Lake Lucerne
Sunrise is prime-time viewing around here. Since Victorian times, tourists have been staying at the Rigi Kulm Hotel and getting up before the crack of…
Must-see hotels in Switzerland
Zermatt
This three-building hotel in Täsch, one train stop from Zermatt and the end of the line if you've come by car, has all the bases covered. It's only 100m…
Bern
An appealing conversion of a late-19th-century town house, this B&B is just a couple of minutes' stroll from the Hauptbahnhof. The rooms have plenty of…
Geneva
Plunge yourself into the heart of the Swiss Alps with this Heidi-style hideout, very much the Swiss Alps en ville with its fireplace, wildflower-painted…
Basel
The doors are one of the few hints that quaint, atmospheric Au Violon was a prison from 1835 to 1995. Most of the rooms are two cells rolled into one and…
Lausanne
Located opposite the striking Rolex Learning Centre building on the outskirts of town, this bright new hotel has fresh, smartly designed rooms, new…
Valais
Hotel Terminus has four floors of top-quality rooms within a few hundred metres of Sierre's railway station. Continental breakfast is included to set you…
Ticino
Hikers and mountain bikers love Ospizio San Gottardo, a 13th-century guesthouse recently given a contemporary makeover and now run on thermal energy. The…
Lausanne
The same family has run this lovely apricot town house of a hotel for three generations. A couple of sunloungers and tables dot the pretty handkerchief…
Interlaken
Walter is a real star with his quick smile, culinary skills and invaluable tips. Sure, the rooms are a blast from the 1970s, but they are super-clean and…
Valais
Owned and operated by Swiss skiing legend Art Furrer, a local legend, this hotel in Riederalp is perfect for a family trip, both in winter and in summer…
Geneva
This midrange hotel offers good year-round value in expensive Geneva. Rooms are quiet, simple and cared for, and the location close to the cathedral…
Graubünden
This dark-wood chalet is a relaxing escape, with its expansive Alpine views, sunny rooms sporting hardwood floors and a spa where Ayurveda treatments…
Lugano
Occupying a pastel-pink villa dating from 1860, this hotel-hostel duo extends a heartfelt welcome. Mosaic floors, high ceilings and wrought-iron…
Lake Lucerne
Smack on the lakeshore between Vitznau and Gersau, this hostel has an idyllic location, along with kayaks, a swimming platform and a great breakfast…
Basel
Designed by Basel-based architects Buchner & Bründler, this swanky, modern hostel in a very pleasant neighbourhood is flanked by tree-shaded squares and a…
Locarno
On a gentle rise above the station, but within a 10-minute walk of the old town, this hotel is worth considering for its large, modern rooms that punch…
The Engadine
For five-star grandeur, try the palatial Hotel Waldhaus, set on a rise amid the woods. Along with modern comforts (pool, Turkish baths, tennis courts),…
The Engadine
This family-run (since 1921), dreamy, country-style hotel is a terrific choice, with huge pine-clad rooms, antique-style furniture and forest views from…
Graubünden
On Pontresina's main drag, Albris has supremely cosy rooms decorated in Swiss stone pine or larch, and a feng shui–inspired spa with a mountain-facing…
The Engadine
Originally open in 1890 and a member of Swiss Historic Hotels, this place is full of antiques and in its fifth generation of ownership in the same family…
Lucerne
There's something wonderful about this simple boutique hotel that's hard to put your finger on. The compact, modern rooms lack air-con but design smarts…
Zürich
Set in a one-time butcher’s shop, this cool, bustling neighbourhood cafe-bar rents out a collection of five cheerful little upstairs rooms, each named and…
Zürich
This trendy design hotel in a quiet residential area near the university has low Japanese-style beds, Molteni furniture and oak parquet floors, plus mood…
Lugano
A lovely place to stay the night is the Locanda del Giglio in Roveredo, 8km north of Lugano. Backing onto forest, this eco-focused, solar-powered lodge…
St Moritz
This family hotel nestles amid meadows at the foot of forest and mountains, 3km southwest of the town centre. Rooms have high ceilings, parquet floors and…
Zürich
This family-run lakeside jewel is set in a private park and offers all imaginable comforts and a soothing sense of privacy. Rooms are decorated in a…
Vevey
Housed in a 19th-century building with excellent facilities, this new addition to the Riviera's budget scene is a standout. Dorms are mixed or single sex,…
Lucerne
This shamelessly hip hotel, bearing the imprint of architect Jean Nouvel, is all streamlined chic, with refined suites featuring stills from movie…
Central Switzerland
Kids love meeting the farmyard animals and spending a night in the straw at the Bucheli-Zimmermann family’s farmhouse. A hearty breakfast is included. It…
Ticino
Set in beautiful gardens, this sweet, welcoming hotel has bright, spacious rooms with terrific views of the lake, an indoor pool and a private beach on…
Ticino
On the fringes of Intragna is this sweet, stone-built guesthouse in the best of rustic grotto traditions. The interior is charmingly old-fashioned, the…
Graubünden
There are only four rooms at the Hotel Ospezio Bernina, at the highest station on the Rhaetian Railway line at 2253m, but they are both comfortable and…
Zürich
It's worth going the extra mile to this low-key, welcoming hotel. The contemporary parquet-floored rooms (some big enough for families) have plenty of…
Bernese Oberland
Sitting on Thun’s prettiest square is this 700-year-old guild house. Bold artworks glam up the well-kept, parquet-floored rooms. Downstairs the chef uses…
Basel
Hotel D is one of Basel's soundest midrangers. The interiors are sleek and contemporary, service is friendly, above-par facilities include a sauna and…
Zermatt
This traditional burnt-red wood chalet with slate-roof conservatory and flowery garden is romantic, charming and ablaze with red geraniums in summer. Cosy…
Montreux
Due to its towering presence (you can't miss it – the hotel is the tallest building in Montreux) the Eurotel has some of Montreux's best views. Rooms are…
Bernese Oberland
Early birds can catch a spectacular sunrise by overnighting in a rustic dorm at Berggasthaus First by the First cable-car summit station. The well-kept,…
Graubünden
The apartments at Cresta Studios are a bargain. They are modern and friendly, and include a small kitchen, as well as laundry facilities in the building…
