Hello! First message on this board but have enjoyed reading other postings.
We are from New Zealand and are planning a visit to Switzerland in September - staying in Luzerne (des Alpes is booked), Murren (Alpenruh is booked).Does any Fodorite have feedback on these?
Also visiting Zermatt (tossing up between Couronne & Welschen, Julen looks lovely but may be out of our $$$. I really like the look of Welschen, what is the location like?) and finally Vevey where at this stage I am most interested in bon Rivage at La Tour de Peliz.
Thank you for any assistance! We are visiting Switzerland en route to a canal boat in Burgundy (our second visit there). ARen't we lucky!
Pleiades of New Zealand

I cannot contribute re the hotels, but I must say Yes, you are indeed lucky. What a dream trip! The Lavaux section of Lac Leman is one of my favorite places, and I can't think of a better time to walk the vineyard walks (with lakeviews) than September! I hope you'll have several days there so you can savor the small towns and ride the lakeboats. Ahhhh. J.

Hi Pleiades,

Ok, my comment: take me with you!!

This looks like a great itinerary. I've heard lots of good things about Des Alpes, and I've skid past Alpenruh and thought it looked good. I'd suggest you do a text search here for the hotels to see the latest comments. Also try a look at www.tripadvisor.com to see reviews over there.

I've looked at the Bon Rivage in La Tour de Peilz, and it looks charming. I think that's the one I've noted for a future stay myself. You'll have to let me know how it is!

Hi jw! Playing hookey?

s

lovely choice of towns! I've been to Burgundy and decided at that time I must go back and do a barge trip sometime.

Hotel Allalin in Zermatt was very nice - great view of the Matterhorn.

not familiar with the hotel you mention in Vevey.

here are some photos from my trip if you are interested!

http://www.worldisround.com/articles/58769/index.html

I've stayed at the Des Alpes three times since 2001. Unbeatable location and awesome views in the riverside rooms. Ask for a large room with balcony. You'll like the breakfast and the breakfast room has a covered terrace with a nice view too. The restaurant has very good fondue & gemischter salat. We loved their Raclette (cheese, potatoes, onions and pickles), but last time it wasn't on the menu. If not, try Cafe Hug--also on the river with excellent Raclette.

Have fun.

Count me another jealous person! Wishing you a fabulous trip. If you're near Vevey on a Saturday morning, do be sure to get to the open air farmers market (or a smaller version in Montreux on Friday mornings).

Congratulations on your choice of staying in Mürren. That's my favorite place when I go to the BO region.

If you are intereted, you can see the photos I took in Mürren this January on the following site.

http://photobucket.com/albums/v214/n...%20Jan%202005/

Alpenruh seems to be owend by Schilthorn cable car. Did you reserve their offer : room with halfboard + aerial cable car to Schilthorn + James Bond breakfast at the top restaurant included? Hope you will get a room with a view to Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau. I can't tell about the hotel since I stayed at Bellevue but it sure looked nice and it is just a few meters away from Mürren cable station. The cable route Mürren-Schilthorn is closed till March due to repair work after an incident last December but you are going in September so there will be no problem.

Welschen in Zermatt is descibed as " Right beside the Sunnegga-Express." so it's slightly out of busy village center which is good but is still like less than 10 minutes walk from the railway station. I can't really tell about either hotels but from Welschen you might have morew chance to see Matterhorn than from Couronne (is in the center)like when I stayed at Primavera** also near Sunnegga station and had a great and unobstructed view of it from my room-balcony.

Is there Pleiades in New Zealand too or did you take it from the mountain in Vaud Canton?

Thank you all for your responses!
I am going to follow them up later today and will let you know how I get on.
Our party is self, husband & 9 year old son. We are really looking forward to Switzerland leading up to the canal boat. In 2003 we travelled the Nivernais, just the 3 of us on the boat. Pure bliss. This time, its the Bourgogne.
Pleiades .. so much in a name! Yes, the Pleiades are visible in the southern skies here, and there is also a lovely winery in the Marlborough region of NZ. I saw the mention in VAud & thought what a coincidence!
Actually, I am masquerading for our brave little thoroughbred (named for the stars & the wine). ONe in a million. Farewell little man.

awwww, what happened to your horse?

Just updating & thanking for all the useful advice.
JMW .. yes, the lakeboats are definitely on the agenda! My husband is the one who did the actual itinerary planning. I think his choice of towns is excellent. We are trying to avoid the big big cities. We gave our son the plane tickets as an Xmas present he was not expecting. He is really excited, partly because he knows how much fun the canal boat will be (barring maritime disasters) but he is also very determined to see the Matterhorn about which he has become fascinated ..
Swandav .. I was reading some other very useful postings on archived threads, only to discover they were written by you! Very much enjoyed the one which started with your problems of credit cards .. IN the end, we are not going with BOn Rivage (tho it still looks lovely) as we are travelling by train & husband preferred a more central location in Vevey itself. So we have opted for Negociants which alos looks nice. Will update you after our stay.
JN .. can't wait to try the raclette at Des Alpes. Have also been explaining to son about the delights of fondue ..
Suze / Kappa / flygirl .. thanks for your messages. In Zermatt we have ended up going for Welschen. What fun it will be discovering all these places. I had a dreadful day on Monday with the death of a four legged family member. None other than Pleiades hmself. Threw myself into sorting out the trip as compensation and have found a great place to visit: www.fodors.com! Thank YOu All.

Choosing Mürren in BO and Sunnegga area in Zermatt, you are my kind of people. Regarding Zermatt, I remember, only in term of the view, 2-star Primavera in Sunnegga area was the best I had in Zermatt, a large balcony with a perfect view of Matterhorn. Even without Balcony, I could see, in bed, Matterhorn through the large windows. I wish the same luck to you.

I had no idea the pleiades are the names of the stars (orginated from a mythology, I learned by a google search after reading your post)!

And I'd be interested to know about Hotel Welschen after your trip.

Pleiades, have a great time! I took the Sunegga express to the top (not so high up, really) and then started hiking from there. some of my pictures in fact are from the top of the Express. (the signposts, etc.)

I stayed at Negociants in Vevey! you'll like it. modern in style, cool crisp white duvet covers, nice bathroom, very central. My trip to Vevey was like kinda like leaving Kansas (v. dark when I arrived - v. late - could see nothing from the train) and the next day, spying the Emerald City ... I woke up the next morning to a perfectly crisp, blue sky day... with the sparkling lake and the mountains in the near distance... sigh.

And very sorry about your little guy. I'll keep you posted on my own horse story, too. I'll zap you a picture when we get her.