 Poster: A snowHead
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Looking at a short break in early March probably flying sleazy jet to Basel. Any other hints about bars, better airport, transfers plus what's the skiing like??? Will be very price sensitive due to Brexit fall out and weak £
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Why Gstaad specifically? And Basel is a fair distance away. It's an expensive resort, even for Switzerland. Like most alpine countries, there are better-value satellite resorts to choose from if you are on a budget but still want to ski a Premier Name area.
I've recommended people go to the local Tourist Office for this sort of advice, as they often have independent owners on their books who don't want to rent out through an agency. And the TO has local insight. Some people dismiss this approach but I think it's worth a try.
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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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I too was wondering - "Why Gstaad".
It's not known as price sensitive, with its celebrity clientele; it's fairly low, so snow condition and cover isn't that reliable; it's ski areas aren't that well linked and there are few challenging runs (maybe that's a good thing).
Maybe I'm missing something.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Sun 28-08-16 14:35; edited 1 time in total
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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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Two words: free accommodation!
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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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@Snowsartre, I would have thought that Geneva would be a better airport. I believe you can then go by train if you wish. We have friends in Chateau d'Oex and that is on the rail line before Gstaad and they travel by train that way if not driving.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Take a look at the Swiss Rail website and you'll see that you can get a train from Geneva Airport to Gstaad via Montreux taking just under three hours door-to-door.
Going from Basel SBB station (like London, there's more than one line) is a similar time ±10m but involves two changes. You also have to get from the airport (on the outskirts of the city), to Basel central SBB station as well, so three transfers, compared to Geneva where the train station is at the airport.
http://fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/query.exe/en
If you plan to use the train, there are usually foreigner-only tickets available for return journeys from a port of entry. Also, just look out for any gaps in the timetable, especially if you're travelling at the Weekend. Where we have our place in the Valais, there's an afternoon gap in connections that can mean you can end up hanging-around for 2½ hours if you don't match the flight with the train/bus schedule.
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Thanks all, looking to hire possibly French side at Mulhouse/BASEL
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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In which case be aware of the 'Driving an EU car into Switzerland' bruhaha - I haven't followed it as I never hire from the French side in Geneva. And you'll need a Vignette for CH so make sure that's included as well. Plus winterisation and chains etc. i.e. if you're hiring French side because it's cheaper make sure you won't be hit with a bunch of mandatory extras because you're going into CH and up a mountain. I still would've thought that you'd fly into GVA ...... it's 179Kms from Basel and 149Kms from Geneva, about 40 mins driving difference, according to viamichelin.
The train GVA->Gstaad single adult is CHF 55 so 110 CHF standard return.
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And if you go, write a trip resort. We get little feedback on Gstaad. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Didn't Agenterre do a couple of seasons there?
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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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@emwmarine, I think that @Snowsartre, says that he has the offer of free accommodation.
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You know it makes sense.
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@emwmarine, out of this world, and my league!
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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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@Snowsartre, as has been said above if your hiring from the French side, they won't have winter tyres nor the vignette, the skiing in Gstaad is slightly spread out, but you can use the post bus to get around and its in with the lift pass.there are various ski pass options, split into sectors, Sector 1 covers the main areas , Glacier 3000 (les Diablerets) is extra but check with the tourist board info@gstaad.ch www.gstaad.ch. Saanenmoser is probably the largest interlinked area and the skiing is good though not too challenging some nice runs through the trees, Wispily has more challenging run with reds and blacks one of my favourites is Eggli were you can ski over to Rougemount, the blue/red down form the top of La Viedemanette is a favourite. the skiing at Glacier 3000 has one challenging run, it used to be red but I think now its gone black.
There are plenty of mountain restaurants , one of my favourite places for a stop is the Euter Bar (Milk Bar) over on Saanenwald and there are a couple of restaurants at the top which are hotels too, there is another nice restaurant at Egli, the one at the top of La Viedmantte is a bit cafeteria in style, but if the suns out a great place, on the glacier there is a pop up restaurant bar at the bottom of the black which can be nice depending on the weather.
I really enjoyed the place only ever went for weekends and only about eight of them 
edit: If you stick to goulash soup and omelette it won't break the bank, nor will a hot dog at the Utter Bar, there is a place at the bottom of the glacier by the bus stop that did simple fair, in town there is a snack bar (Wally's), though I've no experience of it.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Tue 30-08-16 16:10; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Snowsartre, Never been but have always had it on my list, have skied Davos/ Klosters, Verbier, Nendaz, Villars, Flims/ Laaz, Braunwald and many other smaller resorts. Best advice from me is do it with gritted teeth if you feel its realistic, (or do a Hatton Garden style robbery in preparation)...... I've given up on CH-land (5-6 years ago and for now anyway), Swissie/ £ rate makes it impossible for me to even think about going there. Should be pretty quiet though, many Swiss skiers now ski in Austria and France where its nice and cheap for them.....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Not the best place to go if you are being "price sensitive" obviously but (this info is 8 years old) in Gstaad town centre itself, Richi's pub is probably the most affordable for food and drink - they did a good cheeseburger and a good steak tartare. The Hornberg Hotel in Saanenmoeser has a lovely sunny terrace at the bottom of a bubble - lovely place for lunch. Could give you a lot of other restaurant tips but not for the "price sensitive"... (I've spent a load of time there but was in a "money no object" situation i.e. was not paying for myself)! But if you ski down to villages other than Gstaad e.g. Zweisimman, then prices are better... although as said this info could be well out of date now as I've not been there for 8 years.
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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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We went to Gstaad just for a day in the summer a few years ago. My OH kept telling me that it was going to be a one cup of coffee place as it would be very expensive. In the event we came across a nice restaurant with a very affordable menu of the day. But I do take @miranda 's, point completely. Probably worth a stash of energy bars in your luggage to keep you going @Snowsartre,
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Pamski, the difficulty is I was regularly eating lunch in places like the Palace Hotel, Le Grand Bellevue and Le Grand Chalet, so my awareness of non-pricey places wasn't so good but I did make friends with local ski instructors etc. and there were places we'd stop for a drink or some chips when out on the mountain that can't have been that expensive - even places like Gstaad or Megeve have restaurants/snackbars that do a decent price.
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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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OP: You say you have accommodation. Is this an apartment, i.e. self-catering? If it is, then the economics change - you can buy your provisions en route and eat in most nights, going out for a 'special' meal a couple of times, perhaps. We have an apartment in the 4 Valleys and people complain how expensive Switzerland is, but apart from the lift pass, the rest is under your control if you self-cater. In which case it needn't be any more expensive than a holiday in the UK.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@LaForet, Very true. Spent a week half board in Champéry last January and found full range of prices on Swiss side of PdS for lunch including about £3.50 for a door stop sandwich. Beer in the bars was affordable too probably a pound a pint more expensive and that was when the Swiss franc had appreciated sharply against £ not as bad as today, however. Going to Verbier (staying Le châble, obviously) in January so have unconsciously turned back on Austria which has been stonking value the past few seasons, but fancied a change from the Zillertal.
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@LaForet, Very true. Spent a week half board in Champéry last January and found full range of prices on Swiss side of PdS for lunch including about £3.50 for a door stop sandwich. Beer in the bars was affordable too probably a pound a pint more expensive and that was when the Swiss franc had appreciated sharply against £ not as bad as today, however. Going to Verbier (staying Le châble, obviously) in January so have unconsciously turned back on Austria which has been stonking value the past few seasons, but fancied a change from the Zillertal.
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@Snowsartre, Not sure what level you ski, but the Gstaad full area pass covers loads of skiing at all ability levels from some of the hardest off piste you could ever find to easy very long green and blue runs and everything in-between. There are some really nice places to eat which I have found not to be any more expensive than in France to the Eagle Club where you can people watch at a price with an amazing view. There are actually a FEW cheaper places to stay (not everyone in Switzerland has loads of money), but as you are lucky to have what sounds like somewhere very nice to stay. You will have a great time. If the snow is good, have a go at the toboggan run. It is really long with a walk out, but really fun no matter how old you are! This is one of my favorite places to go for a weekend. Bern or Geneva are nearer, but Basel is also not that far. Have a good trip. Hope this helps and if you have any other questions let me know.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Snowsartre wrote: |
| Two words: free accommodation! |
Seriously? Who would have though that was even possible?
Where is Inspector Clouseau
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FAQ
