Continental Lausanne

I booked a room at this hotel through Hotels.com 3-4 weeks ago. At the time, it stated that if I had booked a double room, I would have to pay an extra fee for breakfast for my 6-year-old son, which was fine with me. However, when we arrived at the hotel around 6:00 PM on November 10th, they told us that since the room was for two people, "for security reasons," we couldn't stay in that room because there were three of us, and that we would have to move to a triple room. It took them almost an hour during check-in to find a solution, and they charged an extra 40 CHF per night. "Thankfully," they reduced it to 30 CHF per night when we asked. We finally settled into our room, but the third sleeping place they offered for our son was a pitiful bed that folded out of a folding chair. Over the past six months, we've stayed in 6-7 different hotels in Bruges, Brussels, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and Greece, and we've never experienced such treatment at any of them. For a hotel whose sole advantage is its location across from the train station, this "sensitivity" struck me as excessive. The hotel doesn't have a parking garage. Finding parking in Lausanne is difficult. The hotel says it has a partnership with a large parking garage, and they direct you there; however, after parking there, returning to the hotel is a 10-minute walk, involving steep uphill and down side streets. We stayed the first night; we're considering requesting a refund for the remaining nights and leaving.

A bit of a mixed bag, location is very good for the main station and metro but it's also on a noisy road (to be expected given the location) which was compounded by major building work going on among the whole front of the station, starting at 7am.  Also being across from the station the taxi rank was in front of the hotel where the drivers chatted loudly into the small hours. The hotel soundproofing is pretty good when the windows are shut tight, but the noise from outside still penetrated. Bring your earplugs.  The next issue is the air conditioning, although there is a control in the room, sometimes it said it is being centrally controlled and sometimes it let you set a target temp, although not very low I think 22c was the lowest. This meant that with the windows shut to keep the noise out that the room could get far too warm, but it seemed a bit erratic. The room itself was good, decent size, two chairs, separate duvets, nice linens, even UK channels on the TV. The place was a bit tired though and the lighting was awful. The bathroom was OK, clean enough, the shower was a bit tight one way, but plenty of hot water. The staff at the front desk were all very nice and professional. Housekeeping quality was questionable as we found an half eaten pizza in a box left on a shelf in the wardrobe area. It's very convenient if you are travelling by train but given the works opposite I can't really recommend this hotel.

My two-week stay at the Continental Hotel was simply perfect, and it was largely thanks to the staff. Yugur, at the front desk, and the manager, showed exceptional helpfulness and dedication. As I was faced with the cancellation of my flight, the hotel team showed incredible understanding and flexibility. They immediately adjusted the dates of my booking so that I did not lose the two days of my stay. This gesture turned what could have been a major problem into a stress-free experience. Also, being mobility impaired and accompanied by my cat, the manager allowed me to leave later, free of charge, to avoid being out of the street with my luggage, cat and walker. The hotel is conveniently located, right in front of the train station, which is very convenient. It is close to all shops, restaurants and public transport (train, subway and bus), which greatly facilitates travel. My double room located on the 5th floor, although a little old, remains comfortable and offers stunning views of the lake and the Alps. Despite the works of the station, I was not inconvenienced in any way. It is the perfect setting to relax and enjoy the beauty of Lausanne. The breakfast buffet, while repetitive, offers a wide variety of options for all tastes: cereals, pastries, cold cuts, cheeses, fresh fruit, yogurt, as well as excellent coffee, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages and vegetables. The pressed fresh orange juice machine is a real plus, and I very much appreciated this detail. From the cleaning team to the buffet staff, everyone is smiling, welcoming and does everything possible to make you feel at home. If you are looking for a hotel where Service is the priority, and the location is perfect, look no further.