Hotel California

3.0 star property
Hotel with a restaurant, 8-minute walk to Bahnhofstrasse

Choose dates to view prices

Hotel California in Old Town Zürich offers a charming base with practical amenities. Browse the on-site art gallery, shop designer stores, enjoy international cuisine at the restaurant, or relax with a drink at the bar. Free WiFi and newspapers add convenience.

Reviews

8.2 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Room service
  • Breakfast available
  • Laundry
  • Housekeeping

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 2 of 2 rooms

Comfort Double Room

8.8 out of 10
Excellent
(21 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Free cribs/infant beds
TV
Renovated in 2022
Portable fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
Hair dryer
Private bathroom
  • 15 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

Comfort Quadruple Room

8.4 out of 10
Very good
(12 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
TV
Renovated in 2022
Blackout drapes/curtains
Ceiling fan
Hair dryer
Private bathroom
Minibar
  • 22 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Queen Sofa Bed

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About the neighborhood

Map
Schifflaende 18, Zürich, 8001

What's nearby

  • Grossmuenster - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Zürich Opera House - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Kunsthaus Zurich - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Bahnhofstrasse - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Zurich Town Hall - 6 min walk - 0.6 km

Getting around

  • Helmhaus Tram Stop - 2 min walk
  • Zürich Limmatquai Station - 6 min walk
  • Zurich Airport (ZRH) - 26 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Sternen Grill - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Bauschänzli - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪Restaurant Le Cèdre - Bellevue - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Odeon - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪Kronenhalle - ‬2 min walk

About this property

Hotel California

Hotel remodeled in 2022 and located near Bahnhofstrasse
Take advantage of an art gallery on site, designer stores on site, and dry cleaning/laundry services at Hotel California. In addition to a bar and a restaurant, guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
You'll also enjoy perks such as:
  • Buffet breakfast (surcharge), express check-out, and an elevator
  • Tour/ticket assistance, concierge services, and smoke-free premises
  • Luggage storage, free newspapers, and a front-desk safe
  • Guest reviews say great things about the helpful staff
Room features
All guestrooms at Hotel California offer amenities such as free WiFi and desk chairs, in addition to safes and minibars.
More conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Heating and ceiling fans
  • Bathrooms with bathtubs and free toiletries
  • TVs with satellite channels
  • Wardrobes/closets, electric kettles, and daily housekeeping

Similar properties

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • No onsite parking available

Food and drink

  • Daily buffet breakfast available for a fee: CHF 25 for adults and CHF 15 for children
  • A bar/lounge
  • A restaurant

Things to do

  • Art gallery
  • Designer stores

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities

Conveniences

  • Free newspapers in lobby
  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Tour and ticket assistance

Accessibility

  • Elevator

More

  • 5 floors
  • Renovated entire property - March 2022
  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Blackout drapes

Bathroom

  • Bathtub
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste (on request)
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • TV with satellite channels

Food and drink

  • Electric kettle
  • Free bottled water
  • Minibar
  • Room service

More

  • Ceiling fan
  • Desk
  • Desk chair
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board on request
  • Phone
  • Portable fan
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM
Late check-in subject to availability
Late check-in fee for check-in between 11:30 PM and 7:00 AM
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM
Contactless check-out available
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 7:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation
If you are planning to arrive after 10:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation

Renovations and closures

The property will be renovating from January 17 2026 to February 13 2026 (completion date subject to change). The following areas are affected:
  • Elevator
During renovations, the hotel will make every effort to minimize noise and disturbance.

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
1 child, up to the age of 11 years, can stay for free if using existing beds when occupying the parent or guardian's room
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • A tax is imposed by the city: CHF 3.50 per person, per night. This tax does not apply to children under 12 years of age.

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

  • Fee for buffet breakfast: approximately CHF 25 for adults and CHF 15 for children
  • Late check-in fee for check-in between 11:30 PM and 7:00 AM

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Guests must contact this property in advance to reserve cribs/infant beds
This property accepts credit cards and cash
Cashless transactions are available
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit

National rating

Hotelstars Union assigns an official star rating for properties in Switzerland. This property is rated 3 stars.

Property is also known as

Hotel California Zurich
California Zurich
Hotel California Zürich
California Zürich
Hotel California Hotel
Hotel California Zürich
Hotel California Hotel Zürich

Frequently asked questions

Is Hotel California pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

This property doesn't offer parking.

What time is check-in at Hotel California?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM. Late check-in is available from 11:30 PM–7:00 AM for a fee.

What time is check-out at Hotel California?

Check-out is at 11 AM.

Where is Hotel California located?

Located in Old Town Zürich, this hotel is within a 10-minute walk of Grossmuenster and Bahnhofstrasse. Helmhaus and Charles Tower are just steps away. Helmhaus Tram Stop is only a 2-minute walk and Bellevue Tram Stop is 3 minutes.

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Reviews

Hotel California Reviews

8.2

Very Good

8.8

Cleanliness

9.4

Location

8.4

Staff & service

8.4

Eco-friendliness

8.2

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 139 out of 358 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 139 out of 358 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 48 out of 358 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 18 out of 358 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 14 out of 358 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Josefa

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I like the proximity of the hotel to everything.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Dan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice hotel in the center of the old town
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

8/10 Good

Efrain

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The family room is nice both the beds and sofa bed are comfortable and have nice and clean bed sheets. The location is excellent just a few steps away from train and bus stops, also the people at the front desk are very welcoming. In general it is a good hotel and the price is fair
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Magesh Kumar

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location. Convenient for all city sightseeing areas
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great Place to Stay

Great hotel very clean staff very helpful, perfect location. Stayed in a family room would have no problem recommending Hotel California.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Scott

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice hotel, rooms are very warm with no real A/C. Other than that great area and staff was helpful.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

6/10 Okay

Julie

Liked: Staff & service
In general we liked the hotel, as a convenient location and good price. The rooms are adequate for sleeping and the shower/bath was fairly large. The beds are a little hard for my taste and the pillows completely flat. No AC, but there was a fan which died by the final day. Rooms were clean, but the cleaning staff left the damp/dirty towels from all the rooms that had been cleaned on the stairs between the floors. They were there for 2 days. It was okay for what it is.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

6/10 Okay

Debra

Liked: Cleanliness
Location is great. Rooms are for budget travelers.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Ingrid

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great hotel located in a very centric area, the room was very cleanand modern. Staff was polite and helpful. I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Zurich.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

8/10 Good

Tran Thuy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The property is small but ok. Good location & friendly staff!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

8/10 Good

Eric

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great place. Very convenient.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Jennifer

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Amenities
The room was comfortable and clean. We were able to store our luggage before check-in.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

2/10 Terrible

Karla

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Too hot. No a/c

It’s very hot in the hotel room, uncomfortable, It’s very hard to sleep in the rooms despite the fans and the open windows. The fridge isn’t working, and the toilet was gurgling all night. It’s one of the most uncomfortable hotel I’ve ever stayed at.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Patrick

Great location. Your website says that the property has air conditioning, it does not and during our stay, it was needed. Big mistake on Expedia’s part. We would not have booked this property is we knew there was no air conditioning.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

4/10 Poor

Sanam

Liked: Staff & service
This hotel needs some work
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

DASTE

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Special mention to Dulal and our favorite Spanish waitress who makes our experience more memorable ! Accommodation is well located but quality level is ok
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Violeta

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Polina was very helpful, all hotel staff very pleasant. Public transportation stop 2min walk from hotel, short ride to airport by public transportation. Beds comfy and room as advertised. Big rooms we stayed in Malibu room
Stayed 1 night in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sherri

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Adorable property with very well maintained and appointed rooms! Lots of extras to make your stay great (in wall USB and USB-C, selection of teas with kettle, in room safe, comfy mattress, and even an umbrella). The staff were very friendly and the property was quite clean. The location is perfect for transit to the train station or airport by tram or train.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022

6/10 Okay

Steven

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Our stay was OK but I was not aware that the rooms don’t have air conditioning and it was very warm during our visit. On the second night, they provided small fans which helped a bit. Friendly and polite staff, and excellent location.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

6/10 Okay

Hilda

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Great location, close to everything you need to see. However, the entrance is tricky and the reception is tiny and messy (I was very disappointing at that point). The room, in contrast, is modern, clean and comfortable. In sum, the place is OK to stay, but too pricey for what it offers.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022

6/10 Okay

Ann

Liked: Cleanliness
The reception person was not welcoming almost rude. Seemed angry. Great location
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

Biplab

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Food warmer needed
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Judy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
No one was at front desk only during certain hours.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

8/10 Good

Diana

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Didn’t have AC but it’s cold so they gave us a fan that made it perfectly
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024

6/10 Okay

Patrick

You get what you pay for
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024