Bernese Oberland - home, altitude and deer heads

The Bernese Oberland is considered to be the heart of Switzerland, its copycat and place of power: gorges, glaciers and deep lakes dominate the landscape, and those who set off into the mountains south of Lake Thun will discover winter sports areas that are not as overpopulated as those around Zermatt or St. Moritz.

A classic among mountain hotels is the "Bellevue des Alpes". In this historic hotel, founded in 1840, the panorama plays the leading role - with the Bernese triumvirate of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Every traveler arrives on the Wengernalp Railway at an altitude of 2,070 meters (there are no roads up here), enters the hotel through the revolving door and embarks on a journey through time; stairs creak, log fires blaze, and the hotel is proud to have retained most of its 1920s furnishings.

Guaranteed snow until Easter

There is still enough snow up here until late spring, so winter sports enthusiasts will still find ideal conditions around Easter. One valley further west, Adelboden offers skiers the opportunity to hone their skills on around 200 kilometers of pistes.

The famous World Cup slope on the Chuenisbärgli is within sight - especially for people staying at the chic hotel "The Brecon"; from the terrace of the Forest Suite on the fourth floor, you can watch the giant slalom competitions with binoculars in January. The boutique hotel in Adelboden deliberately has an English-sounding name - it is reminiscent of a mountain in Wales; the owners, some of whom come from there and draw a parallel between the two regions, have a strong connection to their homeland. Both are still insider tips for vacationers.

Insider tip Adelboden?

A relative assessment, as Adelboden is reporting increasing numbers of overnight stays, with hotels, vacation apartments and restaurants alternating along the main street, many in the style of typical wooden houses. The "Brecon" has also moved into such a building. The cozy chalet offers 22 rooms, all with balconies, wooden floorboards, four-poster beds and Welsh wool blankets. It is 300 meters to the lift, which travels from just under 1,350 meters to almost 2,000 meters above sea level.

Those who return to the hotel afterwards can look forward to the most glamorous staircase ever seen in a ski cellar: Red Bisazza tiles point the way to the lower floor. Next to them, a fashionable color palette between petrol and dusky pink sets the tone, and style ideas on how to implement the mountain theme, with a wink, are convincing: deer heads crown brass bowls, fawn patterns adorn cushions - very kitschy!