Short answer
Stay in Zurich's old town (Altstadt), especially the Niederdorf on the right bank, for a first visit: everything is walkable and the main station is 5–10 minutes away. Choose the area around the main station for short stays and early trains, Enge or Seefeld for the lake, Zürich West for nightlife, Oerlikon for lower prices, and the airport for an early flight.
On this page 12 sections
- Our quick picks
- Neighborhoods compared
- Niederdorf: the old town on the right bank
- Around the main station and the Limmatquai
- Enge and Seefeld: by the lake
- Zürich West: for nightlife
- Oerlikon: the smart budget option
- Families and groups: Greencity
- Zürichberg and Lake Zurich: the splurge
- The airport
- Our honest take
- Frequently asked questions
Zurich is compact, its trams are excellent and almost every hotel is a short ride from the main station. So you can't get it badly wrong. But the right area changes the trip: a night in the old-town lanes feels nothing like a business hotel by the airport.
Here's how the neighborhoods compare, with the hotels we'd book in each.
Our quick picks
- First visit: the Niederdorf (old town, right bank).
- Budget in the center: Hotel Limmathof or Motel One.
- Lake views and calm: Enge or Seefeld.
- Nightlife: Zürich West.
- Lower prices, fast trains: Oerlikon.
- Very early flight: the airport.
- A splurge: The Dolder Grand on the Zürichberg.
Neighborhoods compared
| Area | Best for | To the main station | Feel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niederdorf (Altstadt) | First visit, restaurants | 5–10 min walk | Old lanes, lively |
| Around the main station | Short stays, early trains | On the doorstep | Central, busy |
| Enge & Seefeld | The lake, quiet evenings | 5–10 min by tram | Residential, lakeside |
| Zürich West | Bars, design, nightlife | 5 min by train/tram | Industrial-cool |
| Oerlikon | Value, events, airport access | About 6 min by train | Modern hub |
| Zürichberg | Luxury, views | 15 min by tram | Leafy hillside |
| Airport | Early flights | 10 min by train | Practical |
Niederdorf: the old town on the right bank
The Niederdorf is the pedestrian heart of the Altstadt: cobbled lanes, guild houses, the Grossmünster and dozens of restaurants and bars. You walk out of your hotel into the sights, and back from dinner in five minutes. It's lively until late on weekends, so ask for a room on a side lane if you sleep lightly.
Stay here if: it's your first visit, or you want Zurich at its most charming.
Hotel Adler Zürich
Zurich
Why we picked it: In the Niederdorf old town, home of the Swiss Chuchi restaurant, known for its cheese fondue and rösti.
Check rates & availability →Hotel Felix
Zurich
Why we picked it: Small hotel in the Niederdorf quarter, about 425 m from the main station and steps from the old-town lanes.
Check rates & availability →See hotels in the Niederdorf →
Around the main station and the Limmatquai
Ideal for a short stopover or a trip built on day trips by train. The Limmatquai runs along the river right from the station; the left bank leads into Bahnhofstrasse.
Hotel Limmathof
Zurich
Why we picked it: Simple, good-value rooms on the Limmat, about 5 minutes' walk from Zurich main station; the Central tram stop is outside.
Check rates & availability →Motel One Zürich
Zurich
Why we picked it: Design-budget hotel in the center, walking distance to the Bahnhofstrasse, the lake and the Hürlimannbad thermal baths.
Check rates & availability →Enge and Seefeld: by the lake
On either side of the lake's northern tip. Enge (left bank) has the lakeside park, the FIFA Museum and, a little further up Brandschenkestrasse, the Hürlimannbad thermal baths. Seefeld (right bank) is a smart residential area with the lakeside promenade to the Zürichhorn. Both are quiet at night and a few tram stops from the old town.
B2 Boutique Hotel + Spa
Zurich · Zurich
Why we picked it: Hotel inside the old Hürlimann brewery, connected to the thermal baths.
Check rates & availability →Thermalbad & Spa Zürich
Zurich · Zurich
Why go: Thermal baths in a former brewery, with a rooftop pool overlooking the city.
Zürich West: for nightlife
The former industrial quarter around the Viadukt arches and Prime Tower: bars, clubs, galleries and summer beer gardens. Good for younger travelers and anyone who doesn't want the old-town postcard.
Oerlikon: the smart budget option
Zurich's second hub, north of the center: about 6 minutes from the main station and a few minutes from the airport by train. It's less scenic, but prices are lower, and it's right next to the Hallenstadion arena and the Messe fairground.
Mama Shelter Zurich
Zurich-Oerlikon
Why we picked it: The brand's first Swiss hotel (2025): playful rooms, a rooftop garden bar and wood-fired pizza, near Oerlikon station.
Check rates & availability →Holiday Inn Zürich Messe
Zurich-Oerlikon
Why we picked it: Opposite the Messe fairground and Hallenstadion arena; tram 11 runs straight from Zurich main station.
Check rates & availability →Families and groups: Greencity
South of the center on the S-Bahn line to Uetliberg: a new car-free neighborhood with a hotel-hostel offering family rooms. Handy for the Uetliberg Planet Trail.
MEININGER Hotel Zürich Greencity
Zurich-Manegg
Why we picked it: Hotel-hostel hybrid with private rooms and shared rooms, about 450 m from Zürich Manegg S-Bahn station (S4).
Check rates & availability →Zürichberg and Lake Zurich: the splurge
Above the city on the wooded Zürichberg, The Dolder Grand is Zurich's grandest hotel, with a huge spa and views over the lake. Or stay right on the lake shore in Rüschlikon, 15 minutes south.
The Dolder Grand
Zurich · Zurich
Why we picked it: Hilltop grand hotel with a 4,000 m² spa above the city.
Check rates & availability →Hotel Belvoir Lake View & Spa
Rüschlikon · Zurich
Why we picked it: Lake Zurich hotel with a spa, 15 minutes from the city.
Check rates & availability →The airport
For a 7 a.m. flight, sleep at the airport. The Radisson Blu is inside it, opposite Terminal 1; the Capsule Hotel is the cheapest bed; the ibis budget is two tram stops away. Full comparison in our budget and airport hotels guide.
Radisson Blu Hotel Zurich Airport
Zurich Airport
Why we picked it: The only hotel inside Zurich Airport, opposite Terminal 1, with a 16 m (52 ft) wine tower in the lobby.
Check rates & availability →Capsule Hotel - Zurich Airport
Zurich Airport
Why we picked it: 144 sleeping capsules in the Prime Center, a few steps from the terminals. The cheapest bed at the airport.
Check rates & availability →ibis budget Zurich Airport
Glattbrugg
Why we picked it: About 1.4 km from the airport, two tram stops (lines 10 and 12) from the terminal.
Check rates & availability →Our honest take
For one or two nights, book the Niederdorf or near the station and walk everywhere. Then plan your days with our list of things to do in Zurich, and see how Zurich fits into a 7, 10 or 14-day Switzerland itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best area to stay in Zurich?
The Altstadt (old town), and in particular the Niederdorf on the right bank of the Limmat: pedestrian lanes, restaurants and the main sights on foot, a few minutes from the main station.
Is it better to stay near Zurich main station or the airport?
Near the main station or in the old town for a city stay; trains reach the airport in about 10 minutes. Stay at the airport only for a very early flight or a single overnight layover.
Where to stay in Zurich on a budget?
Oerlikon (Mama Shelter, Holiday Inn Messe) and the airport area (ibis budget, the capsule hotel) are cheaper, with fast trains to the center. In the old town, Hotel Limmathof is the budget pick.
