Perched high on a hill above Zurich, overlooking the postcard-perfect city, its sparkling lakes, and the snow-dusted peaks of the Alps, stands one of Switzerland’s most remarkable buildings.
Welcome to The Dolder Grand Hotel, as opulent as its name suggests. For a cool £13,500 a night, you can book the most lavish suite in the house – complete with butler service, a grand piano, sauna and steam shower, and panoramic views across Switzerland’s largest city.
For something a bit more active, £55 an hour grants you access to the Lacoste clay tennis court, tucked away in the surrounding forest. Upon arrival, you’re handed a Lacoste bag with rackets, balls, and towels where you can step, quite literally, into Novak Djokovic’s shoes.
In need of relaxation? Head to the award-winning spa for a body scrub or unwind in the serene meditation room. Hungry? Take your pick from four restaurants, including the two-Michelin-starred flagship, where the four-course lunch menu on offer will set you back £220.
The turreted fairytale castle is a fitting residence for the reigning queens of European football – even if their dominance has wavered at times during this tournament. But as they say, a little challenge is the mark of a healthy reign.
Everyone from Winston Churchill and Leonardo DiCaprio to Nelson Mandela has stayed here – and during their time, England have even overlapped with popstars Kylie Minogue and Justin Timberlake.
England will face Italy in the Euros semi-finals on Tuesday after a dramatic win against Sweden
The Lionesses have been staying in one of Switzerland’s most remarkable buildings – The Dolder Grand Hotel
The hotel is perched high on a hill above Zurich, overlooking the postcard-perfect city
This is, without question, the most luxurious accommodation the Lionesses have ever experienced – with their own private wing, no less – and it’s a world away from the more modest lodgings of previous tournaments.
In Australia, England’s Terrigal basecamp was an hour-and-a-half away from the nearest city Sydney while here in Switzerland, the Dolder may look and feel like a tranquil escape, but it is also only a seven-minute funicular ride into town.
The players have been embracing the upgrade, often spotted around Zurich enjoying moments of downtime with friends and family whenever the schedule allows.
Back at the hotel there’s a terrace with deckchairs and a small net for keepy-up challenges, all, of course, adorned with the Three Lions crest. Inside, a poster featuring childhood photos of the players in their grassroots kits adds a personal touch, while even Sarina Wiegman has been joining in a darts competition.
Everything has been tailored to the finest detail, with the FA even bringing in a feng shui expert to adjust chairs, lighting and table arrangements to optimise the players’ behavioural patterns. The training ground is just a 15-minute drive away, where the squad have benefited from a portable cryotherapy chamber to aid muscle recovery.
With facilities like these, it’s clear the expectation isn’t just comfort – it’s silverware. The environment around the Lionesses isn’t just world-class, it’s built for champions.
As for Wiegman, she has been taking more of a relaxed approach in terms of her squad bonding than in years past – meaning there’s nothing along the lines of a seating plan at dinner time.
‘When I was a schoolteacher I would do those things, but now it’s so intense,’ the Dutch coach said. ‘The players travel so much, playing at the highest level, they need to find some space away from training sessions and meetings where they can just sit with who they want to sit with.
For a cool £13,500 a night, you can book the most lavish suite in the house
In need of relaxation? Head to the award-winning spa for a body scrub
The training ground is just a 15-minute drive away, where the squad have benefited from a portable cryotherapy chamber to aid muscle recovery
‘If it’s always the same and that gives a player that headspace and relaxation, that’s good for the team. It’s different when something becomes a clique but that’s absolutely not the case. I would want to organise when I started as a coach, but it’s less organised now.’
Ironically, this looser structure has drawn the squad closer. Earlier in the week captain Leah Williamson described how this year’s group has spent more time together than ever – starting with a team boat trip across Lake Zurich.
Williamson even joked that she tried to live ‘a day in the life of Beth Mead’: ‘It meant I didn’t go back to my room and was very sociable, but I slept well at the end of the day. In 2022, I slept every moment I wasn’t on the pitch, so it’s a bit different this time.’
After Thursday night’s dramatic, late victory over Sweden, the players wound down by watching an episode of Love Island – a favourite in the team camp. One familiar face was missing from the villa, though.
Alessia Russo’s brother, Giorgio Russo, who had been a contestant this season but was dumped from the show earlier in the week, just before England’s quarter-final.
The players have been focused on rest and recovery, with a weary-looking Esme Morgan admitting she’s still catching up on her sleep since the drama of the penalty shoot-out.
Sarina Wiegman has been taking more of a relaxed approach in terms of her squad bonding than in years past
‘Everyone who played significant minutes had a recovery day to be able to just sort of reset, get moving again. The finishers went to train and had a really intense session. But yeah, it’s just a case of getting off feet, bringing yourself back down to earth, even mentally, just to have a chilled day to reset after all of the excitement of the night before.
‘Just everyone being able to relax, switch off a little bit, ready to then turn our full focus to the Italy game and be ready to go with full energy into that.’
It might feel like a luxury retreat but make no mistake – this is a title hunt in five-star comfort.
