Weinmarkt / Old Town

Altstadt Hotel Krone Luzern

★★★★★

The Altstadt Hotel Krone is the budget-friendly way to wake up in the middle of Lucerne's Old Town. It stands on the Weinmarkt, the medieval wine market square with its painted facades and historic fountain, at the heart of the car-free shopping and pedestrian zone, two minutes from the river, the Chapel Bridge and the Spreuer Bridge, and a short walk from the station, the lake and the Musegg Wall. Few hotels at this price can match the address. It is a three-star hotel with 25 rooms, practical rather than stylish, and most rooms have twin beds, with a few doubles, plus triple and quadruple rooms that make it a sensible option for families and friends travelling together. Each room has a private bathroom with shower or bath, a minibar, a safe, a flat-screen television, a Delizio coffee machine and free Wi-Fi. The breakfast buffet, served daily until noon in the hotel restaurant, is an optional extra on many rates, generous hours for late starters. Reception is staffed from early morning to late evening rather than around the clock, and check-in starts in the afternoon. There are important practical points to know before booking. The hotel is in a car-free zone with no parking of its own; guests may drive to the Weinmarkt to unload, and a valet parking service is available for a fee, or you can use public car parks nearby. The square is cobbled and the hotel is only partially wheelchair accessible. Rooms have fans but no air conditioning, which is usually fine in Lucerne but can be warm in a summer heatwave. And the Old Town is lively, especially during Lucerne Carnival in February, when the squares are packed day and night. In return, you have the Old Town at your door, from the Christmas market and lights in Advent to quiet early mornings on the empty square.

Room advice: families should book a triple or quadruple room, which offers good value in the Old Town. Couples who prefer a double bed should request one specifically, as most rooms are twins. If you are travelling in a summer heatwave or are sensitive to heat, consider a hotel with air conditioning instead. Add breakfast if your rate does not include it; it is served until midday.

Location logic: step out onto the Weinmarkt, then walk two minutes to the Reuss and the Chapel Bridge, five to ten minutes to the station and the boat piers, and ten minutes uphill to the Musegg Wall. The Lion Monument and the Glacier Garden are about fifteen minutes away. Arrive by train if you can; drivers should follow the hotel signs from the Muehlenplatz.

Who should stay: budget-conscious couples, families and groups who want to be in the heart of the Old Town, and first-time visitors who want to walk everywhere. It is less suited to drivers, travellers with limited mobility or anyone needing air conditioning or a 24-hour reception.