 Poster: A snowHead
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Has anybody been here this season.
Any tips on what to do/see and where to eat/drink.
Also if anybody has been recently what are the roads like? Are snow chains needed.
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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cham08, not been there in many years, however in general Swiss roads are very well maintained and cleared of snow very quickly, unless there is a big fall of snow you are unlikely to need chains to get there or whilst there for that matter, however there are a few steepish roads arround the area that may just possibly need chains to get up hem if they've not been cleared
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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cham08, Not been there this season, but have been for the last five... have you been before? If so, I doubt it's changed very much... if not, then I can recommend some restaurants but, as you would expect in Gstaad, they're not cheap...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Miranda, I've never been to the area before so any tips would be helpful. Will mainly be eating in the apartment in the evening but will be eating out for lunch. So any recommended mounted restuarants would be good.
Thanks
Glad to hear about the roads, really cant be bothered with the hastle of putting snow chains on.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Spoil yourself one day and go to The Palace for tea or an aperitif.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Will you be staying in the centre?
I have spent a lot of time there based in Saanenmoeser/Schonreid on the Hornberg/Horn Eggli side of Gstaad so I've mainly skied there.
The mountain restaurants at the top are divided between proper restaurants of good quality - I think the Rellerli is a nice one from memory - and the usual top of the mountain snack food.
If it was sunny, you could get the Horneggli lift, and ski down the blue that is quite hidden so you have to keep an eye out for it (ends up being the blue number 30 but if you miss it you can just get to the Gondola at the bottom of Saanenmoeser and walk round) to the Hornberg Hotel restaurant - they have a terrace right at the bottom of the slope that catches the full sunshine and is a really peaceful and pretty place to have lunch - the owners are also really lovely people and whomever is on reception will definitely be more than willing to offer you advice about the local area. Then you can either get the gondola back up or you can hop on the little mountain train (also right there) and it's a 5-10 min, 2-stop, picturesque journey back to 'downtown' Gstaad.
In Gstaad itself, the Rialto also has a nice terrace in the sunshine and is a good place to watch the fur coats/facelifts/mini dogs in designer handbags wander by... It's quite a nice place to just have a drink in the evening too - very friendly Italian guy runs it. Directly across is Richie's, which is a cafe at the front and pub at the back (it's owned by an English guy) and they do a good cheeseburger + chips if you don't fancy the prices elsewhere! Charlie's is the well-known place to get some patisserie and a hot chocolate... nice cakes but the staff can sometimes be a bit grumpy.
If you do want to go out for a meal one evening, Le Grand Chalet is up the hill (I've never walked it as I've always been in a car but think it's doable though!) behind the ice rink and does some great food and has spectacular views. The Alpenrose is also a lovely restaurant but is on the way to Schonreid and is definitely a drive (5-10 mins) from the main town - it's next to the Steigenberger hotel which has a bar that's a lovely place to watch the sun go down over an aperitif. The Palace is the famous place to go of course. To be honest, I've never really 'got it' but it's also up on a hill with lovely views and I would agree with skilegs and say it's a place for tea or an aperitif - the club on a Saturday night tends to be full of teenagers from a nearby boarding school ordering Cristal by the crate load.
If you want to really treat yourself, the Bellevue Hotel has a lovely spa - think it's about 160 Swiss Francs for an hour's massage - and the restaurant there is very good too. To be honest, all the restaurants are great... just very pricey!
Hope you have a fantastic time!
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A couple of tips for mountain restaurants, from when I was there a few years ago:
Berghaus Horneggli restaurant: (At top of main chair up from Schoenried) – Fast and friendly service, with good snacks such as panini sandwiches, as well as main meals.
Kübelialp restaurant (one of Saanenmoser mountain restaurants): attractive chalet that does a good goulasch, but limited seating, so book if in peak times.
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Yes, thanks Julian T, I couldn't remember the name of that restaurant... the Berghaus Horneggli is really good for quick, easy food - it's also right near the Horny Bar, which is a great place to sit on a mountain-top deck chair and have a drink on a blue-skies day...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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What's the skiing like? It looks quite fragmented so what are the best areas to try?
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It looks quite fragmented so what are the best areas to try?
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Saanenmoser/Schoenried/Zweisimmen are all linked, and offer the most extensive skiing in the area. It's very pretty chocolate box scenery with undemanding skiing through meadows. For a complete contrast you can go to Glacier 3000, at the Col du Pilon on the road to Les Diablerets. The glacier itself isn't worth bothering with (unless there is no snow elsewhere), but the long red run off the back down towards Reusch makes it well worth the trip, plus the views from the top of the cable car are breathtaking.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Again, I would have to agree with Julian T - I think chocolate box scenery and undemanding meadows sums it up perfectly. St. Stephan is also linked to the area Julian T has mentioned and there is one piste where you can go over from Zeisimmen to St. Stephan that can be a bit nasty because it is steep and doesn't always have complete snow cover... but it's very short and that's about it (I was there on work trips, which I was there year after year). It is lovely and pretty though, great restaurants, and I'm sure worth the holiday visit for the experience and to enjoy some pleasant skiing (the train journey from GVA to Gstaad is worth the trip in itself).
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Thanks. I live on the shores of Lake Geneva so I know what you mean about the picturesque train journey! Luckily I see it every day from my living room window 
I have been considering Gstaad for a day trip or two, so I will give it a go.
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Whitters, How lovely - lucky you! We are not much more than an hour away from Geneva here and I'm very much looking forward to some trips down to the lake in the summer. If you do an overnight stay in Gstaad, I always stayed in the Hotel Hornberg in Saanenmoeser and would wholeheartedly recommend it.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks again for the advice miranda.
Looking at your location I'll be in your neck of the woods tomorow, a friend is arriving from London for the weekend. Looking forward to it, having never been to Megeve
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Thanks for the info. Looking forward to checking it out.
Has anybody eaten at berghaus wasserngrat before? I see it recommended on most pages about Gstaad. If so what is the general price and is it as good as everyone says?
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