Gasthof Oxen

A Village Institution, Reimagined

Some hotels arrive fully formed. Gasthof Oxen has had centuries to perfect itself. Standing at the heart of Küsnacht on Zurich’s elegant Gold Coast, the inn has long served as the village’s natural meeting place—a house where locals gathered for good food, conversation, and celebrations long before boutique hotels became fashionable. Its recent transformation, led by Tyler Brûlé and the creative team at Winkreative, hasn’t changed that identity. It has simply refined it.

Monocle’s Design Philosophy, Made Real

The redesign feels unmistakably Monocle. Practical rather than precious. Elegant rather than extravagant. Historic timber beams and traditional architecture remain intact, while new interventions introduce beautifully crafted oak joinery, warm brass lighting, soft mid-century furniture, and a calm palette that allows the building’s history to remain the focus. The result is contemporary without ever feeling trendy. Everything feels considered. Nothing feels forced.

Rooms That Celebrate Simplicity

Accommodation remains intentionally intimate. Seven beautifully understated guestrooms embrace a minimalist aesthetic of white walls, built-in oak furniture, wool textiles, and carefully edited details that create a sense of calm rather than excess. Shared bathrooms reinforce the atmosphere of a traditional European guesthouse, offering a refreshingly personal alternative to standardized luxury.

For something altogether different, there’s the Monocle Suite. This spacious two-bedroom apartment feels like stepping inside the pages of the magazine itself, filled with carefully selected mid-century furniture, bespoke cabinetry, original photography, and curated objects that reflect Monocle’s distinctly international yet timeless style. It’s residential, thoughtful, and wonderfully livable.

Rooted in the Region

Downstairs, the restaurant continues the inn’s longstanding role at the heart of village life. Chef Nicolas Hildebrandt builds his menus around seasonal Swiss ingredients sourced from nearby farmers, hunters, and producers, celebrating the landscapes surrounding Lake Zurich through dishes that are generous, refined, and deeply regional. Game, mushrooms, alpine cheeses, fresh vegetables, and house-baked bread appear alongside carefully selected Swiss wines in interiors defined by dark timber, soft lighting, and a warm atmosphere that encourages guests to linger. The dining room belongs as much to Küsnacht as it does to the hotel.

More Than a Boutique Hotel

Gasthof Oxen was never intended to become an exclusive design destination. Instead, it remains firmly connected to the community around it. The Oxbox café and boutique introduce Monocle’s carefully curated selection of books, magazines, design objects, and everyday essentials, while the OXENsaal hosts wine tastings, talks, exhibitions, and neighborhood gatherings throughout the year. Visitors become temporary locals. And that’s precisely the point.

Life on Zurich’s Gold Coast

Just minutes from Lake Zurich yet surrounded by the slower rhythm of village life, Küsnacht offers a gentler perspective on one of Switzerland’s most cosmopolitan regions. Guests can spend mornings swimming in the lake, afternoons exploring Zurich’s museums and galleries, and evenings returning to a village that still feels wonderfully authentic. Gasthof Oxen provides the perfect bridge between both worlds.

Why It Works

Gasthof Oxen demonstrates that heritage doesn’t need reinvention—it needs thoughtful evolution. By preserving its centuries-old role as Küsnacht’s village inn while introducing the restrained elegance and editorial eye of Monocle, it has become one of Switzerland’s most appealing small hotels. Deeply local yet internationally minded, it’s a place where timeless hospitality feels entirely contemporary.