Alexander Guesthouse

Situated on a charming cobblestoned lane smack in the middle of Zurich’s quaint Old Town, the Alexander Guesthouse is a bare-bones two-star establishment offering comfortable (for Zurich) rates and impeccable service. It’s run by the Pfister family, which has been in the hotel business for over 30 years.

The 20 guestrooms at the Alexander Guesthouse are simple affairs with utilitarian furnishings. Framed prints and colored accent walls add some character, but the green carpeting could stand to be changed. Our advice: Ask for one of the light-filled front rooms (the back rooms are quieter but also smaller and darker, and there is no rate difference). All rooms are equipped with a telephone and small flat-screen TV. Some rooms are air conditioned (ask ahead).

The private bathrooms are simple but adequate, with stall showers and dark blue mosaic tiles.

The Alexander Guesthouse does not have its own reception. To check in, you’ll have to start at the glitzier (and pricier) Hotel Alexander around the corner. The sterile and basic guesthouse may pale in comparison to the hotel’s elaborate Old World lobby, but its rates are much lower and it benefits from the same professional service. (If you’re lucky like we were, a friendly Portuguese bellhop might accompany you from hotel to guesthouse, telling you tales about local characters and hot spots along the way.)

And did we mention the fabulous location? The Alexander Guesthouse puts you steps away from medieval fountains, as well as countless great restaurants and bars.

In addition to free Wi-Fi throughout the guesthouse, guests also have access to a free Internet station. Breakfast, available at the hotel, is an additional charge.