Bnb Chalet-Gafri

This was my eleventh winter visit to Chalet Gafri. I stayed in one of the four rooms in the main Chalet, which was every bit as clean, warm and comfortable as my previous visits. My room was on the upper floor with a balcony and a lovely view across the village to Lake Brienz in the distance – as well as to the large mountains of the Jungfrau area. The location in this part of the village is remarkably peaceful. Breakfast each day is always a treat; I’d highly recommend Gabi’s Bircher muesli but there is plenty of choice of other local products. Hosts Gabi and Fritz really do make this an exceptional place to stay. If you are travelling without a car, Chalet Gafri is very near to local transport, with a bus to Interlaken West every half an hour. That bus route is free with the Interlaken guest card, supplied when you arrive at the Chalet (make sure you take it with you!). As with all Swiss transport, the bus service is clean and reliable. If you are intending to travel on other public transport, I strongly recommend downloading the SBB Mobile app, which is brilliant for planning journeys and you can also buy on-line tickets. A quick outline of my activities during this unusually mild winter visit: Day 1 (arrival): Fritz kindly collected me from Interlaken West station, which was sincerely appreciated. I had time to unpack and then walk to Bönigen on Lake Brienz. There were some beautiful evening cloud reflections on Lake Brienz. I continued round to Interlaken Ost, where I bought some snacks etc. for taking out on walks over the next few days. Day 2: Rain overnight in the village had fallen as snow above 1500 metres, so there was a fresh covering on the wonderful winter hiking path from Niederhorn to Waldegg. I’ve written about this many times before but it is such a classic, and easy to get to from the Chalet. Take the 105 bus (or walk) to Interlaken West and change to the 101 bus to Beatenberg (you will need to pay on this bus as the guest card does not cover the whole route). Stay on until the last stop, the cable car station for the Niederhorn. Make sure the walk is open (ask at the cable car station) and buy a ticket to the top. The walk from Niederhorn to Waldegg takes about 3.5 to 4 hours, and has spectacular views of the mountains, Lake Thun and the U-shaped Justistal valley. There are a few steep downhill sections where sticks are useful, especially if the snow is a bit hard. Normally there is snow all the way down to Waldegg but due to the unusually mild conditions, the last half hour of the walk this time was on summer paths. Day 3: My plan was to walk from First (gondola ride from Grindelwald) to the (frozen) mountain lake, Bachalpsee. However on arrival at First I found that the snow was very compacted and icy, so difficult to get any traction on the steep sections at the start. I decided not to take the risk of a fall and came back down, and instead took the train to Lauterbrunnen, bus to Stechelberg and ca

My wife and I have travelled to many places. This is one of the best bed and breakfasts we have experienced. From initial booking to checkout, Gabi and Fritz were wonderful and provided the best service one can expect. The location is great. Peaceful as well as centrally located to enjoy the Berner Oberland. We did not use public transportation because we had a car, but a pass was provided should we have needed it. The breakfast and room were excellent. I’m ne could not ask for more. Thank you for a wonderful and peaceful stay.

Fabulous home base for 3 nights after arriving in Euope from North America. Beautiful location, very friendly and helpful owners and staff. Super clean and comfortable room (my friend and I shared the family room), everything top of the line. The included breakfast was also superb, fresh and local. Easy walk to the bus stop tho a bit of a hill so not much fun with the suitcases but otherwise fine. We took the tram up to Harder Kulm, the train to Lauterbrunnen and a small train to Schynige Platte, all worthwhile adventures affording incredible views. Wish we had had the time/energy to do a boat trip on the beautiful lakes!

Very good service Nice persons and very helpful as they gave us many recommendations for places to visit and which is best for families. The place is very beatiful. The breakfast is good. The room was very clean.

This was my ninth visit to Chalet Gafri, and was appreciated more than ever after missing my winter visit last year due to the pandemic. This time I stayed in one of the four rooms in the main chalet. Exactly as I remember from before it was spotlessly clean, warm and comfortable with a very nice private bathroom. Once again I really appreciated fruit and other treats which I enjoyed on my daily excursions. Breakfast each day at the Chalet is a treat, with homemade jams and Bircher muesli. Hosts Fritz and Gabi really do make this place extremely special. This time I had a seven night visit, and the weather was extremely good – allowing me to do my usual favourite winter hikes and some new ones. I am not a skier but there is so much to do in the area even in winter. There is a bus stop a few minutes from the Chalet that makes it easy to visit Interlaken for eating out, or to connect with the trains for longer journeys from Interlaken West. You can also use the bus to connect (in a couple of minutes) to the Wilderswil train station for journeys up to the mountains, via Lauterbrunnen and the new Terminal station near Grindelwald. I will briefly describe the activities on my days here: Day 1 (arrival) . Fritz kindly collected me from the station on arrival which was very much appreciated. I was a little later than usual so just did a simple walk to Interlaken Ost in order to purchase a few provisions for hikes in the coming days. I walked in the direction of Bönigen, but cut across the airfield and entered Interlaken via Matten. Day 2: Mostly sunny. Walked from the Chalet to Zweilütschinen, which takes about an hour and a quarter (you can also take the train in a few minutes from Wilderswil). This is the junction where the trains from Interlaken Ost divide, with the front part heading to Lauterbrunnen and the rear to Grindelwald. I was considering taking the path onward to Lauterbrunnen but it is closed at the moment, so I took the train and connected to the cable car to Grütschalp. From there I continued my walk on the path to Mürren. This is a simple, mostly level one hour walk but it is really special and well worth doing, with amazing views to the mountains. You can stop for a coffee or food half way along (or join the train) at Winteregg. Once in Mürren the weather was still sunny, so I took the cable car up to the Schilthorn mountain – quite busy with skiers on the way up but much quieter on the way down. The views from the top (2997 metres) never disappoint. I stopped at the mid-station of Birg on the way down to do the “thrill walk” – a walkway clamped on to the vertical faces of the rocky protrusion that Birg sits on, with glass floor sections and metal nets to crawl through – great fun! Day 3: A perfectly clear sunny day. I can’t imagine a winter visit without this classic walk from the Niederhorn mountain down to Waldegg, which takes about 3.5 to 4 hours. It is very easy to access; bus from Wilderswil to Interlake

As always, and now we believe it has been our 10th stay with Gafri, nothing has changed, the same warm welcome and friendliness, the same spotless cleanliness, the same wonderful breakfast. We simply love Gabi and Fritz.

We stayed for 3 nights in early June and wished we could have stayed more. Wilderswil is a great place to stay, green, quiet and peaceful away from the hassle of Interlaken, but still close to everything. On the main train and road path to Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen and the Jungfraujoch, Fritz and Gabi are lovely and generous hosts, keeping constantly in touch, doing everything they can to help and advice. Our room was huge and in perfect shape with all the amenities. The balcony was great to chill in on those stuffy summer afternoons. Breakfast was ample and excellent with many personal touches. One thing to note is that if you're arriving in Wilderswil by train (as we did), you should consider 10-15 minutes' walk to the station and back (though Fritz was generous enough to help with our luggage whenever possible).

This is situated in a beautiful village called Wilderswil, away from the crowds and hustle and bustle of Interlaken city centre. Stayed here for 3 nights in May 2023. Fritz and Gabi and their entire support staff are wonderful people and give you a warm welcome as soon as you arrive! You are welcomed with fresh fruits and Swiss chocolates! Fritz is the go to person for all information and deals as far as Interlaken is concerned. He gives you good tips on not only where to go but also when to go (keeping the weather predictions in mind). Do take down his Whatsapp number and he is easily accessible on the same. Thanks to him, we visited St. Beatus caves, something which is not on your regular tourist map. The rooms are spotlessly clean and well-maintained (we had taken one family room which accommodates 4 persons and which was actually a complimentary upgrade by Fritz, and one superior room for 2 persons, both of which were next to each other, on the first floor). The views are awesome. There is a heater in every room which will keep you warm and cozy. Breakfast is good enough with fruits, cereals (do try their bircher musli), juice, boiled eggs, locally produced bread, cheese and butter, tea, coffee and hot chocolate. Monica in the breakfast room is very friendly and attentive. The place itself is about 10-12 mins walking distance from the nearest bus stop (Lehngasse) and bus No. 105 is what you should be taking. It is a 12-15 mins bus ride to Interlaken West Station from there and a further 8-10 mins bus ride (after change of bus) to Interlaken Ost station. The walk from the bus stop, though a little on the uphill side, is very picturesque and enjoyable. All in all, a must place to stay if you are visiting Interlaken. Nevertheless, if you are a senior citizen and/or are not an avid walker, you may find it a little tiring to walk to and from the bus stop (especially if it is more than once in the day). Also, if you are one of those who like to stay in city centres, then this property is not meant for you. However, Fritz does offer you a trip in his car (costs 7 Swiss francs per trip and can accommodate up to 4 persons). The closest restaurant (Luna Piccante) is again about 10-12 mins walking distance and has a good choice and quality of Italian cuisine which includes pizzas, pastas and salads. It is fairly reasonable too and I would recommend it including for Vegetarians. If want to eat Indian food in Interlaken West, do try India King. It is quite nice and reasonably priced.

Our first time back after 3 years and many previous stays over the years. It was like coming home. The welcome and hospitality from Gabi and Fritz is always wonderful and they are so thoughtful and helpful with local knowledge and ideas for daily activities. The rooms are quiet and comfortable and always spotless with an eye for detail. The breakfasts are great with home made Bircher Muesli and fresh fruit salad. Local eggs, bread, butter and jams, and Wurst, ham and cheeses. The most excellent hosts in a beautiful location with easy access to bus and train connections. So highly recommended. Pam & Howard Somerville