Burgers, fries and fun children’s meals – people associate McDonald’s with fast food.
But back in the early 2000s, the company tried its hand at a different corner of the hospitality sector: it launched a hotel.
The £12million Golden Arch Hotel swung open its doors near Zurich Airport, Switzerland, in 2001, complete with 211 beds.
Rooms were reportedly priced at a competitive £75 per night and the hotel labelled itself as four stars.
McDonald’s Switzerland boss, Urs Hammer fronted the project and planned to build more across Switzerland and another hotel did open in Lully.
From the outside, guests were greeted by a sleek, grey exterior with tall windows and a large sign reading ‘Golden Arch Hotel’.
Inside, the beds were framed by giant arches in a nod to the fast-food chain.
There was even a McDonald’s restaurant downstairs and a coffee shop called Aroma Cafes, which later became Cafe Nero.
But back in the early 2000s, McDonald’s tried its hand at a different corner of the hospitality sector and opened a hotel
The £12million Golden Arch Hotel opened its doors near Zurich Airport in 2001 with 211 beds
Rooms were reportedly priced at a competitive £75 per night and the hotel labelled itself as four stars
However, the hotel was not a success and it closed just two years later in 2003.
According to The Sun, coverage from The Times when the hotel was open read: ‘What you get is a stunningly beautiful, sleek modernist, four-storey construction clad in steel-grey reflective glass.
‘The facade has a graceful, curved sweep, making it look more like a sleek research facility than Ronald McDonald’s crash pad.’
Meanwhile, former CEO Jack Greenberg spoke about the hotel plans at a press conference in 2000, according to The FW.
‘Innovation is always on the menu at McDonald’s,’ he said.
‘Our passion for making customers smile extends very naturally to the hotel sector.’
In the end, there were several issues that led to the end of the hotel project.
According to Harvard Business Review, the phrase ‘golden arches’ isn’t linked with McDonald’s in German-speaking places.
From the outside, guests were greeted by a sleek, grey exterior with tall windows and a large sign reading ‘Golden Arch Hotel’
Inside, the beds were framed by giant arches in a nod to the fast-food chain
However, the hotel was not a success and it closed just two years later in 2003
The idea of a four-star hotel and a fast food chain didn’t quite sit well together either, and Wall Street Journal reported a financial analyst said: “I’ve just come back from lunch at McDonald’s.
‘But I can’t imagine staying at a McDonald’s hotel on a business trip.”
Meanwhile, guests staying at the establishment also complained about a lack of privacy with the glass showers.
The glass was reportedly frosted later on to help improve the situation.
