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21 - 26 of 123 reviews
Reviewed 26 September 2016 via mobile

We visited here whilst in Basel for an exhibition. The building is an old prison, although I wouldn't have realised this if I'd not been told. It's a steep climb up the way we came but there is a lift for those that need it.
We shared some starters; goat's cheese and fois gras. Both were delicious. The dressing on the salad served with the goat's cheese was perfect and served in moderation (I've learnt to ask for dressing on the side as a very liberal serving seems to be the local norm).
I had a medium rare rib eye steak. It was cooked to perfection and very tender. It was served simply with a bearnaise sauce, some steamed vegetables and chips.
I declined dessert but my colleagues shared a trio of creme brûlée; vanilla, raspberry and passion fruit. Given the bowls were scraped clean I would say they went down well.
The staff were polite and attentive.
All in all we had a great evening with delicious food in nice surroundings. I would think you need to book a table as it was very busy.

Date of stay: September 2016
Trip type: Travelled on business
2  Thank L9075PVsueb
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 11 September 2016

Two iterations before becoming a hotel, Au Violon was a convent then prison. Wonder what Basel was like then!

Now, the hotel is nestled in quiet location--literally above the fray--aobve the very lively town center, main streets lined with restaurants (including an OK sushi one), the theatre, and more. To get there, you can walk out the frond door and around the curve, and down the slope OR just hop on the elevator. When the door opens, turn right, walk a few meters, and, voila, into the crowd.
Au Violon is only a few steps to several tram and bus lines; with the complimentary ticket lasting your whole stay, you can see all of Basel if that's your desire!
Although the physically, the building shows a bit of wear, such as floors and walls, it is very clean. The staff are personable, helpful, and ready to be of service. As with most European hotels, complimentary cold breakfast is available and, for extra money, you can order eggs cooked to your taste.
It's the perfect hotel for travelers who like being near the action but do not want to be bothered by the hub-bub of sounds, lights, and bustle.

Room tip: choose 2nd Floor--quietest. The floors creak so better be on top. :-)
Date of stay: September 2016
  • Trip type: Travelled on business
    • Sleep Quality
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
1  Thank Margo O
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 20 July 2016

We spent two nights in this lovely boutique hotel. The staff were extremely helpful, from the time I made our reservations until the time we left. I HIGHLY recommend this hotel if you're staying in Basel.

Date of stay: July 2016
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
1  Thank GranbyJillo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 31 December 2015

We had a four night stay in one of the 'Police Station' rooms (no 12) overlooking the Christmas market. The location of the hotel is ideal for a winter break being very close to the Barfűsserplatz, main tram stops and the river Rhine as well as the two main Christmas markets. The room (which had a TV - but we weren't that bothered about that) was perfect with a good sized wardrobe, storage space and a shower that worked well. Prior to our visit, we arranged everything through emails and these were always answered promptly and efficiently by the hotel staff. They gave us very accurate directions to reach the hotel from Basel airport on the bus and then by two different trams to the Lohnhof entrance. As others have mentioned, there is a small lift which connects the hotel reception to the Barfűsserplatz etc below. Very convenient and although reception closes at midnight, they give you a code by which you can access the lift at any time.
It's worth mentioning that one of the 'perks' of staying at this hotel (possibly other hotels in Basel too but we can't confirm this) is a ticket which allows free use of all city trams throughout your stay. We made full use of this to get around the city and even out to the part of Basel which borders on France and Germany at Kleinhűningen.
Other reviewers have mentioned the wooden floor in the corridor outside the rooms. We agree that people can be heard walking along this corridor but there was no other noise at all and considering how near we were to the centre of Basel, the hotel was very peaceful and the only thing we heard was the church bells ringing in the morning (which as wonderful).
The breakfast is not huge as others have mentioned but it is certainly adequate. We ate in the restaurant one evening and the meal was superb as was the service. Don't be afraid to ask the staff for recommendations off the menu!
The reception staff (with one exception - an Italian speaking member of staff who was a bit dismissive) were extremely helpful and on our last day (given our flight didn't leave until 21:00), there was no problem in leaving our cases in reception to be collected later on. We would definitely return here for another winter break in the future.

Date of stay: December 2015
2  Thank Jac_Abertawe2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 30 December 2015

Very charming place in the middle of Basel. This building that has almost 1000 years was first a religious building and then for around 100 years, a prison (until 1995). This is why you can get 2 types of rooms: Police station or Cell.

The job to transform the prison to a hotel is very nice. When you are in the building, you see that you are in a very old building and the view to the city is gorgeous!

I absolutely advice anyone to go to this hotel if you come to Basel for a weekend trip or maximum 3 days. Unfortunately, the building being old, you hear noises in the hallway, etc so if you want to sleep there one whole week, you will probably finish your trip very tired.

The Brasserie is very good! Great food!

Dogs allowed!

Room tip: Police station rooms are all in the same alley and are bigger than Cell rooms that are all in another alley.
Date of stay: December 2015
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Thank PepperGrinder1
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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