Around the World with Wes and Masami - Around the World Travelogue by Wes and Masami Heiser with Journal Photographs Expenses Lodging Guide Schedule Preparation Route

KEY

CHF = Swiss Francs; US$ 1 = CHF 1.7

Ratings

= Excellent

ATS = Austrian Shillings; US$ 1 = 15 ATS

= Very Good

"with WC" = toilet and shower/tub in room.

= Good

"WC" not stated = shower, toilet shared by guests.

= Fair

English spoken unless otherwise stated.

= Poor

= Terrible

Arpette

Relais d'Arpette	Tel: 027-783-1221
	Int'l: +41-27-783-1221

30 minutes walk from the bus stop in Champex.

CHF 70 per person including dinner and breakfast.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Perfect starting point for the Fenêtre d'Arpette hike. Only French is spoken.

Bettmeralp

Garni Sporting	Tel: 027-927-2252
	Int'l: +41-27-927-2252

10 minutes walk from the Bettmeralp gondola station.

CHF 110 per double room with WC including breakfast for 2.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Family-run hotel style accommodation.

Champex

Chalet En Plein Air	Tel: 027-783-2350
	Int'l: +41-27-783-2350

100 meters up the street from the Champex tourist information office.

CHF 66 per person in a double room including dinner & breakfast.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Room entirely finished in natural wood with 2 single beds, nightstand, chair, clothes hanger, and radiator. Shared WC has a hot shower, toilets, and sinks. Towels and toilet paper are provided. Interior walls are thin and noise from neighboring rooms can be bothersome. Dinner is a salad, main, and desert. Breakfast is cereal, juice, museli, bread, jam, and tea or coffee. Payment is accepted in French Francs, Swiss Francs, and by credit card. French and limited English are spoken.

Davos

Hotel Edelweiss	Tel: 081-416-1033
	Int'l: +41-81-416-1033

15 minutes walk from Davos Dorf train station.

CHF 84 per double room including breakfast for 2.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Large breakfast with fruit, yogurt, cereal, bread, juice, coffee, tea. TV room with CNBC, CNN. Price includes a guest card that allows unlimited free local train and bus transport. Coin laundry, supermarket, Internet are all nearby. This is one of our favorites.

Forclaz

Hôtel du Col de la Forclaz	Tel: 027-722-2688
	Int'l: +41-27-722-2688

At the top of Col de la Forclaz.

CHF 132 per double room including dinner & breakfast for 2.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Good finish point for the Fenêtre d'Arpette hike. Dôle house wine is very good.

Interlaken

Hotel Alpina	Tel: 033-822-8031
	Int'l: +41-33-822-8031

15 minutes walk from the Interlaken West train station.

CHF 90 per double room including breakfast for 2.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Very reasonably priced for Interlaken where accommodation is quite expensive.

Küblis

Hotel-Restaurant Bahnhöfli	Tel: 081-300-3366
	Int'l: +41-81-300-3366

Directly in front of Küblis train station.

CHF 120 per double room with WC including breakfast for 2.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Restaurant specializes in local Graubünden dishes. Rooms have a spacious private WC with toilet, sink, and large bathtub. Bring some Eucalyptus oil and enjoy a long relaxing bath. Rooms face the train tracks or the road. Request a room facing the train tracks. Trains are infrequent and completely stop at night, but the road stays busy with large noisy trucks passing all night. This is one of our favorites.

Leukerbad

Hotel Paradis	Tel: 027-470-1233
	Int'l: +41-27-470-1233

5 minutes walk from the Leukerbad bus stop.

CHF 120 per double room with WC including breakfast for 2.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: None.

Lucerne

Backpackers Lucerne	Tel: 041-360-0420
	Int'l: +41-41-360-0420

10 minutes walk from the Lucerne train station.

CHF 56 per double room.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Quiet and clean. Very good private rooms. Reception is closed from 10:00 - 16:00. Bed sheets are additional charge. Towels not provided.

Lugano

Hotel Montarina	Tel: 091-966-7272
	Int'l: +41-91-966-7272

Just behind the Lugano train station.

CHF 20 per dorm bed; additional CHF 12 per person for breakfast.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: About 16 beds per room. Bed sheets are additional charge. Towels not provided. Coin laundry in the common bathroom. Good location. All inexpensive places in Lugano fill fast. Advance reservations highly recommended.

Lünersee (Austria)

Douglashütte	Tel: 05559-206
	Int'l: +43-5559-206

8 hour hike from the St Antönien post office; mountain hut on Lüner Lake.

ATS 500 per person including dinner and breakfast.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Great overnight stop along the Rhätikon Höhenweg hike. Huge dinner and breakfast. Cramped rooms. Shower is an additional ATS 20 for 7 minutes of hot water.

Maloja

Hotel Longhin	Tel: 081-824-3131
	Int'l: +41-81-824-3131

2 minutes walk from the Maloja post office where the bus stops.

CHF 160 per double room with WC including breakfast for 2.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Large breakfast with fruit, yogurt, cereal, bread, cold cut meats, cheese, juice, coffee, tea.

Montana

Olympic Hotel	Tel: 027-481-2985
	Int'l: +41-27-481-2985

10 minutes walk from the funicular train station.

CHF 125 per double room with WC including breakfast for 2.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Owner is overly busy trying to manage this hotel, a restaurant, a bar, and an Internet Cafe all at once. Hotel and restaurant are average.

Montreux

Pension Wilhelm	Tel: 021-963-1431
	Int'l: +41-21-963-1431

5 minutes walk from the Montreux train station.

CHF 70 per double room including breakfast for 2.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: None.

Scuol

Hotel Quellenhof	Tel: 081-864-1215
	Int'l: +41-81-864-1215

Next to the Bogn Engadine bus stop in the center of Scuol.

CHF 120 per double room including breakfast for 2.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Used to be a cheap student hotel. Prices are higher now, but the quality probably hasn't improved. Water pipes are rusted inside so the tap is brown.

St Moritz

Hotel Bellaval	Tel: 081-833-3245
	Int'l: +41-81-833-3245

Directly behind the St Moritz train station.

CHF 146 per double room including breakfast for 2.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Extremely convenient location and surprisingly quiet. The eating area gets filled with cigarette smoke.

Wildstrubel Traverse

Wildstrubelhütte	Tel: 033-744-3339
	Int'l: +41-33-744-3339

5 hour hike from Lenk or Montana at the top of Wildstrubel Traverse.

CHF 57 per mattress including dinner and breakfast.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: The only stop along the Wildstrubel Traverse hike. No running water. Dormitory sleeping only.

Zermatt

Hotel Bahnhof	Tel: 027-967-2406
	Int'l: +41-27-967-2406

1 minute walk from the Zermatt train station.

CHF 94 per double room with WC.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Kitchen available for guests.

Zernez

Touristenlager Hummel	Tel: 081-856-1874
	Int'l: +41-81-856-1874

10 minutes walk from the Zernez train station.

CHF 50 per double room.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Private double room is small but decorate tastefully. Dormitory accommodation is also available. Private rooms share one WC and dormitory guests share another. Full kitchen (fridge, oven, stoves, sinks, pots, plates, cutlery, utensils) available for guests.

Hotel Bahnhof Pension	Tel: 081-856-1126
	Int'l: +41-81-856-1126

Directly in front of the Zernez train station.

CHF 106 per double room including breakfast for 2.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: None.

Zürich

City Backpacker	Tel: 01-251-9015
	Int'l: +41-1-251-9015

10 minutes walk from the Zurich train station.

CHF 88 per double room.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Great value for Zürich where accommodation prices range from high to unreasonable. Reception closed from 10:00 - 15:00.

Hotel Schäfli	Tel: 01-251-4144
	Int'l: +41-1-251-4144

10 minutes walk from the Zurich train station.

CHF 102 per double room.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: Too disgusting to unpack. Glad we were carrying our own sheets to lay over the beds.

Hotel Alexander Garni	Tel: 01-251-8203
	Int'l: +41-1-251-8203

10 minutes walk from the Zurich train station.

CHF 210 per double room with WC including breakfast for 2.

Friendliness

Cleanliness

Value for Money

Comments: A business hotel.