Hotel Krafft Basel: the historic house on Rheingasse
Since 1873 the Krafft has welcomed guests on Rheingasse in Kleinbasel: 48 rooms with 1950s Swiss furniture, a restaurant overlooking the Rhine and a ten-minute walk to the Messe.
Our verdict
The Krafft is the hotel that tells the story of Kleinbasel best. Since 1873 the house on Rheingasse has welcomed guests, and many rooms look across the river to the Minster.
It is not a luxury hotel but a four-star boutique hotel with 48 rooms on five floors and a strong personality.
Rooms and restaurant
Parquet floors, restored tiles, old radiators and chandeliers meet standardised Swiss furniture from the 1950s. Some rooms have a balcony over the Rhine.
The hotel restaurant sits above the riverbank, and the breakfast buffet usually costs extra.
Location and walking times
The Mittlere Brücke is three minutes away, Marktplatz on the other side six. Messeplatz is ten minutes on foot, Basel SBB station 24 minutes, quicker by tram.
Our advice
The Rhine-facing room is the reason to stay here and is worth the extra. On the street side you hear Rheingasse, which is lively in the evening, and some rooms lack air conditioning.
Prices vary a lot: on Tuesday 17 November 2026 a double room cost almost twice as much as on the previous Friday. Compare several dates if you are flexible.
Check rooms at Krafft Basel: the link opens the hotel on Booking.com for a weekend about four weeks ahead, change the dates to suit your stay. During the big fairs and Fasnacht, booking early is the safest option.
See availability on Booking.com →Partner link: booking through this link supports our editorial team at no extra cost to you.Read next: Where to stay in Basel? The districts compared, with prices and visitor tax and Art Basel hotels in Basel: prices, booking deadlines and alternatives in the region.
Sources: the establishment's website, Basel Tourismus, Google Maps (address, reviews, October 2026), Google Hotels (prices checked on 23 October 2026), timetables from transport.opendata.ch, walking times calculated on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
How long has Hotel Krafft been in Basel?
How far is Hotel Krafft from Messe Basel?
Corinne Schaub
Corinne spent six years on the front desk of a hotel near the Badischer Bahnhof, answering the same questions about trams, zones and the border every day. She writes the pages she would have liked to hand to her guests. She checks every fare with the operator, never in a guidebook.
