Steinenschanze Charming City & Garden Hotel

I was quite satisfied with this hotel. The room was rather large, had a big bed, an armchair, a table, a TV, a wardrobe. Everything was clean and in good condition. Free WiFi worked well. It was sufficiently quiet at night. The bed was comfortable. The bathroom was small, but clean and functional. Air conditioning worked really well in the scorching heat (I visited during a heatwave). The staff was very friendly and helpful. The location is good, walking distance to both the attractions in the old town and to the train station. There are plenty of restaurants on Steinenvorstadt nearby. While the hotel is rather expensive on an absolute scale, this is Switzerland, so everything is expensive. It is quite reasonable compared to other hotels in Basel.

The staff was very friendly and let us check in pretty early. The location is close to the train station and close to the old city. There were food options close enough by. The free sparkling water tap was a nice touch. I think this is a swiss thing but the hotel had free publich transit cards to use. I believe you can also get these cards before you check in also which is nice if you're coming from the airport.

The room at the very top floor was a good size with a standard double bed and a balcony large enough to have a chair to relax in. It also had a separate en-suite bathroom which was a good size with very modern furnishings - the shower water pressure was one of the best experienced over several decades of travelling on business; and a simple joy. Not all rooms had separate bathrooms though - my colleague’s room had the wash basin and shower cubicle within the bedroom space. The hotel is located only a short walk from many bars and restaurants with trams near by and bus stops outside the hotel so was an ideally located. It’s 3 minutes to the Basel SBB train station by bus and from there, 20 minutes by bus to the airport.

We didn't eat meals there but did get a free "welcome" drink which was nice, and they had a decently stocked bar area and some seating in their lobby. They have a very nice courtyard area that we sat in on our last day. Nice seating choices and a pond with running water which is always a nice touch, in my opinion. The staff who greeted us were very friendly, and hooked us up with a card which gave us 50% off discount for the city bus tour and free transit rides so all we had to do was walk across the street to catch the bus, and then transfer to the train.

From the moment we arrived the staff were helpful and friendly all through to checkout. An amazing spread at breakfast and little touches like bathrobes, slippers and a turntable with records in the room make it feel more than the 3 star it has on the front. Even the "small charming room" was plenty spacious for three nights. Location for trams, restaurants and shops was perfect eve. With the steps up and down to the town.