“When the taxi driver asks you if you want to go to France, Germany, or Switzerland, you know you’ve landed in Basel. The city located in the border triangle on the Rhine is an exciting hotspot, not just in this event–filled year. A quick bleisure hotel stop after the con-ference.” Kai Böcking
2025 is the year for Basel. In addition to the legendary Art Basel, various ESC participants and the women’s European soccer championship have been bustling about the city on the Upper Rhine in recent months. To cope with such crowds – Basel has a population of just 200,000 – Swiss precision is required. This is also the motto at the Basel Marriott Hotel, counting 239 rooms, suites, a restaurant, a bar, 24/7 fitness facilities, and an M Club for Marriott Bonvoy status members and guests staying in Club Rooms. Calm, no frills, practical and timelessly elegant – you get what you already know. No wonder that the majority of the hotel guests come from the USA, for trade fairs, conferences or simply as a stop on their Europe tour.
The exhibition center is located directly opposite, with easy direct access to the huge Congress Center Basel and still within sight of the Rhine and the picturesque old town. Those who check-in here get the best of both worlds: business and leisure.
The rooms are packed with serenity. Wood, stone, gray upholstery, no playful Swiss romanticism. A desk, charging options for all possible plug sizes, and an internet connection that precisely meets all the needs of remote workers.
The M Club is open around the clock, as is the fitness center. A hotel as a foundation for everything else.
“Wickelfische” instead of a pool
Particularly chic is that every guest receives a free BaselCard. This not only allows you to travel around the city free of charge on public transport, but also to discover cultural highlights such as museums at reduced prices.
When it comes to food, MHP Hotel AG, the operator, relies on tried-and-tested recipes. The Heritage Restaurant is a culinary hotspot for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The beef tartare with burrata and truffle is divine.
The only thing missing is a pool – at least for me, a seasoned swimmer. But in the warmer months, the hotel does at least offer “Wickelfische” for water-loving guests. “What’s that?” you might ask. These colloquial swimming aids are something like life jackets for swimmers in the Rhine in Basel. With these buoyancy bags, you can float along the Rhine. Old bag, my foot.
Conclusion: The Basel Marriott Hotel is a reliable place that met all my bleisure needs before and after the conference.
P.S. My Wickelfisch is still reserved for my next visit!
Kai Böcking …
… will definitely be returning to Basel soon. He thinks that the city flies too far under the radar. And anyway, swimming in the Rhine instead of a pool is something he has yet to discover.
Photos:© Kai Böcking, Basel Marriott Hotel
