SRF (Swiss Radio & Television) Reports About Le Bijou

4000 Swiss francs for the feeling of being a Zurich citizen.

When a person travels, she often lands on the Internet platform Airbnb and rents a room, an apartment or a house there. Among them are not only bargain hunters. Clever young entrepreneurs are therefore opening up a new market in the high-price segment. They have secured exclusive apartments in top locations in major Swiss cities and offer them as furnished luxury apartments.

SRF (Swiss Radio & Television) reports about «Le Bijou» - the jewel

On the sign next to the bell stands «Le Bijou» - the jewel. And Madeleine Fallegger praises the two-storey rooftop apartment in Zurich's Old Town like a gem. «We work a lot with wood as the material, which gives a warm feeling, we have fur cushions, black and white photos, very high ceilings, which gives a wonderful feeling of space, and especially in this apartment, the view is certainly unbeatable.»

«The guest only pays for what he really needs.»
Madeleine Fallegger, Le Bijou foundress

The 26-year-old rents this apartment in an exclusive location on the Internet - via her company «Le Bijou». Depending on the season, a night costs between 1000 and over 4000 Swiss francs. For this proud price, the 180-square-meter apartment is developed and furnished like an upscale owner-occupied apartment, including a sauna and a roof terrace with jacuzzi.

Accommodation for those who want to stay like in a luxury hotel, but without other hotel guests.
Photo: Le Bijou HRM AG

For business people and rich tourists

There is no reception or concierge here. If you want to order a private chef in your apartment or need a chauffeur, you can do so via app. «The guest only pays for what he really needs», Fallegger says.

She and her partner Alexander Hübner had their business idea due to the boom of Airbnb. The two rent vacant luxury apartments, modernize them and then rent them out to business people and wealthy tourists from all over the world.

«The development of concepts like Le Bijou cannot be stopped.»
Jan Brucker, Director Hotel Widder

This is an alternative to a luxury hotel, says Alexander Hübner: «You have a luxurious ambiance that you don't have to share with other guests. We say ‹Hotel service without the other hotel guests›. This is something that is now being sought. People would rather feel like local residents than be in a large hotel infrastructure.»

«There will always be hotel guests»

A large luxury hotel is only a five-minute walk from the apartment at Münsterhof: Zurich's traditional Hotel Widder. Suites here cost between 900 and 5600 Swiss francs per night. Hotel director Jan Brucker follows the young competition on the Internet closely: «There is a market for it, and the development with concepts like Le Bijou is unstoppable.»

Nevertheless, Brucker does not believe that the concept of the luxury hotel is over. He also says this as President of «Swiss Deluxe Hotels», the industry association of Swiss five-star hotels.