Swiss hotels are among the best in the world, with renowned high standards of service. Value-for-money is the motive force behind the hotel industry, rather than cost-cutting, so you’ll find that even a and b hotels offer rooms that are perfectly comfortable, clean and respectable, if a little expensive compared to dingier bottom-end establishments in other countries.

At the least expensive level, what makes a difference in price is whether a room contains a shower or an en-suite bathroom, since these can add Fr.20 or more to the bill as compared with rooms where the shared shower and toilet are down the corridor (sur l’étage, often translated bizarrely as “shower and WC on the floor”).

Breakfast is included in the room price at virtually all hotels apart from the very cheapest and the most expensive; what you get varies with the hotel’s classification. One thing to watch out for is that in most resorts, hotel prices quoted for the summer season are bed and breakfast, while those quoted for the winter season tend to be half board (ie bed plus two meals – normally breakfast and an evening meal après-ski); we’ve marked this differentiation clearly in the guide text where relevant, but to be certain you should check what you’re paying for at the time of reservation. Note that a hotel advertising itself as “garni” has no restaurant, and serves only breakfast to its overnight guests. Confusingly enough, some towns quote hotel prices per person, while others quote prices per room; our code system standardizes them across the board, but you’d do well to bear this in mind if you ask for prices direct from a hotel or tourist office.

There are a number of Swiss hotel groups which, if you can fight your way through the marketing blurb, can be useful for seeking out hotels around Switzerland with particular features that appeal to you, whether they be complete peace and quiet (Relais du Silence), historic buildings and locations (Romantik Hotels) or just plain, good-value inexpensive accommodation (E&G Hotels). See the box opposite for contact details of some more interesting hotel groups.