3 Best Hotels in Bern, Switzerland

Name: Best Western Plus Hotel Bern
Address: Zeughausg. 9, Bern, Bern, 3011, Switzerland
Telephone: 031-3292222
Price range: $
Location: Altstadt

Bern has plenty of top-quality hotels, many of them with magnificent 19th-century characteristics: towering ceilings ornately accented with stucco moldings, balconies with curlicue belle époque iron railings, domed corner turrets, and miles of marble floors. A step or two below, price-wise, are some older venues that tend toward the generic. But today's owners and managers are waking up to the fact that flowered prints and dusty blue carpeting are just a little too 1980s, even if they're spotlessly clean. These new entrepreneurs are ripping up old floor coverings to expose and polish up the often centuries-old parquet underneath; they're whitewashing the walls, installing state-of-the-art entertainment systems, upgrading the bathrooms (or just plain adding them), and fixing up the rooms with simple, modular furniture that keeps the prices at a level the average traveler can afford.

One truism here is that most, if not all, of Bern's hotel staffers are professional, cheerful, and accommodating. And most of them speak at least three languages comfortably, one of which is sure to be English. If you can, book in advance, because music festivals, trade conventions, sports events, and parliamentary sessions (March, June, September, and December) can fill rooms fast. Rates drop on weekends, when there is less demand.

Best Western Plus Hotel Bern

$ | Zeughausg. 9, Bern, 3011, Switzerland

Stepping inside this energetic property with an imposing facade, you may be pleasantly surprised to find a modern, stylish interior, making for a fantastic juxtaposition of old and new. Contemporary rooms have sleek wood floors, curved light fixtures, oversize chairs, writing desks, and the occasional architectural flourish such as rounded windows or sloping eaves. Some rooms include small balconies. Shiny black-and-white bathrooms feature Rituals products. The well-regarded in-house restaurant, Volkshaus 1914, serves lunch and dinner in atmospheric surroundings, and the rooftop Attika bar is open six evenings a week for a nightcap.

Boutique Hotel Belle Epoque

$ | Gerechtigkeitsg. 18, Bern, 3011, Switzerland

This compact, charming hotel on one of Bern's main shopping streets has plenty of late 19th-century French flair, with cozy art nouveau guest rooms and Moulin Rouge posters in the breakfast area. Rooms are simply furnished but comfortable, with triple-glazed windows and coffee and tea makers. You can enjoy drinks or breakfast on the bustling front terrace when the weather's fine.

Sorell Hotel Ador

$ | Laupenstr. 15, Bern, 3001, Switzerland

Nicely appointed and located just west of the Hauptbahnhof, this boxy hotel is a good deal if you're price conscious but still want something with a bit of style. The stone lobby sparkles, and vending machines on each level replace in-room refrigerators. Rooms have modular furniture, dark parquet floors, and white-tile baths; they are also designed for wheelchair use. The menu includes fair trade coffee, free-range eggs, local meat and produce, and sustainable seafood.

Bern

Bern

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