Aparthotel review: Locke am Platz, Enge, Zurich

Locke is a brand of design-led serviced apartments from hospitality company edyn. The brand launched in 2016 in London and has six properties in the English capital, as well as properties in Cambridge, Dublin, Edinburgh, Manchester, Berlin and Munich.

The brand debuted in Switzerland in November 2023 with this property in Zurich, which is a conversion of the former Hotel Ascot Zurich. New properties will follow in Lisbon and Paris over the next year.

On Tessinerplatz, a square in the city’s quiet Enge neighbourhood. The property has a number of public transport options on the doorstep – it’s adjacent to a tramline stop and Zurich Enge railway station (which is served by the S-Bahn).

You can reach the city centre easily – my tram took ten minutes to reach Zurich Hauptbahnhof – and the hotel is also just a ten-minute walk from the city’s convention centre.

In terms of attractions, footie fans can hop over the road to the FIFA Museum (perfect for the Euros 2024), nature lovers can walk to Lake Zurich (a five-minute walk away), and creatives can enjoy the Rietberg Museum and its beautiful grounds – just 12 minutes walk away.

There’s also a co-working cafe next door, plus a small Coop supermarket on the same stretch – useful for those wanting to cook in their apartments.

Theatrical but not in a kitsch way, replete with red velvets, mirrored surfaces, bespoke furnishings, Greek mythical statuettes and biophilic touches. London-based studio Sella Concept has done a wonderful job of jazzing up the interiors of this rather drab building.

The small lobby features a reception desk with friendly staff members, plus a digital self check-in kiosk which emerges from a red velvet curtain.

A glam mirror-panelled staircase leads to the five floors of guest rooms (there’s also a lift), and the Choupette restaurant and bar is off to the right.

Check-in was quick and very friendly – Milos welcomed me to the property and lent me an umbrella so I could explore the local area in dry conditions. Note that check-in is from 3pm and check-out at 11am.

The 80 rooms at Locke am Platz are spread across apartment-style studios (22-27 sqm) with kitchenettes – ideal for long stays – and hotel-style room (22 sqm) and one-bed suite (39 sqm) categories which have mini fridges instead.

All categories cater to two people (or there’s an interconnecting studio which can house four people), and the majority have balconies overlooking the square. Regardless of your category, breakfast is included at Choupette.

The statement staircase in the lobby transforms into a spiral staircase with tiled monochromatic floors as you climb the six floors – another cinematic aesthetic, particularly when peering down from the sixth floor.

Rooms incorporate plush red velvet touches with warm yellow furnishings. Interiors also feature nods to the Swiss Riviera via striped accents.

Amenities, meanwhile, include a Smart HDTV equipped with Chromecast – plus plenty of info on the hotel’s facilities (including a QR code to contact the WhatsApp customer service) – as well as a safe, iron and hairdryer in the wardrobe and large-size Kinsey Apothecary toiletries in the bathroom. There are also various light fixtures, but a helpful master switch beside the bed so you don’t have to run around the room.

I stayed in a Rooftop Studio (27 sqm). Located on the sixth floor, this category features high ceilings and terraces overlooking the city’s rooftops. An entrance area is complete with plenty of wardrobes and a shelf which can be used for working (there are EU plug sockets here) or as a vanity table.

Straight ahead is the comfortable king-size bed covered in a red velvet bedspread, which merges into the matching curtains behind. As someone who struggles with sleep, I slept incredibly soundly thanks to firm pillows (which you don’t often find in hotels), great soundproofing and blackout curtains.

While this is a studio category, Locke has cleverly separated the living and bedroom space through the use of an open wooden shelving unit. A cosy yellow-hued sofa wraps around a circular table and faces the terrace – extending the room into the outside world.

With my back turned to the bed, I hardly noticed I was in the same space (and even enjoyed a nap on the sofa after my flight). It’s also a great spot for working, and each Locke accommodation has its own private wifi password – though it’s not obvious that this is found on the TV.

While I couldn’t make use of my quaint terrace due to the downpour in early June, it’s a great feature nonetheless as it provides plenty of natural light and views of Zurich’s rooftops and varied architecture. The terrace also feels incredibly private, with the sloped tiled roof separating your outdoor space from that of your neighbour.

For those that want to cook during their stay, kitchenettes are complete with all the necessary cooking paraphernalia, plus a coffee machine, induction hob, combination microwave-oven, and dishwasher (in certain categories).

Bathrooms in the Rooftop Studio category are large and feature a bathtub with an overhead shower, though mine was a little weak and the hot water seemed to be on a hiatus in the morning. Rooms are cleaned daily at this property, and the property partners with local companies for laundry.

Note that rates are discounted if you stay for longer periods of time. For instance, you can save up to 15 per cent on weekly stays, and up to 20 per cent if you’re staying for a month. The apartments are also pet-friendly, with dogs able to stay for an extra £35.

Locke always partners with local F&B providers for its restaurants and bars. The Swiss site is home to Choupette – a French-style brasserie with Nordic and Japanese influences. Guests can access it from the lobby, while a street entrance is available for locals.

The open-plan space starts with a plush terracotta-hued bar, featuring cosy sofas and velvet curtains, and opens up into a larger room with more traditional table seating, green and yellow colour schemes, abstract artwork, and beautiful bouquets of flowers.

We loved the aubergine with lemon tahini, spinach and tomato sauce (£32), and the green asparagus salad with pickles, fermented pear purée and spring onion dressing (£16).

A small buffet breakfast is also served here from 7-10am (7.30-10.30am on weekends), with cold cuts, croissants, yoghurts and boiled eggs. The breakfast is rather limited, and queues form at the single coffee machine, but there’s plenty of cafes in the surrounding area.

Choupette has a private dining room which can be used for intimate dinners or drinks.

There is no gym but rooms are equipped with yoga mats and the property has a partnership with Peloton, allowing guests to watch workout videos via the TV.

Locke also arranges various activities during the week – from walking tours to games nights – and these are advertised on a clipboard in the lift.

Having had great experiences at several Locke properties over the years, I always look forward to exploring a new outpost, confident that it will meet my expectations with stunning yet functional design for those wanting flexibility and a comfortable studio space to work remotely.

Locke am Platz is another great opening in the portfolio, and I felt like I had my own snug flat in the heart of Zurich during my short stay.

• Best for Stylish residential living in a quiet neighbourhood
• Don’t miss Booking a rooftop studio with a terrace overlooking the city
• Price Internet rates for a flexible midweek stay in September started from CHF 474 (£417) per night for a Rooftop Studio with Terrace (£325 entry level)
• Contact Tessinerplatz 9, 8002, Zurich; lockeliving.com