How to pick a hotel in Zurich Switzerland

There are countless hotels in Zurich, so finding the perfect one can be a challenge. What's the best hotel for you depends on your plans, budget, whether you prefer good views, and perhaps even more.

We'll gladly explain about the various parts of the city, and other things to consider in your search for the best place to stay.

Hotels near the Zurich main train station

Zurich isn't the best place to get around by car (find more information here). If you are planning to take day trips out of town, a hotel at walking distance of the main train station (Zurich HB) is most convenient. That also places you in the city center, so exploring locally will be easy as well.

There are many other train stations in Zurich, which all offer frequent connections, but Zurich HB is the main public transport hub.

These are our favorite hotels at less than 10 minutes on foot from Zurich HB station:

• Hotel Limmathof, 2-star, 5 minutes
• Walhalla Hotel, 3-star, 2 minutes
• Hotel St. Josef, 3-star, 7 minutes
• Leoneck Hotel, 3-star, 7 minutes
• Hotel Adler, 3-star, 8 minutes
• Hotel Schweizerhof, 4-star, 1 minute
• Central Plaza, 4-star, 2 minutes
• Widder Hotel, 5-star, 8 minutes
• More

Hotels with plenty of parking

If you will mainly be traveling by car, it's best to avoid the Zurich city center: there's busy traffic. Parking spaces are hard to find and expensive.

Hotels in the outskirts, nearby towns like Uitikon and Thalwil, and around the airport (Kloten, Rümlang) generally have much more parking space available, either free or paid. Public transport allows you to reach central Zurich very quickly.

A few examples of driver-friendly hotels close to Zurich:

• Youth Hostel, 2-star, in Zurich Wollishofen
• Landgasthof Leuen, 3-star, with rural surroundings in Uitikon
• Jet Hotel, 3-star, in Rümlang
• Hotel Sedartis, 4-star, with lake view in Thalwil
• aja Hotel, 4-star, in Zurich Altstetten
• More

Airport hotels

Hotels near the airport are convenient in case of an early departure or late arrival. Please find all details and recommended hotels here.

Hotels with panoramic views

Some hotels in and around the Zurich offer a great city view, either because they are located on a hill or because they're in a tall building. Our favorites:

• Hotel Uto Kulm, 4-star, on a hill south of Zurich. The hotel is surrounded by forests, easy to access by direct train, and offers an amazing view of the city, the lake and the Alps on the horizon.
• Sorell Hotel Zurichberg, 4-star, on a hill north of Zurich. Wonderful views of Lake Zurich from a rural setting just outside the city. There is a direct tram into the city center.
• The Dolder Grand, 5-star, on a hill north of Zurich. A luxurious hotel with views of the city and the lake.
• The 5-star Marriott Hotel is one of the tallest buildings in central Zurich.
• The 5-star Renaissance Zurich Tower Hotel offers an urban view over all of Zurich.

Lake view hotels

Zurich is "folded around" Lake Zurich, but if you prefer a hotel room with a lake view, the choice is very limited. Most hotels are in the historical town center or the outskirts in the north and east of the city, away from the lake.

A few options can be found in towns just outside Zurich. There are more hotels offering lake views from farther away: please see our suggestions for hotels with panoramic views above.

These are our suggestions for hotels directly on Lake Zurich:

• La Réserve Eden Au Lac, 5-star, in Zurich
• Hotel Alex, 5-star, in Thalwil
• Romantik Seehotel Sonne, 4-star, in Küsnacht

Hotels with Limmat river view

The river Limmat runs straight across Zurich, but there is only a handful of hotels directly on the river. They offer picturesque views of the water and the city.

• Hotel Limmatblick, 3-star
• Central Plaza, 4-star
• Hotel Storchen, 5-star, with a view on Grossmünster church as well
• Marriott Hotel, 5-star

Low-budget hotels

If you're not picky about the location, you will find affordable accommodation (by Zurich standards). A few suggestions:

• Youth Hostel in Zurich Wollishofen
• Oldtown Hostel Otter in central Zurich
• easyHotel, 2-star, in the Langstrasse district at less than 15 minutes from the train station
• If you don't mind to sleep in a capsule, consider the Green Marmot Capsule Hotel in the heart of Zurich. It's the cheapest centrally located hotel that we know of.
• More

Luxurious options

Finding a comfortable luxurious hotel for a few nights in Zurich is not difficult. These are the 5-star options you should consider:

• Hotel Storchen in the old town center and on the river Limmat
• Widder Hotel in the historical part of the city, and near the Lindenhof viewing point
• Baur Au Lac at the end of the famous Bahnhofstrasse and near Lake Zurich
• Savoy Hotel Baur en Ville on the Bahnhoftrasse in a picturesque part of town
• The Dolder Grand just outside Zurich, with good views as it's on a hill
• La Réserve Eden Au Lac on the lake boulevard in Zurich
• More