Hotel Pickwick

Right in the middle of Lucerne, close to the bridge and old town, with a gorgeous view of Chapel Bridge. The staff were friendly and accommodating, and the instructions were clear. We had a good stay. A few things to keep in mind: the place is above a pub, so nights can be noisy, and earplugs may help. We spotted dead cockroaches by the first-floor elevator, though thankfully none in our room, so we kept our bags closed at night just in case. They mention the insects too: lights attract lots of flies and possibly mosquitoes, so keep the windows shut. There’s no AC.

The room was very clean and had everything I needed, and the view was great. The pub staff were friendly and let me check in early. Beer was good too, though I didn't try the food. The location is handy, very close to the train station. Noise cost it a star for me. The outdoor patio stays open until 11:30 on weekdays and midnight on weekends, and people sit right outside water-facing rooms drinking and talking loudly. The floor also creaks, so I could hear the guests upstairs walking around. I found myself trying not to move much in my room. Still, I’d recommend it.

The pub was busy all the time, which could be fun, and we stopped in for drinks a couple of times, though we didn't eat there. The rooms were basic, but the price was reasonable. The location was absolutely perfect.

We booked directly with the Pickwick hostel and arrived at 1 a.m. Nobody was at a reception desk or on night watch, so we were left outside. We tried several times to reach someone without success and had to find and pay for another nearby hotel, Hotel des Balances. That is a proper hotel, with outstanding customer service, right on the lake shore. The Pickwick later refused to reimburse us for that night's stay. There was a phone box outside the closed entrance that supposedly connected guests to after-hours help, but no one answered. Neither the Pickwick website nor our booking confirmation said there was no night watch. That should have been made clear and prominent. We complained to the Luzern Tourist office, but decided not to spend more of our leisure time pursuing it. We would never stay here again. We’d rather pay for a proper hotel than save money and get this third-world-rated service at the Pickwick.