Interlaken & Zermatt Hotels

What's your budget, and what does best mean to you?

Hotel Ambiance in Zermatt is the last of the family owned and operated hotels in town. Excellent restaurant and nice views of the Matterhorn.
https://www.hotelambiance.ch/en/

There are dozens of hotels in Interlaken (and many more up the hill into the mountains - Interlaken isn't in the mountains) from backpacker hostels to old grand dame 4 and 5 star posh.

By best do you mean oldest and most posh? What do you mean? Budget? How many folks?

I'm so sorry but the question is too broad for me...

I would take Sam’s advice.

4.5 star? Not the highest nor lowest priced. Maybe somewhere you’ve stayed and would stay again or would like to stay next time.
Thx

Yeah, that's about it.

Maybe somewhere you’ve stayed and would stay again or would like to stay next time.

I don't stay at fancy places in Switzerland, the nice but simple ones are expensive enough for me, so I'm in a different price bracket to you.

We stayed in Interlaken several times before the penny finally dropped and I listened to the advice I had had for so many years. We wanted to be in the mountains, and despite being less than half an hour from the mountains Interlaken isn't in the mountains, so it has been some years since we have stayed in Interlaken now. The biggest fanciest one I can remember seeing (and using their toilet facility) is the Regina.

The fanciest we stayed at is the Lötschberg which has had quite an upgrade and transformation since we so tragically list the owner who was there when we stayed there.

Stars in Europe mean different things than stars in the US. What sort of things do you want your hotel to provide? Do you have a budget? Is there a reason to make Interlaken the hotel location?

We enjoyed our 5 night stay at Hotel du Lac in 2019. The hotel is family owned, now run by the 5th generation. Although the website indicated no vacancy, we contracted the hotel directly by email and were able to book a large room with a balcony directly looking over the Aare River. The room was quiet, except for the occasional train horn and the clanking of Swiss cowbells worn by the herd grazing on the hillside across the river. Be aware that if you search for the hotel on Google maps, the associated web link is a bit lacking. This link is more useful, https://www.dulac-interlaken.ch/ The website indicates that the hotel is closed at this time.

Pros include:

• Large breakfast buffet included, served in their dining room.
• Friendly and helpful staff.
• Free parking.
• Right across the tracks from Interlaken Ost train station, a 3 minute walk using the passage under the tracks.
• Less than 20 minute walk to anywhere in town.
• Good central location for day trips by auto or train.
• And, something we have not seen in any European hotel we have stayed at: a vintage ice machine just down the hall from our room. Gin and tonics on the balcony!

This is our choice for an early September stay in Zermatt: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g188098-d266043-Reviews-Coeur_des_Alpes-Zermatt_Canton_of_Valais_Swiss_Alps.html

In Zermatt, one of the best is the Omnia. I haven't stayed there, but my Swiss family loves it. You may get a great rate in mid-Sept. Bon voyage!

Do you have a specific reason or need to stay in Interlaken? Many of opus forum members would suggest continuing on into the berner oberland and staying in Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Wengen. Etc.