In the bustling Swiss capital of Zürich, Josephine’s Guesthouse is the ideal place for solo female travellers to stay. Looking for a hotel with more privacy than a hostel, but more affordable than, well, the rest of Zürich? I’ve found the spot, pals.
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The day before I checked in at Josephine’s Guesthouse, I received an email from the hotel’s reception team. They had noticed that my name was listed as plain and simple ‘Alex,’ and were very concerned that I was, in actual fact, a man. I reassured them that I am indeed a female- never fear! They apologised profusely and explained that men book at this ‘women’s only’ hotel surprisingly frequently, resulting in a high number of hotel-less men leaving the hotel lobby with nowhere to stay.
Because, uniquely, Josephine’s Guesthouse is a hotel for women only. From a safety perspective, as a solo female traveller (who’s slightly tired of female dorm rooms in hostels), this makes the hotel an ideal option for a Zürich stay.
But pals, there’s more to Josephine’s than just being a hotel for women travellers to stay in, and in a world where tourism can suck the life out of a place as a destination gets increasingly popular, I’ve increasingly found myself searching or hotels which have some kind of a connection with the local community, or an environmentally-friendly ethos. Be that a family-run business, a hotel which sources its decor, food and toiletries from its local vicinity, or something even more unique: like Josephine’s Guesthouse.
There’s a grand total of 38 guest rooms at this hotel, all filled with natural light, super-spacious, and designed with clean modern lines and bright, warm colours. But not all the rooms are for travellers. At any given time, 8-10 of the rooms here are reserved for women who are escaping from domestic abuse or are facing homelessness.
Josephine’s is part of a female-founded not-for-profit group called Sinn & Gewinn Hotels, which means, in short, that all profits are fed back into its goal of social advancement, as opposed to a bunch of greedy shareholders. (No offence to all shareholders across the actual world.) This is exactly the kind of place that I want to spend my money on. At its sister Zürich hotels The Alma and The Marta, assisted employment is given to women with mental or cognitive impairments, bridging the gap back into the workplace. And it’s easy to see that Josephine’s Guesthouse is a haven for women. It’s all in the vibe, you know?
Sinn & Gewinn and their hotels also place huge importance on remaining sustainable, using local products where possible and making any eco-friendly changes to the way they run things, whether that’s by using paperless communication or cleaning only with organic cleaning products.
My stay at Josephine’s Guesthouse
Josephine’s Guesthouse is in a renovated building on a quiet but very central side street, and although it was a chilly day, and there’s a tram stop approximately two minutes from the main entrance, I decided to walk from Zürich Hauptbanhof (that’s the central station to all the English speakers out there), along the river to the hotel. The walk took about 15 minutes, and despite that chill-factor I always find that staying on foot is the best way to see a new city.
The thing I noticed first when approaching Josephine’s? Well that would actually be the vending machine outside, which exclusively stocks products which have come directly from Swiss farmers: Alpine cheeses, dried meats, jams and baked goods all have a place in the Alpomat, which bills itself as ‘The smallest farm shop in town.’ Innovative, I’m telling you, and there are now several of these vending machines across Zürich and the rest of Switzerland.
After a friendly greeting from the lovely lady on reception, (who apologised once more for presuming that I’m a man), I made my way to my room, and was astounded to see how much space there was. The double room was absolutely massive- although maybe it seemed extra large because I’d come directly from a gorgeous, cozy, but extremely tiny single room in Zermatt? Whatever the reason, there was room for a whole dance floor in that hotel room, I’m telling you.
The wide windows overlooked a nearby church and let in all the natural light, and there was plenty of storage space as well as a comfy armchair, and a neat desk and chair that I could work at. The bathroom was equally spacious, and although there were no tea and coffee making facilities in the room, there’s a communal kitchen on the top floor of the hotel where this was available.
And let me introduce you to the top floor, because that is absolutely glorious.
The kitchen-come-common-room is a beautifully designed space, which also contains lockers for storing any valuables in. I didn’t use the kitchen during my stay- other than to help myself to the continental-style breakfast that’s provided for all guests- but it’s fully equipped for everyone to use. (In Switzerland, everything is expensive, so eating in would be a great way to keep your costs down in the city). There’s plenty of space to sit and enjoy your breakfast (or lunch or dinner, or simply just to hang out in), and windows run the length of the room- again letting in that all-important natural light.
But the best thing of all about that beautiful top floor of Josephine’s Guesthouse, is the wonderful roof terrace, with its brightly coloured tables and chairs, and views across the city. It’s a really lovely environment to meet other solo travellers in, or just have some quiet time and soak in the sunlight and fresh air.
So pals, I’d say my experience of Josephine’s Guesthouse is an overwhelmingly positive one. There seemed to be women of all ages staying there, and it really is a wonderful place for solo female travellers to stay in- sitting somewhere between the realms of hostel and boutique hotel. It’s also one of the most affordable accommodation options in Zürich, whilst still remaining comfortable, clean, safe and design-focused. Everything you might need is taken care of, but you can rest assured that this guesthouse is making a really positive impact on the local community. And for that, I wholeheartedly salute it.
Check availability for Josephine’s Guesthouse for Women.
