Near everything, this late-19th-century hotel reopened in spring 2004 under new, family management after a total overhaul, blessed by Relais & Chateaux. All 22 suites are bigger than many an apartment dweller's entire home (well, in Manhattan anyway) and are coolly functional in slick neutrals with custom everything and a distinctly 21st-century aura. The restaurant and bistro are both way better than they needed to be.

The location of this 1844 former aristocratic residence next to Bahnhofstrasse shopping scores perfectly. "Small elevators, elaborate woodwork, and high ceilings" set the tone. Bright accommodations have custom chocolates waiting for guests. In summer, Le Pavillon dishes up French cuisine in the gardens. "Instead of calling a cab, staff folded us into their Mercedes and drove us in style to our train."

(124 rooms)

Four years, $380 million, and the talents of architect Norman Foster have given this 110-year-old fairy-tale castle hotel a stunning update, with two new modern wings, a 43,000-square-foot state-of-the-art spa, and 173 guest rooms. Several unique original details were kept or restored—such as the lobby's painted wood ceiling (smartly matched with metallic chandeliers) and the old-fashioned floral wallpaper in Deluxe Suite 4112—but in general the decor, even in the historic building, is more 2009 than 1899. A dramatically lit skywalk-style hallway leads to either the new golf or spa wings. Standard doubles, while comfortable and with a bathroom that centers around a deep tub, are hard-pressed to merit the $707 asking price, as there are no butlers on hand—unusual at this price point—or technological standouts. But the staff are efficient and the location unbeatable.

The peculiar name makes sense when you learn that the Lady is indeed First if she wants a room with a view and a spa—the top two floors are for women only, along with steam, sauna, and treatment rooms and a rooftop lake-view terrace. A 19th-century town house near the opera was renovated by architect Pia Schmid in a minimal, if colorful, style. Public rooms have slate-blue floors and brick-red walls; the 28 bedrooms (women's and coed alike) have unadorned herringbone parquet floors, spiky steel furniture, and walls painted plum or eggplant with a big graphic beige rectangle or just left white with the original moldings—and that's about it. There's a TV but no a/c and limited room service. The best rooms have big windows and a few have little balconies too. The net effect is welcoming, especially if you're a Lady.

In the financial district near the main shopping boulevard, Bahnhofstrasse, on the site of a former parking garage, stands this 142-room deluxe number. It opened in 2004 and was the first newly built five-star in Zurich in three decades. The place has all the Park Hyatt signature elements: big rooms with tan-taupe color schemes and lots of timber, walk-in closets, vast floor-to-ceiling windows, flattering lighting on dimmers, and every comfort, from desks with ergonomic chairs, broadband access, and dual voltage points to Bang & Olufsen multichannel satellite TV with DVD and CD. Oversized bathrooms have deep soaking tubs, separate showers, and unusual Blaise Mautin products. There's a fitness center, two restaurants—one fancy, the other fancier—and a bar-lounge, all hung with color-rich abstract modern canvases. There's really nothing you can say against it—if a modern, ultracomfortable, not awfully personal hotel is your bag, this is going to hit the sweet spot.

One of the earlier examples of Zurich's new design wave just celebrated its tenth birthday—and it's aging beautifully. Architect Tilla Theus constructed the hotel on the bones of a row of eight Augustiner Quarter medieval town houses, all designated historic monuments, and the result is a benign labyrinth of levels and nooks, connected by steel and glass stairs, porticos, and surprising little courtyards. The 49 rooms are very varied—one has a checkerboard wall of ancient beams; another a fresco and a Corbusier lounger; yet another has a flagstone floor and a 17th-century four-poster; rooms in the Haus zum Pferch have ornate Baroque wood paneling. All have Bang & Olufsen electronics, cable TV, and a/c and at least some exposed beams or stone walls to remind you where you are. The views from the various roof decks are stunning; service discreet and complete.