15 Best Hotels in Basel, Switzerland

This 150-year-old landmark, conveniently located near the main train station, has been tastefully renovated throughout to bring out the best of its original features, including elaborate gilt-edged mirrors and stucco ceiling moldings. Cube furnishings in dark leather or red velvet bring it roaring into the 21st century. The bar is split between the reception lounge, where a pianist plays Wednesday through Saturday (4–10 pm), and the comfortable restaurant. In the guest rooms, duvets billow over bed frames in some of the cushier rooms and suites. This hotel manages neighboring properties, Hotel Metropol and Hotel City Inn, so you can charge services back to your room. 

The Teufelhof is actually three hotels in one: the Art Hotel has nine rooms that are works of art in their own right and were stunningly reconceived by well-known artists such as Switzerland's Dieter Meyer, while the simple rooms of the adjoining Gallery Hotel function as a canvas for a single artist to show off recent work or for an exhibit on a particular theme (such as historic photographs of Basel). Across the street is their youngest property, SET Hotel, with 36 modern rooms in four categories on four floors. The complex, which includes parts of an old abbey, features not only two restaurants, a café, a wine shop, and a brewery, but also an in-house theater that puts on performances in German from mid-September to early May.

Basel's leading rendezvous for the rich and famous, the Trois Rois—the oldest city hotel in Switzerland, and one of the oldest in Europe—has long been an integral part of Basel history, though it also includes up-to-date accoutrements like flat-screen TVs and top-notch restaurants. Its supremely elegant rooms, furnished with unique art and antiques, are done up in ravishing shades of cream, gilt, powder blue, and red; ornate woodwork and impressive tapestries nudge the opulence factor ever higher. There's also a newer art deco wing with sophisticated modern-style rooms. Even if you don't stay here, it's worth a visit to admire the facade statues depicting the biblical three wise men from 1754. Noteworthy guests have included Napoléon Bonaparte, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles Dickens, and Picasso. In 1897 the great Hungarian-born Jewish writer Theodor Herzl stayed here during the first Zionist Congress, which laid the groundwork for the founding of the state of Israel. There is a feast here for the stomach as well as the eyes: the formal Cheval Blanc serves up French cuisine classique, and the Brasserie proffers a stunning glass wall overlooking the river. The hotel remains surprisingly intimate and understated in the best Swiss way.

The location couldn’t be more central at this airy art deco hotel on the Marktplatz, where delightful amenities include a 24-hour gym, sauna, panoramic rooftop terrace, and buzzing in-house eatery. Design-focused guest rooms come in muted yellow, green, and purple color schemes, accented by light woods and mod lighting fixtures; some junior suites include balconies overlooking the square. Good-size bathrooms feature double sinks and large rain showers; some of the higher-level suites include bathtubs in addition to showers. The wellness area has a small gym plus a sauna and steam room. Restaurant Bohemia draws both locals and visitors for its eclectic food menu, with choices ranging from ceviche and mussels to lamb and steak.

Built in 1925, this office building turned boutique hotel was renovated with art and design in mind, while still preserving the spirit of its past. Renowned architects Herzog & de Meuron successfully created “The People’s House,” with swanky spaces to bring people together: The courtyard, Imi Bar, the Brasserie, and concert venue have turned it into Basel’s newest hot spot. Beyond the signature green hallways are guest rooms in hues of gray and beige adorned with Swiss furnishings and fabrics designed exclusively for Volkshaus. Modern and minimal, rooms still pay tribute to the past in the original windows, terrazzo flooring, and freestanding wash basins with antique faucets. While this may be a four-star hotel, don’t expect spa facilities, a business center, or even in-room coffee or irons. Instead, management has thought outside the room with communal ironing rooms and beverage stations on every floor. Breakfast is served in the attached Imi Bar where you can spot attention to detail in the hand-blown pendant lamps, the zinc bar top, and stained-glass windows created by German artist Imi Knoebel, for whom the bar is named.

If you appreciate modern design and love being right in the thick of things, head straight for this Japanese-influenced Design Hotel on Steinenvorstadt, one of Basel’s liveliest streets; though windows are triple glazed, and the hotel provides earplugs, you’ll likely hear some noise from the lively bars surrounding the hotel—which can either be irritating, or perfect if you want to join in the fun yourself. Light-color rooms feature natural materials and Japanese sliding shoji screens separating the bedroom from the bathroom; a Zurich design collective created the colorful blankets and carpets. Many rooms have French balconies or larger terraces, but don’t expect much of a view. The hotel’s rooftop bar serves a local breakfast to start the day and cocktails to bring it to a close. Art displayed in the hotel’s rooms and hallways rotates about every other month.

Less is definitely more at the easyHotel, where guest rooms are compact, minimalist, and decorated with up-to-date (though basic) decor and vivid colors. Some rooms are windowless—these are snapped up by bargain-hunting travelers—but be aware that the hotel has no air-conditioning, so not being able to crack open a window can be an issue during hot nights. Though there's no lobby to speak of, there is a downstairs lounge area where you can hang out or grab a snack from a vending machine. There's also a late-night restaurant right next door.

A historic hotel with a sustainable mindset makes this fourth generation property not only a standout, but also a model for green hospitality across Switzerland. Among their environmentally friendly practices are biodegradable bath products, natural cleaning products, motion-activated lighting, QR-code hotel information, and food leftovers donated to animals at the Basel Zoo. Regardless of these noble efforts, the century-old hotel has plenty to brag about including a spacious hydro-sauna circuit, complementary mini bars, organic breakfast, and three categories of 1920’s style rooms: Smart, Gorgeous, and Awesome—the latter featuring a kitchen. Through their organization, Responsible Hotels of Switzerland, they have challenged other Swiss hotels to adopt this earth-saving philosophy.

This 12th-century building that once served as a cloister and then a prison, now captivates its clientele with slightly faded elegance, a peaceful location, and a terrific restaurant. There are some reminders of the building's austere past—guest rooms overlooking the courtyard are still called "cells," with uniformly tight square footage. "Police office" rooms facing the town offer more space at a slightly higher rate. The art deco brasserie, with its mirrored bar and iron-legged tables, serves French classics. The former residents here—priests and prisoners—never had it so good.

The location of this modest but roomy hotel, within a brownstone dating from 1899, is a great asset; set across from the university, it's in a quiet area far from the shopping masses. Select renovated rooms feature comfy beds, simple furnishings, and air-conditioning; their generally large size makes them great for traveling families. The price is right, but don't expect basic in-room amenities such as coffee or tea.

In an elegant waterfront mansion, the art deco Krafft has a can't-get-any-better location that makes it perfect for people-watching; the building is open and airy, and comfortable guest rooms have wood floors and are simply furnished with Swiss designer furniture. Two rooftop suites offer riverside balconies. The traditional, highly rated dining room and ever-popular waterfront terrace provide spectacular views of the Old Town. The Consum Residence, across the street, is where you'll find additional rooms as well as a trendy wine-and-cheese bar.

This urban-chic, centrally located hotel (from the same owners as the Krafft Basel) with a young and lively vibe offers design-conscious rooms and a casual eatery with cocktail bar that attracts stylish locals and visitors. Spacious guest rooms either have all-concrete floors and walls with accents of wood and bright colors ("Urban Club Rooms") or bright woven carpets with mod leather furnishings ("Design Rooms"); all feature sleek black tile bathrooms. Located in the back house, Urban Club rooms come with access to the Library Club, a lounge where guests can enjoy complimentary breakfast, tea and cakes in the afternoon, and drinks at night, and they can work if they need to. The gym has a small, though high-quality, range of equipment as well as a sauna, and free hotel bikes can be used to explore Basel. In the evening, the cocktail bar/lobby is the place to chill.

Modern with a gleaming white facade, an airy foyer, and a well-equipped fitness studio with a sauna, The Passage is an architectural "passage" from the bustling modern city at its front to the quiet medieval Spalenberg behind. Rooms and suites are done in all-white with hints of color; they have comfy beds and good-size desks. Baths have large-size rainfall showerheads. Several rooftop apartments with kitchens and terraces with views into the Black Forest can be booked for longer stays. Though there's no restaurant, drinks are available at the lounge bar off of the lobby or in the expansive courtyard.

Across the street from its parent hotel the Teufelhof, the SET’s minimalistic yet thoughtful rooms feature sitting nooks, work desks, and minibars with regularly refilled filtered water. Spacious contemporary guest rooms with black and wood accents may not be luxe, but they have everything you might need for a pleasant visit, including comfortable beds, separate toilets with sinks, air conditioning, and plenty of outlets for all your devices by the bed. Larger apartments for longer stays include dishwashers, washing machines, and stove burners. An inviting area in the front of the hotel serves as the “lobby,” with large tables for working or dining and a fine selection of cakes and other snacks from an outpost of Confiserie Beschle. The basement gym may not be large, but its curated selection of cardio machines and weights is enough to keep up your fitness routine on the go.