The Hotel Alpenland in Lauenen near Gstaad is everything you can imagine. Authentic Swiss hospitality with heart and soul.
Culinary highlights, relaxed charm and a high standard of comfort are all united under the typical Bernese Oberland Chalet roof of the Hotel Alpenland in Lauenen – Gstaad.
We would love to keep this hidden gem a secret. Nestled within pure nature and tranquility, yet very close to the famous Swiss tourist destination – Gstaad, it’s a secret we’re bursting to tell.
As you drive the gently winding country road through the Obersimmental-Saanen the journey will pass the famous upmarket Swiss village of Gstaad before arriving in Lauenen at an altitude of 1,381 metres above sea level.
Like freshly painted scenes from a children’s story book, picture perfect landscapes appear with large pretty farmhouses which appear to have been carefully placed one by one in the most beautiful location. And to make the picture even more perfect, you can see powerful waterfalls cascading from the tops of the still snowcapped mountains. Welcome to Lauenen near Gstaad.
Where is Lauenen and how to get to the Hotel Alpenland?
The mountain village of Lauenen lies between Gstaad and the imposing Wildhorn in the Swiss Canton Bern.
The village is characterised by well-preserved chalets and a 16th-century church. More on these later in the blog.
The journey to Lauenen offers views from a picture book and is well worth a small detour if you are doing the “Grand Tour of Switzerland”.
As you are reaching Gstaad, it is worth a quick stop to wander through the pristine village centre. Perched above the village you see the Gstaad Palace Hotel, a fairytale castle.
The last stretch of the journey to paradise brings you along the quiet valley road all the way to Lauenen, a place where it seems that time has stopped.
The Hotel Alpenland is situated at the far end of the village at the beginning of the Rohr Nature Reserve.
Good to know:
E-Car – by the hotel there is an e-charging station (payable) from evpass .
Arriving by public transport to Lauenen near Gstaad
Lauenen by Gstaad can be reached pretty much from anywhere in Switzerland by public transport. Even if you are on the Golden Pass Train journey from Montreux to Lucerne, you will be passing Gstaad.
Take a train to Gstaad and then change to the post-bus 181 to Lauenen. Busses to Lauenen run 12 x per day and will take 20 minutes. To get to the Hotel Alpenland you need to exit at the stop – Rohrbrücke which is right next to the hotel. Check the time table.
The Hotel Alpenland Lauenen – What to expect
If you prefer a peaceful location, the beautiful nature of Switzerland and uninterrupted mountain views then you will absolutely love this hotel. It has a boutique family feel that makes you feel welcome from the first minute you arrive.
Over the last four years Hotel Alpenland Lauenen has undergone an impressive makeover. Rustic materials, carefully worked and combined with a very stylish décor makes this place stand out from rest.
Dining experience: Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all served in the Swiss-style restaurant area or on the beautiful sun terrace with direct views over the Rohr Nature Reserve and the mountains.
A special treat and much appreciated by all guests is the afternoon sweet and savoury snack buffet.
The culinary dining experience, whether it is for lunch and/or dinner, are definitely a highlight at the Hotel Alpenland Lauenen. Food connoisseurs, and everyone that enjoys very good food will appreciate what the chef and the kitchen crew are producing.
Rewarded with a staggering 13 Gault Millau points, the chef will take you on a culinary journey through Switzerland with guaranteed delights for both gourmets and wine lovers.
Relaxed dining at the Fondue Hüttli: If you want to celebrate a special anniversary or any other special occasion then ask to book the Fondue Hüttli.
Adjacent to the main building lies a small Swiss chalet inviting guests to sit down and enjoy a moment amongst friends, family or colleagues.
The Fondue Hüttli is also the place for everyone that loves fondue. Raclette, traditional cheese fondue and even a fondue Chinoise can all be ordered in here.
Lounge and relaxed area: The cosy lounge area with a crackling wood burning fire place invites for a pre-dinner drink, but is also the perfect place to play a family board game or read a book.
Wellness area at Hotel Alpenland Lauenen: Guests can enjoy the serene ambiance in the beautiful wellness area. Whether it is the infrared sauna for deeper muscle relaxation or sessions in the traditional sauna, these facilities guarantee a relaxing stay.
A good night’s sleep at the Hotel Alpenland Lauenen: The 22 rooms and 2 apartments at the hotel are stylish, practical and spacious. The best thing of all, each and every one has its own balcony. Step outside each morning and take a deep breath of fresh Lauenen mountain air to revive the senses.
If you are a larger group wishing to visit the Hotel Alpenland, you will love the comfortably furnished apartments.
Stylish, very spacious with open fire place and an equipped kitchen with dishwasher. All rooms offer apart from the well appreciated balcony, wifi and safe also a Nespresso coffee machine with capsules, kettle plus a minibar with alcohol-free drinks included.
Families at Hotel Alpenland Lauenen: The hotel is relaxed and well equipped for families with children. The children’s menu card offers delicious choices including homemade fish fingers and chicken nuggets which are probably the best we have tasted.
As the hotel location is at the beginning of the Rohr nature reserve there is a lot of space for the kids to run around and the hotel’s private playground is loved by kids.
And also for a winter stay, if you are still a beginner skiing family a ski lift is literally adjacent to the hotel making this a perfect skiing hotel in the Bernese Oberland.
Activities at the Hotel Alpenland
During a stay at Hotel Alpenland Lauenen you have the choice of either doing as much or as little as you like. Use the hotel facilities like the wellness area, read a book on your balcony or in front of the crackling fire in the lounge or maybe go for a short stroll along the Rohr Nature reserve.
But if you feel a bit more energetic then Lauenen has more to offer.
Ask the Hotel Staff for advice and maybe you could book one of their nature activities. Here are some things to do in Lauenen which we highly recommend.
Guided wildlife hike
One of the nicest things to do is going on a hike with the hotel’s private guide, a nature loving expert that knows every corner of Lauenen probably better than anyone.
Chriggi was born and grew up in Lauennen and still lives there. Cleary he has Lauenen written all over his heart.
Depending on the season and weather, he will take you out and up the hills where hopefully chamois, eagle, and other Swiss mountain wildlife can be seen. But even if no animals can be seen, his company is well worth your time and his knowledge about the area and the stories he has to tell are priceless.
A really lovely few hours in very nice company within a beautiful setting. Apparently he also takes guests on a mushroom seeking trail in the autumn.
Swarovski-Binoculors are available free of charge for hotel guests.
Visit Lake Lauenen – Lauenensee
This is definitely something you cannot miss when visiting Lauenen. Hiking, biking or even riding in a horse-drawn carriage are all options to get to Lake Lauenen (Lauenensee).
By Post Bus: There is a post bus that departs from right next to the hotel to Lauenensee. Exit the bus at Lauenensee and enjoy a 3km stroll around the lake and enjoy the nature reserve.
The path around Lake Lauenensee is pushchair friendly.
Not far (5 minutes walk) from where the bus stops at Lauenensee, you will find a restaurant overlooking the lake.
The LAST BUS back is at 17.11, therefore if you do not want to hike back to Lauenen from Lauenensee make sure you do not miss it. Check bus time table
Hiking or Biking in Lauenen – Gstaad
Next to the hotel on the right-hand side (by the ski lift) is the path that brings you all the way to the nature reserve of the Lauenensee. It is about 8km (return trip) and has an ascent of 215m. whether you are hiking or biking to Lauenersee the path is the same.
To return you can use the same route or the tar road.
Good to know:
- The restaurant at Lauenensee is only open end of May to October.
- The bus time schedules vary. Check here
- There are toilet facilities near the Lauenensee parking lot.
- BBQ grill stations are available close to the parking lot by the smaller lake jetty, not far from the Restaurant Lauenensee.
- The post bus has facilities to transport your bike up to the lake so you could cycle back to Lauenen. Check whether you need to reserve a space or not as the places are limited.
- A self-service hut with local products can be found a little way from the lake. There is a sign post close to the parking lot if you walk clockwise around the lake. The name is Mattestübli.
READ our article on How best to visit Lake Lauenen – Lauenensee near Gstaad
Check out the 300-year-old chalet in Lauenen
The chalet is located on the biking / hiking path from Lauenen to Lauenensee.
Although I found it very difficult to find any information about this chalet, I have to take the word of our guide.
He brought us to this old chalet and explained about the particular “Haiden Kreuz” you can see under the roof which indicates its age.
Apparently, it is over 300-years-old and because of this we felt it is well worth a picture stop.
If you are driving to the lake by car or taking the bus, you would have to walk to the chalet. Take the path around the lake and when you come to the junction take the path towards Lauenen and NOT around the lake.
Follow this path for a few minutes until you see on your left-hand side this beautiful chalet.
Visit the Lauenen Village Church
It is only a short walk from the hotel to the Lauenen Village centre where the Reformed Church of Lauenen is located. Built around 1520 in the late Gothic style, the church is a village gem that should not be missed.
The old wooden flooring together with the 18th century reticulated ribbed stone and stained-glass windows by Leo Steck are all beautiful features.
Day Trip to Gstaad
We all know the term “window shopping”. Well if you do not have the money to spend on high-end fashion then this is definitely what you do in Gstaad.
This very pretty, pristine Swiss village has a high street lined with names such as, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Chopard, Brunello Cucinelli and Patek Philippe.
The Cinderella fairy tale castle set on the hill overlooking beautiful Gstaad, is the legendary Gstaad Palace. One of the most famous and luxurious resort hotels in Switzerland. It opened his doors the first time is 1913 and is still family run.
Wispile Playground and epic views
If you are lucky enough to stay several days at the Hotel Alpenland Lauenen then there is another great thing to do.
Direct from the hotel you can take the free of charge post bus to the Wispile Gondola. (Check the operating times)
At the summit a large wooden playground awaits to be explored and climbed upon. Children also have the possibility to pet some animals at the petting zoo.
The alpine restaurant invites for lunch which can be enjoyed with an epic view.
Good to know: You can hike down the 10km path to Lauenensee and then take the bus back to the hotel or hike the last stretch. Read our article How best to get to Lauenensee for more details.
Lauenen Activity Map
Click here to get full map access and see where all our suggested activities are and start planning your perfect trip to Lauenen and stay at the Hotel Alpenland Lauenen.
Winter stay at the Hotel Alpenland Lauenen
If you are lucky enough and can stay at the Hotel Lauenen during the winter, then do not miss out on these winter activities in and around Lauenen – Gstaad.
Cross country skiing in Lauenen
Winter guests at the Hotel Alpenland can enjoy the classic and skating cross country ski terrain right in front of the hotel.
The trail is 8km long and considered easy because it is flat. At the same time, it offers beautiful views and equipment can be rented from the Hotel Alpenland.
Ski break in Lauenen & Gstaad
Perfectly situated only a few metres from the local ski lift, Hotel Alpenland Lauenen makes a great base for skiing loving enthusiasts.
Beginners can roll out of bed, onto their skis and head up the Lauener ski lift which is right next to the hotel. One blue and one red piste will keep everybody busy with some family ski fun.
If you wish to go further afield the Gstaad ski area offers a number of domains to try. A great place if you like to ski in different areas during your Swiss ski vacation.
For more information and prices check out the official Gstaad website and check out the map.
Snowshoe hikes around Lauenen
Take your snowshoes or rent them from the hotel and wander towards Lake Lauenen. A beautiful winter wonderland awaits to be discovered and look out for wild animals.
Ice skating in Gstaad
The Gstaad ice rink is located in the village centre, directly adjacent to the elegant and pretty promenade. Classic ice skating and ice hockey are possible.
Conclusion and our thoughts about a stay at the Hotel Alpenland Lauenen
As we walked into the hotel the welcoming interior and the warm reception from the staff left us quickly feeling, welcomed.
Our fist dinner was at the Fondu Hüttli. An area we highly recommend especially if you want a cosy Swiss fondue experience.
Ask Michi for wine recommendations and immerse yourself into the dining experience at the Alpenland Lauenen.
We also enjoyed the 13 Gault Millau points dining experience and were totally impressed. Beautiful and exquisite plates were served.
Breakfast was absolutely delicious with a good choice including fresh fruits, local products and delicious bread.
Lauenen itself is breathtakingly beautiful and the whole weekend felt relaxed and wonderful.
I highly recommend a stay at the Hotel Alpenland Lauenen and to explore the Lauenen Valley and Lake Lauenensee. Contact the hotel and book your perfect stay in Lauenen
You may also like these activities near by
- Visit Lauenensee near Gstaad
- A weekend in Châtesu d’Oex
- Hike to Lac Lioson
- Spring Hike in Montreux- The Narcissus Trail
I hope that the information provided here will prove itself useful when you are planning a stay at Hotel Alpenland Lauenen near Gstaad.
If I have left anything out or you have a question, please ask your questions in the comments below.
NOTE: We discovered beautiful Lauenen in a collaboration with Hotel Alpenland Lauenen. These great collaborations are here for us to describe our experience of a stay or an activity. This way we can detail the best there is, so you know, what to expect when visiting Lauenen and the Hotel Alpenland Lauenen.
Thank you & Never Forget to Travel
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