Where to stay in Bern

·7 December, 2022
·Samantha - Travelling King

Cityscape Capital City of Bern, Switzerland, Panoramic Scenery Old Town City View and Swiss Architectural Historical Building in Bern. Architecture Housing and Residential at Sunset Scene of Berne

Switzerland’s capital city, Bern, is a great place to base yourself for exploring the beauty of Switzerland. With roots dating back to the 12th century, Bern is blessed with both natural beauty and history. Using our guide to the best neighborhoods in Bern Switzerland, you can narrow down your selections and find the perfect Bern accommodation for your travel tastes and budget. Although Switzerland is notoriously expensive, it’s still possible to find budget-friendly hotels in Bern.

We will cover off all types of Bern accommodation options from Hostels to luxury Bern hotels as well as how to decide where to stay in Bern 2023, the best Bern hotels, best places in Bern to visit, the best places to stay in Bern, hotels near Bern attractions, Bern neighborhood guide and many more.

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Table of Contents

Old Town – Where to stay in Bern for tourists

Bern has one of the largest medieval city centers in Europe, and unlike many capital cities, the Old Town, or Altstadt, remains the city center. With so much well-preserved history, Old Town Bern has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Old Town is best area to stay in Bern Switzerland for tourists as most of the main sights are located here.

Bern city was founded at a curve in the Aare River, which forms a peninsula containing the Altstadt. The train station sits as the western edge of Old Town, offering easy transportation throughout Switzerland and the rest of Europe. Altstadt is the best area for tourists who are looking for hotels in Bern Switzerland near the train station.

Where to Stay in Bern Old Town

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in Bern Old Town
Bern Backpackers Hotel Glocke
Bern Youth Hostel
Hostel 77 Bern

Budget Hotels in Bern Old Town
Metropole Easy City Hotel
Hotel City am Bahnhof
ibis budget Bern Expo

Mid range Hotels in Bern Old Town
Hotel Savoy Bern
Best Western Hotelbern
Kreuz Bern Modern City Hotel
Hotel Baren am Bundesplatz

Family Friendly Hotels in Bern Old Town
Hotel Allegro Bern
Novotel Bern Expo
Hotel Jardin Bern
Hotel Waldhorn

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Bern Old Town
Hotel Bellevue Palace
Hotel Schweizerhof Bern & THE SPA
Unique Hotel Innere Enge

Beautiful cityscape of Swiss capital Bern. Old town located along turquoise Aare River. Historical buildings. Photographed in summer season. Tourist attractions. Switzerland city

Lorraine – Where to stay in Bern for a local expereince

To the north of Bern City Center, Lorraine occupies a narrow strip of land along the Aare River. From the center of Lorraine, one can reach the Old Town in about 30 minutes walking. This residential area has fewer hotels than other parts of Bern, but apartment rentals are available.

This is one of the best neighborhoods to stay in Bern if you want to have a more “local” experience and explore the parks and grocery stores like a resident. Lorraine Bad is a public swimming pool set along the river, and the Botanic Gardens are just to the south. There are several restaurants and parks scattered throughout the neighborhood, offering plenty of opportunities for leisurely exploration.

Where to Stay in Lorraine

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in Lorraine
Hostel 77 Bern
Bern Youth Hostel

Budget Hotels in Lorraine
Metropole Easy City Hotel
Hotel City am Bahnhof
ibis budget Bern Expo

Mid range Hotels in Lorraine
Hotel Allegro Bern
Hotel Waldhorn
Best Western Hotelbern
Hotel Alpenblick

Family Friendly Hotels in Lorraine
Kreuz Bern Modern City Hotel
Sorell Hotel Ador
Hotel Baren am Bundesplatz
Hotel La Pergola

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Lorraine
Hotel Schweizerhof Bern & THE SPA
Unique Hotel Innere Enge
BELLEVUE PALACE Bern

Lorrainebrucke and Lorraineviadukt bridges in Bern - Switzerland

Kirchenfeld – Where to stay in Bern with family

Just south of Old Town lies the affluent neighborhood of Kirchenfeld. From top to bottom, the whole neighborhood can be walked in 20 minutes, with an additional five-minute walk to arrive in Old Town Bern. This is one of the best neighborhoods to stay in Bern for those seeking family-friendly apartment rentals.

Kirchnefeld is known as the museum district of Bern, as the northern half of the neighborhood is filled with museums, including the Kunsthalle, History Museum, Natural History Museum, the Alpine Museum of Switzerland, and the Museum of Communication. Tierpark Bern is not to be missed if you are visiting Switzerland with kids. This historic animal park contains an aquarium, petting zoo, and a bear exhibit.

Where to Stay in Kirchenfeld

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in Kirchenfeld
Bern Youth Hostel
Hostel 77 Bern

Budget Hotels in Kirchenfeld
Hotel City am Bahnhof
ibis budget Bern Expo

Mid range Hotels in Kirchenfeld
Best Western Hotelbern
Hotel Savoy
Ambassador Hotel
The Bristol

Family Friendly Hotels in Kirchenfeld
Hotel Sternen Muri
Hotel Ibis Styles Bern City
Hotel La Pergola
Hotel Alpenblick

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Kirchenfeld
Hotel Schweizerhof Bern & THE SPA
Unique Hotel Innere Enge
BELLEVUE PALACE Bern

Beautiful aerial view on the old town with historical buildings in Bern city in Switzerland

Breitenrain – Where to stay in Bern for business travellers

East from Lorraine is the neighborhood of Breitenrain. This is perhaps best known as the home of Bern’s Football Club, FC Bern Breitenrain. The Stade de Suisse, a 30,000 seat football stadium is here, as is BernEXPO, Bern’s exposition center.

These two attractions ensure plenty of Bern hotels in the area, making this one of the best places to stay in Bern Switzerland for business travelers and sports fans. From the center of Breitenrain, it’s about a 30-minute walk to the center of Old Town, or you can take public transportation in about ten minutes.

Where to Stay in Breitenrain

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in Breitenrain
Bern Youth Hostel
Hostel 77 Bern

Budget Hotels in Breitenrain
ibis budget Bern Expo
Hotel City am Bahnhof

Mid range Hotels in Breitenrain
Hotel Waldhorn
Hotel Alpenblick 

Hotel Allegro Bern
Hotel Jardin Bern

Family Friendly Hotels in Breitenrain
Novotel Bern Expo
Sorell Hotel Ador
Ambassador Hotel
Hotel Baren am Bundesplatz

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Breitenrain
Unique Hotel Innere Enge
BELLEVUE PALACE Bern
Hotel Schweizerhof Bern & THE SPA

"Lorraineviadukt" - Railway bridge over the over River Aare. Bern, Switzerland

Länggasse – Where to stay in Bern on a budget

Further west of Altstadt, and across the river from Lorraine is the area called Länggasse. This is the university district as it’s home to the University of Bern, so there is a large student population and a younger vibe to the neighborhood. Where there are students, there is usually cheap and tasty food, so this is a budget-friendly neighborhood for going out.

The area has slowly gentrified from an industrial center on the river to a trendy neighborhood making great use of historic buildings. The train station separates Länggasse from Altstadt, so this is another good place to find hotels in Bern Switzerland near the train station.

Where to Stay in Länggasse

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in Länggasse
Bern Youth Hostel
Hostel 77 Bern

Budget Hotels in Länggasse
Metropole Easy City Hotel
ibis budget Bern Expo
TCS Camping Eymatt

Mid range Hotels in Länggasse
Hotel Savoy
The Bristol
Best Western Hotelbern
Kreuz Bern Modern City Hotel

Family Friendly Hotels in Länggasse
Sorell Hotel Ador
Hotel City am Bahnhof
Unique Hotel Innere Enge
Hotel Baren am Bundesplatz

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Länggasse
Hotel Schweizerhof Bern & THE SPA
BELLEVUE PALACE Bern

Bern, Switzerland - the main building of the University of Bern, people on the lawn in front of it. The University of Bern is a university in the Swiss city of Bern, founded in 1834.

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Where to stay in Bern

Article written by: Samantha - Travelling King

Hi, my name is Samantha, Finance Managing Guru by day, Travel Blogging Enthusiast by... well... day too! Haha! Travelling King is the destination hotspot for the wannabe traveller! Showcasing affordable, luxurious getaways for the budget conscious! With the combination of my financial knowledge and travelling experiences I aim to show you, with a little planning, the right budget and a realistic goal you can fulfil your travel fantasies and explore the world whatever your budget or desires may be!