The sirens echo over the rooftops, then three churches join in, slightly out of sync, with their chimes. The view from the terrace suite of the Hotel Volkshaus in Basel is spectacular: even laypeople quickly recognise the red town hall, its unmistakable spire peeking out behind the city skyline. In summer the terrace holds planters, thyme blooms, an apple tree heavy with fruit stands beside an almost-white little conifer. The raindrops patter on the stone floor – you can watch it all from the dry of the eaves, from deckchairs.
The boutique Hotel Volkshaus recently underwent a complete overhaul. The owners, entrepreneurs Leopold Weinberg and Adrian Hagenbach, took over the Volkshaus from the canton of Basel-Stadt in 2011. Now town houses have been linked together – the job entrusted to Basel architects Herzog & de Meuron, who created a stylish boutique hotel.
Guests stay in 45 rooms and suites; the largest is the penthouse. Everything in the 70-square-metre loft is of elegant simplicity: the wallpaper shows historical scenes in pastel, WC and shower are hidden in cabins – so discreetly that we only discover the second toilet the next morning. Beautiful design everywhere, and even the shower is remarkable: the herbal shower gel even matches the may-green tiles.
Some things at the Volkshaus needed no architects but were shaped by nature – such as the inner courtyard, where you sit under chestnut trees as the fountain murmurs. We, though, prefer to settle in the thick of things: on the terrace of the IMI Bar we ease into the evening with a New York IPA and a glass of champagne. A scamp blows out the lit candle on the next table and grins at us mischievously.
A Cosmopolitan Brasserie
It’s not only the four-star hotel’s spaces that are new, but the staff too: the house is run by Manuela Voser, and in the kitchen Kevin Kirchmaier is in charge. On our visit the brasserie is practically fully booked; the room is dominated by a “watering can” – an art installation by Florian Graf – and mouth-blown ceiling lamps. We start with fried mushrooms and oysters; at one table French is spoken, at another English – we feel cosmopolitan and toast with a Negroni and a Whiskey Sour.
The coq au vin comes with sweet-potato mash and roasted-vegetable jus; the tortelloni with summer truffle prove the brigade’s craft. Chef Kirchmaier is generous with the portions. We skip dessert – the penthouse terrace awaits, where we let the evening fade in bathrobes and woollen blankets.
Sightseeing With a Twist
The next morning the sun appears – and with it the city at its finest. We lace up our running shoes; depending on the season, “sight jogging” can also become “sight swimming”: just walk a little upstream and let the Rhine carry you (don’t forget the dry bag, and keep your eyes open – tankers pass through now and then). The Volkshaus offers the matching “Splash Package”. We jog past Basel Minster, where the organist is already practising; apart from the organ and our steps on the cobbles, nothing can be heard.
Läckerli and Castles in the Air
Back in Kleinbasel the bakeries take effect – a Basel Läckerli? We resist and, after a shower, take a seat at the bar, whose counter becomes a breakfast buffet in the morning. The choice is so lavish that the offered egg dish is unnecessary. Art museum or House of Cultures? Nothing of the sort: we slip back into the bathrobes and laze on the deckchairs of the terrace. It is utterly silent – the view is simply perfect.
This article appeared in MEN issue 2/24 (November 2024).
