Berner Oberland in late May?

Tony, My suggestion is much the same as Tom mentioned. There are a lot of "ifs" visiting the Berner Oberland at that time of year, but based on the experiences that Bruce and Larry found in late May, it's worth a try (IMO). My approach would be to go ahead with the visit and just deal with whatever I find. It's not likely there will be fresh snow, but even if it's overcast on one or more days, it will still give you a chance to see the area. Which location to stay in will depend to some extent on what you plan on seeing while you're there. If you mainly want to visit Gimmelwald and Mürren and that side of the valley, then staying in one of those towns is a good idea. You can take the Cable Car up to the revolving restaurant at the Schilthorn for a fine hot meal, while watching the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau glide by the window. You could also take the Allmend-Hubel Funicular up to the top (if it's running at that time of year) and hike back through the alpine meadows (it's very easy, more of a "stroll" than a hike). If you also want to explore the other side of the valley (Wengen, Grindelwald, Kleine Scheidegg, Jungfraujoch), then staying in Lauterbrunnen is a better idea as it's more central. It's also a bit larger so there may be more hotels and other facilities open. Good luck with your decision and happy travels!

"Would we be better off spending our time in some other part of CH during this time?" A lot of "ifs" here. IF you don't plan too much hiking, IF this year has a relatively mild winter with an early start to spring (unlike this past year, when we barely experienced spring at all), IF you get lucky with relatively clear weather and IF you can find lodgings that are open... it might be OK. Late May certainly is better than late April, but the summer season really doesn't begin until mid to late June, or even July some years. PS- Some of us think that perhaps Mr. Steves makes a little too much fuss over Gimmelwald. Plus, in May, you would be more likely to find lodging in Mürren, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen or Grindelwald. If your itinerary doesn't already include Luzern, you may find conditions there a little more suitable during May.

At the end of May we stayed in Lauterbrunnen and had a delightful time hiking in the area. Check schedules for lifts as not all lifts were open when we visited. Would I visit again at that time of year? Yup.

Tony, we stayed in Lauterbrunnen in the last days of May and the first of June. We too were scared away from staying in Muerren after reading the Rick Steves book and others about snow and closures. Didn't happen. No guarantees on the weather but we had 4 days of clear warm weather. The snow had retreated higher than Muerren which is at 5,300'. The wildflowers on the hillsides were in full bloom. The farmers were walking their cows with their musical cowbells through the towns up to higher pastures. True that Muerren was just waking up from switching over from the ski season but everything was open and simply beautiful. Great visits to Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg, the Jungfrau and the Schilthorn. Here's a snapshot of "downtown" Muerren during this visit. See any snow? Look at the higher mountains in the right background. See any snow? http://gyazo.com/8450cbedd9de51251bac0148d4362f32 Again, I can't guarantee good weather and you take your chances but don't let the books scare you away. We would go again in late May in a heartbeat.

Realize the weather may be not suitable for hiking late May. We were there in July and had rain & fog 2 out of 5 days. It is a gorgeous alpine region to risk weather. You could try Luzern or Lausanne (on Lake Geneva), both are beautiful areas and less of a prob with weather fronts.

Thanks everyone for your responses. I think we now understand what we might encounter with the weather. Based on our reading and your comments, we've decided to stay in Muerren and roll the dice. We'll adapt to what we find. Thanks,
Tony

That's a good decision. Mürren is worth the gamble!

Way to go Tony. For a very nice hike down to Gimmelwald (if the weather is nice), there is a road located in the middle of Muerren where you turn towards the valley and begin walking down. It's actually slightly downhill all the way. Expect the wildflowers to be in bloom most of the way down. Walk around Gimmelwald a bit and take the cable car back up to Muerren. I hope the weather treats you well there.