After hours of reading postings, websites and tour guides and sending emails to hotels to determine which are open in May and rates, I have narrowed down choices to the following:

Wengen-Hotel Alpenrose or Zum Baren
Grindelwald-Gletschergarten, Eiger, Fiescherblick, Jungfrau Swiss Mt. Lodge.
Murren-Hotel Alpenruh

The Belvedere looked wonderful, but out of my price range-under 200CH/night.

I'm leaning towards staying in Wengen, but am ambivalent, primarily because of time spent I'll spend getting to other hiking areas.

Any opinions re: views, ambiance, food, and location of these? I'll be with my 18 year old son-so romance is not part of the equation.

We stayed at the Gletschergarten, and enjoyed the experience. Nice people, decent room, good views. Here is the view from the front porch:
http://image09.webshots.com/9/2/43/1...7eCiWPM_fs.jpg

The Fiescherblick is next door, and it looked to be very similar.

Most folks here prefer the car-free ambiance of Wengen and Murren to Grindelwald, but the convenience/accessibility factor of Grindelwald can't be overlooked, especially if you plan to rent a car.

If you want to stay in Grindelwald, I definitely recommend the location of those two (not sure of the location of the others). They're on the main drag, walking distance to restaurants and shops, but further up the valley than most of the heavy traffic.

Murren is the cutest town in the area, but I'm not sure how much there would be to do at night, especially for an 18-year-old.

Enjoy!

Since you are interested in hiking, let me make my usual pitch for Gimmelwald, not Grindlewald.

Gimmelwald is a traffic-free, cliff-side town in the Lauterbrunnen valley. It's closest to Murren. At most there are 100 year-round residents, so the place is not a commericalized tourist trap like Grindlewald. It's rustic and hard-core Switzerland. The views are fantastic and it's a great base for many hiking trips.

A great place to stay in Gimmelwald is the Mountain Hostel (see http://www.mountainhostel.com/hostel.html ). It's only 20 SF a night per person. I think both you and especially your son would love it. There is also a pension, hotel, and b&b in town if hosteling is not your style. All are FAR, FAR less than you'd pay in either Grindlewald or Wengen.

Whether you choose to stay in Grindlewald, Gimmelwald, Wengen, Murren, or Lauterbrunnen, the views will be fantastic

In Grindelwald I stayed at the Residence for 90CHF/night single. If you choose that hotel, make sure to ask for a room w/a view of the mountains. Also if you call the hotel from the little shack near the train station, the owner will come and pick you up. The Gletschergarten was close by and looked very nice.

Would recommend something off the main way in Grindelwald, we stayed 4 nights on the main way and although it was convenient, it was quiet noisy.

In Wengen, check the Belvedere again...I stayed there last year for 90chfrancs for a single and you can do 1/2 board and last year their meals were wonderful! The Alperose is also nice, but not quite the view...

I was referring to the Belvedere in Grindelwald. Is there one in Wengen also? Haven't run across reference to it.

We've stayed at the Eiger in Grindelwald and the Alpenruh in Murren.

Both are nice and I'd stay at either again.

The Eiger faces the main street in Grindelwald. We had an apartment in the annex behind the hotel, which was quiet because it didn't face the street. We had a partial view of the mountains from our balcony.

The hotel has a great in-house restaurant called the Memory Bistro.

The Alpenruh in Murren has been our hotel of choice on numerous visits. The rooms offer in-your-face views of the mountains from the balconies. The rooms themselves are a bit on the small side, but that's never deterred us from returning.

They also have an excellent in-house restaurant and they own the restaurant in the Schilthorn cable station next door. Both are very good.

Hi stillhouse,

I stayed at the Alpenrose in Wengen in March, 1995, and really liked the views and the ambiance of the decor. I haven't been back to the hotel because I thought the host & hostess were *too* nice -- I like to be left alone when I travel! They had a free wine-social hour on Friday night so all the guests could mingle, and they seated me at dinner next to another single traveller.

But if you like that sort of mothering, the Alpenrose is just the place! Anyway, the views & decor are just perfect for a mountain chalet!

s

Thanks. The owners may have mellowed in 10 years. I wouldn't want to eat with strangers, but I do like chatting after dinner or to folks at the next table during breakfast. Several of my favorite vacation nights have been ones where we spent hours chatting with people from other countries and learning more about their political and educational systems. Two years ago when my son and I were in Nova Scotia, we were waiting with another woman for an entertainer who didn't show. My teenage son, she and I chatted for hours and he was as interested as I, particularly in their educational system.

Hi Again,

Oh, it *hasn't* been 10 years!! Has it?? Where did they go?

Anyway, yes, I agree that it's great to strike up conversations with folks from other countries -- but the dinner pairing (w/opposite sex) just felt uncomfortably like a set-up. I took the half-pension option, so I had to force that small-talk every night . . .

But still I recommend the place! If you decide to stay there, let us know if the owners have, indeed, mellowed in 10 years, ok?

s

Absolutely! My emails have been answered promptly by Martha, so if she is the "mother" at least she's conscientious.