Hotel Bellevue Des Alpes
One of the few 19th-century hotels in Europe has regained the atmosphere of grandness with its British-inspired glamor, but without looking old-fashioned.
The Grand Hotel Bellevue des Alpes is a historic family-run hotel in the shadow of the majestic Jungfrau - one of the tallest Alpine peaks at 13,642 feet (4,158 meters). It's located in a completely car-free zone high up in the mountains.
The only way to reach the hotel, which lies at 6,739 feet (2,054 meters) - other than hiking - is by taking the cable car of the Wengernalp Railway.
The starting points are Lauterbrunnen via Wengen or the Grindelwald-Grund to reach the Kleine Scheidegg station right next to Hotel Bellevue des Alpes.
Adolf Seiler was the ruler of the Scheidegg pass for over 50 years. His family decided to build an inn between the Lauberhorn and Dreigestirn mountain peaks in 1840, and they called it the "Zur Gemse".
The place attracted crowds, and long before the railway was built in 1893, the inn was turned into the Hotel Bellevue with an extension of Hotel des Alpes as we know it today.
The hotel's lounge has ceiling-high wooden paneling, and it looks straight out of the decor of a film set.
Although ski slopes surround the hotel, it is not a place for an après-ski - the post-skiing tradition of partying until "until the cows come home".
The elegant hotel with table lamps, starched tablecloths, gleaming silverware, chandeliers, and vintage furniture is rather for a restful and glamorous mountain stay.
It doesn't mean you will stay dry, though. The hotel's bar is fully stocked with quality spirits, including local specialties. How about a glass of Scottish single malt while playing chess, accompanied by soft jazz music?
The hotel has 56 rooms spread over the two buildings and is connected by a gallery. The rooms do not have a television, but they do have a magnificent mountain view.
Wifi barely works a few hours a day, and there are no TVs in the room. So instead, you can gaze at the immense Alpine mountain peaks through the big windows or from the picturesque balconies.
The hotel has a restaurant with seating for 120 people outside on its panoramic terrace.
When night falls and the skiers and day trippers have descended, the peace returns and the hotel exudes the atmosphere of its grand past.
