Pension Gimmelwald

We spent two and a half weeks in Switzerland. We saved what we believed would be the best for (almost) last. We were not disappointed! Though we loved all of Switzerland and dream of returning, Gimmelwald and the Pension Gimmelwald, accessible only by cable car from the Lauterbrunnen Valley below, are our fondest memories. The Pension is simple, rustic and cozy. The rooms and community bath/shower facilities were clean and comfortable and added to the charm. The food in the restaurant was wonderful. The best part of all was the feeling of togetherness and kindness shared by everyone; guests, proprietor (and her parents who were helping out), and staff. From the morning coffee with the incredible mountains so close we could almost reach out and touch them, to the evenings singing songs accompanied by the proprietor’s father’s guitar in the common room, it was a memory we will always cherish. Thank you so much!!

The owner of this restaurant was so rude to my fiancee and I that I still can't believe it. It was a bizarre, horrible experience. My fiancee called in the morning and made a 7pm reservation for us. We then proceeded on a day long hike. He ended up proposing to me on the trail. Because of the distance of the hike and the excitement of the proposal, we realized we'd be about 15 minutes late to dinner. So, he called and asked if it was ok that we would be late. The owner advised him that it was fine, she would make it work. We got there and one of the servers sat us and brought us drinks. Everything was fine until the owner came out. She was short with us, terse, and clearly irritated. She slammed two dinner plates in front of us, both meatball dishes. I told her that I'm a vegetarian and that we had ordered a fondue for me over the phone. She grabbed the meatball dish away from me and huffed off without saying anything. She returned shortly after and slammed some sort of stuffed red pepper dish in front of me. She said, "There. That's vegetarian. Are you going to eat it? If not, I'll take it away." I was shocked, mentally exhausted from the hike, and didn't know what to say. She turned to my fiancee and said, "Maybe I didn't explain well enough over the phone how important it is to be on time." She then huffed off again. We debated what to do, wanting to just leave, but we decided to eat and ask for the check since we had hiked for almost 11 hours, were very hungry, and were unfamiliar with the area and unsure where else to go for dinner. The food was bland and overpriced. There wasn't much food on our plates and what was there was mediocre at best. I asked one of the servers for the check and told her about our experience. She told me that the woman who had mistreated us was the owner and apologized for her behavior. Some parting words to the owner: If it is so imperative to you that all your patrons be on time, then when someone calls to ask if it's ok to be late, simply say you can't accommodate late guests. We would have been happy (and much better off) to go elsewhere. Throwing a fit like a toddler and expressing your frustration to your guests in such an unprofessional way is always unacceptable but all the more so when you're overcharging people for bland food. Guests paying those prices should be treated well. In our case, we had just gotten engaged and deserved to enjoy a nice dinner after but instead were scolded by you. Your behavior was bizarre and completely inappropriate. Whenever I remember this experience, I am embarrassed for you. You should be ashamed for throwing a fit like that in front of patrons at your own business establishment.

Our first trip to Switzerland was made better by our experience here. Sabine and David have put together a great operation. All the employees were so helpful and friendly. Our room had everything we needed for our stay. It was nice having dining options in the pension as well. As a spoiled American there are some things you need to be aware of. Some rooms, as ours did, require sharing a bathroom and shower. We had no issues with this and never experienced a wait. The dinner meals are a set menu that may not appeal to all diners. If you are put off by that you should select another property. The property has no AC and the windows have no screens which allows flies to make their presence known. Sabine was a pleasure to talk with about things to do and helped us make excellent plans while occasionally dodging bad weather and raindrops. Thanks to her we did it. Lastly, the relaxing setting of Gimmelwald and the pension were so welcome for Americans who hear leaf blowers and cars in their neighborhood on a regular basis. Sitting on the patio in the afternoon was amazing as depicted with the attached picture. In short, we loved our stay, despite the property not having all the amenities Americans are used to, and highly recommend you consider this property.

I had an amazing stay here for 3 nights, I wish I had longer. Stunningly beautiful location, wonderfully rustic and authentic Swiss pension. They brew their own beer, which is delicious. The staff and owner (as well as their family) were all lovely and fun to be around. They also make sure to go the extra mile for guests to make sure that you have a comfortable stay, I felt like I was staying with my own family. Highly, highly recommend.

I loved my stay at Pension Gimmelwald. I stayed for 5 nights and wished it could have been longer. It is 2 minutes from the lift, so very easily accessible. The room was simple and comfortable, and the showers and toilets down the hall were clean and I never had to wait. Sabine and David are lovely hosts, and she is a fabulous cook! I got the half board and was very glad I did. Gimmelwald is quiet and peaceful and the views are just incredible. Sitting on the terrace with a drink and watching the sunset is an experience I won't ever forget.