Sleeping and laundry on GAS tour

There's still a sheet on the bed. It's not just a mattress pad or a mattress. You sleep on the fitted or tucked sheet and can use the duvet like a comforter or not if it's warm. At least that's what I do, and they haven't kicked me out of Europe yet!

I believe there's a laundromat in Lauterbrunnen but will let others who've traveled that route more recently chime in.

On our GAS trip 2 years ago, we could do laundry through the hotel at Murren for a very reasonable cost. Give them a bag of laundry at the front desk in the morning and it was back by late afternoon, dry and folded. Give them the laundry the morning of day 6 ( your last full day there) and you should be set for the final 8 days of the tour. Hope you have a great trip!

On the GAS tour last year we dropped our laundry off down the street from our hotel in Salsburg; we also used the Murren hotel option.

There is not always a top sheet in addition to the comforter. If the comforter is not wanted, but you do want a sheet, simply make that request at the desk.

Not on an RS tour, but I was in Vienna in a heat wave. I took the cotton cover off the duvet (which was winter thickness) and used it as a top sheet (housekeeping was long gone by the time I realized the problem).

If you think it's going to be too hot for the duvet, ask the hotel staff for a sheet.

I'm with Chani - I'm not sure if I've ever slept with a comforter on me in Europe, but I have removed the cover many, many times! Most of my 'German-speaking' beds (Germany & Austria) have not had a flat sheet or only one flat sheet used as a 'fitted' sheet.

I also travel with a twin sheet cut in half (hems resewn) that I use as a light 'sheet blanket' on the airplane and in those too-hot beds.

Sorry - I'm a sink washer ;-)

You sleep between the mattress and the duvet. The mattress will have a fitted or tucked sheet on it. The duvet is typically folded in half by housekeeping, but you unfold it. Flat sheets on top of the fitted sheets are very unusual in this part of the world and need to be specially requested.

And in case you're wondering, housekeeping changes the duvet covers when they change the sheets. So it's more sanitary than the blankets that probably don't get changed very often.

We are just back from the GAS tour in July this year. And fantastic absolutely doesn't begin to describe it--wow- wow -wow!

But you asked about laundry- Laundry can be done in Trier, Germany and Murren, Switzerland easily enough. After that its a bit of a challenge and yes the sink comes in handy. Be prepared for an incredible adventure (good walking shoes a must) and beautiful, stunning scenery. Added to that we were with a fantastic group--could not have asked for more on our first RS Tour--we will definitely do more. I highly recommend this trip!

A big thank you to all who posted about sleeping and laundry. I wouldn't have thought to ask at the desk for a sheet, so that idea is greatly appreciated. I will definitely be doing laundry in the sink most days that we stay for 2 nights, but it's nice to bet 1 good cleaning along the way. If it stays hot, that means washing more than just socks and undies and GAS cities have had some hot temps this Summer.

The first part of your question made me chuckle. I didn't know what to do with the folded comforter either, so I slept in it like a sausage (or maybe more like a side-entry sleeping bag). Made the bed pretty comfy & we had weather that was not too hot, so I never over-heated :) It was Switzerland, Austria & Germany that we experienced this. London & Paris had the beds made like we are accustomed to at home.