Any suggestions for a 3-star hotel convenient to the train station in Lausanne? I see Hotel Elite which appears to fit the bill (price range 135-170CHF) for a solo female traveler 3 nights in July.

Possibly in Geneva, but I'm not sure this price range would get her something nice (near the Old Town or the lake maybe?) in the city. Also have seen posted here some negatives about the hotels or area around the train station in Geneva.

I'm working on this for a girlfriend for the last few days of a two week trip. Flying out of Geneva 11am.

Thank you to everyone for any ideas or leads for me to investigate.

Hotel Suisse, Geenva
Hotel de la Nouvelle Couronne, Morges
Hotel Elite, Lausanne
have been suggested to far, any others?

I would suggest Vevey rather than Lausanne, smaller more charming and maybe better for a single traveller. She can go to Lausanne for the day, which has an excellent old town, and also hit the other towns by ferry. There is very good access to walks in the vineyard areas from Vevey and she can rent a bike (for free) from the train station and ride all the way down to Montreux and the castle at Chillon if she wants. they also have a farmers and wine market on Saturday.

A hotel I would recco is below. I have not stayed but have eaten there and thought it was good, this hotel gets good reviews here. It is a 3 star and would be in that range I think. It is walkable to the train station, and from Vevey it is about an hour to the Geneva airport (there is an 8:30 am train that woudl get to to the airport at 9:30 with no changes that would be fine for her flight I think, check rail.ch for other trains):

Hotel Les Negociants
27, rue du Conseil
Vevey
http://www.hotelnegociants.ch/francais/index.htm

The area around the train station in Geneva is fine, just like most train station areas, a little run down. Not dangerous or anything, and no lake views or real charm like Vevey (or Lausanne.)

Sorry, did not see the Morges hotel, that is also another lovely small town and would be a better choice probably than Lausanne or Geneva. I don't know the hotel, but like the town. I still think I prefer Vevey, its aspect on the lake is just a little bit better in term of Alp views, but really Morges is quite nice as well and has a very nice harbour area. It is only 30 minutes to the airport by train (which also tells you why the views aren't quite as good, it is much closer to Geneva).

Cicerone, Thank you so much. I also prefer Vevey myself. And appreciate the comments about Morges. Because her time frame falls within the Montreux Jazz Festival, I was worried about sending her to either Vevey or Montreux for difficulty getting a hotel.

That said, I am collecting and copying all comments to pass on to her. She wanted to stay in Geneva originally, so my first goal is talking her out of that -haha!

Lausanne is on a slant up on the incline, and not all that attractive, lots of ups and downs and then you're in the suburbs...

Better to try for Ouchy, the seafront suburb with its hotels and seaside promenades, reached from near the Lausanne train station by a funiculaire. It's a relaxing place, the steamers come by so you can go anywhere up and down and across the lake that way, or take the funiculaire up to the station for any day excursion or for a shopping gallivant in the city proper.

WK

Thanks Wally for the Ouchy idea (and clarification)... I've even been there myself but with a girlfriend who lives in Switzerland, so I'm ashamed to say I wasn't really paying attention to how I got where I got! But the funicular from the train station in Lausanne is just what we did to get down to the quai/lake.

i'll research hotels in Ouchy and see what i can find. Again thanks to all.