Best Views-Interlaken Hotel-HELP
 

We were originally going to stay in Grindelwald but now wife says she wants to stay in Interlaken (more accessible for day trips to Bern and Montreux).We will need to be within close walking distace to train station. I still want to stay in a hotel or apartment that has a balcony with great view,with table and chairs to enjoy it. Which hotels in Interlaken have great balcony views? Chris

Chris, The mountain views from Interlaken are not much. You cannot see the biggies, just the small range that blocks your view. The top floor of the tall 5 star hotel may have a view, but you will pay for that.

There are mountain views from Interlaken and if you should stay at the Victoria Jungfrau or hotels directly next door, you will see the Jungfrau in the distance. That view in no way compares with what you would see from Murren, where the Jungfrau, Monch, and Eiger are literally in your face. Instead of the mountain view, you may want to consider the river view from the Hotel du Lac. It's at the eastern end of the city, close by the Interlaken Ost train station, where you will have rail access to many daytrip destinations. Bern and Montreux are reasonable daytrip destinations, though I'd suggest putting Lucerne up higher on your list. It's equally close and is considerably more interesting in terms of setting and things to do. There are a number of people who have found Bern appealing, but my experience there was less than special. The old city has a series of arcades with so-so shopping, a bear pit that is an embarrassment, and an attractive great clock that pales in comparison with the astronomical clock in Prague. Plus, the setting of the city is not particularly pleasing. Montreux has an attractive lake setting and so do a number of Swiss destinations. My sense, which you and others may or may not share, is that the Mother Lode of great places is in the Bernese Oberland, of which Interlaken is the hub, though not necessarily the most desirable place to stay. The argument for staying there is access for daytrips away from the area. The argument for staying up in the Jungfrau valley is the spectacular setting and the possibility of not being in the midst of the hordes of tourists.

I will be relatively blunt in this statement, because I agree with Russel. <BR>The Bear Pit is a grubby hole. There is a little to see in Bern, perhaps. But to forsake the beauties of the Berner Oberland for Bern makes sense only on a very rainy day. <BR> <BR>The train from Interlaken Ost to Montreux takes 2 hours and 40 minutes. <BR> <BR>If your objective is to visit Montreux and Bern, why even bother with Interlaken? Compared to the mountain views from Mürren or Grindelwald, Interlaken has little to offer.

Hello, Chris. Any chance you can split your trip between Brienz on Brienzersee and Montreux or Vevey on Lac Leman? It's been awhile, but I remember the mountain view from Brienz was lovely. You can visit Lucerne and Grindelwald from Brienz easily, and from the Lavaux shore of Lac Leman you can visit Lausanne and Berne (delightful fountains) and the Castle of Chillon. Well that's my two cents.

We stayed at what I consider a perfect spot in Interlaken. It is a B&B with 4-5 minute walk of the West train station and the main part of downtown. <BR> <BR>There is a view of the Jungfrau, Eiger, etc. but partially blocked. <BR> <BR>Check out their web page. The B&B is called Sunny Days.