So, it seems like there's not a lot of love for Gstaad. However, we plan to be in Rougemont, just down the line and wondered if it worth spending a few hours in Gstaad while we are in the region. No overnight, just walking around, photography, maybe a meal. Based solely on what I've read so far, I might be inclined to even skip this; however, I thought I'd explicitly put the proposed idea out there and see what people think. Any fans of Gstaad, at least for an afternoon and/or evening?
Posted by
Chicago
2675 posts
I would say it’s worth checking out for yourself. A lot of people here also don’t like Zermatt and Montreux and I’m a big fan of both.
Posted by
Switzerland
383 posts
Personally I am not a big fan (luxury shops like Prada, Hermes and Louis Vuitton are not really my thing), but there are some nice restaurants and cafes there and you can probably kill an hour walking up and down the promenade. I enjoyed the nearby village of Saanen more - very picturesque with lots of wooden chalets and a nice local history museum with an excellent handicrafts shop. You could do both in a day trip.
A nice hike (ca 2 hrs) is from Saanenmöser to Gstaad (also possible in winter). Great views of the landscape and the Golden Pass train.
Posted by
Chicago
2675 posts
This video might help with your decision making:
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16286 posts
We spent 2 nights in Gstaad to attend the Swiss Open tennis tournament in July 2007. For a place reputed to be the playground of the rich and famous, the town was pretty unremarkable. The fancy chalets and hotels must be well outside the town itself.
We stayed at the Posthotel Rössli right on the main promenade, a friendly and welcoming place.
https://www.posthotelroessli.ch/en/hotel/hotel-with-tradition
It is the oldest hotel in town, but not all that old (built 1845). At the time of our visit, their restaurant was in the garden across the street, and we really enjoyed that, but it is no longer there. Still, you could have lunch at an outside table on the terrace and watch the world go by.
We did find an amazing chocolate shop on the pedestrian street
Posted by
Los Angeles
4412 posts
If you're in that area, you could head down to Montreux or east to someplace like Thul. It's a great train ride.
Posted by
Thun, Switzerland
485 posts
As hopper18 suggests the walk from Saanenmöser down to Gstaad is beautiful with lots of photo opportunities! The Most scenic part is from Schönried to Gstaad. This is one of my go-to destinations for landscape photography.