Hotel City Inn — Hotel in Basel

I don’t mean to bash the hotel, because they seem like very nice people. However, the photos are wildly misleading, so I don’t want you to make the mistake I did. (Spoiler alert: I left the hotel immediately after seeing my room. Even though I got no refund and had to pay for a full night I didn’t use, I moved to Hotel Gaia across the plaza. Totally worth it).

First off, despite the pictures, this is not a modern hotel and it is not set up to be convenient or comfortable. At all.

For the record, I like old hotels, but this is set up more like an old chaotic apartment building. Seriously, the only charm is in the lobby.

From the (staged) pictures of decor, you imagine something sleek and reasonably sized. In reality, you have to walk through a commercial kitchen area to get to your room, and by the way the elevator might not go to your floor so you may need to walk up three flights of dimly lit stairs (with old musty carpet), and once you arrive in your overpriced room it may turn out to be the size of a walk-in closet, with low ceilings and a tiny window peephole.

As a bonus, the lighting consists of harsh yet somehow dingy LEDs that are guaranteed to make you feel at your absolute ugliest and worst. The bathroom was the same size as the one I have in my camper trailer— seriously. I wound up with an attic room (at regular room price). Maybe they aren’t all like that, but my room was a total joke.

Some people seem to enjoy this hotel, as I see from the ratings. That’s why I chose the hotel. However, the room I got was nothing at all like the pictures online, and it was so bad I left—forfeiting $120—even though all I wanted to do was sleep after a full day of flights across the world. Don’t let this happen to you!

Here’s the thing: if you want to stay here, you may need to adjust your expectations. If everything I described above is fine with you—cool. The staff seem very nice, so you’ll probably enjoy your stay. But if you’re expecting something that doesn’t feel like a private room in a youth hostel, go elsewhere. If you’re picky in literally any way, go...

How do you emphasis this is the absolute worst hotel you have ever stayed at? This is it. I have stayed in over 500+ hotels. This is the worst. Do not stay here. First and foremost, there is no elevator. No elevator. I had a heavy suitcase and staff did not even think to warn or offer to help me carry it the stairs. Disgusting. For a 3 star hotel this is shameful - to add that on hotel description they lie and say this is handicap accessible, isn’t that illegal? And FYI I have no clue how this is a 3 star hotel as I’ve stayed in hostels better than this. Second, bed was super uncomfortable that I asked for a second duvet for padding. Bathroom was tiny but efficient and blow dryer was obviously old and one that needed to be pressed the entire time. When I went to staff about elevator they just wanted to change rooms to another room without an elevator- obviously not helpful. I never was able to resolve it because I needed to run to meeting but later when I went back to reception it was someone else who was extremely rude and made the entire experience worse. City Inn is part of Hotel Euler and Metropol - both of which I had stayed at before. As a returning customer I assumed better service and was flabbergasted by this experience. This is not a 3 star hotel but a 1 star motel. Do not stay here. Pay the extra money and go access the street to Hotel Victoria. I have never experienced such a bad hotel with service, room and no elevator. It is not in my nature to bash hotels but this was beyond anything I have ever...

First the pros:|The hotel is well located close to the main railway station, with plenty of cafes and restaurants nearby.|The rooms seem clean with a good number of towels and all the amenities you need.||The Cons:|The hotel is tough to find as the signage is horrible and it is actually located within it's two sister hotels Euler and Metropole. Checkin is (very very very slowly) done at the Metropole reception.|Main issue is the noise. Outside many windows there is some type of machine which starts every several minutes with a very loud screech. This is loud enough to stop you sleeping even with the windows closed. The only way to counter this is to turn on the very loud external AC unit to mask the sound. At least this noise is predictable and compensates for the closed windows.|Secondly the hotel has a very random layout and lifts do not reach many rooms. Long uneven corridors, steep badly lit staircase (I had to climb 4 in total) are not conducive to carrying luggage and woe betide anyone who has any kind of movement issues. The reception does not warm you about this or offer any options.|Finally the breakfast for 3 hotels is very ordinary.|All in all very...