Pouch

My wife and I will fly into Zurich on Aug 7, 2014 to pick up a Rhine River cruise in Basel on Sat the 9th. The tour operator has us staying at an airport hotel in Zurich but wondering if anyone has a better idea. Would you stay in Zurich or Basel. Was originally going to do a Jungfraujoch tour but since weather is a real concern (as well as the 11+ hour day) wondering about other ideas/options. Thanks in advance

PalenQ

I would suggest taking the short train ride from Zurich to Lucerne and staying the day there in what is one of the most beautiful towns in Europe - on a lovely lake - take a lake steamer cruise in the afternoon - could not be lovelier - and it is a short train ride to Basel, about the same time as from Zurich.

https://www.google.com/search?q=luce...=1600&bih=1074

Ingo

Zürich has enough to keep you busy for two days. Picturesque old town, a couple of churches, very interesting museums, the zoo, viewpoints accessible by funiculars, trains, cog-trains (Poly Terrace, Rigiblick, Üetliberg, Zürichberg ...) and hiking trails with views, cruises on the lake to Rapperswil with view of the Alps, beautiful parks and lakeside beaches ... not to mention window shopping and fabulous cafes/pastry shops.

dulciusexasperis

Arriving at what time of day and from where? If you are flying from N. America you will probably arrive around mid-day and be jet-lagged.

Arriving two days early is a good idea for that reason alone. But that first HALF day you won't be up for anything strenuous and adding on a move however short will just up the stress. So I'd stay in Zurich but not at an airport hotel. I'd find another travel agent next time by the way.

Find yourself a nice hotel downtown as Ingo suggests and relax. On day 2, do things of interest to you in Zurich and take the train to Basel on Saturday morning (assuming your departure on your cruise is not too early that morning (you haven't said).

PalenQ

Basel is also a very pleasant - surprisingly pleasant to me from my expectations.

Michael

Agree that there is enough to do in Zurich, and I would stay in the city itself. Another option is to go directly to Basel and spend the two days there.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...th/4207010064/

PalenQ

Zurich is a very nice city - Basel too.

Lucerne however is exceptional and being smaller easily manageable - in terms of beauty all are nice but none can compare to Lucerne, on lovely Lake Lucerne - again you can do a relaxing boat ride on the lake:

https://www.google.com/search?q=lake...=1600&bih=1026.

Zurich is also on a lake -which though really nice is not nearly as awesome as Lake Lucerne but if staying in Zurich, again IME a really nice place that is often maligned by some without justification do a boat ride there too - riding one of Switzerland's iconic lake steamers is a real treat - just laze baack and watch the scenes glide by - bring your own wine or whatever picnic aboard - that's always fine.

traveller1959

Luzern is just 45 minutes by train from Zürich - so, it is no question.

What I would do:

If the weather is fine, I would board the train to Luzern, stroll through town, ride up the tram to Mount Pilatus, ride the boat and go back to Zürich.

The other day I would spend in Zürich which has lots to offer, as Ingo writes.

If the weather is not good, you can spend two days in Zürich as well as in Basel.

BTW, on a warm day, I would go swimming either in Lake Zürich or in the river Limmat. The "Kastenbäder" are attractions in themselves. Also good places to spend a unique evening, because the Frauenbad turns into a nightclub after dark.

Pepper_von_snoot

I would also rather stay in Luzern.

I don't like Zürich. I think it is a banking city. It is pleasant enough but it is just too formal, too sterile for my taste.

Luzern is more relaxed, more picturesque than Zürich.

You can take a train right from Zürich Flughafen to Luzern HBH.

My favourite hotel in Luzern is the Montana.

Now, if I could stay anywhere before my cruise, I would stay in Wengen. But, that would be a very long train ride from Zürich.

Any travel agent who tells you to stay at a
Zürich Flughafen hotel is a fool.

Can't comment on Basel because I have not been there in over 20 years.

Train schedules:
WWW.SBB.CH


Thin

Ingo

Basel is also a very interesting city, but somehow I like Zürich better - probably because of the wide open views, especially with the Alps in the background, and because of the lake instead the Rhine river.

While I agree that Lucerne's setting is more impressive than Zürich's (the mountains are closer and higher), I found Lucerne to be awfully touristy. Loads of bus tours, and since Lucerne is much smaller than Zürich you cannot really avoid them.

Let's say you cannot go wrong with either.

Michael

I do not think that Lucerne deserves more than a day, whereas Zurich and even more so Basel can take up the two free days.

Pouch

We arrive midday day 1, board the river cruise at 5pm on day 3. Ideas for Zurich hotels ? Will head to Basel early morning day 3. Thanks all.

dulciusexasperis

LOL, so the consensus is stay in Zurich, Lucerne or Basel. All have their good points and proponents. As usual, personal bias is influencing choices, rather than which might suit YOUR plans Pouch.

So since no one can agree on which city to stay in, how about agreement on the travel agent? Can we agree on that?

Please vote. I vote, fire the travel agent who suggested an airport hotel. Pepper has also voted that way. Your vote?

dulciusexasperis

For a Zurich hotel suggestion you need to indicate some kind of budget don't you think Pouch?

Ingo

Yeah, we can agree on firing the travel agent. Lousy job he did.

> As usual, personal bias is influencing choices, rather than which might suit YOUR plans Pouch.

The problem is that any of the cities mentioned would suit Pouch's plans. Like I said in my most recent comment, they cannot go wrong with any of the three cities. Everyone here gave reasons why they would pick one over the other, which is fine because we do not know what Pouch likes.

Ingo

PS: Agree that some sort of budget is a *must* for recommending a hotel in Zürich. The differences are just too big.

simpsonc510

Re: ZRH hotels... the Movenpick is very nice! You don't say which hotel has been chosen, but we are happy to have found the Movenpick, and we stay there at least four times per year, both for coming into and exiting Switzerland, two trips per year minimum. We have also stayed at Holiday Inn Express and Renaissance. Movenpick is preferred.

In the city, I really like the Glockenhof Hotel or the Seidenhof Hotel. Both are in excellent locations with regards to the Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. Strolling (window shopping) along the Bahnhofstrasse, from the main train station all the way to the lake, is delightful!

I'm glad to see mention of Locarno in above posts. What a lovely town! Have not been for a few years, but always enjoy it!

And YES to Lucerne. It is one of the most beautiful places on earth, IMO.

Pouch

They have us at the Movenpick at the airport. As to a budget, think 4 star. Thanks again for all the comments.

Pepper_von_snoot

I have stayed at three different hotels in Zurich:

Baur au Lac $$$$

Dolder Grand $$$$

Pension St. Josef $$

Another very nice hotel is the Zum Storchen, which is in an ideal location.

Thin

Ingo

Another vote for Zum Storchen.