Hotel des Balances

Travel Date: February 28, 2025

We booked a gourmet special package for this hotel and it was so much better than expected. The champagne in the package was a very good example and certainly a lovely treat. The rooms overlooking the Reuss are worth the little extra. The food in the restaurant is superb and...

We booked a gourmet special package for this hotel and it was so much better than expected. The champagne in the package was a very good example and certainly a lovely treat. The rooms overlooking the Reuss are worth the little extra. The food in the restaurant is superb and the gourmet menu well prepared and carefully balanced. Breakfast has to be experienced and for anyone who has any OCD tendencies it will be an absolute joy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite as joyous! The food is worth the visit on its own. This hotel also went above and beyond for us in order to make sure that we made our train connection by organising for our luggage to meet us at the station. It was our timing error but they really helped to make it happen.

Travel Date: January 31, 2025

We stayed at Hotel des Balances during our honeymoon in Europe and, as travelers from Canada, we were excited for our time in Lucerne. While the hotel itself was clean, comfortable, and well-located, the service left much to be desired—especially given the price. Unlike our other honeymoon stays across Europe,...

We stayed at Hotel des Balances during our honeymoon in Europe and, as travelers from Canada, we were excited for our time in Lucerne. While the hotel itself was clean, comfortable, and well-located, the service left much to be desired—especially given the price. Unlike our other honeymoon stays across Europe, the staff here didn’t acknowledge our special occasion, which felt impersonal. Additionally, we had to repeatedly ask for basic inclusions, such as drinking water. The dispenser on our floor was broken, and the hotel was out of bottled water, forcing us to purchase small bottles of tap water for 5 CHF each—even though water was supposed to be complimentary. The machine was only fixed at the very end of our stay, with little urgency from the staff. I was also repeatedly misaddressed as "Mr." instead of "Mrs.", despite correcting them multiple times. No one checked in with us during our stay, and when we checked out, there was no assistance navigating the taxi situation—since cabs can’t pull up directly to the hotel, we had to carry our luggage down stairs and across a bridge without guidance. To top it off, a mandatory tip was required at checkout, which felt excessive considering the lackluster service. On the positive side, the location is great, within walking distance of most of the city’s attractions. However, for the price and reputation of this hotel, we expected much better service. Unfortunately, it did not meet our expectations, and we wouldn’t recommend it for those seeking a seamless, attentive experience.

Travel Date: November 30, 2024

I had booked four nights at the hotel as part of our honeymoon in Lucerne. The location and view from the room was great. The staff at the front desk were super helpful with any questions and made check in/out easy. I think the staff here is great but the...

I had booked four nights at the hotel as part of our honeymoon in Lucerne. The location and view from the room was great. The staff at the front desk were super helpful with any questions and made check in/out easy. I think the staff here is great but the rooms are out of date. The bed was comfortable but I do feel like the rooms need updating and lacked some cleanliness. When I checked in you could visibly see some sort of stain on the couch and chair. The floors never looked fully clean and there was dust in spots that should have been noticed. The layout of the suite was odd with buttons to operate all the lights but then the wardrobe being near the door and bathroom. The shower looked like it needed replacing as it was some sort of pre-fab that had seen better days.