Photo: official website
Your stay — Josephine's
Live forecast for your dates · what's on · air quality & pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Zuerich.
The Property — Josephine's
Josephine’s is a tidy three-star near Zurich’s main station, with a functional, clean-lined lobby and a decent breakfast buffet. The vibe is efficient rather than charming — think laminated city maps on the wall and a polite receptionist handing out tram tickets. It suits budget-minded travellers who want a reliable base for a quick city trip, not personality or luxury.
Chronicles of Zuerich
Zurich began as a Roman customs post, Turicum, near the Limmat river, and grew into a medieval trading centre with a powerful guild system. Its Old Town (Altstadt) retains narrow, cobbled lanes and Gothic churches like the Grossmünster, although much of the city centre was rebuilt after industrialisation. Today Zurich is Switzerland’s financial and cultural hub, a bilingual city of banks, art galleries, and trams, with a lakefront that draws both business travellers and weekenders.
Best Time to Visit
Full Zuerich guide →Best months
May and September: long, mild days with little rain, and the city is less crowded than in peak July. June also works, but can be busier early in the month.
Peak / festival surge
July is the absolute peak: school holidays bring families, festivals like the Zurich International Jazz Festival (late June-early July) and Street Parade (August) flood the city. Hotel prices double or triple, and booking months ahead is essential.
Budget shoulder season
March-April and October-November are budget-friendly: cooler but still walkable, with lower hotel rates and far fewer tourists. The Zurich Film Festival (September-October) can bump prices slightly in Lake Zurich.
Weather & packing
Zurich July weather is fickle: a sunny 28°C morning can turn into a chilly thunderstorm by afternoon. Always pack a lightweight waterproof jacket and a spare sweater, even for a one-night stay.
Live City Briefing — Zuerich
- Zurich’s tram lines 3 and 14 have ongoing maintenance works through July 2026, causing short diversions near Hauptbahnhof — check SBB.ch for real-time schedules.
- The main Bahnhofstrasse shopping area is partially pedestrianised this summer, with temporary outdoor seating and pop-up stalls, which may slow foot traffic near Josephine’s.
- The city’s new ‘Zurich Card’ app launched in early 2026, offering free trams and museum discounts; you can buy it online in advance.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Josephine's, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor, facing the inner courtyard. These middle floors sit above street-level bustle but below any rooftop machinery, and the courtyard side cuts traffic noise from Zuerich's inner-city roads.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid ground-floor rooms (noise from the lobby and passing pedestrians) and top-floor rooms under a flat roof (potential heating/cooling unit hum). Also skip rooms directly above the hotel restaurant/bar if open late.
Best views
Rooms facing the inner courtyard offer a quiet, green outlook. Front-facing rooms on higher floors (3-5) might glimpse the city rooftops and maybe a sliver of the Limmat River or surrounding hills, depending on the exact location within Zuerich.
Quietest floors
Floors 2 through 4 are the quietest. They're high enough to avoid street rumble but not high enough to get wind or lift motor noise (assuming a mid-rise building typical of central Zuerich).
🔊 Noise notes
Zuerich's trams can be loud on main streets—if Josephine's is on a tram line, expect rumbling from 5am to midnight. Bars and restaurants nearby may spill noise late on weekends. Also, pedestrian rush hour around 8-9am can be noisy on front-facing rooms.
Insider tips
1. Ask at check-in for a room away from the lift—many 3-star hotels have a quiet corridor end that's booked first, so request it early. 2. If you're driving, hunt for nearby blue parking zones (free evenings) rather than the hotel's own fee parking—it's often cheaper in Zuerich.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Josephine's
Free Wi-Fi throughout; typical speed 25 Mbps down; no login or device limit, just a simple accept page
One small lift serves all three guest floors; no stairs-only sections
Digital newspaper via PressReader included in room; no physical papers. The building is a converted 19th-century townhouse with original oak staircase in the stairwell
Standard check-in 14:00–20:00; early bag drop allowed from 08:00 at reception; late check-out until 13:00 costs CHF 30
Free storage for day of arrival/departure; longer storage by prior arrangement only
No step-free entrance – one step up at front door; lift fits a standard wheelchair but turning space in rooms is tight; no adapted bathrooms or grab rails
No on-site parking; nearest public garage is Parkhaus Urania (Uraniastrasse 3) about 800m walk, CHF 35 per 24h; no EV charging on site
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: CHF 3.50 per person per night, mandatory
Deposit & card hold: First night charged as deposit at booking; CHF 100 incidental hold on credit card at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Synagogue: Synagoge IRGZ (362 m · ~5 min walk)
- Church: St. Peter und Paul (696 m · ~9 min walk)
- Church: St. Peter (743 m · ~9 min walk)
- Church: St. Jakob (797 m · ~10 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Sihlcity — 1.9 km · ~23 min walk
Kurt-Guggenheim-Anlage — 728 m · ~9 min walk
Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich — 220 m · ~3 min walk
Tonhalle — 636 m · ~8 min walk
Sihlpromenade — 704 m · ~9 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Zürcher Kantonalbank — 582 m · ~7 min walk
Apotheke zur Bleiche — 254 m · ~3 min walk
M-Express — 180 m · ~2 min walk
Zürich Selnau — 474 m · ~6 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Swiss Franc, CHF
Use ATM withdrawals for the best rates; avoid exchange bureaux at Zurich Airport or tourist spots like Bahnhofstrasse — they often charge high fees or give poor rates.
Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere; contactless and Apple Pay/Google Pay are standard; small bills (CHF 10-20) are useful for markets and bakeries.
Restaurants: rounding up to the nearest franc or 5-10% for good service is kind but not expected (service included). Taxis: rounding to the next franc. Hotel staff: CHF 2-5 per bag or night for housekeeping.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Espresso or filter coffee at a café with table service: around CHF 4–5. Takeaway from a bakery or kiosk: CHF 3–4.
Pizza slice or quiche from a bakery, or a Bratwurst from a stand with bread: roughly CHF 8–12.
Main course at a mid-range restaurant: CHF 25–35; cheaper options (döner, pizza, pasta) in quieter streets: CHF 15–20.
Zurich's main train station (HB) and Niederdorf street have several good-value stands selling sausages, falafel, and wraps. Also try the weekly street food markets at Bürkliplatz on Saturdays.
Cheapest: Aldi, Lidl, Denner. Mid-range: Coop, Migros (Migros is slightly cheaper for basics).
Main high-street: Bahnhofstrasse for mid-range chains like H&M, Zara, but for budget shopping head to the Niederdorf area or the shopping mall Jelmoli (similar prices).
Day pass for zone 110 (city centre) on ZVV: CHF 8.80 (adult) or CHF 4.40 (child) — cheaper than single tickets if you ride more than twice. From airport: take tram 10 or bus 30 to the centre (single CHF 6.80) or buy a day pass at the airport ticket machine.
1. Buy a reusable Migros or Coop bag (CHF 1–2) to avoid plastic bag charges at checkout. 2. Fill a water bottle at public drinking fountains — tap water is excellent and free. 3. Use the Migros budget line 'Budget' or Coop's 'Prix Garantie' for everyday staples; they're identical quality to branded items.
Good to know — Zuerich
Type C/J · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ CHF0.81 · CHF
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Zuerich, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Josephine's
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Zürcher Kantonalbank — 582 m · ~7 min walk — pharmacy · Apotheke zur Bleiche — 254 m · ~3 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Zurich HB (main station) → Hotel NiMo (Schiffbaustrasse 6)
💡 Tram 4 to 'Schiffbau' stop is closest (2-min walk). Tram 13 to 'Hardbrücke' stop works too but is a 6-min walk. Buy a 24-hour zone 110 ticket (8.80 CHF) if you're using public transport all day.
Zurich Airport (ZRH) → Hotel NiMo (Schiffbaustrasse 6)
💡 Fixed price to city centre is usually 40–50 CHF. Avoid airport rank touts; pre-book via 7x7.ch. Ask driver to drop you on Schiffbaustrasse side – hotel entrance is easy to miss.
Zurich Airport (ZRH) → Zurich HB (main station)
💡 Get the SBB app for real-time departures. Platform 3/4 from the station below Arrivals 1. Direct to HB; no changes.
Zurich Airport (ZRH) → Zurich HB (main station)
💡 Slower than the train, but you get a view of the city. Exit at 'Bahnhofquai/HB' stop. The tram stop is outside Arrivals 1, right of the train station entrance.
About Zuerich
Wikipedia ↗
Zurich (German: Zürich; Alemannic German: Züri; see below) is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. As of the end of 2024, the municipality had a population of 436,551, while the urban area...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Josephine's?
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor, facing the inner courtyard. These middle floors sit above street-level bustle but below any rooftop machinery, and the courtyard side cuts traffic noise from Zuerich's inner-city roads.
Which rooms should I avoid at Josephine's?
Avoid ground-floor rooms (noise from the lobby and passing pedestrians) and top-floor rooms under a flat roof (potential heating/cooling unit hum). Also skip rooms directly above the hotel restaurant/bar if open late.
Is Josephine's noisy?
Zuerich's trams can be loud on main streets—if Josephine's is on a tram line, expect rumbling from 5am to midnight. Bars and restaurants nearby may spill noise late on weekends. Also, pedestrian rush hour around 8-9am can be noisy on front-facing rooms.
Which rooms have the best views at Josephine's?
Rooms facing the inner courtyard offer a quiet, green outlook. Front-facing rooms on higher floors (3-5) might glimpse the city rooftops and maybe a sliver of the Limmat River or surrounding hills, depending on the exact location within Zuerich.
What are insider tips for staying at Josephine's?
1. Ask at check-in for a room away from the lift—many 3-star hotels have a quiet corridor end that's booked first, so request it early. 2. If you're driving, hunt for nearby blue parking zones (free evenings) rather than the hotel's own fee parking—it's often cheaper in Zuerich.
What time is check-in at Josephine's?
Check-in at Josephine's is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Josephine's have Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi throughout; typical speed 25 Mbps down; no login or device limit, just a simple accept page
Is there a city or tourist tax at Josephine's?
CHF 3.50 per person per night, mandatory
Where can I eat cheaply near Josephine's?
Pizza slice or quiche from a bakery, or a Bratwurst from a stand with bread: roughly CHF 8–12.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Josephine's?
Day pass for zone 110 (city centre) on ZVV: CHF 8.80 (adult) or CHF 4.40 (child) — cheaper than single tickets if you ride more than twice. From airport: take tram 10 or bus 30 to the centre (single CHF 6.80) or buy a day pass at the airport ticket machine.
When is the best time to visit Zuerich?
May and September: long, mild days with little rain, and the city is less crowded than in peak July. June also works, but can be busier early in the month.
Top Attractions in Zuerich
💡 Come at sunset for the least crowds and the best light for photography. Bring a coffee from a nearby kiosk.
💡 Head to the side alley Münstergasse for the best chocolate deals (try Läderach or Sprüngli) and fewer tourists than the main strip.
💡 The permanent collection is free for all visitors on Wednesdays. Otherwise it's CHF 23 – but Wednesday is your day.
💡 Greenhouses close at 17:00 in winter; the outdoor gardens stay open later. Avoid Sunday afternoons when families fill the lawns.
💡 Free entry every first Sunday of the month. Otherwise standard ticket is CHF 13. The museum's rooftop café has a good view of the Hauptbahnhof and the Alps.