Hotels in Zürich

Hotels in Zürich: prices, timing and areas

When to book a stay in Zurich for less

Nothing is cheap in Zurich, but the swings across the year are clear. It is cheapest in November, in the lull between autumn and the holidays, when prices drop about a fifth below the average. It is dearest in December, with the holidays, the Christmas market and the start of the ski season, when rates rise by more than two fifths. Unlike touristy cities, it is expensive midweek here, when business guests arrive: Wednesday is the dearest and Friday the cheapest. Zurich has a large, fluid market, so about a month ahead is enough for a regular trip, and earlier for December.

What a stay costs by property type

Zurich is dear even at the budget end, so the cheapest sleep is a hostel or a capsule hotel rather than a plain one-star room. Three stars here cost what four do in many other cities, and the top end is set by the legendary five-star hotels on the lake. Below are indicative nightly rates outside the December peak.

Indicative rates for a double room, outside December and the fair weeks. In Zurich the same hotel can differ a lot between a Friday and a midweek conference night, so check the real price for your dates in the search above.

Where a stay costs more and where it is cheaper

Most properties cluster in the centre around Bahnhofstrasse, the main station and the Niederdorf old town, close to the lake, the Fraumünster church and the Grossmünster. It is the handiest but also the priciest area, and the top-tier hotels stand right on the lake in Seefeld. It is cheaper further out, in City West around Escher Wyss and around Oerlikon, where there are more hostels and chains. Capsule and budget hotels by the airport in Kloten and Glattbrugg suit a layover. With excellent city rail and trams, the ride from a cheaper district to the centre takes a quarter of an hour, so a base further out is still convenient.

Which stay in Zurich suits whom

• First time in Zurich. The centre by the Niederdorf old town is the easiest base, minutes from the station. From here it is a walk to Bahnhofstrasse, the lake and the Fraumünster church with its Chagall windows.
• For couples. Boutique hotels in historic old-town houses, some with a view of the Limmat river. Close in the evening to the restaurants and bars of Niederdorf.
• On a budget. Hostels and capsule hotels in the centre and in City West. The cheapest way to sleep in an expensive city, with a good tram link.
• For a conference. Hotels in the centre by the station or around the fairgrounds and Oerlikon, with a fast city-rail link. Handy when you have a meeting each morning.
• For families. Family rooms and apartments a little outside the centre. Close to the zoo, Zürichhorn park and cruises on Lake Zürich.
• By the airport or heading to the Alps. Hotels by the airport in Kloten suit an early flight, and the train runs into the centre in a quarter of an hour. It is also a short hop to the mountains for skiing.

Example hotels in Zurich with prices

From a hostel in the centre to five stars on the lake, a few Zurich names with a from price. Just a starting point, as rates can climb noticeably in December and in the middle of a fair week.

From prices for a double room. In Zurich the same hotel can differ a lot between a Friday and a midweek night, so check your exact dates in the search.

When Zurich is at its most expensive

The highest prices come in December, when the holidays, the Christmas market and the start of the ski season in the nearby Alps overlap. Summer can be dear too, when big concerts run by the Hallenstadion and cruises ply the lake. Spring and autumn add trade fairs and conferences, which push prices up midweek. It is calmest and cheapest, by Zurich standards, in November, in the lull before the holidays. Whatever the season, Zurich stays an expensive city, so dates outside the peak bring the biggest savings.