Mountain Hostel

This hostel is straight out of a fairy tale, and it has been in operation for years. (I first stayed there over 30 years ago). The views from this hostel are magical and breathtaking, and nothing could be more relaxing than sitting out back with the whole mountain valley below. This place is so relaxing and charming that I would opt for it over any 5 star hotel. I can't wait to recapture a bit of nostalgia on my next visit to the area by staying a night or two at one of the best hostels in Switzerland.

The Mountain Hostel is also a great jumping of point from which to hike up the mountain. A word of warning though, that hike is no joke, so unless you're in shape, you may want to consider taking the cable car up to the Schilthorn Restaurant.

I had an amazing stay here in July. It was so beautiful - a view everywhere you go. And the people, working and guests, are so welcoming and kind. I would definitely go back!

This is one of the greatest hostels I've ever stayed in. There's nothing quite like having a bed right next to a window that opens up to the view and smell of the Swiss Alps. The beds weren't the most comfortable, but you can't beat the view. We stayed in a 16 bed female dorm but I think there were only about 6 other people in there. The dorm was on the upper level and the showers and bathroom were on the lower level, with the common area, kitchen and bar being on the main level.

They have laundry available on site for a small fee and cheap wifi. They also have a kitchen where you can cook whatever your heart desires but I'm pretty sure the closest grocery store is the next town up the cable car, Mürren. They had musical instruments for anyone's enjoyment but the best part was just sitting outside and staring at those beautiful mountains.

Gimmelwald was one of my favorite places I experienced on my tour of Europe and I desperately want to go back. I would never stay anywhere else but Mountain Hostel (I don't think there's another hostel in Gimmelwald, anyway). They have rooms for families also which I thought was really cool. Everyone was very respectful of everyone else and even though people stayed up late in the common room, they couldn't be heard in the dorms upstairs. Mountain Hostel was a great break from EXPENSIVE Switzerland. I will be back, Gimmelwald!

We stayed at the Mountain Hostel for 4 days this month. We were very fortunate to get the family room all to ourselves the whole time and not have to share or move to another room. The location was good, right above the cable car station, and the views were amazing. A public computer is available, and you can get WiFi access for only $5 for your entire stay. We were able to do laundry; washer costs 5 Euro per load but dryer is free.

The price was expensive for what you get--about 90 Euros for 3 of us, the usual hostel twin bunks, and no discount for children. The mattresses were thin with wood underneath, but I like a very hard mattress. The room does not lock and there are no lockers, so you just have to trust that your stuff will not disappear. People kept opening our door accidentally (???), and once I was naked from the waist down. Petra (owner) was surly, but her employees were kind and helpful. The bar is noisy until late in the night, but at least smoking is not allowed in the building. The place is absolutely full of flies, making it impossible for you to leave your window open overnight. We met a couple who intended to stay three nights but were leaving after one night because of the flies. It would be wise to pack a cheap fly swatter that you could use in your room and then leave at the hostel.

The bathroom is two floors down and co-ed for both toilets and showers. The bathroom has more flies than any room except the dining room. The showers are pay showers. On our last day for some reason the coin op function was broken and they did not work. I had already soaped up and shaved, trying to save coin minutes in the shower. Then I had to wait one hour for a front desk employee to show up and try to fix the showers, which took another 1/2 hour. We barely caught our train in time.

What is fantastic about this place is the people who stay here and the nature all around you. This hostel has one of the best hostel atmospheres I've ever experienced. Cooking dinner is crowded but fun in the well-appointed industrial kitchen. The dining room is one big conversation with everyone joining in on topics of interest. People make friends and do activites together.

We hiked the North Face Trail. With its hundreds of different wildflowers, its snowy mountains, alp huts, dairy cows and the Sprutz Waterfall (which you can walk under), the 6 hour hike was one of the most beautiful days of my life.

I talked to an older man from Toronto, Canada who said he has vacationed at the Mountain Hostel 21 of the last 22 years. When I asked him why, he replied, "Have you looked around?"

If you are traveling with kids, be sure to buy children's passes down in Lauterbrunnen. You can even use them on the Schilthorn and Jungfrau cable cars. Also, be sure to buy your groceries in Lauterbrunnen before you go up to the hostel. There is no grocery store in Gimmelwald, and a cable car ride to a grocery store will cost you almost 12 Euros round trip per person. It might be wise to keep your groceries inside a plastic bag in your refrigerator basket. Someone was tempted by our bread, and then we did not have enough to make sandwiches for all the days we were there.

I hope you enjoy your stay in Gimmelwald. It's a magical place.

There is a magical quality to any good hostel. People stay up late, drink together, tell stories, play cards, suggest places for each other to go, things to see, all that fun stuff that is needed in order to unwind after a days of travel and sleeping in strange beds. If you're passing though Interlaken in Switzerland, then I highly recommend taking the two trains and a gondola up into the mountains and getting a bed at this hostel. The price is so much more affordable than anything you'll find in the city, and the people staying there are generally really friendly, outdoor hiker types who are looking to take in the scenery and avoid the hard partying extreme sport d-bags who are spending their inheritance on semi-legal weed, white water rafting, and sky diving.
The hostel is quite cozy, and very welcoming. Bring your own food and use the communal kitchen to prepare your own meals, or pay the price to buy what they're selling. Once you're up there, you've made a commitment, and you'll probably want to stay more nights than you originally thought you would, so come prepared to make yourself comfortable. They also serve drinks, and I really liked warming up with their "Heidi Hot Choclate", which is hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps.
Mountain Hostel has access to hiking trails with some of the most unreal natural beauty, bridges crossing crystal blue snow melt streams, and that's just in the first few miles. You can literally be gone hiking all day and the views just keep getting more stunning the further you go.

This is not a luxury hotel for you but it is one of the best places that I ever stayed. They offer 8-person rooms, and there is one for girls, one for boys, and one downstairs for co-ed. Typical bunk beds. You need to change your own sheets before you check out. Coin-operated laundry and showers are in the house. The whole place is welcoming and clean. The internet is not free, but you can pay a small fee for the access on their computer, and there is only one. The house was built in 16th century so the ceiling is low. There is a small restaurant in the hostel offering pizza, fondue, dessert, beer... They don't offer free breakfast, but the kitchen is open in the morning. Late night food is not a problem as long as there is somebody in the kitchen. If you arrive late, or behind schedule, give them a call, you won't go to bed hungry. What I like about this place the most is the people. When I stayed there, there were volunteers working there while the owners were out of town. Everybody, the hosts and guests, are all very very very nice. People in the working or visiting the village come over for dinner, drink, and chat. We had music and dance. Some people I met have stayed in the hostel for at least a month. You will have a great time staying there. Nothing beats the view when you look outside the window. The Alpine peaks go on and on. Comparing to 99.9% accommodations in Switzerland, this place is a bargain on the price.