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Romantik Hotel Schweizerhof
Grindelwald, Switzerland
An intimate, cosy hotel where guests are treated as family members.
The Romantik Hotel Schweizerhof Grindelwald prides itself on being an intimate, cosy hotel where guests are treated as family members. As the only 5-star hotel in the alpine Jungfrau region, it is quintessentially Swiss, offering quaint, comfortable rooms. Housed in a beautiful old wooden chalet with pink geraniums at every balcony, it sits in pretty gardens offering guests a fabulous view on the meadows and the Eiger towering above. It also is ideally located a two-minute walk from the main station. This really is a friendly and welcoming hotel where I very quickly felt at home.
History
In 1892, most of Grindelwald and the building on which the Romantik Schweizerhof hotel currently stands were destroyed by a fire. The hotel opened its doors after the fire and by 1902 had 20 rooms and a dining room. From then on, tourism grew rapidly in the Jungfrau region and numerous hotels were opened.
During the Second World War, the hotel was turned into a hotel pharmacy by the Swiss army. After the war, it underwent a series of renovations and improvements bringing it into the modern era, whilst preserving the original building. It has now been owned by its current proprietors for three generations; they undertook a major extension between 2005 and 2009 adding a separate hotel residence and three luxury chalets to the main hotel. All the buildings are connected by underground tunnels and benefit from full use of the hotels services.
The hotel
This is a very comfortable hotel decorated in a traditional alpine décor with lots of typical Bernese items of furniture, from sleds to cupboards, on display in the common areas. Being part of the "Romantik" group of hotels, which are all privately owned, it puts a lot of emphasis on creating a cosy atmosphere. The large and very comfortable lounge in the lobby is a testament to this with its fireplace and plush sofas, creating a very warm atmosphere. You could easily linger here sipping a hot chocolate or a glass of wine for a very long time. There's a live pianist to serenade you every day from 4pm. Just off the main lounge is a library corner, complete with books and newspapers making guests feel quite at home.
The hotel has three different restaurants including the restaurant “Schmitte” an elegant à la carte restaurant offering fine dining. The “Gaststübli” offers traditional Swiss and alpine cuisine and the “Alpterrassen” is where the buffet breakfast is served; it also offers international cuisine in the evenings. There’s also a bar right next to the restaurants with an exceptional collection of Swiss schnapps bottles.
The rooms are very comfortable and once again decorated in a traditional alpine style. I would really recommend getting a room with a view on the Eiger as the panorama is simply stunning. I was lucky enough to be upgraded to a very spacious suite in the residence. It had a lovely large living area with a fire place, a wonderful terrace and a big bathroom. I also got a peak at the superior rooms and once again was pleasantly surprised to see how spacious and well-appointed they were.
The spa
The spa is small but has everything you need, short of a jacuzzi. A 12 x 5 meter indoor pool, a sauna, steam room, and a number of bright treatment rooms offering a range of health and beauty treatments. From the pool you once again get a priceless view on the Eiger.
Not wanting to miss out on any pampering and keen to discover something new, I booked an alpine herbal massage. Basically, it involved being massaged by an herbal pad that is steamed to a very high temperature. Personally, I wasn’t able to withstand the high temperature of the pad and so the massage was a little lost on me. I am told that when done properly, the treatment will really boost your circulation and balance your energy. It was all in all a pleasant and very relaxing experience even if it didn’t relieve all my muscular tensions but then that is not what this treatment is intended to achieve. Having said that, my therapist was incredibly attentive and had a very good hand, so I would highly recommend booking a massage during your stay.
Overall
If you want to explore the beautiful area of Grindelwald with its cute wooden chalets nestled amongst some of the most spectacular Swiss peaks and you would like to stay in comfort and be well looked after, then I would really recommend this hotel. It will feel like a home away from home.
For more information check out the hotel's website here.