We chose this hotel as we wanted to be quite central and as it was winter we wanted to be sure we could walk while not getting wet or snowed on. For those who have never been to Bern, all the roads of the old town are flanked by arcades, which means that people are always covered. As it was around Christmas, the atmosphere was magic, as every 200 meters there was some kind of Christmas music that mixed with the lights and Xmas decorations of the shops and with the smell of hot chesnuts. We almost forgot to notice that all the small pine-trees along the 1st floor external walls were REAL treas with lights !

We opted for a superior room and registration was quick and efficient. Initially we struggled a bit with the use of the lift as it will only operate when using the magnetic key to the room. However, one gets used to this very quickly and as the lift is very near the exit then this system meant that people could not just come off the street and use the lift... We did not see a lounge or sitting area, unless one considers this to be the area across reception, with the desk with a computer that offers free internet. This little corner (literally) is nicely organised, but in full view of all passers by as the wall-window is ground to ceiling. To have internet as an option in the room would be an extra.

We found the room to be modern, light, airy, clean, with good lighting and nice wooden floors. The shower-room was on the small side and there could have been some toiletteries. Not only, but to our amazement and surprise the liquid soap that was in the bathroom was a "Küchen-Handseife, gegen Gerüche, effektiv gegen Fisch-Zwiebel-& Knoblauchgeruch"... which means it was a... kitchen soap, against smells, effective against the smell of fish, onions and garlic !!!! I hope that the photo can be uploaded, as this is a howler!

Breakfast: a definitiv no-no and not worth to base the decision to stay here because the price includes a buffet-breakfast. To be honest, this was one of our criteria regards the choice of hotel. This hotel has a restaurant and the breakfast is organised here by taking a number of tables and seats out (which are stacked towards the back wall).

Now about breakfast: we came in at about 9:45 and the (only) lady there immediately looked on her watch. There were only two types of bread, there was a pot of coffee sitting on a heating tray (since 8:30?), no hot water for tea bags, a very poor selection of meats and cheese. Two (maybe three) type of cereals were sitting in plastic containers, but the choice was really minimal. While there were egg-cups there were no eggs, so we asked. The lady again looked on her watch and with a sigh then took out a small electric boiler and put in the eggs, which meant that we would be getting hot eggs, which is actually lovely. But there was nowhere information that this option was available.

One or two minutes after 10h00 the lady asked if we still wanted something and then started taking everything away, dismantled the tables and started bringing in all the chairs from the back. We got the message that they needed the space and that it was time to leave. The other table and we left.

Transport: Walking time from the train-station: ±15 minutes. Bus 10 (from the train station) stops just a few minutes from the hotel and provides a convenient mode of transport. There is a lovely pastry shop (at the bus-stop) and worth considering having breakfast here.

Details like the kitchen soap in the bathroom and the breakfast 'buffet' and 'service' give this hotel a tacky feeling while the rooms are actually nice. It really is a pity.

Sightseeing: The hotel is in the Rathausgasse, which means the town hall lane, worth to walk by. Coming out of the hotel and taking to the left, one finds nice bohemian shops and at the end a church and other beautiful building. This is definitively worth a visit, and through a small 'alley' one is on a major road with a tram that also goes to the train station.

Bern: definitively worth a stop-over.