Some hotels have history. Les Trois Rois is history you must experience. Having played host to Napoleon, Queen Elizabeth II, Pablo Picasso, Thomas Mann and many others it’s no wonder that this is the best luxury hotel in Basel, making it a must-see for anyone exploring the best cities to visit in Europe.
The three kings that never left
The hotel’s name nods to the biblical wise men — Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar — or the three kings and dating back to 1681, the hotel began as a cosy inn for travellers along major trade routes. Fast forward to 1844, and master tailor Johann Jakob Senn transformed it into the grand hotel we know today, commissioning architect Amadeus Merian to envision its now-iconic classic façade.
As centuries passed, the Three Kings have stood tall — literally — on the hotel’s façade, watching history unfold. Fun fact? During the French Revolution, kings weren’t exactly in vogue, so the hotel was briefly renamed ‘Hotel aux trois magots,’ aka, At the three bundles — not quite the same ring right?
From Theodor Herzl who laid the foundation for the state of Israel in 1897 to modern-day luxury seekers simply soaking in Rhine views, Les Trois Rois is where history greets high-end hospitality and remains the best luxury hotel in Basel. In 2004 entrepreneur Dr. h.c. Thomas Straumann restored it to its 1844 grandeur — but with all the 21st-century luxuries in tow.
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