Next to Lucerne Station

Hotel Waldstaetterhof Luzern

★★★★★

The Waldstaetterhof is the most convenient mid-range hotel in Lucerne for travellers who plan to spend their days on boats, trains and mountain railways. It stands on the Zentralstrasse directly beside Lucerne station, a few steps from the lake, the boat piers and the bus station, and five minutes on foot from the Chapel Bridge and the Old Town, so you can walk out of the door and be on a boat to Vitznau, a train to Engelberg for the Titlis or a bus to the Swiss Museum of Transport within minutes. It is a three-star-superior hotel in a building with turn-of-the-century character, renovated and modernised in stages, and it is part of the Swiss Quality Hotels group. There are 91 modern rooms, from singles to doubles and junior suites, all air-conditioned, with flat-screen televisions, Nespresso machines, Molton Brown toiletries and Wi-Fi; the style is fresh and comfortable rather than characterful. The restaurant, Gleis 1, named after the platform, serves regional dishes, a la carte meals and a bar, and is open to non-residents, with half-board available for hotel guests, a useful option in a city where dinner out is expensive. Breakfast, included with some rates, features regional spreads, bakery bread and croissants, fruit, cheeses and cold cuts. The reception is staffed around the clock, there is parking in the inner courtyard with electric-vehicle charging, a rare convenience in central Lucerne, and the hotel welcomes cyclists and pets. Sustainability is taken seriously: the hotel holds the Swisstainable label at its highest level and the Ibex Fairstay Gold label. There are also seminar and banquet rooms. The trade-offs: the setting is urban, the views are of the street rather than the lake in most rooms, and it lacks the romance of the riverside and lakefront hotels.

Room advice: book a double or junior suite for more space, and ask for a higher floor or a courtyard-facing room for quiet. If you plan to eat in the hotel, consider half-board, which is good value by Lucerne standards. Check whether breakfast is included in your rate when booking.

Location logic: this is the best base in Lucerne for day trips. The station is next door for trains to Zurich, Engelberg, Bern and Interlaken; the boat piers for Lake Lucerne cruises and the Rigi are across the square; the KKL is a minute away; and the Rosengart Collection is just around the corner. The Chapel Bridge and the Old Town are a five-minute walk.

Who should stay: travellers with a Swiss Travel Pass who will be out every day, families, thanks to the practical rooms and parking, drivers who need a car space in the centre, and anyone who values convenience over character. Couples looking for a romantic view should consider the riverside or lakefront hotels.