Zurich Hotel help
 

I need a recommendation for a boutique hotel in Zurich for under US$200

Have you checked out (and rejected) the recommendations on your other thread? If so, are you looking for something more expensive or less, closer to the center, larger, smaller, or what that is different from what was suggested?

Zurich is an expensive city for hotels. Generally, a good 3 star in the old town or Bahnhofstrasse area will range anywhere between US$160-240 for a double room depending on location and quality. Note that 3-star hotels are very unlikely to have air-conditioning. This is usually not needed, although the past few summers have been quite hot; the other thing the air con is helpful for is cutting down on street noise. The old town has some lovely ancient buildings and tremendous charm and is mostly car-free, but it is also a bar and restaurant area and is very popular on summer evenings, and can be quite noisy (I lived on Kirchgasse and can attest to how far UP sound can travel on cobblestones....). I have not stayed in any of these, but have seen them and either eaten at them or been in the public areas.

The rates usually, but not always, include breakfast and all taxes except the CH2.50 city tax. Room rates are usually a bit cheaper on weekends. Note that most hotels have smoking and non-smoking rooms, so be sure to specify.

I honestly don’t know what a “boutique” hotel is, and from your other post, I know you want “local colour”, again not sure what that is with regard to a city hotel in Switzerland. You won’t find many charming Swiss cottages in the city, an as for interior design, the Swiss tend to like clean modern lines, and space is limited to this further lends itself to the minimalist look. (In villages you will find the traditional Swiss look you may be thinking of with lots of wooden furniture and lace curtains.) However of the list below, the Kindli certainly is charming (it’s over your budget but I have listed it anyway), and in the budget probably the Adler may come closest to having the most local colour. The Widder Hotel has a great deal of interesting Swiss design, a good mix of modern and ancient, but it’s a 5 star (http://www.hotelwidder.ch) If by local color you mean “quirky” you might try the Hotel du Theatre, right near the Leoneck which I listed below, go to http://www.hotel-du-theatre.ch. Rooms are themed, but not in a Hard Rock hotel way.

If you have any Marriott, Hyatt and Starwood points this is the city to redeem them in. None of the chains are in the old town, although the Marriott is walkable to the top part of it, and the Hyatt and Sheraton are close to the lake so not bad locations, and Zurich is very small and trams are not too expensive (taxis are however).

Hotels at or under US$200 would be:

Hotel Adler
Hirschenplatz
Tel: (01) 266 9696. Fax: (01) 266 9669.
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.hotel-adler.ch

I think this was mentioned to you on another thread. In the Neiderdorf area of the old town. This hotel gets generally good reviews here, although noise is cited as a problem. If there are courtyard rooms, I would take these as they will be the quietest. If you can, avoid the lower floor rooms looking onto the Hirschenplatz square in front of the hotel. No air-conditioning.

Hotel Alexander
Niederdorfstrasse 40
Tel.41 -44 251 82 03
Fax. 41 -44 252 74 25
http://www.hotel-alexander.ch/

The location is great, in the Neiderdorf area of the old town, but this could be a bit noisy, so ask for a room on a high floor or a courtyard room if they have them.

Hotel Alstadt
4 Kirchgasse
Tel: 41-44-250-5353
Fax: 41-44-250-5354
http://www.hotel-altstadt.ch/cms/index.html

This is right in the heart of the old town on a charming cobblestone street, steps from the river, very close to the Grossmunster church, and close to some good restaurants and shops. They have a sleek modern design for their lobby and bar. I have never been in the rooms, but have seen them because my house was across the street and I had a view of several from my dining room and study. They do not have air-conditioning, and the street can be a little noisy on weekends evenings due to the restaurants in the neighbourhood. There were some negative comments on tripadvisor.com and I believe on your other thread about smokey rooms, but might overall be a good choice for its very good location.

Hotel Leoneck
Leonhardstrasse 1
Tel: 41 44 254 22 22
Fax: 41 44 254 22 00
http://www.leoneck.ch/

This is just outside the edge of the old to area, but walkable to it in a few minutes. It gets some good reviews here. It is more modern than the ones above, and not as charming, but I think would be fine. You may get some streetcar noise, as it is on a tram line, try for a room on a high floor or an interior room.

Hotel Seehof
Seehofstrasse 11
Zürich CH-8008
Phone: 01/2545757
Fax: 01/2545758
http://www.hotelseehof.ch/

3 stars, built or renovated last year or so. This is just behind the Opera House, just at the edge of the old town, so not in the charming area, but very close to it, and about a block from the lake. There are several good restaurants in this neighbourhood and others within close walking distance. It gets good reviews here. It is about a 3 minute walk to the Stadelhofen train station in Zurich so is very convenient for getting to the airport.

Hotel Helmhaus
Schifflände 30
8001 Zürich
tel: 41-1 251 88 10
fax: 41-1 251-0403
http://www.helmhaus.ch

4 star in the Oberdorf area, very close to the Grossmunster and several very good restaurants, a block in from the river and about a block to the lake. They have air-conditioning. A very good location for sightseeing, shopping and eating. I believe this hotel has just had a redo since I last saw it, which is good news, as it was a bit worn. A fairly modest hotel for a 4 star, but I include it because of its very good location in the old town and the air-conditioning. This is going to be just above your budget.

The Hotel Kindli
Pfalzgasse 1
8001 Zürich
tel: +41 (0)43 888 76 76
fax: +41 (0)43 888 76 77
http://www.kindli.ch

This is probably the most Swiss-like in terms of charm of the hotels listed here. It is in a very lovely pedestrian-only part of the old town. It has a very good restaurant and is within close walking distance of several other good restaurants. Rooms start at about US$300 I believe.

Also look at

tripadvisor.com
frommers.com
www.summithotels.com (they have several good hotels in town, over your budget)
karenbrown.com
alpineclassics.ch
relaischateaux.com
romantikhotels.ch (The Florohof is very charming but over your budget)
www.swisshotels.ch

I would NOT recommend the Limmatblick hotel.

Cicerone, you always give the most complete information!

We stayed, only for a night, at Hotel Alstadt in January. Quaint and comfortable and excellent location about a block from the water int he old town. The only bad thing about it, and most of Zurich, is that everything inside smells of cigarettes.

Have you thought of using priceline? Last time got the Marriott in Zurich for less than $100, including taxes and fees. ((b))

We stayed at the Pension St. Josef. The bathroom is shared with other rooms, but we had a very nice stay there. Breakfast was good and the rooms/bathrooms were very clean.

http://www.st-josef.ch/hotel/index_e.html

Highly, highly recommend the Hotel Engimatt. It is an oasis in the midst of the city of Zurich. It is located in a beautiful residential neighborhood in the Enge section. Half a block away is the tram that will take you to the Bahnhofstrasse in just five minutes or so. And a 3 minute walk will take you to the SihlCity indoor shopping mall. The hotel will probably come in at just a little over $200 but it is a 4 star property with a dining room and outdoor dining terrace that leave you feeling that you are at a world class resort. I've been to Zurich many times and stayed in many of it's hotels but from now on this is the only one for me. Also, it belongs to the Best Western group so you milght get some bargains online.