but to three professionals who continue to run the business with heart and soul.

NI-MO hint: The University of Zurich’s “new” botanical is worth visiting, and not just for plant- lovers. Entrance into this oasis is free.

At the NI-MO the room Seefeld is a Classic double room, facing the Seefeldstrasse.

Zoo

The zoo is located on the Zürichberg 600 metres above the city and is one of the top tourist attractions. But we Zurich residents also love and visit our zoo. On school-free Wednesday afternoons and on Sundays and public holidays, the crowds are particularly large and finding a parking space can be difficult.

It is better to take tram no. 6 up the Zürichberg, past beautiful villas to the Zoo terminus, where there are also sports facilities and the FIFA headquarters. Or take the Dolderbahn and then walk for 20 minutes through the forest to the zoo.

The zoo's early years were difficult. The economic crisis, the Second World War, foot-and-mouth disease and exceptionally cold winters put the zoo in financial straits. Time and again, the city and the canton had to help with loans. In the meantime, the zoo is over 90 years old and around 4,000 animals of 350 different species can be observed here. While in the beginning, also in Zurich, as many and as exotic animals as possible were exhibited, today this concept has changed completely. The Masterplan 2030 stands for the path from zoo to nature conservation centre.

Speaking of hearts: every year, many young animals are born at Zurich Zoo. It is the leader in individual animal species such as the Galapagos tortoises, the Siam crocodiles and the blue-headed terrestrials (birds).

NI-MO hint: The visit of the Zoo is almost a must. If you are lucky, you can spot an elephant swimming by spying through the underwater observatory.

At the NI-MO the room Zoo is a Classic single room, facing the Seefeldstrasse.

Zürihorn

A five-minute walk from the Hotel NIMO brings you to the docks at the lake. Looking over the lake and to your left is the Badeanstalt Utoquai, built in 1890, and the oldest lakeside bathhouse. It used to have towers like those of a palace, but even though those are now gone, the charm remained. This bath has three separate wooden decks, each with ladder access to the lake, with the right deck reserved for women, the left deck reserved for men, and the centre deck for both genders and a small shop. From all decks are “unobstructed views of the Mediterranean”.

The Alps and the lakeshore are obviously still there, with the right lakeshore (NI-MO’s side) called the gold coast. The left side is referred to as the “Pfnüselküste”, which roughly translates to “sniffles-coast” because the sun leaves this side much earlier.

Originally, the Gold Coast was so named because of the evening sun that colours the coast golden on the right, or perhaps because of all the gold you pay here for villas with a view. Zurich is one of the most expensive cities in the world. But the parks on the lakeside up to the Zürihorn are free and belong to everyone.

The Chinese Garden on the Blatterwiese is also meditatively quiet and beautiful. To the left of the Chinese Garden you can see the playground and, somewhat hidden between tall trees, the last building by the architect Le Corbusier. The Zurich Corbusier House is the last building by the world-famous architect and the only one in German-speaking Switzerland.

NI-MO Tipp: Once every midsummer, the lake crossing 1.5 km from the Mythenquai lido (Enge) to the Tiefenbrunnen open-air swimming pool (Zürihorn) takes place. The number of participants is limited to 10,000 and the lake must be at least 21 degrees Celsius. It is a sporting event, but not a competitive swim. The time is not measured, but no swimming aids of any kind may be used.

Information about free activities (in the third most expensive city in the world) can be found at www.zuerichunbezahlbar.ch . Here you find all free cultural, leisure and sports activities in and around Zurich.

At the NI-MO the room Zürihorn is a Premium balcony room, facing the quiet courtyard.

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