Bernese Oberland suggestions
 

What is the best mountain town in the Bernese Oberland area to stay( in late Sept./Early Oct.) for two (40 something couples)that would like to explore the area for 4 days? We would like to do a little hiking and some mountain train travel. We were considering either Murren or Grindewald as a base, any thoughts?

I prefer Wengen. Everyone has their own preference, but you can't go wrong with any place in the BO. Grindelwald will be a bit livelier than the smaller car-free villages of Murren and Wengen.

Grindelwald and Murren are different as night and day - Grindelwald hums with activity - hikers and climbers using it as a base coming and going - lots of younger folk staying in the plethora of ski dorms, Nature Friend' Houses, hostels, etc.

Murren is IME much more sedate and much more quiet and much more isolated by its location - if using as a base you will spend lots of time and money just getting down to Interlaken to go anywhere else other than the Lauterbrunnen Valley - Grindelwald is also much better located as a base since it is much close to so many things folks like to do - hikes, glaciers, the Jungfrau, Interlaken and its lakes, etc. Two very very different towns - at night Grindelwald hops at night Murren slumbers - some like the former, some that latter.

along with the Peripatetic Palenque, I'm one of the very few who has enjoyed basing in Interlaken...especially if you stay on the north side of the River Aare, looking toward the alps to the south (the view is quite dramatic).

The train service from Interlaken is especially frequent and the station (Interlaken Ost) is a pleasant 10-15 minute riverside walk on the beautiful promenade. The walk into town begins over a footbridge followed by an easy flat walk of ten minutes. This is all possbile by lodging at the handsome riverfront Hotel Goldey Swiss. I rest my case.

Whatever you finaly decide, you'll have a happy journey!

Thank You everybody your quick replies. It sounds like Grindewald or Interlaken may be the best place to stay for our tastes. We could do a day trip to Murren, to explore it and other destinations in the Bernese Oberland. We will be arriving to the area by train from Zurich, and doing all our travel by train or tram.
Any advice on type of pass to purchase for travel? I was looking at the Swiss Pass or a Eurail 3 country pass, since we will be traveling to Munich and then to Italy after that .

I've been doing some research on a trip to Switzerland, and, if I recall correctly, doesn't the Swiss pass cover journeys as far as Murren and Wengen? So, if you purchase the consecutive days Swiss Pass, it would seem to me that, cost-wise, there is no difference between Murren/Wengen and Grindewald/Interlaken, at least from a transport standpoint. Am I off base about that?

Of course, if you go with a flexi-pass, then you'd end up having to use up a day for every day you spend in the BO, which might not work so well.

So, if you purchase the consecutive days Swiss Pass, it would seem to me that, cost-wise, there is no difference between Murren/Wengen and Grindewald/Interlaken, at least from a transport standpoint. Am I off base about that?>

exactly correct - Swiss Pass passes 100% to Murren, Gimmelwald and Grindelwald and Wengen so price-wise with a pass not a factor. Eurailpasses give 25% off only on trains to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen and beyond from Interlaken-Ost, covering mainline Swiss trains in full to Interlaken-ost.

The Swiss Pass along with regular tickets in Italy and Germany may well be the best option, especially if you book online discounted tickets in Italy and Germany or in Germany use the bargain Lander Tickets, like the Bavaria Pass. Depends on how much you travel around the Grindelwald-Lauterbrunnen-Wengen-Murren area where the Swiss Pass has 100% hop on any time coverage.

I wanted Wengen or Murren for the relative quiet, Dear Wife insisted on Interlaken for more dining / entertainment choices and the train access. Guess where we stayed? :)

Getting to the BO's most popular places is so easy and relatively quick from Interlaken it was a good base. Looking back, Grindewald would have been a nice compromise.

Yes - Grindelwald would be a great compromise between somnolent Wengen or Murren and lively Interlaken - never thought of it before until Toucan did that comparison - Grindelwald only about 20 minutes from Interlaken by train.

Thanks Toucan and PalenQ !! I think Grindewald will be our base.

Travel times -

Interlaken Ost - Grindelwald 34mins
Interlaken Ost - Murren 46mins

I would suggest staying in Murren, best views in the region,superb hiking trails within easy reach,excellent hotels with restaurants to suit all budgets,car free and has so so much charm..

Grindelwald is like Interlaken..awful

Grindelwald is awful? Wow for someone to say that boggles my mind - no town has a better setting - your hotel balcony will provide a panorama of the whole Grindelwald area amphitheater - framed by the awesome glacier-girdled Jungfrau Massif rising thousands of feet up from the valley floor - a wide wide view all around - a much better view IMO than from Murren, which though is smack opposite the Jungfrau Massif as well just does not have the wide views stretching for miles either way - anyway to call Grindelwald awful just boggles the mind. Grindelwald is a very very special place, yes often lampooned by some who find it too brash, too lively and too well I guess too popular - Grindelwald is my favorite base for the whole area for first-timers - a totally awesome vista unparalleled in my opinion in the whole area.

Well I guess I'm gonna boggle your mind also . .

I would also call Grindelwald . . . well, not "awful" but certainly not the best base. It would be, to me, the 4th or 5th best base in the area, after Wengen, Mürren, and even Thun/Spiez.

First favorites, of course, are the car-free villages that are perched right in the mountains. The car-free aspect gives a better ambiance overall, cleaner air, and freedom from tour busses (which shouldn't be too bad in September . . yet still . . .).

Next favorites would be Thun or Spiez for a lakeside vacation with the mountains not too far away.

s

It all depends on whether you wish churcdhmouse quiet with the sidewalks pulled up at night or a town with a bustle of hikers and their gear traipsing around - lively pubs for younger folk at least - I am bored to death in places like Wengen and Murren so it greatly depends on the person - Grindelwald has a joie de vivre - an apres ski or apres hiking scene - Wengen and Murren mainly have an older sedate crowd. Interlaken is actually my favorite base - for great transportation hub with boats, trains going everywhere and if you get off the main tourist Schlocked main drag a really cute town - to me one of the prettiest all in all in Switzerland and if on a budget them Interlaken has really cheap accommodations - Grindelwald does too - but in Wengen or Murren you'll pay top dollar as they do not cater to the younger active crowd.

Not true, PalenQ. There is at least one backpackers lodge/hostel in Wengen and a few nice little 3-stars tucked away in Wengen and Mürren.

s

OK - my mistake but not the plethora of such options in Girndelwald, Lauterbrunnen or Interlaken - what would those little 3-stars tucked away in Wengen or Murren cost per day? Just curious as to whether they true budget options. I've had private rooms in proper hotels in Interlaken with unlimited breakfast for 40 swiss francs - that I think is a great deal I would not get other places but not sure.

We spent a week hiking around the area last summer and were very happy that we stayed in Lauterbrunnen. Not only was it in itself very beautiful, but we had easy access to all the mountain towns and Interlaken. When you stay in Murren, Wengen or Grindelwald you typically need to travel back down to Lauterbrunnen to access another town anyway. Just something to keep in mind!

Hi again,

Old Lodge Backpackers in Wengen has a private room from 44.12 Euro and a shared room from 38 Euro (not sure why they're quoting me in Euros -- may be because my internet provider is in Germany).

Hotel Bären in Wengen has a single room for 110-130 chf in the summertime.

Hotel Edelweiss in Wengen is a two-star that has rooms for 70-75 chf per night.

s

the key is how available are those seemingly limited in number budget options - will they be fully booked in season - in Grindelwald and Interlaken at least IME you can just arrive and easily find a low-budget option any time of year except perhaps the hectic winter ski season. but a private room at 44 euros if with breakfast is a great deal anywhere in this area IMO.