I’ve planned three nights in Pension Gimmelvald in MidMay. It’s me and my husband. We like quiet and nature and hope to hike and relax. Maybe rent e-bikes in Murren. I want to do Schilthorn. We stayed in Wengen in 2019. I don’t read much about people staying in Gimmelvald, yet it looks lovely.
Anyone have experience in Gimmelvald for a length of time? I know the BLM cable is down during our stay which is a bummer. But it is what it is..
Looking forward to hearing from others.
I would assume that the reason few people stay in Gimmelwald is that it has very few amenities and is little harder to get to. Unlike Mürren or Wengen, there are no grocery stores and an extremely limited choice of places to eat so you have to plan around that. It’s also only accessible by hiking or the cable car, so you have to schedule excursions accordingly and some may find that less convenient.
If you’re planning to do most excursions/hiking around Gimmelwald/Mürren/Schilthorn, the location is less of an issue, but it’s not so ideal if you want to do things outside of or on the other side of the valley (Wengen, Männlichen, etc). That may also turn off many visitors.
For peace and quiet it fits the bill! It’s much smaller and less built up than the neighboring villages/towns.
betsy,
I've stayed in Gimmelwald in the past and also used the Pension. The building is a beautiful example of Swiss construction. It is a bit quieter than the other towns and with less tourist amenities, but sometimes that's a nice change. The Pension has changed hands since I was last there, but as I recall they had a nice restaurant and patio and great food.
Gimmelwald is very easy to reach, as it's only one short but steep ride on the Schilthornbahn from Stechelberg. As you're planning to visit the Schilthorn, you could stop in Mürren on the way back, have a fine meal in one of the restaurants there and then walk back to Gimmelwald on the paved trail.
The pension Gimmelwald is a nice place. As a local I have not stayed there, but I have spend quite a few afternoons in the beer garden after a hike. Try the Schwarzmönch beer.
Be prepared for a place that is very, very quiet though.
I believe Rick is just crazy about Gimmelwald, you should check his videos. It does seem small and quiet without much going on, which can be good or bad or both.
Gimmelwald is a special place. If you like quiet, nature, hiking and relaxing you'll love it. The Pension has a special feel and we love hanging out there for one of their SchwarzMonch beers after a hike. It's a good starting point for lots of hiking and whenever you want to stop at the grocery or go to another restaurant or whatever you can easily ride the 5 minute cable car up to Murren, no big deal. If you like to hike, don't miss the North Face hike. Unfortunately I think the Allmendhubel is closed when you're there, but you can take the cable up to Murren, hike it from there and end up back in Gimmelwald.
