Hotel Brasserie Au Violon

If you had to choose anywhere to be incarcerated, Hotel Au Violon wouldn’t be a bad option. A prison until 1995, the building has been beautifully converted into a 20-room hotel that oozes charm. Décor in muted shades of olive and cream nods to nearby France, while the brasserie serves French-style dishes such as poached halibut in orange sauce. Accommodation is in former police offices and cells, but you wouldn't be able to tell. While the police office options are undeniably more luxurious, the former cells are spacious thanks to the removal of interior walls – just watch out if you are tall, as doorways are low. Meanwhile, the setting is calmer than you might expect for a hotel in central Basel. Violon’s position on a ledge above bustling Barfüsserplatz lends quiet, as well as lovely views of the Münster and the leafy Lohnhof square. Yet the hotel is just steps from the main drag: a nifty lift takes you straight from reception to the tram stop on Barfüsserplatz.