The Euros 2025 tournament kicked off in Switzerland to great fanfare on Wednesday night – and England’s Lionesses are in residence at their very luxurious home for the next few weeks.
The 23-woman squad has checked into the five-star Dolder Grand in Zurich ahead of their first tough match against France on Saturday.
And England’s footballing stars are currently enjoying getting acquainted with some very swish amenities, including a 4,000-square-metre high-tech spa, Japanese restaurant and, should they need it, a personal butler service.
The defending Euros champions are likely to find their Swiss sojourn a cut above the the four-star stay in South West London ahead of their history-making win two years ago at Wembley.
Rooms at the historic Dolder Grand come in at around £640 a night, just over £500 more than a bed at The Lensbury in Twickenham, which hosted the squad in 2022 and where rooms currently cost around £130 a night.
Previous guests at the turreted Swiss lakeside property, which first opened its doors in 1899, include Nelson Mandela, The Rolling Stones and Karl Lagerfeld.
The hotel’s main restaurant – called The Restaurant – has not one but Michelin stars above its door.
The Dolder Grand may have 19th century heritage but it’s a state-of-the-art affair, with guests having the option to pay in bitcoin should they so wish.
Lionesses den: The turreted Dolder Grand will play host to the England squad during the Euros, which began on Wednesday in Switzerland
The award-winning spa and health facilities at the hotel will be particularly appealing to the England squad, who are training at the nearby Sportanlage Au facility in Opfikon
The squad’s biggest stars, including Ella Toone, left, and Alessia Russo, right, will enjoy the height of luxury during their Swiss sojourn
DJ sets and mixology: The Canvas bar and lounge has its own signature ‘Dolder Negroni’
There’s also an impressive art collection, with avant garde paintings and sculptures on display throughout the upscale property.
The belle époque hotel, which boasts two modern annexes designed by Lord Norman Foster, is considered one of Switzerland’s most luxurious places to reside, with rooms enjoying Lake Zurich and forest views.
The Lionesses – including big name stars such as Alessia Russo, Ella Toone and Beth Mead – are training at the nearby Sportanlage Au facility, normally home to FC Glattbrugg in the city of Opfikon.
The players will spend much of their downtime enjoying the hotel though.
Although they’ll probably have to avoid the Krug Lounge X bar, where guests can push gold-plated buttons to request glasses of champagne to their table for now, the team may already have earmarked it for a celebration should they lift the trophy again.
It’s thought an area of the hotel will also be decorated with England flags to make the squad feel welcome – with the hotel management team describing it as an ‘honour’ to have England’s national squad staying at the hotel.
Should things go their way, England manager Sarina Wiegman may well allow the team the chance to enjoy a tipple in the hotel’s Canvas bar and lounge, where there’s DJ sets and mixologists on hand to make signature ‘Dolder Negronis’.
Push the button: Guests checking in at the Dolder Grand’s Krug Lounger X champagne bar can access flutes without leaving their table
The hotel boasts multiple restaurants including high-end Japanese eatery Mikuriya plus the two-Michelin star Restaurant
The five-star hotel, where rooms cost around £640 a night, overlooks Lake Zurich
The 19th century hotel has steel and glass annex buildings that were designed by Lord Norman Foster, left. Right: A music themed area of the hotel, which has been a home-from-home for The Rolling Stones in Switzerland
The squad will be able to reside in understated luxury, with many rooms having forest and lake views
The squad will spend much of their downtime between matches at the historic Swiss hotel (Pictured: a bathroom in the property)
Swiss-bound: Prince William pictured with the Lionesses ahead of their flight to Switzerland at their UK training ground
Exactly how long the Lionesses will be able to enjoy the Dolder Grand will unfold in the coming weeks, England have been drawn in a ‘group of death’ alongside 2017 Euros champions the Netherlands and heavyweights France.
Back in 2022, the Lionesses had never won a major tournament and the then £118-a-night four-star Lensbury, which sits on the banks of the Thames at Teddington, close to Twickenham, was considered the right fit.
The South West London hotel sits on a 25-acre site and boasts a state-of-the-art gym, two heated indoor pools, a sauna, work-out studios, 22 tennis courts and two full-sized sports pitches in its grounds.
After the squad’s victory in the Euros final at Wembley, the hotel doubled up as a party palace for the squad and their friends and family.
In recent research on the best destinations for ex-pats, Zurich came out on top.
Global consulting firm Mercer rated cities for their expat appeal in its latest Quality of Living report in December 2024, which ‘highlights cities that stand out for their exceptional living standards, robust infrastructure and vibrant cultural scenes.’
Eight European cities dominated the top 10 spots in the rankings, with Auckland and Vancouver the only top contenders outside the continent.
Zurich took the top spot, commended for its ‘outstanding public services, low crime rates, lively cultural scene and commitment to sustainability’.
The global banking hub was pushed up the rankings this year due to its increased airport connections, with more services between the city and other continents.
But the cost of living in the Swiss city is also high, with a survey done by the EIU last year showing it was the most expensive city in the world tied with Singapore.
