An idyllic setting between the lake and the Alps, traditional Swiss banks and an international business atmosphere: welcome to Zurich. In the Oerlikon district, near the exhibition centre, the Courtyard by Marriott is the ideal base for business travellers and city breakers.
As the main contractor, we gave the 152 guest rooms and suites a makeover within six months – whilst the hotel remained open. “For this to work, all the cogs have to mesh perfectly,” says our project manager Benjamin Amann. After all, normal hotel operations had to continue virtually seamlessly whilst one room after another was given its new look.
This is where we were able to draw on our extensive expertise as a main contractor in the field of hotel refurbishment. All trades were finely co-ordinated so that the work – from fitting new sockets to the complete refurbishment of the bathrooms – could be carried out without any interruptions.
“As a company based on Lake Constance, our expertise in Swiss affairs stood us in good stead,” says Markus Harms, Sales Manager at Knoblauch. Because our neighbour is neither an EU Member State nor a member of the European Customs Union, the bureaucratic and logistical challenges involved in German-Swiss cooperation should not be underestimated. It’s good that we can draw on many years of in-house expertise here – ideal for hotel renovations and our work as a main contractor.
This enabled us to meet the client’s requirements swiftly and efficiently. The result: a new, fresh look that makes the rooms appear larger thanks to its light, Scandinavian-style colour scheme. Where a dark wood design once dominated, the focus is now on light beige and grey tones. Real wood elements convey a sense of naturalness and freshness.
This fresh design scheme is also carried through into the bathrooms. These had originally been fitted as prefabricated ‘room-within-a-room’ solutions. They were completely removed and replaced with contemporary bathrooms. It was here that we encountered most of the surprises that come with renovating existing buildings.
First and foremost, water damage – which is why we have completely re-waterproofed all the bathrooms. All of this was carried out in close and trusting consultation with our client. “Working with SV is a dream,” says Markus.
The refurbishment also provided an opportunity to completely rethink the bathroom layout: instead of the old shower tray combinations, guests can now enjoy comfortable walk-in showers. Light-coloured tiles and large mirrors create 152 small wellness oases.
As the Courtyard by Marriott is frequently and readily used by business travellers and the crews of American airlines due to its proximity to the exhibition centre and Zurich Airport, great importance was placed on maximum connectivity when redesigning the rooms: international sockets, USB-A and USB-C ports positioned at the same height as the ergonomic desks make working easier.
The Courtyard by Marriott is now ideally equipped to meet the needs of its international guests – from business travellers to city explorers.
