Where to stay in Zurich for early morning flight

I have stayed at the Movenpick several times for an early morning flight and found it to be very convenient. They offer an airport shuttle, but I would check in advance before booking to ensure they are running at the times you need to make your flight since it is quite early. If you are not successful in finding a low regular rate, I have bid on a room through Priceline choosing Zurich Airport hotels and had good luck when rates are running high. I do not know Zurich public transportation well, but it seems that leaving at 3am could be difficult. Perhaps check directly with any hotel you are considering and ask them what they recommend.

Thank you for your reply. The hotel you recommended was over our budget for 3 people (my son is 13 and apparently counts as an adult). However, I booked another hotel that showed up with the search, and it has beds for 3 and a 24-hr free airport shuttle.

You already booked a hotel, but for others who might be reading this thread, here's a thought:
Sleep in the airport! We did it in Geneva and in Berlin, and my kids saw it as an adventure.
Go to www.sleepinginairports.net for all the reviews of airports.
Also, it's usually quite safe: they lock you in with the guards and the maintenance staff until the airline crews start coming at 5am. In Berlin we planned ahead and brought air mattresses. In Geneva we slept across from the police office. Fun for the right sort of person!

buggy,

You might have a look at the Wallhalla Hotel as it's almost right next to the main station in Zürich. From the Zürich station, it's only about 10 minutes to the airport by train. If you want to arrive by 05:00, I don't think it's necessary to get up at 03:00.

For future reference or for other readers, keep in mind that Lucerne has a direct rail link to the Zurich airport. Trains leave Lucerne every half hour and take about 70 minutes. If your only reason to visit Zurich is to be close to the airport for a flight the next day, this is an excellent option and works perfectly.

Thank you all for the replies; they have been very helpful. The airport idea is interesting, but won't work with our son. I'll keep it in mind for future travel, though.

Sarah

The Radisson Blu at the airport is hard to beat and
the prices aren't bad if you book far enough ahead.
All you have to do is go down the elevator and boom!

Sarah,
I don't know how old your son is, but if he's 8 or older and likes adventure, he might think sleeping in an airport to be the coolest thing ever. I did it with my daughter when she was 12. Her pic is still on the sleepinginairports.net site http://www.sleepinginairports.net/album/geneva-airport-photos.htm and we still talk about it as one of our many travel adventures. Nonetheless, your mileage may vary. :-)