Golden Switzerland
Written: Apr 24 '08 (Updated Apr 24 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Situation on the water. Gorgeous rooms. Amazing staff.
Cons: Small rooms.
The Bottom Line: An elite inn nestled against the rockface and facing the River Aare, this upscale beauty is a league apart from the Casino and hotel monsters up the road.
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| salme's Full Review: Goldey Swiss Q Hotel |
Nestled against the Alps, the Hotel Goldey is an old hotel that begs to be noticed. Under the management of Goldey Quality Hotels, this beauty flourishes in its sunny location.
The Hubby and I spent five nights here during an international conference, and were duly impressed. Like all of Interlaken that I saw, this hotel's lawn was superbly maintained. Driving through a narrow passage between the hotel and a sheer mountain, the hotel seems small and cute, like an inn. Pass a small lobby which gives way to the guests-only dining room--a room that seems solid glass--and the gorgeous views of the River Aare and the town beyond impress.
The Hotel is strategically located near a bridge, which makes crossing the river into old town easy; a pleasant 5-minute walk east along the riverbank will take you into the more modern portion of town, with newer restaurants and shopping malls, as well as the train depot. The riverbank is paved, and cyclists can borrow a bike for free from the Goldey. They also offer umbrellas, which is a useful tool in May.
Other niceties: The Swiss are dog lovers, and so the hotel does allow pets, though deposits are required and advance notice must be given. The hotel sports a bar, free parking, safety deposit boxes, an in-house library, laundry services, Internet access and WiFi, and currency exchange. Schedule a sauna or massage, or book the conference room for an important meeting. Concierge service comes with Swiss hospitality. Family rooms with connecting doors available.
A golf course is within walking distance, just over a mile away. A public swimming pool is nearby. The Casino and Conference Center are within 500 meters or 0.3 miles.
The hotel's 5 floors include Zen-gorgeous rooms which face either the mountain wall or the river. North-facing rooms do not all include balconies. Note that the back-half rooms are more commodious than the front-facing rooms. On being disappointed by the view of a sheer rockface on the Harder Kulm mountain, I asked to be moved. They did move us without complaint, but for an increased daily fee.
A comfortable low platform bed is covered in the lushest duna/comforter I've ever seen. We had a king bed in our room, which also boasted a good sized balcony with privacy glass between the balconies, and all the standard amenities, including a pay-minibar, a very small closet, and an inexplicably teeny bath. Nonetheless, the view of the river with all the May tulips in bloom made up for the room's tight squeeze, as did the extra space of the large balcony.
Interlaken is generally known for Alps skiing, and prices during ski season skyrocket. Such locales are often used for business conferences in the off-season. Even if skiing is out of season, there is plenty to do nearby. Trammelbachfallen (Trammelbach Falls) is a series of glacial waterfalls inside of a mountain, which are only accessible in good weather. It is very cold, though, inside a mountain that has a glacial river running through it. (About 1.5 hours away by train and bus). The Capitol, Bern, is an hour away by major rail. Zurich is three hours by major rail. River tours to Unterseen available through the Concierge.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
salme
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Location: University Park, MD
Reviews written: 32
Trusted by: 5 members
About Me:
Professional editor and freelance writer.
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