Hotel de La Vue des Alpes, Switzerland

Vue-des-Alpes Hotel & Restaurant sits just off the highway between the towns of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Neuchâtel, in the Jura mountains of Switzerland. Within a short walking distance are gentle ski slopes, and trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. In the warm weather months you take off your skis or snowshoes, put on your hiking boots or grab your bike, and hit the same trails for some hiking or mountain biking. As the name implies, you have a view of the Alps though they are on the distant horizon, and sometimes their white peaks blend into the haze as a ghost blends into a fog.

Rooms for two people with an attached bathroom, telephone and television are around CHF125. Rooms with a bathroom down the hall are around CHF75. (These hall bathrooms contain showers and not bath tubs.) Dormitory rooms are available too for around CHF50 for two people. Always verify hotel prices, i.e., don't take my word for it, because prices do change.

The hotel hosts weddings and other grand events with five rooms having a combined capacity of 300 people. Plenty of free parking, which in Switzerland is almost unheard of.

View of Alpes. on Horizon Enlarge

Neuchâtel's Cathedral. Enlarge

Both the towns of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Neuchâtel are about fifteen minutes away by car in opposite directions. Unless you want to spend all your time eating, drinking, reading, hiking, biking or skiing (depending upon the weather conditions) you will want to go into town. Having a car is the best option. If you don't there is a public bus that runs periodically.

Within the hotel is a restaurant (closed Monday and Tuesdays) serving various types of fish, beef, pork, and shrimp with side dishes of french fries, potatoes, hash browns (sort of), noodles and rice. Live music accompanies dinner on some evenings. Dress is casual to nice-casual depending upon the evening.

Right across the street is the Restaurant Relais de la Vue-des-Alpes. This informal cafe/restaurant is open early, late, all times in-between, and everyday including all holidays it seems.

If you want a room, call, fax or email first. I have come by a few mornings and not found the front door unlocked. I suppose guests have their own key to get in. Tel: (+41) 32 854 20 20, fax (+41) 32 854 20 29.
email: gesvue@bluewin.ch, web: www.vue-des-alpes.ch.

Restaurant Vue des Alpes Interior. Enlarge