Old Town Riverside

Hotel des Alpes Luzern

★★★★★

Hotel des Alpes has one of the best locations in Lucerne for the money: on the Furrengasse, at the riverside edge of the Old Town, looking across the Reuss to the Chapel Bridge, the Water Tower, the Jesuit Church and, on clear days, the lake and Pilatus. Few hotels at this price put the city's most famous view outside the window, and that is the reason to book. It is a three-star hotel, comfortable rather than luxurious, with rooms facing either the river and the lake, with the Chapel Bridge and Pilatus in view, or the historic pedestrian lanes of the Old Town at the back. Some rooms have balconies, which in good weather turn a simple room into something special: morning coffee overlooking the swans and the bridge is a memorable way to start a Lucerne day. The rooms are modern and practical, with a fresh, light style, and, as in most historic buildings, sizes vary, so it is worth paying more for a river-view room if your budget allows. The hotel's own restaurant is on the ground floor by the river, and the hotel serves its a la carte breakfast menu all day, from 7:30am to 10pm, a relaxed arrangement that suits late risers and travellers returning from early mountain trips. The hotel also runs seasonal packages, including Advent and New Year offers, and the Lucerne Christmas market, the Ice Magic rink by the KKL and the Old Town lights are all close by in December. Everything in Lucerne is walkable from here: the Chapel Bridge is a minute away, the station and the boat piers about five minutes across the bridge, and the Lion Monument and the Musegg Wall a short walk uphill. The trade-offs: the riverside promenade is busy with visitors during the day and with restaurant terraces in the evening, rooms at the back have no view, and parking in the car-free Old Town needs planning.

Room advice: book a river-facing room, ideally with a balcony, for the view of the Chapel Bridge and Pilatus; it is the whole point of staying here. Rooms facing the Old Town are quieter and cheaper but lose the view. Ask about room size when booking if space matters, as historic layouts vary.

Location logic: step out to the Rathausquai and the riverside restaurants, cross the Chapel Bridge to the station, the KKL and the boats in five minutes, or wander the Weinmarkt and Kornmarkt squares around the corner. Boats to Vitznau for the Rigi leave from the piers by the station, and the Swiss Museum of Transport is a short bus or boat ride away.

Who should stay: couples who want the classic Lucerne view, first-time visitors who want everything on foot, and travellers on a mid-range budget who would rather spend on location than on facilities. Light sleepers should ask for a room away from the busiest terrace side.