We were in Switzerland in late May and stayed in Wengen and loved it. Lauterbrunnen is nice--located in valley below Wengen. I would not stay in Interlaken--busy place with Casinos, tacky shops, etc.

travelwife and nini:

Sandwiched between Burgundy and Northern Italy. we'll also be in the B.O. this fall (October). Frankly, we don't mind "busy" so we opted to stay in oft-maligned Interlaken for four nights, and do day train trips to Lauterbrunnen, Wengen (maybe Murren) and the "walds"....we visited Switzerland several years ago and look forward to returning, especially to the B.O.

We may skip the journey up to the "young lady"...too high up for an old man with a cane and a young wife!. Suggest you get the proper medical advice for your husband since he has experienced high altitude problems. Please do not rely on this or any other forum for answers to such an important question.

Have a beautiful trip, kids! It will be!

stu t.

I'd pick Lauterbrunnen over Interlaken in a heartbeat. It's a lot less busy and it's a transportation hub of sorts. Trains headed towards Wengen and the Jungfrau go through Lauterbrunnen. The cable car to Grutschalp and connecting train to Murren begins in Lauterbrunnen. The bus to Stechelberg which connects to a different cable car to Gimmelwald, Murren and the Schilthorn begins in Lauterbrunnen. You'll save on transportation costs if you stay in Lauterbrunnen (exception of Brienz, as you'll need to backtrack to Interlaken for that one).

The elevation of Lauterbrunnen is 2,608 feet. Wengen is about 4,200 feet, Interlaken is 1,864 feet.

Another vote for Lauterbrunnen. I've stayed in Lauterbrunnen, Wengen and Interlaken. While we loved Wengen, Lauterbrunnen was a great transportation hub as Melnq8 suggested. The town was so cute and friendly. The view from our hotel of Stubbach Falls, and the valley was far superior to anything in Interlaken.

Lauterbrunnen hands down - one of the most amazing places i've seen in my life.

I am a fan of staying in Lauterbrunnen versus any of the other locales in the area including Grindelwald, Muerren, Wengen, Interlaken and Wilderswil.

I did not mention Gimmelwald because it is little more than a dot on the landscape although decent cheaper lodging can be found there. It might be fun for a night or two, but when I say there is not much there, that is exactly what I mean.

Ok, why Lauterbrunnen ranked over the others? In the past 10 years we have been there 9 times where we rent an apartment. Transportation to Wengen, Muerren, and Grindelwald are at hand. We go to the other places, even have lunch there gazing at the peaks, but at night we return to our apartment in Lauterbrunnen.

I will be the first to tell everybody who cares that the views from Muerren are superb. Find a cafe that has a terrace or big windows that provide a view of the Jungfrau and the Berner Oberland main range to the west of the Jungfrau. You can get an eyeful for a long, long time on a clear day. Even the rain can make for interesting contrasts, particularly if the clouds part and the setting sun imparts the snow with a rosy glow.

Wengen sits under that towering ridge known as the Maennlichen and also has views of the Jungfrau.

Grindelwald is much larger and livelier than any of the others. It is also full of tourists. It has shops that the others don't have and perhaps a few more places to eat, although I don't know that the quality is any better.

I go to Grindelwald mainly to find the valley station of the First Gondola. (First is the name of the last stop on the gondola line.) From First, the views are fantastic.
I urge anyone and everyone who goes to the Berner Oberland to ride the gondola from Grindelwald to First. On a clear day the views in either direction are eye popping, and the views from the restaurant terrace are incredible.

If you have the legs for it, hike to the top of the Faulhorn where there is a Berghotel. (I have not been inside of it.)
An easier hike is walk across the meadow to the restaurant and Grosse Scheidegg and ride the Post Bus back to Grindelwald. The walk is relatively flat considering you are in the mountains, and the food at the restaurant is above average. You can have desert and/or refreshments while you wait for the bus, or for the next bus like we did.

You can buy a ticket for the trip from Grindelwald to First with return from Grosse Schidegg. (Better to have your ticket in hand. That way the driver does not have to sell you anything.)

If you don't like the peace and quiet of Lauterbrunnen, then find a hotel in Grindelwald. We prefer to stay in Lauterbrunnen and if we want loud music we can drive to Grindelwald. (*Train connections are lousy after 16:18. Trip time goes from 36 minutes to over an hour with the wait being at Zweiluetschinen, which is little more than a rail stop and the site of the machine shops of the BOB.)

Lauterbrunnen has its valley views. The water falls, like Staubbach Falls, are visible. The ridges around the deep part of the valley are impressive, and to the south the towering ridge of the Berner Oberland rises before you.

So all told, we prefer Lauterbrunnen.