Appenzeller Huus Löwen

Appenzeller Huus Löwen, a Michelin Key Selected property in Gonten, Switzerland, is highly regarded for its successful fusion of Appenzell tradition with modern hotel standards. It offers a calm, cozy, and luxurious mountain escape, consistently earning "wonderful" ratings from guests.

1. Overall Rating & Sentiment

The overall sentiment for Appenzeller Huus Löwen is overwhelmingly positive, with guests frequently describing their stays as "wonderful" and "fantastic." Review scores for cleanliness (9.5), comfort (9.6), and staff (9.4) are exceptionally high, indicating a superior guest experience. The hotel is praised for its beautiful design and the welcoming atmosphere it provides.

2. Key Highlights

Guests consistently highlight several aspects of Appenzeller Huus Löwen that make their stay memorable:

• Design & Atmosphere: The hotel beautifully combines "old and new" elements, featuring traditional wooden structures and modern, newly designed rooms. Guests appreciate the soul and character of the house and its appealing wooden interiors. The entrance area with a fireplace is particularly noted as overwhelming in a positive way.
• Service & Hospitality: The staff are frequently described as very friendly, helpful, attentive, and exceptionally welcoming. The personalized service is a recurring commendation.
• Dining: The breakfast buffet is consistently praised for being wonderful, rich, and featuring local products of outstanding quality, including freshly prepared egg dishes. The quality of dinner at the Löwen restaurant is also highly rated.
• Amenities: Guests enjoy amenities such as a sauna and steam room, free WiFi, and the unique "Hotpot" hot tub experience on the roof with mountain views. Complimentary still and sparkling mineral water in the rooms is also a thoughtful touch.

3. Room Quality

The rooms at Appenzeller Huus Löwen are described as modern, super comfortable, and beautifully designed. They often feature a traditional pine style with ample storage and very comfortable beds, some with hand-stitched duvets. Guests appreciate the spaciousness of both the rooms and bathrooms. Many rooms offer mountain or city views and include a work desk, TV, and free toiletries. The wooden knitted structure of the building is noted to contribute to a high recovery factor, suggesting excellent sleep quality.

4. Dining Experience

The dining experience at Appenzeller Huus Löwen is a significant highlight. The breakfast buffet is consistently praised for its richness, variety, and the inclusion of high-quality local products like cheeses from local dairies, milk from local farms, and honey from local apiaries. Eggs cooked to order and good coffee are also frequently mentioned. The Löwenstobe restaurant serves local cuisine for lunch and dinner, with guests reporting excellent food quality and a beautiful ambiance. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are available. There is also the option of a tasting menu at the connected Bären hotel across the street.

5. Service & Staff

The service and staff receive exceptional praise, with a high rating of 9.4 for staff performance. Guests consistently describe the personnel as very friendly, helpful, attentive, and welcoming. Specific mentions include "exceptionally helpful" staff at the check-in desk and personalized service. The hospitality is highlighted as a key part of the Appenzell experience.

6. Location & Accessibility

Appenzeller Huus Löwen is situated in Gonten, a tiny, charming, and beautiful village nestled in the Swiss Alps, about an hour's drive east of Zurich Airport. It's conveniently located just a few meters from Gonten train station, offering easy access by train with a change at Gossau from Zurich Airport. The hotel is approximately two minutes away from Appenzell village. The surrounding area offers beautiful landscapes, perfect for hiking, biking, and other outdoor activities, with trails starting directly from the hotel. Attractions like the Jakobsbad-Kronberg Cable Car are also nearby.

7. Value & Pricing

While specific price ranges vary, reviews suggest that guests generally find the experience to be of good value, with a "Value for money" rating of 8.3. Overnight rates at the associated Huus Quell start from $550, which includes breakfast and access to the Quell Spa's wellness areas and pools. Guests are advised to book directly with the hotel for the best rates. The luxurious offerings and high-quality service contribute to the perceived worth.

8. Common Complaints

While the reviews are largely positive, some minor issues have been noted:

• Split Facilities: Reception for Huus Löwen is located across the road in the neighboring Huus Bären, which can be inconvenient, especially in bad weather. Similarly, breakfast and spa facilities for Löwen guests are sometimes located in other buildings within the Appenzeller Huus complex, requiring movement between buildings. A tunnel is reportedly under construction to connect the buildings.
• Lack of In-Room Hot Drink Facilities: Some guests have expressed disappointment about the absence of tea and coffee making facilities in the rooms or even in the Löwen building outside of dinner hours, an amenity expected at this standard of hotel.
• Breakfast Buffet Logistics (historical): One guest mentioned that the path from the table to the breakfast buffet in a different room involved steps, which was considered inconvenient. However, the hotel's response indicates this situation has been optimized and the breakfast will soon be accessible without steps.
• Reception Warmth (isolated incident): An isolated complaint mentioned a receptionist being not very welcoming.
• Spa Capacity (related to Huus Bären): The wellness area in Huus Bären was noted to be rather small and quickly full on a Saturday evening. However, the new Huus Quell offers a significantly larger wellness area (over 2200 square meters) which should address this for the Appenzeller Huus complex.

Sources

1. booking.com
2. preferredhotels.com
3. booking.com
4. hotels.com
5. travelandleisure.com
6. booking.com