A layover in Zurich

Denise, I'm not familiar with Hotels near the Zürich airport, but it's very easy to stay near the main station, as it's only about a 10 minute ride from the airport. One Hotel you might consider is the Walhalla Hotel. It's located on one side of the main rail station, so the location is very convenient. One other important point is the fact that they have the main Hotel as well as an Annex, so would likely have the number of rooms to accommodate a group of 20. I'm assuming you might need a combination of single/double/triple rooms? I'd recommend booking as early as possible though! The rates aren't exactly "inexpensive", but I'm not sure if there are any cheaper options in Zürich (unless you stay in a Hostel). Switzerland in general is expensive (I was there in September, and had forgotten how expensive it can be there)! Happy travels!

Another option would be to fill out the Group Rate request form on hotel planners.co. They will collect offers from hotels for your date of travel and email them back to you. What is the date you need? Hopefully there are no major events going on.

Denise, One other comment..... To some extent, I agree with the comments that Steven made. However, in my observations, the Trams can be terribly crowded at certain times of the day, so with a group of 20 that's something to be considered. If you leave lots of time, and don't mind splitting the group then it might be a reasonable option. Incidentally, there's also a Tram stop right in front of Hotel Walhalla (I don't remember which lines go past the hotel, but possibly lines 4 and 13). Cheers!

I second the recommendation to stay downtown, close to the train station. It is only 12 minutes to the airport by train. You can use you time on the ground to walk along the river down to the lake and explore the Altstadt ( Oldtown) and see the Chagall windows. Much nicer than being stuck in a business hotel at the airport. I suggest you contact some places and ask for a group rate. In addition to Hotel Valhalla, Hotel Bristol is quite reasonable. I will try to think of more suggestions.

Thank you, I have contacted both hotels- if you think of any more let me know. I love the idea of being in the city, so much nicer and still close

Denise , On balance ,I agree with Ken and Lola about the in town location. But in this particular instance , allow me to make what might seem to be a somewhat counter intuitive suggestion . We spent two nights in Zurich prior to returning to the states at the end of our fall 2012 trip . You will need enough space to accomodate your group , and that could be difficult to deal with . While a central location is preferable most of the time , Zurich has a convenient and highly developed tram network . We stayed in the Novotel Zurich airport Messe Hotel at Lindbergh - Platz . The hotel is a 15 minute ride on the number 10 tram ( right in front of the hotel ) to the Bahnhofstrasse . The hotel has 250 rooms so getting 20 shouldn't present a problem ,and with the convenience of the tram system in Zurich you really aren't stuck in a remote location . The #10 tram also runs to the airport in five minutes . We loved it !

Denise , I read Ken's last post . He is very sharp , and I always keep an eye out for what he has to say. He makes a very good point as to times of day when the trams could be busy. Early morning and late afternoon are probably busy as in any urban area . Splitting up the group is also sensible , but if you are not moving around in rush hours , there is not likely to be much difficulty . If you split up , you can easily coordinate your meeting point . We were there over a weekend , and as in any major urban area , weekends are generally quiet . If you are there during the week , you have to take that into account . There are many components to consider in any aspect of travel , and it is wise to tailor it to fit individual needs .