I'm looking for a hotel in Zurich for 3 nights in July that will finish off our trip to Switzerland in a special way. I have looked at the Zum Storchen but is 650 SF/night. Can anyone recommend something special that maybe isn't that high in price? Or is that hotel worth paying 650 SF a night for?! Thanks....

I know, I had the same issue. I needed a hotel for only one night in January and found they were really expensive. I did find the Alstadt Hotel and got a room for 220fr per night. It is in a prime location, one block from the water and around the corner from the tram station. It was small but not luxurious and surrounded by great restaturants. Be SURE and mak reservations for dinner because you will need it. The only thing I did not like about it was they allow smoking in the hotel so everything smells like it. They do offer non-smoking rooms though. We found that most restaurants still allows smoking in them as well.

oh, the breakfast was excellent by the way.

The zum Storchen is a very fine hotel right smack in one of the loveliest parts of the old town and on the river, and IMO may actally be “worth” CH650. You might also look at the Widder (http://www.hotelwidder.ch), it is probably in about the same price range, however (and not nearly as charming a location IMO although in the old town and on a lovely street). At a bit less would be the Kindli (http://www.kindli.ch) , in a very lovely pedestrian-only part of the old town. It has a very good restaurant and is within close walking distance (I mean a few feet) of several other good restaurants.

Down along the lake you might try the Steigenberger Bellerive au Lac (www.zuerich.steigenberger.ch), which is across the street from the lake, a little bit out of the old town area, but certainly walkable from there. Some of the rooms have balconies (rooms facing the lake may be a bit noisy, go for a high floor).

Near to the main train station would be the Hotel Schweizerhof (hotelschweizerhof.com), the Hotel St Gotthard (http://www.summithotels.com, run by the same group which runs the zum Storchen) or the Central Plaza (www.central.ch).

I know the Alstadt mentioned above by location (I used to live across the little street from it) and love their bar and would also recco it, it has an excellent location in the old town. Some very good restaurants in the neighborhood. Another hotel which I don’t know but which looks interesting and has a pretty good location on the edge of the old town is the Hotel Seehof (http://www.hotelseehof.ch/). 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 100 metres from the lake.

Up the hill closer to the university is the Flurohof (http://www.florhof.ch/) which looks extremely charming. It is also not in the old town, but just a few blocks out, so may not be a bad choice, and is quite close to the excllent Kunsthaus museum and some good restaurants.

Besides my reccos, please take a look at the following websites for ideas:

karenbrown.com
alpineclassics.ch
relaischateaux.com
romantikhotels.ch
www.swisshotels.ch
summithotels.com

Also look at tripadvisor.com which ranks hotels based on reviews and you can search by price.

The Florhof is an excellent choice. Beautiful hotel/rooms with lovely terrace. Wonderful restaurant, too. Just a few minutes walk to Old Town.

Another recommendation for the Florhof. If you can adjust your schedule, hotels in Zurich are cheaper on the weekends; no business travelers.

I've stayed in many hotels in Zurich including the Zum Storchen, which I didn't think was worth the money they charge. My favorite is the Dolder Grand, up on the hill with a funicular to take you to town. It was heavenly.

Thank you all for your advice. I have looked into some of the websites offered.
One item brought to my attention is the fact that Zurich Festival will be held that weekend so maybe we should avoid staying in the old town.
If you have any thoughts on that, much appreciated!

No I would not avoid the old town then; it is NOT the hip-hop festival (for which I would avoid Switzerland...). The venue for festival actitivies are all over town from what I know, and events don't go on late at night so that should not be an issue. For those events in the old town, I think you would enjoy being there for that. Virtually all of the old town is pedestrian-only, so traffic is not going to be any worse.

Thanks, Cicerone.

If you are going to stay in the old town during the festival, you should probably book as soon as possible.