Hirschengraben / Old Town

Hotel St. Josef Zurich

★★★★★

Hotel St. Josef is the calm, sensible choice in central Zurich: a three-star boutique hotel on the Hirschengraben, the leafy street that runs along the upper edge of the Old Town, a few steps above the lanes of the Niederdorf and below the university and the ETH. That position is its great advantage: you are within five minutes' walk of the Niederdorf, the Grossmuenster and the river, and close to the Kunsthaus, yet the street itself is quieter than the Old Town lanes, so nights are calmer than at hotels in the middle of the bar district. The hotel has 46 rooms in eight categories, which gives plenty of choice: Economy rooms for travellers on a tighter budget, Grand Lit rooms with a double bed for couples, Business and Business Superior rooms with more space and a proper desk, Relax and Comfort rooms, a Junior Suite and Studios for longer stays. All rooms are non-smoking and include a shower and WC, a safe, a minibar, a kettle, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, comfortable box-spring beds and a desk with modern sockets, including USB and USB-C, a small detail that makes life easier with phones and laptops. The hotel is wheelchair accessible, and some rooms are equipped for wheelchair users, which is still relatively rare in Zurich's historic centre. The in-house restaurant, TimeOut, serves breakfast, lunch and an a la carte menu, so you can eat simply without going out. The staff are known for being helpful and personal, in keeping with the boutique feel. The main station is a ten-minute walk away, or a short tram ride from Central, and the Polybahn funicular up to the university terrace, one of the best Old Town viewpoints, is close by. Prices sit in the middle of the Zurich market, good value for the quality and location, though rooms in the lower categories are compact.

Room advice: the Economy rooms are fine for solo travellers or short stays, but couples will be more comfortable in a Grand Lit or Business room. Business Superior and Comfort rooms suit longer stays and remote work, and the Studios are worth considering for a week in the city. Book directly to check the latest breakfast and room offers, and ask for a room on the quieter side if you are sensitive to street noise.

Location logic: walk down the steps into the Niederdorf for restaurants and the Christmas market, along to the Grossmuenster and the river, or up to the Kunsthaus in five minutes. The university terrace and the ETH are a short climb away, and the main station, for day trips to Lucerne, the Rhine Falls and the mountains, is about ten minutes on foot.

Who should stay: couples and solo travellers who want a central, quiet base at a fair price, business travellers who need a good desk, and visitors with reduced mobility thanks to the accessible rooms. It suits art lovers too, with the Kunsthaus nearby. Travellers looking for a lake view, a spa or lavish public spaces should look at the larger hotels by the lake.