To attend our cousin's wedding, we travelled (from Illinois, USA) to Rothenburg in the Swiss Kanton of Luzern. The bride's father had booked rooms for us in the Gasthof Hotel Bären, a typical (good looking) Swiss building in the centre of this little town, so the first impression was a nice and positive one.
How looks can deceive: the first warm impression was immediately taken away by the harsh confrontation with the all but rude employe when we signed in: with an almost hostile attitude he did his very best to let us know that, at least in his world, we actually were NOT welcome. Very willing to take our money (as long as it is payed IN ADVANCE for every service expected), but not answering to the very high prices they charge. Book breakfast in advance and want to cancel it later (because relatives forgot to tell you that they count on you for breakfast): tough luck! Even a breakfast booked on a day the hotel is actually closed, will not be reimbursed, but replaced with a voucher for an outdoor place of THEIR choosing.
Being awakened by heavy drilling, hammering at 8:15 am? Well, supposedly we were lucky, because "we are allowed to do that from 6:00 am on".
The hotel is clean, the rooms are very nice, the service is very unfriendly (except for the one young waitress named Melanie) and does absolutely NOT live up to the expectations that come with a pretty stiff price level.
The relative that booked this hotel, does that on a regular bases for clients that come to Luzern. He was appalled by the way we were treated. So are we: they won't see us again! read more