SWITZERLAND - Best of Europe 2014 - page 1520

$$ Hotel Aarburg offers nine plain, peaceful rooms over a restaurant in a beautifully
located butrun-downoldbuilding inUnterseen, a10-minute walk fromWest Station (Sb-70
SF, Db-140-150 SF, 10 SF more in July-Aug, 2 doors from launderette at Beatenbergstrasse
1, tel. [phone], [e-mail] ).
$$ Katy's Lodge B&B is a funky old house in a quiet, handy location. It's not cozy,
but it rents seven basic rooms at a good price. All the beds are twins—no double beds
here (D-90-108 SF, T-114-126 SF, Q-140-160 SF, 6-bed room-160-180 SF, lowest prices
in winter, reception open 7:00-12:00 & 14:00-20:00, garden, playground, 3-minute walk
from West Station, around the corner from Hotel Lötschberg at Bernastrasse 7, mobile
078-604-6507, www.katys-lodge.ch , [e-mail] ).
$$Backpackers'Villa(Sonnenhof)Interlaken isacreativeguesthouserunbyaMeth-
odist church group. Renovated in 2009, it's fun, youthful, and great for families, without the
frat-party scene of Balmer's Herberge (listed later). Travelers of any age feel comfortable
here (dorm bed in 2- to 7-bed room with free locker, sheets, and towel-37-47 SF, S-69 SF,
view S-74 SF, Sb-79 SF, D-98-106 SF, view D-110-114 SF, Db-138 SF, T-135-141 SF, view
T-153-159 SF, Tb-165-171 SF, Q-164-172 SF, view Q-180-188 SF, Qb-196-204 SF, view
roomshavebalconiesandWCs,lowestpricesinwinter,kitchen,garden,movies,smallgame
room, pay Internet access, free Wi-Fi, laundry, free admission to public swimming pool/
spa, no curfew, no membership required, open all day, reception open 7:00-23:00, free use
of public buses—bus #102 runs from hostel to either of Interlaken's stations, 10-15-minute
walk from stations, across the park from the TI at Alpenstrasse 16, tel. [phone], fax
033-826-7172, www.villa.ch , [e-mail] ).
$ Villa Margaretha, run by English-speaking Frau Kunz-Joerin, offers the best cheap
beds in town. It's like Grandma's big Victorian house on a residential street. Keep your
room tidy, and you'll have a friend for life (D-90 SF, T-135 SF, Q-180 SF, the three rooms
share one big bathroom, 2-night minimum, apartment for 2-3 people-1,000 SF/week, closed
Oct-April, cash only, no breakfast served but dishes and kitchenette available, lots of rules
to abide by, go up small street directly in front of West Station to Aarmühlestrasse 13, tel.
033-822-1813, www.villa-margaretha.com , [e-mail] ).
$ Balmer's Herberge is many people's idea of backpacker heaven. This Interlaken in-
stitutioncomeswithmovies,tabletennis,alaunderette,bar,restaurant,tinygrocery,kitchen,
bike rental, swapping library, excursions, bus pass, shuttle-bus service (which meets import-
ant arriving trains), and friendly, hardworking staff. This hive of youthful fun and activities
is home for those who miss their fraternity. It can be a mob scene, especially on summer
weekends (bunk in 6- to 12-bed dorm-27 SF, S-45 SF, D-74 SF, T-99 SF, Q-132 SF, these
are walk-in prices—booking online costs 1-2 SF more, includes sheets and breakfast, open
year-round, emailed reservations recommended at least 5 days in advance for private rooms,
freeWi-Fi,payInternetaccess,Hauptstrasse23,inMatten,15-minutewalkfromeithertrain