Hotel Florida

The countryside setting is one of the better parts of Florida. It's on the edge of Studen, just outside Biel/Bienne, with views of the mountains and wooded hills. There aren't many other hotels around to compare it with. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the place was clean and functional, though it felt dated and a bit like it needed renovating. The furniture and decor are quite chintzy, and the hotel is basic rather than luxurious or modern. The room had a TV with only one English-language channel, Bloomberg, and no fridge, minibar, or air conditioning. The beds were soft, and finding a usable power outlet was difficult. The safe is small, perhaps just big enough for an iPad, and takes a 2 CHF coin. You can take its physical key after putting the coin in. The door also has a manual lock, so it can be opened from outside if you don't lock it yourself. The windows have an outside blind operated mechanically instead of regular curtains. Breakfast was underwhelming. There were cereals, bread, jams, cheese, cold meats, fruit juice, coffee that was acceptable, and freshly baked croissants made from frozen dough. The only hot food was hard-boiled eggs, and there was no bacon. The two on-site restaurants are popular with locals. We found the food quite nice, while the service was especially cordial and friendly. There was also a pair of scarlet macaws in a large but still too-small cage, which some people seemed to enjoy, though I hate seeing birds kept captive, and a lily pond with very vocal frogs. It's an adequate hotel that does the job, and it doesn't claim to be more than it is.

I only stayed one night, so a comfortable bed and a good shower were what I needed. The water pressure was great. It's a well-organized hotel with plenty to do if you're there for a conference or a holiday. The breakfast buffet was good, and a coworker said the gym and wellness area were good too. The key lock and slow Wi-Fi were the only things that bothered me.

The rooms were spacious, very nice, and clean. Breakfast was typically Swiss, with several kinds of fresh, warm bread and a great selection of cheeses. A great hotel.

Everything was great, and the people working there were really kind. It's a very nice place. The pillows could be better, though.