Zurich Hotel and others
Mar 1st, 2005, 07:38 PM
#1
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Zurich Hotel and others
Hi.
Hotel Helmhaus Zurich has quoted me the price of CHF280 per night, for a Superior Double Room (25square metres, inclusive of tax/service, and buffet breakfast) for the 2nd weekend stay of April. Reasonable price and quality?
Can anyone advise me whether Niederdorfstrasse, the red light district, is behind this hotel site? Is it a safe place to walk around the Hotel Helmhaus, especially at night?
I would also seek your advice whether mid-April is a rainy season (mid of Spring?) and what would be the appropriate dress code?
If I want to take a short trip to the mountain outside of Zurich, which is the nearest mountain?
Many thanks, I really benefit alot learning about Zurich from this site.
Hotel Helmhaus Zurich has quoted me the price of CHF280 per night, for a Superior Double Room (25square metres, inclusive of tax/service, and buffet breakfast) for the 2nd weekend stay of April. Reasonable price and quality?
Can anyone advise me whether Niederdorfstrasse, the red light district, is behind this hotel site? Is it a safe place to walk around the Hotel Helmhaus, especially at night?
I would also seek your advice whether mid-April is a rainy season (mid of Spring?) and what would be the appropriate dress code?
If I want to take a short trip to the mountain outside of Zurich, which is the nearest mountain?
Many thanks, I really benefit alot learning about Zurich from this site.
Mar 2nd, 2005, 12:33 AM
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Niederdorf is not the red light district. It is old town and has restaurants and bars. Langstrasse is red light district and nowhere near your hotel.
Weather is always rainy in Zurich, potentially.
I recommend going to Lucerne which is a 45 minutes away, you can the catch a ferry to several mountains (mount Rigi etc). Or there is Heidiland which is about an hour away by train.
Weather is always rainy in Zurich, potentially.
I recommend going to Lucerne which is a 45 minutes away, you can the catch a ferry to several mountains (mount Rigi etc). Or there is Heidiland which is about an hour away by train.
Mar 2nd, 2005, 01:59 AM
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I live about 30 feet from the Helmhaus. It is not in the red light district. It is in the Oberdorf. The Niederdorf is at the other end of this area, maybe 3/4 of a mile away, and very limited parts of the Neiderdorf are the red light district, i.e. some strip clubs. Many people confuse the Oberdorf and the Niederdorf. Some people say parts of the Neiderdorf are not safe very late at night, I have not experienced this. About 20 years ago the Neiderdorf was much more dangerous as it was near "needle park” where the govt gave out free needles to heroin addicts, but Zurich has changed a lot since then and even the "bad" parts of the Niederdorf are fine. (Of course my mother, like the guidebooks, only remembers the needle park part. . .)
The Helmhaus is in an excellent location for sightseeing in the old town on both parts of the river, and is quite close to the lake. It is quite at night as well. Some very good restaurants in the neighborhood, including a great Thai restaurant on Kirchgasse, just around the corner, called Baan Song Thai.
Sorry, I am not a fan of Lucerne, which is fine if you want to LOOK at mountains, but not if you want to be IN the mountains. The old town areas of Zurich are prettier than Lucerne, IMO and you will be in the midst of them at the Helmhaus. To be in the mountains do the following: take a train from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen (2.5 hours, a pretty ride), then either the little mountain railroad to Wengen (30 minutes) or the funicular to Murren (30 minutes). Either town offers spectacular views of the Jungfrau, Eiger and Munch mountains and have great (and easy walks). If you want to take the train to the top of the Jungfrau (an expensive trip and only worthwhile on a clear day) you can do that from Wengen; if you want to do this, consider staying overnight in Wengen as you chances of having clear skies are better early in the morning.
April is still not quite spring here, Zurich sometimes gets snow in April. Expect cool to cold weather and rain, although you may luck out a get warm and sunny weather. The mountains will be cold, like in the 30s F, and will still have snow. Dress accordingly. Look at weatherbase.com for historical temps and rainfall.
Website for Swiss Rail is rail.ch, it will give you all the train info you need.
To get to the Helmhaus from the airport, I believe the hotel participates in the hotel shuttle bus service for Zurich (called, for reasons known only to the Swiss, as the “Joker Bus”). Contact the hotel for details and prices. A taxi would cost about US$50 and take about 10 minutes. Otherwise, you can take a train from the airport to the Stadelhofen train station (one of the 4 other train stations in Zurich besides the main train station, the Hautbanhof), and walk to the hotel in under 5 minutes. The train may go first to the Hautbanhof station, but just stay on to the next stop which is Stadelhofen). The walk is pretty much a straight shot from the station down Stadelhoferstrasse (to the right with your back to the station) for two blocks, cross at the light, and the street becomes Oberdorfstrasse, go 6 blocks and then turn left onto Rossilgasse, take to the end, turn right onto Schifflande, the hotel is about 10 feet from there; get a map or write back if you want precise details.
What days in April will you be here? My favorite holiday in Switzerland is Monday April 18 and is celebrated only in Zurich, and there are some events associated with in on the 16th and 17th. It would be fun for you to be here as there is a parade and a ritual burning of a snowman to see how quickly spring will arrive. It is called Seschaultan.
The Helmhaus is in an excellent location for sightseeing in the old town on both parts of the river, and is quite close to the lake. It is quite at night as well. Some very good restaurants in the neighborhood, including a great Thai restaurant on Kirchgasse, just around the corner, called Baan Song Thai.
Sorry, I am not a fan of Lucerne, which is fine if you want to LOOK at mountains, but not if you want to be IN the mountains. The old town areas of Zurich are prettier than Lucerne, IMO and you will be in the midst of them at the Helmhaus. To be in the mountains do the following: take a train from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen (2.5 hours, a pretty ride), then either the little mountain railroad to Wengen (30 minutes) or the funicular to Murren (30 minutes). Either town offers spectacular views of the Jungfrau, Eiger and Munch mountains and have great (and easy walks). If you want to take the train to the top of the Jungfrau (an expensive trip and only worthwhile on a clear day) you can do that from Wengen; if you want to do this, consider staying overnight in Wengen as you chances of having clear skies are better early in the morning.
April is still not quite spring here, Zurich sometimes gets snow in April. Expect cool to cold weather and rain, although you may luck out a get warm and sunny weather. The mountains will be cold, like in the 30s F, and will still have snow. Dress accordingly. Look at weatherbase.com for historical temps and rainfall.
Website for Swiss Rail is rail.ch, it will give you all the train info you need.
To get to the Helmhaus from the airport, I believe the hotel participates in the hotel shuttle bus service for Zurich (called, for reasons known only to the Swiss, as the “Joker Bus”). Contact the hotel for details and prices. A taxi would cost about US$50 and take about 10 minutes. Otherwise, you can take a train from the airport to the Stadelhofen train station (one of the 4 other train stations in Zurich besides the main train station, the Hautbanhof), and walk to the hotel in under 5 minutes. The train may go first to the Hautbanhof station, but just stay on to the next stop which is Stadelhofen). The walk is pretty much a straight shot from the station down Stadelhoferstrasse (to the right with your back to the station) for two blocks, cross at the light, and the street becomes Oberdorfstrasse, go 6 blocks and then turn left onto Rossilgasse, take to the end, turn right onto Schifflande, the hotel is about 10 feet from there; get a map or write back if you want precise details.
What days in April will you be here? My favorite holiday in Switzerland is Monday April 18 and is celebrated only in Zurich, and there are some events associated with in on the 16th and 17th. It would be fun for you to be here as there is a parade and a ritual burning of a snowman to see how quickly spring will arrive. It is called Seschaultan.
Mar 2nd, 2005, 11:52 AM
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Sorry to hijack this post, but I wanted to ask a follow-up. I'm going to be stay at the Walhalla close to the main train station, and I'm wondering if this is where said red light district is? What exactly constitutes the Nierderdorfstrasse, and especially Langstrasse, and what sights are around them? Just trying to get my bearings - thank you.
Mar 2nd, 2005, 01:05 PM
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Dude, pull up www.mappy.com and enter 'Langestrasse', then your hotel's street... I don't think they are anywhere near each other.
Mar 2nd, 2005, 10:39 PM
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Thanks for all the ideas. Really appreciate it.
My tentative schedule for Zurich is from 8 April to 11 April 05.
Incidentally are there any Watch and Clock Museums in Zurich. Seems to be concentrated in Geneva...
My tentative schedule for Zurich is from 8 April to 11 April 05.
Incidentally are there any Watch and Clock Museums in Zurich. Seems to be concentrated in Geneva...
Mar 3rd, 2005, 06:20 AM
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Joe and others, I used mappy.com a lot to determine if my hotels were really 'walkable' distance from the train stations. The results were always sufficiently accurate. Sometimes the 'location indicator' (circle?) is a bit off but it's a great tool overall.
Used it for a few days' driving in France - printed off the directional text and the maps, and then paired with a Michelin foldout map. That worked pretty well, also.
Used it for a few days' driving in France - printed off the directional text and the maps, and then paired with a Michelin foldout map. That worked pretty well, also.
