Hello. I haven't posted since my trip to Paris in October, and I still owe this board a trip report. It was a great trip, due mainly to the wonderful tips and ideas I got from the people on this board.

Now we are planning a trip to Switzerland in August. Just purchased the tickets today through Delta for an unbelievable price. Too good to pass up. In 2005 we spent 3 days in Gimmelwald, at the Hotel Mittighorn (a wonderful Rick Steves' recommendation), and in 1993, we spent a couple of days in Wengen. We want to return to the area, but stay in a different town/village. We would like something off the beaten path and very rustic (not quite a hostel, though). There will be a total of 6 of us travelling: my husband, my two children (ages 12 and 15), my step-daughter and her husband, and myself. We figure we'll spend 3, possibly 4 nights, in the area. We're not big hikers, but we'd like to walk some of the trails and just take in the natural beauty of the place.

Thanks,

One possibility would be Chalet Fontana in Mürren. Four of you could share the apartment on the ground floor, and your step-daughter and her husband could take a double room upstairs.

Another possibility would be one of several Berghotels (rustic mountain inns) on the slops above Grindelwald.

This one you reach by train between GW and Kleine Scheidegg:

http://www.alpiglen.ch/

This one by the First gondola from the center of Grindelwald:

http://www.berghaus-bort.ch/

There are several more up high on the ridge from Kleine Scheidegg to Mannlichen.

At any of these, you would have limited options for travel away from the hotel after the train or lift stopped running (around 6 pm). So you would need to eat "in house" for dinner, but some of these places pride themselves on their food.

A place we have stayed many times and truly love is this one:

www.oeschinensee.ch

It is a lovely log hotel right on the lakeshore. The family has an organic farm which provides much of the food for the restaurant. There are rowboats to rent for the lake, and a nice sculpture path through the woods. It is quite busy by day and very quiet at night. There are private double rooms, but none has an ensuite bathroom. The common bathrooms are very clean, modern, and well-kept.

You reach Oeschinensee by chairlift from Kandersteg (which is still in the Berner Oberland, but not the area where you have been before). The same chairlift serves a Rodelbahn (summer luge) which is a big hit with kids.

And if you truly want something off the beaten path, there are several rustic inns in the Gasterntal, a lovely vally just over from Kandersteg, accessible only on foot, by bicycle, or private bus:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...l_Waldhaus.jpg

http://www.kandersteg.ch/deutsch/ser...asterntal.html

It is a lovely place, described with humor by Mark Train in his tale of travels around Switzerland (where he said the road in to the valley was "just wide enough for a cow and a Christian".

Dear enzian,

Thanks so much for all the info. I'm going to contact one of the inns now to see if it's available. We are in the process of putting together an itinerary, and when we're done, I'm going to post it for review.

Again, thanks.

You are most welcome. I love to talk about Switzerland.

For more choices on Berghotels, with descriptions and location, you might consult "Switzerland's Mountain Inns" by Philip and Marcia Lieberman. Many libraries carry it.

Another inn I should have suggested is Chalet Schwartzwaldalp, down the hill from Grosse Scheidegg in a remote valley:

http://www.schwarzwaldalp.ch/index2.html

This is accessible by bus (not sure if it is postbus or private bus) from either Meiringen or Grosse Scheidegg. You can also walk there from the top of the First gondola (which starts in Grindelwald) or from Grosse Scheidegg. It looks like there are nice hikes i nthe area.

I found this one while researching for our next trip, on which I hope to include 2-3 night stays at 5 different inns we haven't visited before. I put Schwartzawaldalp on the list.

I've made a reservation at the inn in Alpigen for 3 nights, but that may be one night too long. I also revised my preliminary itinerary to replace a stay in Varenna, Italy, with a stay in Appenzell. The drive to Italy would be too long for us, right after landing in Zurich following a 9-hour plane ride from NY and a drive from DC that morning. Do you know anything about Haus Lydia in Appenzell, or for that matter, Appenzell?

Thanks!

Unfortunately not---that is one of several parts of Switzerland we haven't explored yet. I know the Mountain Inn book describes Appenzell and "the center of Berghaus culture"---meaning there are lots of them in the area. It does sound like a pretty region.

Alpiglen is a good choice---nice views and there will be lots of options for walking, as well as for visiting Grindelwald if you need to shop, etc. We had a reservation there several years ago but had to cancel due to weather. She was very gracious and understanding. We did have lunch there the previous year and as I recall the inn was quite attractive, all bedecked with flower baskets.

You can walk a short way up the Eiger Northface trail from ther without taking a big "hike". Just walk as far as you are comfortable, which is easy among the cows and the flowers. And a really nice easy walk is up at top of the ridge, from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg. A nice loop would be to ride the train down to Grindelwald, take the gondola up to Mannlichen, and walk from there to Kleine Scheidegg. Return to Alpiglen by train (or you could walk down).

We're sitting here, planning our trip, talking about hiking from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg. I decided to check the Fodor's site, and there's your message about exactly what we were discussing. That's why I love Fodor's! I have some questions about rail passes, but I am going to start a separate posting. I am sure it's been discussed many times before, but I want the most updated info.

Again, you've been a huge help!

Freberta, please take copious notes on Appenzell. We are spending 2 nights their in September. Haus Lydia was booked, so we have 2 nights at Guesthouse Koller.

I'm waiting to hear back from Haus Lydia. My fingers are crossed that it's not booked. I promise that I will post a trip report in a timely fashion this time.

Lenox862,

I spent hours this morning trying to find a hotel in Appenzell because Haus Lydia was booked. So was Guesthouse Koller and just about every other hotel in town (that was within our budget -- it's expensive to travel with 6 people!). I finally was able to get 2 triple rooms at Gasthaus Hof. Does anyone know anything about it? It seems fine.

I know nothing about Hof, but I'd still like to here your comments when you return.