Mercure Europe, Basel

Advantages: Great for travelling, friendly, easy to get around, clean
Disadvantages: Swiss German is impossible to understand unless you grew up with it!

...Last year (July 2005-6) I had the great pleasure and honour of living in Basel as part of my degree. I was working for one of the many chemical companies near the centre, and living in one of the smaller suburbs, Muttenz. I've been back in England now for three months (at the time of writing), and I miss it all like crazy. If ever there was a good place to start, it's the beginning. Basel is riddled with history; originally a Celtic tribe lived here, until the Romans moved in circa 40BC to Augusta Raurica. Key points in the development of the city include gaining the influence and power of the Bishopric in the 7th century, settlement at various times by both the Frankish and Allemaniac tribes of modern-day France and Germany respectively, and ultimately the integration into the Swiss Confederation in 1501. 28 years later it became... Read review

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Advantages: Cathedral, old town, plenty to keep you occupied
Disadvantages: I just didn't feel at home

...Basel is a curious city – despite visiting several times over the past year, I still haven’t been won over by its charms, and I don’t really know why! Maybe it’s the strange mix of cultures that exist in this city that sits a little uncomfortably on the Rhine, within a stone’s throw of both Germany and France: Everything is in German, the locals speak their own local dialect of Swiss German, while you are just a short bus ride from the French border, and it feels as if Basel cannot make up its mind just where it belongs. It’s not as if there isn’t much to do here, either – there is a lovely old town to be explored on the hillside, where you can quite happily while away an afternoon wandering round, and the shopping centre has plenty to offer - and there is a decent selection of British... Read review

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Advantages: Centrally located, very friendly staff
Disadvantages: None I can think of...

...and hot drink making facilities in the rooms and plenty of cupboard space if you need it, along with spare blankets for those cold Swiss winter nights! The hotel is centrally located and the tram to the train station stops right outside. The immediate area isn't exactly picturesque, but turn right on leaving the main entrance, and 2 minutes later you are in the most picturesque city you can imagine. If you're going in December, the huge and gorgeous Christmas market is only 5 minutes walk from the hotel. If you turn right on leaving the hotel you head down into the commercial heart of Basel and reach a wide choice of restaurants, cafes and pubs in about 5 minutes. A word of warning though - Swiss prices really are as high as you may have heard! We were horrified at the prices over and over again! We were paying the equivalent of 4GBP... Read review

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