Swiss-Chalet Merlischachen - Romantik Schloss-Hotel am See

We were relieved it was just a quick overnight stop. The breakfast was fresh, though there wasn’t much choice, and the receptionist was helpful. The rooms had no bathrooms, the floor was uneven, and it was hard to find our room because there were hardly any signs outside. There’s another, nicer part of the hotel across the street, where the reception is too. When we raised the issue a month in advance, they wouldn’t let us cancel or even upgrade to that side. Never again.

The receptionist’s own words were that the lodge isn’t even one star. It shares a reception with the sister property, the Swiss Chalet Hotel, and reviews for that hotel may be good, but they don’t describe the lodge. My stay was horrible: it was noisy and basic amenities were missing. Even getting a little help meant walking across the road.

The best thing about the hotel is Schloss Park by the lake. There are lovely mountain views, lots of sunbeds, free coffee, and a peaceful atmosphere. I spent four wonderful days at Swiss Chalet. The buffet breakfast had bread, yogurt, bacon and the like. Nothing wildly delicious such as pancakes, but decent quality, if a bit pricey at 25 francs. The rooms are cute and almost authentic-looking, though the wide gap between the beds makes spooning impossible 💔. You can hear the squeaky floors above and the beds too, but I chose to see that as charming, which you need to do to enjoy your stay. The shared toilet and bath were fine for me; I only once found a door locked.

The building is kind of cool because it’s so old, but that charm wears off fast. Reviews for this place seem to mix it up with the attached restaurant and the sister hotel by the castle. You can’t switch off the heat, and the radiator stays hot. My room was 90F when I arrived. Opening the windows barely helped: on a 50F night, the room never dropped below 75F, so you have to sleep with them open to cool it down at all. Then you get road noise, church bells, people, and cigarette smoke coming into the room. Noise was a huge problem, with neighbors audible all around me. I had to wear AirPods to drown out the sounds inside and outside. The curtains are decorative and don’t block any light, as the photo shows. For a private bathroom you have to pay for the more expensive room. They wanted nearly $150 USD for a room with a shared bathroom. I paid for the private one, but if you’re 5’10 or taller, your head hits the ceiling. And with the windows open for temperature control, you either shut the bathroom door and let it get super hot, or leave it open and hope passersby don’t look into your room. The window is at their eye level, and the curtains don’t cover all of it.