Sustainable Hotels Switzerland
Good Ideas from People for People
The STEINENSCHANZE Charming City & Garden Hotel is centrally located in Basel, an important advantage for all city visitors. What many do not know, however, is that the house at Steinengraben 69 also pursues – in addition to its function as a wellness address and individual three-star Swiss Boutique Hotel – many ideas that particularly represent sustainable hotels in Switzerland. Our non-profit approach can also inspire many sustainable hotels in Switzerland (and beyond its borders) and generally serve an individual and responsible coexistence.
"ibex fairstay" in the standard "gold"
ibex fairstay supports and certifies accommodation businesses on their path to sustainable management. The holistic support includes the five dimensions of management, ecology, regionality, social aspects, and finance. Based on a catalogue of measures as well as supported calculations and analyses, practical improvement opportunities are highlighted.
- Quality of Management
Sustainability must be consciously anchored in management. The internal structures and processes are adjusted accordingly: employee management, internal organisation, controlling, guest orientation, innovation. - Ecology – careful handling of resources
We care deeply about the careful handling of resources. Therefore, we pay attention to environmental compatibility and savings opportunities in energy, water, waste, purchasing, furnishings, and surroundings. - Regional Anchoring
The value creation should remain as much as possible in the region and strengthen it. This creates jobs, supports local customs, reduces transport distances, and fosters enthusiasm for regional specialties and uniqueness. - Social Balance
Guests and employees should feel comfortable. We ensure that the framework conditions are consistent for everyone: consideration of guest wishes, fair and supportive working conditions for employees, inclusion of suppliers, harmony with the local population, accessibility. - Finance and Performance
Only a financially healthy business can operate sustainably and secure jobs. Therefore, we place a strong emphasis on revenue, performance, cost control, investments, risk management, as well as guest and employee satisfaction.
Over 100 hotels, hostels, and clinics across Switzerland proudly carry the ibex fairstay label. They have been inspected by accredited auditors and evaluated by the independent certification committee. Depending on their sustainability performance, businesses are awarded ibex fairstay bronze, silver, gold, or platinum.
Social commitment with history
A new stage from 1 September 2026
Social commitment with tradition – and a future
Since 1 September 2026, the STEINENSCHANZE Charming City & Garden Hotel has been run by Steinenschanze AG, a subsidiary of Sinn & Gewinn Hotels AG. For 25 years, Sinn & Gewinn Hotels has followed a clear approach: entrepreneurial action and social impact are not opposites, but belong together. In all houses of the group, social impact is created directly in the operation: through Supported Education and Employment for trainees with support needs and women from vulnerable target groups, as well as through accommodation for women in transition and emergency situations.
This very tradition is now being continued at Steinenschanze and rebuilt for Basel. Steinenschanze is now also being redesigned as a Social Enterprise for Basel.
A history of social commitment
The owner of the property is the association COMPAGNA bewegt Menschen, section Basel, a socially committed association with a history of around 125 years, originally founded under the name «Freundinnen junger Mädchen». The building itself was originally run as a girls' boarding house before developing over decades into today's hotel. With the proceeds from hotel operations, the association has for many years built up and co-financed social work organisations in Basel, including SOS Bahnhofhilfe at Basel station, which it continues to support on a voluntary basis.
A new stage: social impact in the operation itself
With the takeover by Steinenschanze AG, the house is not only continuing this tradition, but bringing it into day-to-day operations: as in the existing houses of Sinn & Gewinn Hotels, an independent social programme for women is also to be created at Steinenschanze. The project is currently in development, together with suitable partners. A concept tailored to Basel is now being developed.
The STEINENSCHANZE Charming City & Garden Hotel therefore sees itself not as a classic commercial enterprise with a social side effect, but as what Sinn & Gewinn Hotels have been since they were founded: a place where hospitality, economic success and social impact are inseparably linked.
Sustainable and ecological hotel with a view
What guides us
Our hospitality is characterised by the fact that we offer every guest, regardless of their nationality, a place where they can feel secure on their way to their destination. We achieve this by ensuring that all our employees agree with and act according to our mission of a sustainable hotel in Switzerland. The mission serves as the qualitative benchmark for everything we want to achieve together – and it is also the common denominator for everyone working for the hotel: from the temporary staff to the management.
Organic is important to us at the hotel in Basel
Regionality in Focus
The terms Bio Hotel Switzerland and Eco-Hotel Switzerland are, as a sustainably operating gastronomic business – in accordance with the quality standards prevailing here – naturally always a high benchmark. And that's a good thing! We do a lot to operate sustainably and pursue ecologically valuable ideas and approaches. What is essential to our daily activities includes:
- We support and maintain contact with our regional partners, such as craftsmen and suppliers. Regional thinking is also cross-border: In neighbouring Germany, we work trustfully with ecologically operating partners from the Markgräfler Land. Our linen and mattress supplies come from Bern.
- For food, we avoid long transport routes by trying to use predominantly Swiss products.
- In the area of cleaning, we use products that are environmentally friendly as far as possible.
- We adhere strictly to our waste separation.