Basel Marriott Hotel

Getting around Basel was easy: the hotel is by the convention center and close to a tram stop, with Munsterplatz and Klaraplatz about a 10 to 15 minute walk away. The hotel gives you a tourist card for free tram rides. My room was spacious by US standards, modern, and had the usual amenities. The AC worked, and the staff were pleasant and professional. Breakfast was a very good western-style buffet with pretty much everything you'd expect. A wonderful place to stay.

The breakfast was delicious and filling, and they even offered a gluten-free menu. Our room felt cozy and had great amenities. The front desk team were lovely and welcoming, and gave us useful information about local events and train connections. The only small problem was the AC, which didn’t work properly, so sometimes we had to open the window to get some cool air. We loved our stay, and the hospitality was spot on.

The rooms were simple and clean, and breakfast was good both in its setting and the food. The central location made it easy to reach attractions, and the Rhine River is within walking distance. There are also plenty of good restaurants and supermarkets nearby.

We were there for two nights in December. Sven gave us a great welcome at the front of house, though a couple of problems made the stay disappointing. The hotel is central, beside a tram interchange, and could work for a short business trip if your room doesn’t smell. After a short shower, water leaked out beside the toilet on the other side of the room. We mopped it with tissues, but it smelled awful, like stagnant water or effluent. A technician said there was probably a leak under the floor and that he’d seen it in other rooms. He brought extra towels and suggested we mop it up when it happened. He also said we could ask reception to move rooms. We were rushing out to dinner with friends, so we didn’t, but I wish customer service had contacted us and arranged a move while we were away. At checkout, there was confusion about the card hold. We’d provided a 200 CHF hold at check-in, and when asked how to pay the 16.80 CHF tourist and room tax, I asked them to take it from that amount. Instead, they added an “incremental pre-authorisation” of 119.20 CHF as well as the room charge. I only learned what had happened through an email discussion. I’d never encountered an incremental authorisation before, and it hadn’t been explained at checkout. It was resolved within a couple of weeks, but the whole thing caused friction for me as a guest.