A warm welcome awaits within the historic walls of the second-oldest hotel in Switzerland, located in the heart of Solothurn’s old town. La Couronne is a four-star boutique hotel with lovingly furnished rooms, a 14-point Gault&Millau restaurant, a cosy wine bar and a historic ballroom for your events.
Le Restaurant invites you to indulge in French-inspired cuisine. Executive Chef Martin Elschner and his team use only the freshest products – many of which are locally sourced. From straightforward lunchtime dishes to the evening gourmet menu, there’s something for every taste.
Whether you’re looking for a romantic weekend for two or simply need to get out and about again, Solothurn, the most beautiful baroque city in Switzerland, is always worth a visit. And to ensure you enjoy your stay to the fullest, we take care of all the details. Discover our exciting packages.
The history of La Couronne, or ‘the crown’, dates back more than 500 years. ‘It’s documented as the second-oldest guest house in Switzerland and is inextricably tied to the history of the ambassadorial city of Solothurn.
As a social and political centre, it often played a decisive role,’ wrote the Solothurner Zeitung in a two-part series. The hotel’s history naturally includes a number of illustrious guests, such as Casanova, Napoleon, Jane Fonda and Sophia Loren.
ROOMS & SUITES
The rooms are modern and uniquely furnished while maintaining the history of the building. From ‘Charme Petit’ compact rooms to our ‘Suites’, we offer the perfect accommodation to suit every need.
Suite
Our suite gives you an unparalleled view of the St. Ursus Cathedral. As a corner room, it’s flooded with natural light and offers an exceptional amount of space for your stay.
You’ll sleep like a royal in the elegant, Swiss-made, box-spring bed made up with the finest Fairtrade linen bedding. A bathroom equipped with luxurious L’Occitane body products and a rainfall shower complete the lavish interior.
Junior Suite
The spacious Junior Suite leaves nothing to be desired and offers you plenty of room in which to relax or work. Elegant, Swiss-made, box-spring bed made up with the finest Fairtrade linen bedding. A bathroom equipped with a rainfall shower and luxurious L’Occitane body products.
Boutique Deluxe Rooms
Our boutique rooms offer lots of space in which to relax or work, while a comfortable sofa invites you to unwind. Elegant, Swiss-made, box-spring bed made up with the finest Fairtrade linen bedding. A bathroom equipped with a rainfall shower and luxurious L’Occitane body products.
Restaurant La Couronne
Take some time to enjoy yourself and let yourself be inspired by the French charm in the midst of a modern interior. We serve French classics in a new guise, fresh and regional products from our long-standing partners, light, uncomplicated menus for discerning, unconventional and traditional gourmets.
It is important to our award-winning chef Martin Elschner and the entire “Le Restaurant” team that you feel comfortable. Whether it’s an important business lunch with your clients, an uncomplicated lunch with your girlfriends, a stylish dinner with your sweetheart or an elegant evening with your in-laws.
French-inspired indulgence
Our restaurant invites you to indulge in French-inspired cuisine. Executive Chef Martin Elschner and his team use only the freshest products – many of which are locally sourced. From straightforward lunchtime dishes to the evening gourmet menu, there’s something for every taste. The restaurant is open Monday to Sunday from 11 am to 2 pm and 6 pm to 10 pm.
Bar à Vin
Le Bar à Vin wine bar, located on the first floor, is a great place to meet and hang out. Open all day, you’re guaranteed to run into a friendly face here. On top of excellent coffee creations and flaky croissants, you can, of course, enjoy an exquisite glass of wine or a refreshing aperitif from the seasonally changing selection.
Warm or cold snacks are available all day for when you’re feeling a little hungry. Le Bar à Vin is open Monday to Saturday from 7 am to 11 pm.
Wine
Our fondness for wine is obvious, with 150 options – primarily from France and French-speaking Switzerland – available to choose from. Many of our premium wines are available by the glass, allowing you to get to know a new wine, enjoy a different glass with each course or simply savour one glass – cheers!
If you’ve seen a wine you like the look of on the menu, you can order it right away, or our hostess and certified sommelier Claudia Vogl Baki can provide recommendations.
Martin Elschner
Look forward to seasonal dishes, creativity and French elegance from the kitchen of our “Chef de Cuisine” Martin Elschner. Martin Elschner already knew at the tender age of ten that he wanted to be a chef one day: in a Christmas campaign organised by the Thüringische Landeszeitung TLZ newspaper, he wanted nothing more than to work in a real restaurant kitchen one day.
The TLZ made it possible for him and he was allowed to spend an afternoon in the kitchen of the “Bratwurstglöckl” restaurant in Weimar. Seven years later, Martin Elschner was about to take his final exams as a chef in the same kitchen and thus fulfil his dream.
Just one year after graduating, Martin Elschner ventured to Switzerland: at Jörg Slaschek in Bad Attisholz, he worked his way up from chef to chef de partie to sous chef. After seven years in Riedholz, he moved on to Zurich, where he joined the renowned chef Jacky Donatz at Sonnenberg as sous chef.
During this time, he not only won the San Pellegrino Young Chef, but was also responsible several times as head chef at the Ballon d’Or and the FIFA World Congress for the catering of over 1,200 guests.
After Zurich, he took over responsibility as head chef at the Hotel Bären in Suhr. However, just one year later, those responsible at the Baseltor cooperative succeeded in luring Martin Elschner back to the Solothurn region with the post of Chef de Cuisine. After achieving 13 GaultMillau points in 2017, the year La Couronne opened, another point was added in 2020, which it has been able to defend to this day.
Celebrate in Solothurn
Whether for a wedding, birthday or club event – we offer every banquet event a dignified setting and the best view of the St. Ursus Cathedral and the main street. The ballroom on the first floor of our building has, for centuries, been the place in the city where large celebrations are held.
Celebrate your wedding in La Couronne’s glamorous ballroom. Where modern technology meets old-world tradition to offer countless possibilities. We would be happy to support you from the planning stages through to the day itself to ensure that your wedding is a truly unique experience that will stay in your memories and those of your guests for years to come.
The iconic ballroom is known not only for its unique atmosphere but also for the countless balls that have taken place in the room. Add your own wedding to the list of great events in the heart of Solothurn.
Seminars & Meetings
La Couronne may be situated within historical walls, but it nevertheless boasts state-of-the-art technology and the latest seminar equipment. Be inspired by the atmosphere and let us help you make your business event a success.
Inspiration for your Solothurn visit
From Solothurn’s magical number 11 to the legend of the city saints Urs. and Viktor, there are many exciting stories to discover in Solothurn. In addition, the small urban town is very lively and offers lots of activities that make a visit even more worthwhile. We offer inspiration to help you discover a unique side of Solothurn.
Weekly market: ‘Märet’ in Solothurn
While in other places, the weekly market tends to exist in the shadows, this one is very much an active part of city life and is as firm a fixture in Solothurn’s weekly schedule as the church service.
The market stalls offer fresh food, plants, flowers and much more every Wednesday and Saturday from 7:15 am to 12:15 pm. Whether you’d rather stroll through the ‘Märet’, as it is called in dialect, or observe it at a distance from our terrace, is up to you.
Visit the St. Ursus Cathedral
The St. Ursus Cathedral is to Solothurn as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris and the Colosseum is to Rome. Whether you wish to enjoy the wonderful altars or the breathtaking view from the tower, the Jesuit Church is always worth a visit.
The cathedral dominates the east end of the main street and is therefore right next to our building. So you can catch your first glimpse of the cathedral from your bed and, while still snuggled up in the warm linen duvet, wonder why the stairs are divided into three sections of 11 steps. You can solve this and many other riddles by visiting Solothurn’s landmark.
Solothurn’s Museums
Solothurn not only invites you to stroll along the Aare, but also to discover its many museums. From the Nature Museum to the Art Museum, from the Old Armoury to the historical Museum Blumenstein and many more, Solothurn offers a varied art and culture programme.
A cycling paradise for all levels
Solothurn and its surroundings are a true paradise for all friends of slow traffic on two wheels. Tranquil tours along the rivers Aare and Emme, amazing routes through rustic villages and challenging routes in the Jura heights.
Whether you’re on the national cycle route No. 8 or 5, setting out to tackle the Buechibärg round trip or simply want to explore the nearby Attisholz area: you’ll find the best base camp for your bike tour with us at Baseltor.