Holiday Inn Express Luzern - Neuenkirch by IHG

Mr. Daniel, the General Manager, was friendly and approachable. He let us use the microwave to heat our food in the evenings and gave us coupons for 10% off at the neighboring cafe or food joint. We also received complimentary chocolates at both check-in and check-out. The rooms are quite small by US standards, with no wardrobe or complimentary bottled water, which is why I’m giving four stars. The hotel is right by the freeway, and the complimentary breakfast was quite okay.

We were fine with the location outside the city since we had a car, and parking was free. The rooms are new and clean, and breakfast was quite all right. There’s no air conditioning, so the room gets hot at night, and our TV didn’t work. Still, it’s a good hotel for a couple of nights. A supermarket and Burger King are next door, and hotel guests get 10% off.

The front desk staff were rude, and we immediately felt unwelcome. We were given just one key even though we’d booked for two, and the door couldn’t be locked from outside. That meant taking our luggage to the car every time we went out. The hotel is far from Lucerne’s old town, has no fitness center, and the room has no control for the heat or AC. Insulation is poor too, so we could hear everything from nearby rooms and the corridor, and it felt like people were stepping into our room. There are plenty of more convenient hotels in the area with better service. I don’t recommend this one.

The location was great, with the local train station, supermarket, and restaurants all within walking distance. I could see the Swiss Alps from my window. Breakfast was a basic spread, but the pancake machine was the best part, and staff kept the area tidy and cleared. I enjoyed my two-night stay. The room was very clean and had basic tea and coffee making facilities, though no fridge. Wi-Fi was mostly good but cut out often. The hotel was fairly quiet, apart from guests slamming doors, which I could feel in my room.