Conveniently located directly opposite the railway station in Neuchâtel, the Alpes et Lac hotel is a good 15 minute walk from the centre of town but commands an impressive view out across the lake to the mountains.
I stayed in a room overlooking the town, on the third and top floor. The room had a real wood floor which is colder than a carpet but despite the time of year I travelled the room was plenty warm enough for me.
Heating is provided by large but rather old fashioned radiators. The rest of the room was furnished in a more modern style. The desk and chair provided for working or writing was adequate and allowed for good ergonomics. There were also two chairs and an occasional table, none of which was of any particular use.
My room had twin beds; the one I slept in was comfortable and provided with plenty of sheets.
As noted by previous reviewers, hanging space is provided by a slightly strange curtained hanging rail arrangement. Since I was only staying for a single night I had little luggage and only needed to hang a suit but if I were in Neuchâtel for any length of time I might struggle for space.
The bathroom was very clean and had plenty of clean towels, though there was also a strange humming noise, as from a generator.
The main plus point of the room is definitely the view – on a clear day you can see right across the lake and into the mountains beyond (see photograph) and the room is very light. If this is likely to pose an issue for sleeping, the room also has an external shutter that can be lowered.
I ate breakfast in the hotel – a reasonable spread including breads, cheeses, salami, croissants, fruit juice including freshly squeezed orange juice, and I ate dinner in the Chinese restaurant beneath the hotel, which was quite pleasant. The disadvantage of the hotel’s location is that it is a fair walk down into town down the hill though I suppose that might be a good way to work your meal off! For reference, the hotel is at about 475m and the town centre at about 430m. If you need a taxi, there’s an abundance at the railway station.
The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and there is free wi-fi throughout the hotel – you will need a WPA key which is available from reception. There are wireless routers on each floor, so signal strength is good.
The hotel has a terrace leading out from the restaurant, which was not in use at the time of my visit. It does not have a swimming pool or gym but Neuchâtel does have a public swimming pool (Nid du Crô) which is about 25 minutes away on foot.