Hi swanner,

Vevey and Geneva are only about an hour apart by train, so you'll lose more time if you switch hotels (because of the chores of packing up & checking out, then checking in and unpacking/getting settled again). Though I prefer the ambiance of Vevey over Geneva, in the interests of being outside rather than inside doing chores, I would just stay in
Geneva for those nights.

While in Montreux, don't miss walking the flowerd lakeside promenade -- it takes about 45 minutes to walk to Chillon. You may also want to take the lake ferry to Vevey, lovely experience.

Yes, I would recommend you use Wengen for your base!

More information:

www.montreux-vevey.com

www.myjungfrau.ch

Have fun as you plan!

s

I agree with swandav that you should NOT change bases at Lake Geneva. If you are happy with your (business) hotel just stay there and do excursions to Vevey/Montreux. And Geneva is not *that* bad a city ... it has nice parks, lakeside promenades, a quite charming old town, interesting museums and churches to see.

For Vevey and Montreux I second the suggestions of castle Chillon, the walk along the lakeside promenade and a ferry ride. I'd like to add that I'm not sure the Choco train is worth the time and money - I'd rather take a cog-train up to Rochers-de-Naye or Les Pleiades and enjoy the views from there (weather permitting, of course). Or visit a wine village ... Lutry, St. Saphorin e.g., do a wine tasting there in a caveau.

I would skip Lucerne. Too much hassle for just one day/night. Add the day to Wengen, if you're keen on a Swiss-German town go to Thun, it is somewhat similar, less touristy, maybe cannot absolutely keep up with the charm of the old town but has a lovely castle which Lucerne does NOT have.

This leaves just one other hotel than in Geneva - in Wengen try Hotel Alpenrose http://www.alpenrose.ch/ Book a room to the south (with balcony and gorgeous views). Breakfast and dinner included in the rates, so it should meet your budget (or get CHF 25 back per person if opting out of dinner).

Hi Swanda and Ingo - Thanks so much for the reply back.

I love all the ideas - especially that of the Wine Tasting. That's something I had considered but wasn't sure if it was do-able. We love good red wine - are there any vineyards worthwhile and close enough that we could incorporate into our itinerary?

I also appreciate the tip on the Choc Train. We will modify to take your suggestions.

Wine tasting: The Lake Geneva wine region is known for their excellent whites - not many red wines there, sorry. Almost the only place where red wine is cultivated is Lutry - that is where I had the wine tasting in the caveau. Best idea is probably to contact the caveau in advance. We tasted a couple of whites and two red wines - all of them very good. We also had some cheese (of course, LOL) and saucisson vaudois (sort of salami) and bread. Yum.

http://www.lake-geneva-region.ch/en/TownsLakes/Lutry/gastronomywine/caveauvigneronlutry

Ingo - thank you. So it seems like Caveau is still in Switzerland, correct? I went out to the link you sent. Would it be possible to find a good wine region in France and make an overnight trip of it? In other words, could we keep our itinerary as is and replace Lucerne w a French vineyard visit? I know we couldn't get to Burgundy or Champagne, but perhaps there are some other worthy regions closer to Switzerland and do-able as an overnighter? Perhaps not, just figured it doesn't hurt to ask

Also, we'll be staying in the Marriott Geneva on the front end of our trip. But on the back-end we can choose whatever hotel we want. What do you recommend?

One other thought: I prefer only staying in Geneva on the nights we have to (the days of the business meetings) ...if we were to add lodging outside of Geneva, given the itinerary we are discussing, what would you recommend? So far we have Wengen, but is there something in between Geneva and Wengen we should be considering?

Ingo - just finished reviewing Hotel Alpenrose - that is perfect for us. Thank you for the great recommendation!

Hi swanner --

"Caveau" is French for a wine celler, so it's not a geographical place. You will be fine discovering and enjoying the wines right there in the Lake Geneva region, no need to go to France.

For a place between Lake Geneva and Wengen, you couldn't do any better than the Gstaad area. If you want a more built-up town, you can stay in Gstaad -- but if you want something small and intimate, you could stay in Saanen or Rougemont. More information:

www.gstaad.ch

These towns like along the Golden Pass route, not far from Gruyere and Broc, which are what you would see with the Chocolate Train. Or, you could also stay in Gruyeres itself for a few nights.

Have fun as you plan!

s

Great - thanks for all the information. I'm going to dive into it now and try to decide on the different towns you mentioned. My first inclination is that we prefer small villages/towns over something larger - but I am trying to stay open minded and consider all possibilities. My husband reminds me of a trip to Italy we took years ago - where I was very skeptical of Rome in lieu of the smaller towns...well, it turned out I loved Rome so now when I'm making our travel plans, I try to consider all possibilities.

I was coming to suggest skipping Geneva and just going out to Vevey/Montreux directly from the airport/train station (because I *adore* those two towns and thought Geneva was just like any other big international city). But it sounds like you need to be in Geneva for work?

Unfortunately yes we have to be in Geneva for work. I thought about ditching my husband in Geneva and just heading right over to Vevey/Montreux, but he wasn't too keen on being left out

So - all kidding aside, I'm actually just trying to lob onto his business trip so I need to be grateful that we can do this at all. This business trip just cropped up so we are adjusting our other vacation plans in order to make this work. Here's what I'm thinking so far (some adjustments made from great input provided by swandav200 and Ingo) but again, we are open to suggestions:

Day 1, 2, and 3: We will likely be in Geneva. My husband will be in meetings during the day and we will stay at the Marriott (Boo but it's non-negotiable). While he's in meetings, I can do some sight seeing in Geneva and probably Montreux/Vivey - Lutry wine tasting, Chillon castle, walk around the lake, ferry etc.... I can probably even drag him over to Montreux/Vivey area for dinner one night - seems close enough to do that and even though he'd miss the daytime sites, he'd at least get to "see" something of the area if we went there for dinner one night - was thinking maybe we could squeeze in a walk around the promenade and dinner? Any recommendations for dining? We eat pretty healthy - fish and chicken and steamed veggies are our staples - boring I know but that's how we like it.

Day 4 and 5 - Was considering Gstaad/Gruyeres - Still working this out but was thinking of staying at Hotel Olden and doing some hiking, cheese factory, etc...looking for ideas here on things to do and lodging ideas. Hotel Olden looks like our kind of place but if i could find something abit less expensive, that'd be even better.

Day 6, 7, 8 - BO with lodging in Wengren at Hotel Aspenrose - hiking and sightseeing in the surrounding vicinity.

Day 9 - Geneva - need lodging suggestion - something boutique and small and affordable.

Any input would be helpful. Thanks in advance for your help

Casual lakeside dining in Vevey and a local favorite:

http://www.cafeduport.ch/

Eat on the terrace, order the filet de perche (small lake fish).

That's perfect - thank you

Did you click on the photos for the terrace?

I have friends who live in Vevey and Montreux so I've been there many times. This is one of their "neighborhood" restaurants.

You're going to have a bit of a challenge finding truly plain grilled fish/chicken and steamed vegetables though, Swiss (french influenced) local cooking is typically a little bit heavier than that.

Another trick is in the central part of Vevey, especially on the pedestrian-only streets watch for local cafes with a chalkboard out front. There will be a daily lunch special at a reasonable price. It's a standing tradition from feeding 'workmen'. You can find some great Ma & Pa type cafes that way.

If you happen to be able to be in Vevey on a Tuesday or a Saturday morning, or Montreux on Friday morning, don't miss the open air farmers market. It's truly my favorite thing to do there. It's the real deal (locals shop there it's not a show for tourists).

We did a very similar trip last summer. My husband had a business trip to Lausanne, and we turned it into a Swiss vacation. Our very favorite part of the trip was Wengen. There are so many wonderful hikes in the area, each more spectacular than the next. I suggest you maximize your time there, perhaps stealing a day or two from your other locations. Ler's face it, Switzerland is about mountains, and there is nothing like being nestled right in among them.

Also, the Swiss Pass worked very well for us, so do consider purchasing. Sounds lile you'll be doing quite a bit of train travel, so it will save you both money and time. (And it's also good on many boats.)

Thanks Msteacher. I think your suggestions are good. Being outdoorsy sort of people, I think the Wengen area is going to suit us well. Did you happen to stay at Alpenrose? Seems to be a popular hotel in the area.

Also, did you make it to Montreux/Vivey? Gruyeres/Gstaad?

<< we will stay at the Marriott (Boo but it's non-negotiable). >>

As far as I know, there is no Marriott in Geneva. I would have stayed there if I could have... instead stayed at the Intercontinental.

2 restaurants that I had on my Montreux list are:
la Rouvenaz
Le Pont de Brent

You can check them out on TripAdvisor.com

You may also want to do a day trip to Yvoire, France along Lake Geneva. Gorgeous, flower-bedecked medival village!

You just have to do fondue in Gruyeres!

Hi Joannyc - oops - good thing you pointed that out - no Marriott in Geneva. I realize now I had checked Zurich not Geneva. My husband always stays in Marriotts for business so I guess we'll have to find something else. Since I don't know the area, does anyone have any recommendations in Geneva? As I stated earlier, we like places with local charm but also "boutique" style.

Hi Joannyc - We will most definitely do fondue in Gruyeres - sounds too yummy to miss especially since my husband LOVES cheese. Yvoire - might be a good day trip for me to do while he's in meetings one day...thanks for the tip!

Can anyone tell me based on this address, what part of Geneva I should be looking for a hotel in?

Route de Pré-Bois 20
Case Postale 1904, Tower D, Floor 2
1215 Geneva, Switzerland

Is this considered Left Bank? Right Bank? As I'm searching for a hotel, what area should I be looking in if I'm trying to be close to this address?

Joannyc - the Farmer's Market sounds lovely - I've added that to the list! Thank you.

Route de Pré-Bois 20, that's the address for the conference center and the Hotel Mövenpick Airport 5* ( normally a lot lower rates than central 5* hotels) adjacent to the conference center. And that's right bank. Would be a bit of pity to stay near airport but you will get a free tram/bus pass (good also for the trains between airport and the central station) for the period of your stay when you stay in a Geneva hotel.

hmm...well I definitely do not want to stay near the airport. Would it be accurate to say if that's the address we need to be near, then lodging in Geneva OR Montreux are equally close? I guess what I'm thinking is if we don't want to stay at the airport, where can I look for lodging that won't be too hard for my husband to get to his meetings in the morning. Any thoughts? If not, we'll have to check with his business contacts in Geneva on Monday morning. Thx

I think that you want to be in Geneva for your husband's meetings.

Geneva downtown is about 20 - 45 minutes or so from the airport depending on traffic and transportation choice. It is 6 bus stops (if I recall correctly) from the Intercontinental Hotel (less than 15 min). I stayed at the Intercontinental using points since no Marriotts were there (I, too, am a Marriott road warrior).

Geneva is on the south end of Lake Geneva. Montreux, while lovely and I loved, is much further northeast on the lake. Check out Google maps. I believe it would be too far for him to travel back and forth on a daily basis.

You can check out hotels on tripadvisor.com, hotels.com, booking.com, etc.

joannyc - Thanks for the response - I think we'll stay in Geneva at the intercontinental while he has his meetings. Thank you for the information. Very helpful and much appreciated.

Hi again,

Here are my picks for restaurants around Montreux -- I don't know how much time you'll have to try them, but if you're in the neighborhood, give them a try:

Restaurants Montreux
Villeneuve – get there by bus (#201), by ferry (www.cgn.ch), or on foot (about 90 minutes)
1. La Gondola (tucked away at the end of a street nearby the lake), an Italian restaurant that’s normally full of families. Address: Grand Rue 89 2. The Café de Paris (in the Hotel de l’Aigle on the main street), which has about an 8-page menu with delights like salad with baked brie; serves mostly French, Swiss, and Vaudois food. You can usually find working men in coveralls in the tables next to you.

Montreux – La Rouvenaz (across the street from the tourist information booth on the main street), an Italian and seafood restaurant and wine bar that’s hugely popular with tourists and locals alike. Noisy and busy and really good.

Glion, above Montreux – get there by train or by funicular. The funicular is located behind the Anglican Church right at the bus stop “Territet.” You can get to the funicular on foot (about 30 minutes) or by bus (#201).
La Jaman (down the street from the train station, on the left). This restaurant has two parts – one part is a Pinte, which is like a pub that serves good local food, and the other part is a full restaurant. Serves Vaudois and French food, with imaginative salads to foie gras, to fondue. I’ve seen mostly what appears to be families and old friends there, as well as workmen in coveralls.

Rivaz, in the Lavaux vineyards – get there by ferry (www.cgn.ch), by local train, or by train to Chexbres (change in Vevey) and then a 20-minute walk down through the vineyards.
Auberge du Rivaz (across the street from the dock/train station), serves local food, from local harvests. Most times the customers are the ladies-who-lunch type, though the food is basic and not expensive.

Vevey – get there by bus (#201), by lake ferry (www.cgn.ch), or by train
1. Hostellerie de Geneve (right on the main square), an Italian restaurant with a terrific terrace on the main square for people-wathching. Hugely popular with locals and tourists. 2. Le Mazots (hole in the wall tucked away in the tangled streets of the old town), serves Vaudois specialites and is full of long-term residents and locals. I always see some old-timers in there getting the fixed-price menu of the day. Address: Rue du Conseil 7.

Also, while you're in Gruyeres, do try the double cream, or the creme du Gruyeres. Have it with berries. You'll never be the same!

Have fun!

s

While staying at the Intercontinental is not being downtown or in the old town, your free bus pass that the hotel gives you will be of help. Bus frequency seemed to be very good. I was only there for 2 nights... so only dealt with the downtown bus for 1 day.

And, there is an exremely good fondue restaurant within walking distance of the hotel, it was actually my best fondue in all of Switzerland!

Does your husband have status at any other hotel chain?

Oh! Forgot to say.

Try these hotels for the Gstaad area --

Post Hotel Rössli -- same kind of ambiance as the Olden, but much less expensive
http://www.posthotelroessli.ch/de

Landhaus Hotel, Saanen --
http://www.landhaus-saanen.ch/go.cfm?Home&language=EN

s

Oh wow - thanks to all for your great information. My husband and I are having tremendous trouble trying to find flights where I can match up with him. He has some prior meetings in Richmond Va and I'll be coming from Phx AZ. We are now looking at flying into Zurich or Paris (CDG) - it looks like that MAY work and we could then take the w/e to go from Zurich or Paris to Interlaken area ...ugh! This really complicates things as we can't leave Richmond until the 24th and he needs to be in Geneva for mtgs starting the 28th. We must depart back to the States no later than Sept 2nd. This is really becoming complicated but we are continuing to try to make it work though many of my plans may no longer be valid.

Here's the deal: If we land in Zurich from the States at 5p on the 24th and need to be in Geneva by the evening of the 27th, do you think we have enough time to go to Wengen (and vicinity) and do it justice? The other choice would be to go to Wengen (and vicinity) on the 30th mid afternoon but we'd need to be back in Zurich by the evening of the 1st of Sept as we have an early morning flight on Sept 2nd. I think the best bet is to go from the Zurich airport to the train and head to Wengen on the 24th. Agree? We'll be tired but at least we'll be there and can then get up on the 25th and be in OB area.

> And, there is an exremely good fondue restaurant within walking distance of the hotel ..

Joanny, near Hotel I.C., that must have been Café du Soleil.
http://www.cafedusoleil.ch/
One can try their cheese speciality Malakoff

Hm, that complicates the itinerary.

There are trains departing the Zürich Airport 6.40 and 7.40 pm with changes in Bern, Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen, so you would arrive 9.44 or 10.44 in Wengen. Pretty late, but still better than an overnight in Zürich.

You will have two full days and at least a half day in Wengen (dep. 2 pm to be in Geneva at 6 pm) - should be enough for a first impression and will make you want to plan your return immediately

Gstaad is out in this case, I'm afraid. Do the excursions from Geneva to Montreux during the days with meetings, then change base to Lucerne for the last two nights (or Zürich, but it is a short train ride from Lucerne to the airport as well).

Thanks All - unfortunately the trip isn't going to go quite as planned but we'll make the must of it. Thanks to all for your input. Much appreciated.

kappa1... yep, that's the place! It was very good!

swanner... can you fly into Zurich and out of Geneva? That's what I did so I didn't have to backtrack. It's called open-jaw or the multi-city option on airlines websites.

Hi joannyc...I actually tried that and it didn't work... Good thought tho! Thank you

My husband and I will be in Geneva for a week the end of October. (Realize it's not the best time of year to visit but we're using frequent flier miles and hotel points - hard to argue with free.) This will be our first trip to this region, so all the suggestions on this thread have been very, very helpful. Swanner - I'd love to hear how your trip goes; what you enjoyed, what you'd skip next time, etc. Our preliminary itinerary sounds very similar to yours.