One of the newest hotels in Zürich, the Townhouse has nailed the boutique hotel aesthetic. Colourful and chic yet homely, owner Beatice Sos toured Europe sourcing wallpaper, furniture and antiques to create a funked-up English aesthetic.

With just 21 rooms ranging over 3 and half floors of an office block on central Schützengasse, walking into the 5th floor reception is like entering a friend’s stylish home. For there is no reception as such, just a stately desk for the formalities in the guest ‘living room’, complete with battered leather armchairs, darkly ornate wallpaper and quirky accessories. Open 24 hours a day, it has a selection of books, newspapers, magazines and DVDs and an honesty bar in the corner stocked with coffee, wine, liqueurs and snacks.

The decently sized guest rooms and suites are defined by exuberantly coloured Designers Guild wallpaper, antiques and funkily upholstered one-off pieces of furniture add charm and quirkiness whilst super comfortable ‘Sleepeezee’ beds, 32″ flat screens, iPod docking stations, DVD players and Molton Brown toiletries ensure you’ll never want to check out.