In the heart of Old Town Lucerne, Barabas - Hostel offers a unique blend of Swiss charm and Japanese flair. Relax on the serene terrace or explore the tranquil Japanese garden, then challenge friends at billiards or arcade games. Guests rave about the helpful staff.
Reviews
8.48.4 out of 10
Very good
Popular amenities
24/7 front desk
Pet friendly
Non-smoking
Free WiFi
Restaurant
Child-friendly activities
Main amenities (10)
Daily housekeeping
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Terrace
24-hour front desk
Garden
Arcade/game room
Picnic area
Luggage storage
Tour/ticket assistance
Feel at home (6)
Private bathroom
Garden
Terrace
Daily housekeeping
Elevator
Arcade/game room
The current price is $129
$129
$142 total
includes taxes & fees
Aug 25 - Aug 26
Room options
Available filters for rooms
Showing 7 of 7 rooms
View all photos for Triple Room
Triple Room
7.07.0 out of 10
Good
6 reviews
(6 reviews)
Highlights
Fan
Private bathroom
Eco-friendly toiletries
Wardrobe or closet
Laptop workspace
Desk
Daily housekeeping
11 sq m
Sleeps 3
1 Twin Bunk Bed and 1 Twin Bed
View all photos for Standard Quadruple Room
Standard Quadruple Room
7.87.8 out of 10
Good
6 reviews
(6 reviews)
Highlights
Fan
Detached private bathroom
Eco-friendly toiletries
Wardrobe or closet
Laptop workspace
Desk
Daily housekeeping
11 sq m
Sleeps 4
2 Twin Bunk Beds
View all photos for Shared Dormitory, Women only
Shared Dormitory, Women only
8.88.8 out of 10
Excellent
3 reviews
(3 reviews)
Highlights
Fan
Eco-friendly toiletries
Private bathroom
Shared/communal kitchen
Wardrobe or closet
Laptop workspace
Desk
Daily housekeeping
25 sq m
Sleeps 1
3 Twin Bunk Beds
View all photos for Standard Shared Dormitory, Mixed Dorm
Barabas - Hostel puts you within a 10-minute drive of Chapel Bridge and Swiss Transportation Museum. Guests looking for a bite to eat can check out Izakaya Nozomi, which serves Japanese cuisine and is open for lunch and dinner. Other features include a terrace and a garden. Fellow travelers love the helpful staff.
Languages
English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
At a glance
DONE
Hotel size
60 rooms
DONE
Arriving/Leaving
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
Express check-in/out available
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out time is 11 AM
Contactless check-out available
DONE
Special check-in instructions
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation
DONE
Required at check-in
Credit card, debit card, or cash deposit required for incidental charges
Government-issued photo ID may be required
Minimum check-in age is 18
DONE
Pets
Pets allowed (1 total)*
Service animals welcome
Restrictions apply*
WIFI
Internet
Free WiFi in public areas
Free WiFi and wired internet access in rooms
LOCAL_PARKING
Parking
No onsite parking
DONE
Other information
Smoke-free property
Property amenities
Food and drink
Buffet breakfast (surcharge) each morning 7:00 AM–10:30 AM
Restaurant
What to do
Pool table
Bicycle tour information
Hiking/biking trails nearby
Mountain biking nearby
Ski area nearby
Services
24-hour front desk
Tour/ticket assistance
Luggage storage
Facilities
Garden
Picnic area
Terrace
Arcade/game room
Bicycle parking
Vegan dining options
Vegetarian dining options
Locally-owned & organized tours & activities
Local artist showcase
Local culture & ecosystem education
Double-glazed windows
At least 80% lighting from LEDs
Comprehensive food waste policy
Comprehensive recycling policy
Accessibility
Elevator
Wheelchair-accessible path to elevator
Well-lit path to entrance
Hardwood flooring in room
Room amenities
Home comfort
Heating (climate-controlled)
Fan
Iron/ironing board (on request)
Sleep well
Bed sheets provided
Freshen up
Private bathroom
Shower only
Eco-friendly toiletries
Hair dryer (on request)
Towels
Stay connected
Desk
Free WiFi and wired internet
More
Daily housekeeping
Eco-friendly toiletries
Bulk dispenser for toiletries
Energy-saving switches
LED light bulbs
Water-efficient showers only
Water-efficient toilets only
Special features
Dining
Izakaya Nozomi - This restaurant specializes in Japanese cuisine and serves lunch and dinner. Reservations are required.
Fees & policies
Mandatory fees
You'll be asked to pay the following charges by the property at check-in or check-out. Fees may include applicable taxes:
A tax is imposed by the city: CHF 1.00 per person, per night. This tax does not apply to children under 12 years of age.
Tourism fee: CHF 2.40 per person, per night
Optional extras
Buffet breakfast is offered for an extra charge of approximately CHF 13 for adults and CHF 13 for children
Pets
Service animals exempt from fees
Pets are allowed for an extra charge of CHF 10 per pet, per night
Policies
This property uses a grey water recycling system.
Guests can rest easy knowing there's a smoke detector on site.
This property welcomes guests of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+ friendly).
This property accepts credit cards and cash.
Credit cards accepted: Visa, Mastercard, JCB International, Union Pay
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property. The policies listed are provided by the property.
Guests traveling with a service animal must contact the property prior to arrival.
Does Barabas - Hostel offer free cancellation for a full refund?
Yes, Barabas - Hostel does have fully refundable room rates available to book on our site. If you’ve booked a fully refundable room rate, this can be cancelled up to a few days before check-in depending on the property's cancellation policy. Just make sure to check this property's cancellation policy for the exact terms and conditions.
Are pets allowed at Barabas - Hostel?
Yes, pets are welcome, with a limit of 1 total. There's a charge of CHF 10 per pet, per night. Service animals are exempt from fees.
Is parking offered on site at Barabas - Hostel?
Sorry, there's no onsite parking at Barabas - Hostel.
What are the check-in and check-out times at Barabas - Hostel?
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime. Check-out time is 11 AM. Express check-in and check-out and contactless check-out are available.
Is there an onsite casino at Barabas - Hostel?
No, this hostel doesn't have a casino, but Grand Casino Lucerne (12-min walk) is nearby.
What is there to do at Barabas - Hostel and nearby?
During the winter, enjoy nearby recreation like skiing and return when the snow melts for hiking and mountain biking. Additional recreation nearby includes spelunking. Enjoy amenities like an arcade, a picnic area, and a garden.
Are there restaurants at or near Barabas - Hostel?
Yes, Izakaya Nozomi offers Japanese cuisine.
What's the area around Barabas - Hostel like?
Barabas - Hostel is in Old Town Lucerne, a short 9-minute walk from Lucerne Station and 5 minutes' walk from Chapel Bridge.
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Barabas - Hostel Reviews
Reviews
8.4
Very Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
9.0/10
Cleanliness
9.0/10
Staff & service
7.8/10
Amenities
8.2/10
Property conditions & facilities
8.6/10
Eco-friendliness
Popular mentions
Room
Service staff
Breakfast
Location
Shower
Air conditioning
Amenities
Old town
Toilet
Building
What guests liked
Breakfast was good with a great choice and excellent buffet. (4 reviews)
From real guest reviews summarized by AI.
Reviews
10/10 Excellent
May 12, 2025
Great stay
Matt
Matt, 1-night trip
8/10 Good
Jul 12, 2025
The staff was great
Eduardo
Eduardo, 1-night trip
8/10 Good
Jul 13, 2025
Quirky to stay in what once was a prison
John
John, 1-night trip
10/10 Excellent
Jul 10, 2025
Super friendly and helpful staff. Room, shared bathroom and building in general very clean. Excellent breakfast buffet. Looking forward to my next stay!
Karin
Karin, 1-night trip
6/10 Okay
Jun 12, 2025
Staff are very friendly and helpful!
Xiaohong
Xiaohong, 1-night trip
10/10 Excellent
Jun 8, 2025
We had a private room which was giant, updated and very clean. Good location, highly recommend
Kayley
Kayley, 2-night trip
8/10 Good
Jun 19, 2025
The hotel is an economic stay if you don’t mind living in a dorm style room.
Jianwei
Jianwei, 1-night trip
10/10 Excellent
Jul 5, 2025
I really loved this hotel. It has really nice rooms and had AC and the staff was really nice. We also tried their restaurant which was really good. Breakfast was good. We stayed in the Japanese style rooms. If I come back to Switzerland I will stay here the whole time.
Leonardo
Leonardo, 1-night trip
10/10 Excellent
May 25, 2025
It’s good location
Yinglan
Yinglan, 2-night trip
8/10 Good
May 25, 2025
Great stay and location for the price. Rooms are small but you know that going into it. Would book again!
Nicholas
Nicholas, 2-night trip
10/10 Excellent
Jul 25, 2025
Some of the rooms used to be prison cells. Pretty cool. Our room seemed very new, simple, but clean. We were able to walk to the train easily. We also walked to the Lion Monument, the Watchtowers, the river and shopping.
Jennifer
Jennifer, 2-night trip
10/10 Excellent
Jun 28, 2025
Nice
PAULO MATEO
PAULO MATEO, 1-night trip
6/10 Okay
Jun 8, 2025
Immersive prison experience 😊 Staff were great.
Eleanor
Eleanor, 1-night trip
10/10 Excellent
May 13, 2025
Great ubication, great customer service.
Veronica
Veronica, 2-night trip
6/10 Okay
May 27, 2025
Very interesting hotel previously was a prison therefore room was very small.
Ashwani
Ashwani, 2-night trip
6/10 Okay
Jul 7, 2025
Everything was good except there is no AC so it was extremely hot.
Wei hua
Wei hua, 2-night trip
10/10 Excellent
Jul 20, 2025
.
Ana Liza
Ana Liza, 2-night trip
8/10 Good
Jul 9, 2025
Claustrophobic room and washroom with zero ventilation (I guess that's expected with prison cells?) but customer service was amazing. Thank you for your flexibility!
Maham
Maham, 1-night trip
10/10 Excellent
Mar 26, 2025
Everything was very well cleaned and well kept. The staff were very nice and helpful and the location is close to everything, and conveniently just a 10 minute walk from the train station.
Skye
Skye, 2-night trip
6/10 Okay
Jul 30, 2025
It was a different experience for the three of us. It felt claustrophobic. Maybe good for only an overnight stay. We had 3 large luggages and it was cumbersome to even open them all at the same time. Space was very limited. No chairs, no tables, no TV. The bathroom door had no handle from the inside so it was difficult to close. Bathroom was clean though.
Ronald
Ronald, 3-night trip
10/10 Excellent
Apr 29, 2025
Very Impressed!
Felt extremely clean and comfortable, and the showers were really modern and super! They even made our beds each day. I was very impressed.
Naamah
Naamah, 3-night trip
8/10 Good
May 12, 2025
Accessibility
ESter
ESter, 3-night trip
10/10 Excellent
Oct 5, 2024
Great location, comfy bed
The location is great, walking distance to all main attractions.
Yanin
Yanin, 1-night trip
10/10 Excellent
Nov 21, 2024
Excellent service, historic location and concenuent access to train station.
Sriram
Sriram, 2-night trip
6/10 Okay
Jun 4, 2025
Great location in city center. Close to transportation. Is previously jail, so remember you are staying in a jail cell, limited space. Noisy at night from other guests who tried opening our door to our cell(room), lock did not appear to be secure- could see the latch about 1/4 inch in the latch.