Where to stay 9 nights in the BO in early September 2023

Wengen is not that big. It has a lot more choices of restaurants, a couple of grocery stores and more lodging choices. In addition, it has access by cable car to Mannlichen where you have access to a wonderful hike from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg which has a fantastic view of the North Face of the Eiger throughout the hike. You can return to Wengen by train if you like. You can also access this hike by train if you are staying in Murren, but it takes a little longer. If I had 9 days I would split between the two villages. That will give you two different perspectives on the valley as well. Enjoy your trip.

I think Wengen is too big for my liking

I don't think Wengen and Muerren are significantly different size-wise. But that is neither here not there. I can't think of a better place to spend 9 days in the Berner Oberland than Muerren. The only reason not to would be that they cannot give you 9 days because they are already booked for a portion of those 9 days. Why waste a day switching locations if you don't have to?

You really can’t go wrong with either option. Weigh the pros and cons for each. Staying in Murren the entire time saves you the time of changing hotels. Although since the locations are so close, the change won’t take much time. If you split the time between Murren and Wengen you can experience waking up and winding down in both locations. There are some great walks from Wengen that would be nice to do first thing in the am.

https://wengen.swiss/en/summer/region/wengen/services/walking-trails-around-of-wengen/

https://wengen.swiss/en/summer/see-and-do/hiking/hikes/

Good advice. Thank you. It's a bit shorter from the airport to get to Wengen, so we'll start there.
Train from Zurich airport
5 nights in Wengen (at the Hotel Schonegg)
4 nights in Murren (Hotel Belleview)
5 nights in Vevey
Train to Geneva airport

How does this sound? A good division of time for 14 nights?
THANK YOU SO MUCH! This travel forum is great. Can't wait to go back to Switzerland !

Sounds fabulous!!! 😊 I’ll be at the Hotel Schonegg in just about a week from now.

For avid hikers I would suggest you consider moving to a different area for part of the time, rather than staying in 2 different hotels in the same area.

Our Swiss hiking trips always include our 2 favorite locations, Muerren and Bettmeralp in the Valais region (on the “sunny side of the Alps”). Take a look at the scenery you enjoy on hikes here:

https://www.aletscharena.ch/en/activities/hiking#bm=oac%3Asummer&cat=Hiking-main,Hiking%20Trail,Nature%20Trail&filter=r-fullyTranslatedLangus-,r-onlyOpened-,sb-sortedBy-0&zc=11,8.09572,46.38563

Scroll down to the “top 5 hikes” to see more.

Bettmeralp is a car-free village accessed by cablecar, much like Muerren. Photos here:

https://www.aletscharena.ch/en/aletsch-arena/places/bettmeralp

Travel time from Muerren is under 3 hours, including the cablecar ride. Travel time from Bettmeralp back to Zurich is the same as it is from Muerren to Zurich, about 3 hours. The journey from Bettmeralp to Zurich involves only 2 changes, one from the cablecar to the train at Betten for the short ride to Brig, and the other at Brig where you board a direct train to Zurich.

That sounds like a great plan. And you sound like you’re very familiar with the area. Do you mind sharing where you stay in each village? We will be flying into Zurich (so I guess I would start in Bettmeralp then to Murren)and out of Geneva so that we can spend 5 nights in the lake region.

Bettmeralp is past Brig, 3 1/2 hours by train and cable car from Zurich airport (1 train per hour) to Bettmeralp. It is 3 1/2 hours from there to Muerren. Just so you know.

I am looking on SBB for tomorrow and a random date in September. Both dates have the same schedule —Bettmeralp to Mürren, 3:03. Mürren to Bettmeralp 2:59.

Here is a map of the Swiss rail system so you can see the locations of each place and the connections between them:

https://cdn-doc.myswissalps.com/docs/default-source/rail-network-maps/swisstravelpass.pdf?sfvrsn=7788603a_56

In Mürren, we started out staying at Chalet Fontana, a nice, budget-friendly Bed and Breakfast, with a small ground-floor apartment. No balcony or views. More recently, as our travel budget has increased, we have stayed in a lovely 3-bedroom apartment with our son’s family. It is in the upper village, with a huge deck, and beautiful views to the Jungfrau massif across the valley. But if we wanted a hotel (which is more appropriate for 2 of you), I would choose Hotel Bellevue. It is close to this apartment we like, and has the same wonderful views. And I know the food there is excellent, as even in our former tight-budget days we would have dinner in their Jägerstübli at least once if not twice.

I believe you have your eye on this hotel already, so I am simply endorsing your choice!

In Bettmeralp, the only hotel we have used is Hotel Panorama, and we take half-board. Their restaurant appears to be well-regarded, as we have generally seen locals dining there, some walking from the next village (Riederalp, which is much larger than Bettmeralp). But we haven’t been there since 2007; our most recent visits have involved an apartment, again with other family members. It looks like the hotel is not in the hands of the son of the people I knew as owners; there is a photo on the website of Freddy Schmiedhalter handing the keys to his son Serge. So I cannot say how it is now.

Lola: Thank you so much. That's a great idea to go to a different, nearby area. It looks like doing a roundtrip to Geneva is closer than Zurich.

Will start off in Bettmeralp....then move to Murren...then stay in Vevey and tour around Lake Geneva.
I'm not familiar with this part of the alps (we stayed in Muottas Muragl the last time and caught the "alps" bug!).

In your opinion is this the best way to divide our time?
Bettmeralp 5 nights
Murren 5 nights
Vevey 4 nights.

If we have an extra night, where would you add it?

Thank you so much!
Annabel
(Falling so in love with Switzerland was a big surprise for us!)

Just my thought.

I think you should research Bettmeralp before committing to a 5 day stay. Bettmeralp is a very nice hiking area, but The Berner Oberland area offers more choices in addition to hiking. For instance, splitting your time in Murren and Wengen offers you the Lauterbrunnen Valley and all it has to offer, trip opportunities to Schilthorn and Junfrau, plus Grindlewald by gondola from Wengen to name a few. You can use up 9 days very easily and not duplicate scenery or activities.

I would stay in the Berner Oberland, then head to Vevey and stay an extra day and make a day trip to Bern.

Whatever you choose, enjoy this beautiful country.

I haven’t been to Bettmeralp, so I can’t speak to it. From the Berner Oberland area you have so many great options for rainy days if you don’t want to be out hiking all day in the rain. The Ballenberg open-air museum (many buildings to take cover from the rain), trummelbach falls, a boat ride to Giessbach Hotel to see the waterfalls and have lunch, a boat or train to Thun to see the castle, a day trip to Bern, shopping in Interlaken, etc.

I’m not sure what you have planned for Vevey, but I have a ton of suggestions for that area. Here are some: Chillon Castle, Montreux lakeside promenade, Rochers de Naye, Funicular from Territet to Glion, Saint-Saphorin, Lutry, Les Pléiades, funicular to Mont Pelerin, long day trip to Zermatt, day trip to Gruyeres and Maison Callier chocolate factory. I had some more things on my list but I took them off because I don’t think I’ll have time: Sion, Fribourg, Gstaad. Lausanne and Geneva don’t interest me but those are options too. Along with a boat ride on Lake Geneva.

Like I said before, there’s no wrong choices in Switzerland. But Threadwear brought up a good point. Make sure you research an area before committing to it to make sure there are enough activities that you will enjoy. And keep in mind you might not always have great weather. Some people might be ok with taking a lazy day and not doing much if it’s raining hard. Not me, I want to be out doing something every day even if that’s just going to the grocery store to stock up on chocolate.

Carrie: You make good points. What hotel are you staying in while you're in Vevey?
I will look for your post after your trip!
If I split my time between Wengen and Murren, do you think I should split it evenly? 5 nights each?

And, I think we could swing 5 nights in Vevey ;)
Thanks so much
annabel

I’m actually staying in Montreux. I blame this you tube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAT3YVfhQ4g&t=550s

I watched it and fell in love with Montreux and the hotel—the grand hotel swiss. I’ll be traveling by myself for the first time and liked that the hotel was right outside the train station. And Montreux seems convenient for everything on my list.

I would make a list of all the things you might want to do and see which are more convenient from Murren and more convenient from Wengen. I can’t remember if you mentioned Mannlichen, but that should be on your list. It’s at the top of mine. It was my favorite place last year. I just fell in love with the cows. And there was hardly anyone else up there. I might go there every day when I’m in Wengen later this month. 😊 although I think it might be too early yet for the cows to be up there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsp2XG8lPyw&t=10s

You might want to check with lola too. I don’t want to talk you out of Bettmeralp if there’s enough variety there too.

I do not want to talk anyone into anything. My suggestion of Bettmeralp was based on the opening lines of the OP’s other post, where they said they want to go back to Switzerland to hike and hear cowbells. I thought that sounds just like us—-we go to Switzerland to hike, and we love the sound of cowbells. And I do mean hike—-that is what we do, in Switzerland and everywhere else we go in the world. Moderately strenuous hikes, not village strolls, or easy walks on level crowded paths. If we want great food and wine, cities to explore, museums, art, and history, we go to Italy. But for hiking in Europe, we go to the Alps, or the Dolomites.

We have spent almost 3 months, cumulative time, in Switzerland over the past 20 years. Every trip has included time in the Berner Oberland and in Bettmeralp, plus one or two other places—-someplace new each time. Our favorite hike anywhere is the one at Bettmeralp, with forever views of that glacier. There is nothing like that elsewhere, as far as we have seen—-not on the Berner Oberland, or elsewhere in the Alps, nor in Patagonia, New Zealand, Alaska, or other places we have hiked. (Yes, there are other beautiful glaciers,particularly in Patagonia and in Alaska, but they are tidewater glaciers, a different view and a different experience from hiking alongside the Aletschgletscher.)

But I agree that most people would not want 5 nights at Bettmeralp.

That Montreux video is darn good advertising, but she doesn’t mention the bugs. Our lakefront hotel room on Lake Geneva came with a can of bug spray and an apologetic bye about the little critters that swarm up from the lake ( this was early July). They were not mosquitoes but some kind of gnat. We didn’t’ dare open the window of our stuffy room.

We really like the Chillon Chateau but we’re glad we didn’t spend more than one night on Lake Geneva.

LOLA: Your description of what you do and don't like to do mirrors our interests too. You might be a better hiker than us, but we certainly can do some elevation. I am going to better research Bettmeralp. You made some good points. Have you been to Vevey? What are your thoughts on Vevey? I really don't want touristy things to do...but we enjoyed our stay on Lake Lucerne...so I thought adding a lake visit would be nice. (i.e. I don't think we would do the chocolate train.) If we had 14-15 nights....would you do 4 nights in Bettmeralp, 6-7 in Murren and 4 in Vevey?

Okay: This is the FUNNY story: I never had any inclination to visit Switzerland. Just not on our radar. When we had to change flights (due to Covid19 restrictions)....instead of flying into Rome, which became really expensive, we flew into Zurich (much more affordable) and out of Florence. So, I said to my husband, "well, we're going to Switzerland!". And, after we were there for 8 nights, I couldn't wait to go back. Just love it there. And, this forum helped me plan a lot of our trip, including which side of a train to sit on! This forum is just great, and thank you all for your help.

We just got back from the BO and specifically stayed in Mürren. We stayed in the premium section of the Hotel Edelweiss. I couldn't have asked for a more incredible experience. Our view was astonishing. It's right on the cliff.

I took this photo off of my balcony.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CeK3KVnDR6k/

We just spent a wonderful 4 days in Mürren at the terrific Hotel Bellevue. We had a corner room with 2 balconies and superb views. The food there is delicious. We’re elderly and non-hikers but we always had some place beautiful to visit. Piz Gloria was amazing.

Prior to that, we stayed in Montreux. We had a balcony room with a beautiful lake view and no bugs. This was just a few days ago in early June.
We were delighted with the Golf Hotel René Capt. Chillon was interesting, as was the Chaplin museum in Vevey. Actually, I had no interest whatsoever in the Chaplin museum but enjoyed it immensely; check it out and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

We’re currently in Lucerne, where it’s a blazing 93 degrees.