MY WIFE AND I (BOTH OVER 50 AND EXPERIENCED TRAVELERS) ARE PLANNING TO ARRIVE IN ZURICH APRIL 2 FOR 8 DAYS AND OUR PROPOSED PLAN IS TO STAY IN ZURICH AND DO SOME DAY TRIPS IN THE AREA. WE WOULD LIKE A SUGGESTION OF A MID PRICE HOTEL AND PLACES TO VISIT IN ZURICH AND IN THE AREA. DO WE RENT CAR OR USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND TRAINS?

First of all, please unlock your Caps key. Using all capital letters is considered shouting. <BR>You can easily use public transportation from Zurich and I would strongly recommend getting a Swiss pass for the trains. The pass is also good on all the boats which can be very enjoyable, although you will certainly need to bundle up a bit during April, or spend most of your time in the very nice lounge or dining room. If you have first class Swiss pass you do the boats first class, which means the much nicer top deck. The Swiss pass also covers the fare for all the busses and trams in Zurich itself as well as numerous other cities, Schaffhausen where you will want to go and visit the Rhine Falls, Lucerne which is easy to get to by train, and you can easily take trains to Basel, Bern, and certainly Grindelwald or Murren. <BR>I heartily recommend the Kindli Hotel. It is a small hotel (22 rooms) in the heart of the historic old town done in Laura Ashley style. It has a friendly and helpful staff and a super breakfast in the very nice downstairs brasserie. You should be able to get a special rate for a stay of more than a week, or at least take advantage of the weekend prices for that part of your stay. It should be somewhere in the $150US range. I do not have the website handy, but you should be able to do a regular search for it or of the Swiss Hotel site and find it.

Bob. For hotels go to <BR> <BR>www.zurichtourism.ch <BR> <BR>You can check where rooms are available in your price section beginning April. You can rely on the information. I use it almost daily in my office. The Kindli ist often solid booked. Besides that, I also like the Helmhaus (city)and the Florhof (opposite the Museum of Arts). But they are small as well.If your need specific info come back. I live in Zurich. But as I told you, April is usually booked with conventions. So don't wait too long. <BR>Trains take you almost everywhere. <BR>You will reach quite some other towns within 1 hour. Lucerne, Basel, Berne (little more). <BR>For further inputs go to <BR>www.myswitzerland.com <BR>

Good evening, Bob Just another boost <BR>for the HOTEL KINDLI, have used it for <BR>many years and have always been more than satisified with its service and <BR>accomodation. Two additional day trips <BR>would be by taking the boat from Burkliplatz to Rapperswill, have lunch <BR>at one of the many ristorantes and return via boat. The second is the <BR>Benedictine Abbey in Einsiedeln, which <BR>is about an hour out of Zurich, but <BR>the Abbey is worth the visit. see <BR>www.einsiedeln.ch/ If you need a <BR>couple of ristorante suggestions drop <BR>me a line and will send you same. <BR>Richard of La Grange Park, Il...

Bob and Patrick: The "Kindli" is soo tiny, about 22 rooms. How do you want to get all the people in that read or hear about? It's extremely well located and very popular not only with people from overseas. *I* would not want to work at their réception and give information about room availability.... <BR>That's why if prefer to give the site for Zurich Tourism Office.

Bob, <BR> <BR>Some possbilities out of Zurich. Did these about 12 years ago. Great trips! <BR> <BR>1. Trip to Lucerne - while there or on a separate day go just a little bit below Lucerne & take the rack railway up to Mt. Pilatus -- you can do this all in one day if you wish or split this up. <BR> <BR>2. Day trip to Vaduz, Lichtenstein -- really loved that <BR> <BR>3. Day trip to Lake Titisee (Germany) in the Black Forest -- beautiful area & you can go peddle boating on a beautiful lake; also, great cuckoo clock store in the center of town! <BR> <BR>Hope this helps. <BR> <BR>Bob

Ursula, I guess I don't understand your point. The hotel is too small and too popular, so don't try to stay there, just call the tourism office and ask about any old hotel which is not popular or small? I realize that Bob is working on this rather late -- I usually make my reservations about 10 months ahead, but I only like staying at small and popular nice hotels. I'm simply too particular to take the recommendation of a tourist office. The last time we did that their highest recommended hotel in Bergen turned out to be a dump and when we got there we refused to stay and still had to go looking on our own. To me it is worth it to follow the recommendations of fellow travelers, not a paid tourist office or agent, and attempt to get into the nice hotels. And I love your comment that the Kindli is "too tiny" --sorry, but to me 22 rooms is about the perfect size for a hotel -- mainly because it guarantees that some big tour bus isn't going to come along and dump out 30 or 40 people from some tour group.

Patrick: I *do* get *your* point. But, with the site of the Tourist Board you can directly check what hotels are when available. You can still get a room at the "Kindli" of course. The two I gave, "Helmhaus" and "Florhof "area as well about the size I like. Besides "Laury Ashley" style at the "Kindli" is not everybody's cup of tea. But when you only give *one* place to stay and it should happen to be fully booked, what then? The people are stuck. I realize that many don't know a lot about the European web. So the can't find good sites. In a different plac, I explained about the endings in e-mail-adresses. With Zruich it's a bit of a problem, because with www.zurich.ch or com. you end up with a huge insurance company! I agree too with you, hotels with up to let's say 40 rooms are my very favourite ones! But Zurich is often solid booked. End of March will be in Basel the World largest watch and jewellry fair. People come to Zurich. It's only one hour. <BR>You book your room 10 months ahead. Not everybody is smart like you. Read the posts about Paris. What room number shall I ask for LOL. They can be happy to get in before July. OK. I am at work and shall stop now. Sorry about my English. I speak German. Both anyway, I like your posts. <BR>PS: Next time you come to Zurich, try the "Widder" at Rennweg! Might be little expensive, but *very* hip. Best place in town. I'll check the website out for you and shall mail it to you.

Patrick: The "Widder" is at: www.widder.ch <BR> <BR>If you don't intend to stay here, go at least for a drink or a meal. Nice patio inside. Fine for summer evenings. <BR>It's right next door to your beloved "Kindli". <BR>PS: Well, forgot to mention, it's a 5-star Leading Hotel of the World.

Patrick: A just wanted some satisfaction on my advice. The "Kindli" is booked for the period Bob needs a room.I called them. You know what hotels they work very closely together: "Florhof" (33 rooms), "Helmhaus" (25 rooms). The ones I suggested as well. The "Rössli" would also be a possibility (13 rooms). <BR>I surely do *not* want to argue with you, but "I* live here and work for a large company and know more or less what's on and which hotels are often solid booked. OK. Wondering where you live anyway. PS: I hope you have *your" room for Christmas (which is 10 month ahead) at the "Kindli".

Wäär goot scho uff Ziiri?

Sali Waggis. Isch dr Schuss duss gsi? Ich mi nämli au vo Basel aber ich won in Ziiri! Me überläbts! Was mischisch du di überhaupt i in dä Strit zwüschi mir und däm doofe Typ i? Er empfiehlt e Hotel wo scho lang usbuecht isch. S'isch jo Schmugg - und Uhremäss in Basel. Ye, Digge, isch es scheen gsi, die 3 drey däg in Basel? Wär bisch du und wo bisch du? Sali PS: kasch jo mol schribe. Mini e-mail Adrässe isch *ächt*! Datacomm isch erscht no z'Basel!

I had the following one day trips ,all of them by train: <BR>1.Schafhausen,the Rheinfall and city center next by train to Stein am Rhein,which is a gem and back to Zürich. <BR>2.Train to Lucern,boat to Weggis,train again to Mt.Rigi,and back to Z. <BR>3.Train to St Gallen,from there up to Appenzell, and back. <BR>The Swiss timetable is very good,usually I had to wait 5-10 min for changing,never more. <BR>In Zürich visit not only the Kunsthouse but the Schwizerisches Landesmuseum ,and if you are interested in Impessionist go to see the Stiftung Sammlung Bührle,which is a superb private collection.