Baur Au Lac: A Legacy by the Lake

I was surprised by how much the family stories pulled me in—the way seven generations shaped the hotel’s character feels so personal. The description of the lakeside setting makes you feel like you're there. A beautiful read for anyone who loves layered hotel histories.

The old photographs are what got me — I spent a good hour just on the section covering the hotel's early decades and the cultural figures who passed through. It reads like a proper history rather than a glossy brochure, which is what I was hoping for.

I bought this for my father, who stayed at the hotel in the 70s, and he spent an entire evening in the chapters on the seven generations of family stewardship. The writing holds up as real history rather than a glossy brochure, which is exactly what I hoped for.