LU Bourbaki I - Allmend Hitrental Apartment

We stayed three nights as a group of four, and I'd consider this apartment again for a future group trip to Lucerne. The layout had enough room for four adults, with a sofa bed and extra bedding in the living area, plus a twin bed and a single bed in the bedroom. It would have been good to find the sofa bed made up, since the booking clearly showed four guests. The place was clean when we arrived, and the television, dining table for four, appliances, and fixtures all worked. There's also a private outdoor balcony with a small table and chairs. The bathroom was clean, but the shower door had a gap at the bottom, so water got onto the floor. The fan could be stronger too, as the room got very damp after showers. The kitchen is tiny, though it has the essentials, including crockery, plates, cutlery, dish soap, and a sponge. The fridge can hold a small grocery shop. There was a strong garbage smell in the corridor right outside the apartment, though it mostly stayed out if we kept the door closed. The location worked well, about a 7-10 minute walk from Lucerne/Allmend train station. A small Migros in the sports centre next door has basic groceries. Parking isn't provided, but the public underground lot at the sports centre charges by the hour, coming to about 22 CHF per night. Check-in and checkout were easy to do online, with no in-person contact with HitRental staff. We collected the keys from a ground-level lockbox using instructions sent online. The Lucern Visitor Pass for public transport came by email, and questions were answered promptly by email.

The apartment is in a good spot and was nice. It's generally quiet near the stadium, unless there's an event on. Parking is paid by the hour, and it can get expensive for a longer stay. There isn't any free parking.

The room felt creepy, with two glass doors. One was blocked from inside, so I couldn't open it or see what was behind it. I arrived to check in, looked at the room, and left without staying a night. It was significantly different from the room in the booking photos, which was the one I had specifically chosen and paid for. When I called the information number, they insisted it was the same “category,” but I don't believe that was true. The difference felt misleading. Staff told me there was nothing they could do and were very impolite. They blamed the booking platform, saying it had shown different photos, and kept repeating that it was the same category. It felt like word games to avoid taking responsibility. Poor service and a misleading experience. I wouldn't recommend staying here.

They keep sending messages asking for more money, saying every day that the city taxes need to be paid, even though they already charged them when I made the reservation. The rooms are dirty and very cold. Don't choose this place.