A buffet breakfast is included in our rates and served from 7.30 to 10.30. Enjoy the lovely valley views while you eat.

Our hotel is entirely non-smoking including the balconies. This also refers to e-cigarettes and vaporizers. We have a little outdoor smokers area in front of the hotel.

There are no TVs in the rooms – we think you will prefer to enjoy the view! We do have one TV on the ground floor.

We sell local wine and beer as well as soft drinks at the reception.

Check in is from 15.00 – 22.00 and check out from 07.30 – 11.00.

If you arrive early and your room is not ready, you can wait in our lounge, the kettle is always on! Alternatively you can leave your luggage with us and go out. Alternatively there are luggage lockers and a left-luggage room at Lauterbrunnen station (as most stations).

Reception is open from 07.30 until 22.00.

We accept Swiss Francs and Euros or debit cards and visa or mastercard. There are two banks with ATMs in the village.

There is a doctor and pharmacy just across the road. All the doctors speak English. A hospital and several dentists can be found in Interlaken. Costs are high so make sure you are adequately insured. Bring a small first aid kit and headache tablets with you, as they are expensive here.

Wifi is available throughout our hotel and is free of charge for guests.

Generally we do not accept pets but we might make exceptions so please ask us in advance before you book. Please note that pets can be accommodated in certain room types only and that the hotel calculates an additional pet fee. Pets aren't allowed to enter the breakfast area and cannot be left unattended in the rooms.

We have a kids' corner with toys and games in our lounge.

We have an elevator (to all floors except the attic rooms) but unfortunately our rooms are not adapted for disabled guests.

We can add extra beds to some rooms and kids can share existing beds for a small fee but only with advance notice.

We don’t have a restaurant for lunch or evening meal but there is a choice of 6 restaurants within 10 minutes walk.

We have free car parking for guests just in front of the hotel. No reservation necessary.

In the small picnic room you will find a fridge, hot water kettle, microwave and basic cutlery and crockery. The room is open 24/7. We invite you to bring and store your own food and drinks there and consume take-away food that you bought at a restaurant.

There are two self service laundries in Lauterbrunnen. Costs CHF 5 per wash and CHF 5 per dry. Open 09.00 – 21.00. Just a few minutes' walk from the hotel.

For the safety of all guests, please note that open fire (including portable or camping gas stoves, candles etc.) is prohibited at our premises. Using electric cooking devices are strictly forbidden in the rooms. You may use such devices in the picnic room only - after confirmation by the reception.

You don't have to book any trip in advance and we would advise you to wait and check the weather. Trips are expensive and can be disappointing if cloudy. You just turn up at the station, buy your ticket and take the next train or cable car. Transportation is seasonal in most places so check if you are coming off-season.

The Jungfraujoch is worth a visit. Please be advised that it has a maximum of 5000 tickets per day and can sell out even the day before in high season (July and August) or on a good weather day which follows several bad weather days. The Jungfraujoch is open 365 days per year and the Schilthorn closes only for a few days in Spring and a few weeks in Autumn for maintenance.

There are 72 waterfalls in the valley (not all visible all the time). The best-known (and most easily accessible) are the Staubbach, just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel and the Trümmelbach which are inside the mountains in a maze of caves (open mid-April until October – depending on weather).

There is an excellent bike shop with rentals in the village, just a few minutes from the hotel.

In Switzerland public transport is excellent but expensive. It is often worth buying a transport pass. More infos can be found on the Swiss Travel System website or email us for our explanation of what is included in this region.

Timetables for ALL transport can be found on the SBB website.

Kids under the age of 16 travel free on public transport in Switzerland including the Jungfraujoch with the family card.

In Lauterbrunnen there is a COOP supermarket, a butchers, bakers, dairy shop, two small souvenir shops, two banks with ATM’s, two sports shops with bike/ski/equipment rental, a post office, and kiosk. Shops are open from approx 09.00 to 18.00, closed earlier on Saturdays and some are closed all day Sunday (opening times vary depending on the season).

The currency here is Swiss Francs or CHF. You can almost always pay in Euros but it is not an official currency and the rate may be more favourable to the seller than you. (Switzerland is not part of the European Union.) ATM’s can easily be found (there are two in Lauterbrunnen) and credit cards are readily accepted, including at most restaurants and mountain transport stations. Many outlets now offer you the choice to charge your card in CHF or in your own currency. Choosing the local currency is often the better choice – check the rate you pay on your credit card before you travel.

There are hundreds of mountain passes in Switzerland which make for beautiful and exciting (but not hair-raising) drives/rides. Most are well surfaced and wide enough to pass two cars easily. There are of course twisty with many hairpins. Do not underestimate how long it will take you. Photostops alone can add hours to your journey! Many of the passes are closed in winter and may not open until June depending on snow. Avoid the passes on weekends if you can. Check the traffic situation before you set off!

Rental cars are easily available in Switzerland but there are no offices in Lauterbrunnen (nearest is Interlaken). A car is little use to you in our region because there are no roads any higher than Lauterbrunnen. If you do decide to drive here are a few small tips: Check prices online for advance bookings – usually cheaper than booking when you arrive. The insurance excess on rental cars here is high and even a small scratch will cost you several hundred francs. You can buy extra insurance (ahead of time) which reimburses you for the excess in case of accident. Make sure your vehicle has enough room for all passengers and luggage. For example, a 7 seater will only have room for 2 pieces of luggage – might be worth considering a minibus.

If you want to drive on Motorways you will need a road tax sticker (called a vignette). Swiss rental vehicles will have them but cars from other countries may not. They cost CHF 40 and are valid one year. Available from gas stations, post offices and motorway border crossings.

Have a map with you and check your GPS route – sometimes the GPS will give you the shortest route which may be across a mountain pass (which may take more time than a longer motorway route or may be closed. You can’t drive to Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg nor Mürren.... No you can’t, not even if your GPS says you can. Check the current traffic situation (especially if you are coming from Milan, Italy)!

There is no dry season in the Alps and no months when you are guaranteed a sunny day. You can have great weather (and bad weather) at any time of the year so come prepared. Temperatures can vary a great deal depending if the ‘Bise’ (cold wind) or ‘Föhn’ (hot wind) is blowing. Thin layers to adapt to changes in temperature and a rain mac and small umbrella are advisable.

Weather is unpredictable in Switzerland and temperatures can vary. We suggest you pack thin layers so that you can adapt easily. A rain coat / umbrella is a must even in the height of summer, when it can be stormy. Everyone should carry a basic first aid kit with plasters (for blisters) and headache tablets at least. Toothbrushes and toothpaste are not usually supplied by hotels. We can only emphasise the difference it makes to your holiday to travel as light as possible. Lauterbrunnen is not a fashion capital, so no need to bring smart clothes. Every day we see people struggling with heavy cases, especially on public transport which is super efficient but there is not much time between connections. Rick Steve says it all:

We do not serve lunch or evening meals in the hotel but there are several restaurants in Lauterbrunnen, mostly Swiss cuisine but also Italian. There are also several cafés. We have a file at the reception with menus from nearby restaurants. Restaurants often stop taking orders for dinner at 21.00.

Vegetarians are reasonably well catered for and vegans increasingly so. Most restaurants will have some vegetarian options marked on the menu and will be able to cater for vegans on request. Supermarkets, Migros and Coop, have vegan milks and yoghurts as well as tofu and some vegan burgers or felafel. In Interlaken you will find Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Thai, Italian etc which are all good options for veggies!

In the Alps, local Swiss specialities are hearty and often include potatoes and cheese.

Dip bread in a pot of bubbling cheese, sometimes contains garlic or schnapps etc.

Grated, fried potatoes baked in the oven with a variety of toppings including cheese, bacon, egg, mushrooms etc.

Pasta and potatoes in a cheesy sauce with crunchy fried onions and apple sauce

Breaded meat like a Schnitzel but we add cheese, of course.

Boiled potaotes, served with melted cheese and pickles.

Oats and fruit mixed with yoghurt.

Many brands of Swiss chocolate can be found in every country but if you want to take gifts back (or better, just eat it yourself) have a look out for Cailler or Berner Schoggi which are more unusual. Supermarkets have a great variety as well as several specialist chocolate shops in Interlaken. If you really want to treat yourselves, try Schuh Interlaken.

You can even make your own swiss chocolate. Check out the Funky Chocolate Club!

Cows spend their summers on the Alp where it is cool and the grass is greener and tastier. The cowherds spend the summer up there too and make cheese in small Alpine dairies. Only cheese made on the alp can be named Alpkäse. The older the cheese the stronger the taste. Cheese that has been matured for several years and sliced into shavings is called Hobelkäse – melts in your mouth. You can buy cheese direct from the farmer – keep an eye out for signs for ‘Alpkäse’ when you are out walking. You will find Emmental and Gruyere everywhere but look out for Appenzeller, Sbrinz or Tete de Moine (Monk’s head – named after the way it is sliced) cheese for a stronger taste.

Tap water in Switzerland is safe to drink and delicious so bring a water bottle to save you money on bottled water.