where to base in the Engadine valley
 

We will have 4-5 days in the Engadine valley and are especially interested in the small villages and gentle walks.. Not really able to do steep hiking. I've been reading the reviews and find I am more confused then ever and could really use your help in determining where we base ourselves to see both the upper and lower Engadine. We would love a hotel with a view of the mountains or lake (Sils?) and really want to see Guarda and the surrounding walks as well as Soglio. Many people seem to recommend potresina. We will have a car so it would be possible to base ourselves 2-3 nights in both the upper and lower EV. If you can recommend hotels and locations that feature views of the lakes or vistas of the surrounding mountains as well as restaurants that are highly recommended I would really appreciate your input. There will be 5 of us with a 84 year old. We enjoy the rural, small town feel rather than St. Moritz. After our time in the EV we will then head off to Murren in the BO for another 6 nights. Thank you for any help you can give.

Many folks like Pontresina -near St Moritz but so different - also well centered -be sure to drive the awesome Bernina Pass road to the summit and a Top of the World look and feeling.

We stayed in Zernez, between Upper Engadin and Lower Engadin, and loved the proximity to the www.nationalpark.ch/en

If hiking and nature are what you're after, then that's a way to do that.

We like Scuol in the Lower Engadine - we just returned from our third visit a few weeks back.

On our first visit to the Engadine, I had the same dilemma as you. We finally decided on Samedan and Scuol.

This may (or may not) help, but here's my trip report from that particular visit, where we saw a lot of what you've mentioned.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...r-oberland.cfm

For the Lower Engadine, I was enamored of Guarda, but can certainly understand Melnq8's fondness for nearby Scuol. If you decide on Guarda, I am happy to recommend both the lodging and meals I experienced at the Hotel Meisser:
http://www.hotel-meisser.ch/en.html

For the Upper Engadine, I was pleased with Pontresina, but can easily understand that some people prefer Sils-Maria.

I'm very, very glad that I visited Soglio, but don't think I would have wanted to stay in the Val Bregaglia -- JMO. And in case you have time to see other parts of Graubunden, I'm also glad that I visited Mustair, if you can fit in a trip there. And if you do, you might want to consider the Hotel Helvetica for both lodging and meals (including its incredible pizoccals!)
http://www.helvetia-hotel.ch

You might find some useful information in my trip report -- it's long, but searchable:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...any-thanks.cfm

Although I didn't stay or dine there, when in the Upper Engadine, you might consider a meal at Muottas Muralg. I can't speak to the food, but the views are awesome! (I just stopped there for coffee, but it has a hotel in addition to its restaurant):
http://www.muottasmuragl.ch/en/

If I may ask -- why the car? Swiss trains and buses are easy and convenient and free everyone -- including a potential driver -- to see the stunning scenery!

Hope that helps...

>>>(including its incredible pizoccals!)>>>>

OMG - why must you torture me kja?

@ Melnq8: I'm torturing myself! You, at least, have returned to the Engadine ... And no, I haven't read your latest trip report. It isn't just that you have AGAIN made me jealous by seeing / experiencing some of my favorite places in the world, you also (as I recall) write quite beautifully, and I definitely do NOT want to find myself reading before I realize that I must, for my own sanity, stop. NO WAY I'm going to subject myself to that!

(There's more truth to that statement than I would like to admit! Honestly, though, I almost never read trip reports except when planning my next trip -- to my chagrin, work :-( keeps me from all sorts of things that I would enjoy. And so I have not read even one line of your report -- but I do hope you are enjoying one of "our" most beloved regions on earth, and I trust that you are finding delicious meals. I certainly don't want to hear about capuns! ... well, OK, yes, I do: were they as delicious as they sounded? Did you have some for me? And is that why I've been gaining weight???)

The capuns were WUNDERBAR! As was the Flammkuchen, Gertensuppe and Nusstorte.

And let's not forget the chocolate...and the wine:) Oink, oink.

OMG, wh

Oops!

@ Melinq8: OMG, why must YOU torture ME?!? Sigh.

If I remember my tiny bit of Romansch: grazia, grazia fitg :-) I like knowing that you have been savoring this very special part of the world. Please go back and let me envy you even more!

BTW, have you ever had nettle soup? I don't know the local name (ingo will, of course :-) ) ... the cup I had at the Meisser was so deliciously memorable....


@ Jaywdickson: Need any further proof that some of us are addicted to the Lower Engadine? :-)

Kja - No, haven't tried nettle soup yet. Now I have to go back.

Nettle soup makes me itch!

I'd say spend 2 days in the Upper Engadine (with most spectacular scenery) and do one day trip to each Lower Engadine (Guarda, Ardez, Scuol) and Breagaglia valley (Soglio). For this itinerary probably best to stay in Sils-Maria, so you'll also have lake views in addition to the mountain views (that you have anywhere in the Engadine). Sils-Maria is smaller, quainter than Pontresina, more compact.

However, you cannot go wrong with either Pontresina or Sils-Maria. A win-win situation.

We stayed in Pontresina and enjoyed our time there. I remember trying to figure out where to stay and having a hard time as it all seemed confusing.

interested in the small villages and gentle walks>

Well for some awesome gentle walks take the Bernina Pass train or road to the summit area around Alp Grum and Bernina Ospiz- walk between the stations and around the placid glacier-fed lake to the glacier itself:

https://www.google.com/search?q=bern...HfU4A3AQsAQIGw

Apres-hike sit on the sun terrace at the station hotel and get intoxicated by the views!

I haven't been but I've been researching.

One option in the summer is that you can get an Engadin pass that includes travel on a lot of mountain railways and cable cars and other transport in the region if you stay 2 nights or more at participating hotels:

http://www.engadin.stmoritz.ch/somme...nen-inclusive/

Not sure if that supplements or gives you access to more things than are included with the discounts with Swiss train passes though.

While having a car will give you more flexibility (unless you go in winter and have to deal with snow chains), the recommendation is not to miss unique train experiences like the Bernina Express, which is suppose to be much better than driving through the Pass.

> Not sure if that supplements or gives you access to more things than are included with the discounts with Swiss train passes though.

It does. Swiss Pass only entitles you to 50% discount on the cable cars to Corvatsch and Furtschellas, it's not valid on all the other Upper Engadine cable cars.

Thank you all so much for your input...really helps a lot.
We will be coming from Lake Lucerne and are considering stopping for a couple nights in Guarda or Scull and then move on to Sill Maria or Portrensia for another couple nights. I dislike moving from place to place and prefer a base but am uncertain if a single base would allow me to see the majority of the sites. Your input of Sils Maria as a base sounds like a good central location. We would like to hike/walk from Guarda to Ardez, take a trip to Trasp castle, and perhaps white water raft the Inn river in the lower Engadine. We also want to take in Soglio, a day trip on the Bernia express and back and several of the many gondola trips to the the top of the mountains to hike and experience the vistas. I know I can't do it all but, by golly, I'm gonna give it a try. Any must do restaurants I shouldn't miss? Any special hotels in Sils Maria with a lake view you can recommend. We will be going in mid june and are looking forward to the wild flowers. Thanks for your help

The lake is in a certain distance from Sils-Maria and the view from most hotels is blocked by other houses also. The only hotel with superb lake views in Sils-Maria is the five star Hotel Waldhaus (www.waldhaus-sils.ch) - highly recommended, but expensive of course. An option for lake views from your room would be to check out hotels in Sils-Baselgia, a half mile from Sils-Maria on the other side of the valley. Try Hotel Margna for a four star hotel (www.margna.ch) or its dependancy next door, Chesa Sarita, which is much cheaper, Chesa Randolina for a three star plus hotel (www.randolina.ch).

Thank you Ingo for your reply...I will check out those hotels that you mentioned. Due you have any recommendations for Pontresina Hotels?
In you earlier report you mentioned that a stay in Sils Maria and do a day trip to the lower Engadine and then a day trip to the Breagaglia valley. We will have 5 nights in EV would you recommend staying in the upper engadine for all 5 nights or breaking it up between Upper and lower engadine. If so would you prefer Guarda over Scoul or Pontresina over Sils Maria? We are most interested in beautiful views so Sils Maria leaves me a little concerned as all views are blocked by other houses. Thank you Ingo ... I know I'm repeating myself but location is everything.