Hotel Schweizerhof - Basel, Switzerland     

The location is the first thing you notice, it's right next to the SBB, the main train station which serves Switzerland and France. The DBB station which serves Germany is on the other side of the river. I arrived on the train from Zurich airport and walked right out onto a square with trams everywhere. Immediately I saw the red and grey front of the hotel, you can't miss it! Trams 1 and 8 are the handiest for the old town, and they leave right outside. With the Basel Card that the hotel will give you, all public transport is free to you. But the city centre is about 10 to 15 minutes on foot, that's all, you can walk it too, it's a good area. If you've kids with you, the zoo is very near, and I've heard it's one of the better ones in Europe. The hotel is really almost a 4 star, just the fact that it doesn't have a restaurant makes it a 3 star. The room I was in was a suite and it was spacious to say the least. I had a huge bathroom, a real change from the usual holiday experience! Beds were comfortable, tea, coffee, milk along with kettle in room, small TV, safe, writing desk and two armchairs with a table. There is a drinks and ice room from which you have access to on the first floor, it's free. The breakfast is plentiful, as its buffet. Yoghurts, cheeses, sliced meats, croissants, rolls, local breads, juices, and tea and coffee. Other drinks such as cappuchino and coffee drinks are available on request too. The bar is reasonably priced and very comfortable, different rooms for smoking and non-smoking! Most people come here though for to redeem their free ice cream coupon, left in the room on arrival, but I made an effort and sampled the local beer too, which was refreshing. Next door there is a fairly reasonable Chinese, which you wait and order at the counter. Next to that again is another restaurant, but its more pricey but the food is great and the waitresses are really helpful. Keep on going to your left, around the corner, and you will find a handy supermarket, co-op. Anything you'd need would be in here too. I'd a really good stay at this hotel. Why the 4 stars instead of 5 then? Well, first impressions mean everything. When I checked in, the male staff member didn't seem to interested in it, which surprised me. He was a bit offhand and I'm way more forgiving than most people I think, coming from one of the rudest cities and countries in the world (Ireland) I'm used to rude customer service. Going away is an escape from all of that and I didn't quite expect it here. My interaction levels with staff tend to be minimal too, which made it worse! Being a lone traveller, that little extra kindness that most hotel staff offer goes a long way to me and it wasn't forthcoming from him. I didn't see him the other two days. Maybe he had an off day when I checked in. Other than him, the rest of the staff were really helpful and kind, especially the bar girl who did her best to make me feel at home with a smile. Don't let that put you off from booking here though, it's probably one of the best hotels in the city and for a price that is more than good too, in a relatively expensive city to eat and shop in.

Liked this place - as others have said, 2 seconds from trams into the city centre (3 stops away), and just opposite the station. Traffic noise in rooms at the front, but only to be expected. A few rooms with balconies (quite important to us disgusting but diligent smokers) - ours was room 102, which was a good size with a separate loo and bathroom. There are a few other balcony rooms; suggest you ask when booking if it's important to you. We were lucky. Take lightweight slippers - there is the increasingly-common hardwood floor in the bedroom. One little problem; for some reason they ask for your passport on check-in (we were in a party, and hardly likely to do a runner). We handed them in very reluctantly, and they managed to lose one. Fortunately the customs guy at Eurostar in Paris wasn't a jobsworth, and allowed our friend to board... Recommended