Swiss Resorts - what's expensive??

A snowHead

Hi All,

I'm considering my first swiss ski trip this year, looking at Saas Fee, Engelberg or Andermatt at the moment. I know Switzerland has a reputation for being horrendously expensive, but is that really so? The accommodation seems to be dirt cheap, lift passes (Saas fee excepted) the same as Austria, ditto transfers. What am I missing? Surely food and drink isn't so expensive that it cancels out the 100 euro saving I make on accommodation by not going to France? Is it the booze? I drink beer btw

Thanks! Liam

PS any opinions on the above resorts also welcome!

A snowHead

I ski in Switzerland a fair amount, and have always found it cheaper than the French trips I've done (to the big resorts - and i don't drink alcohol).

I stayed in Saas Grund (on the same lift pass as Saas Fee) at Easter, and payed CHF 44 per night for b&b at the Hotel Roby (2*) and CHF 77 per night b&b at the Touring (3* with swimming pool). I ate out each night...generally around CHF 20 for pizza and a soft drink, although the night I went out with friends it was about double that.

Lunch on the mountain is generally more expensive than Austria...around CHF 7 for a plate of chips, CHF 16 for a meal.

brian

lrx28, it used to be true. I remember going to Verbier about 10 years ago and being Shocked

Nowadays I think French prices have caught up and gone past Switzerland.

Beer is, if anything, cheaper. Expect to pay ~6 CHF for a half litre.

Not been to those resorts but can thoroughly recommend Zermatt.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

I've been to Saas Fee too: http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewpost.php?p=110802 - you can see what I think in detail there - it's definitely the prettiest and most spectacular resort I've been to - but the lift system is a bit prone to delays and the linked ski area is not huge.

My perception was that it was food on the mountain (or in resort) which was expensive, however I was comparing with Austria rather than France.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Yep, Switzerland is officially not that expensive (or needn't be - if you want to bling it up in St Moritz you can spend money pretty quickly)...

The trains aren't cheap, but they run on time. Everything else is very reasonable

Of those resorts, I've only been to Engelberg. There is a youth hostel if you want something really cheap. I've stayed in Hotel Terminus which could do with a lick of paint but is very good value and in a good location and somewhere else, the name of which I forget which I booked on expedia

You'll need to Register first of course.

well, if you stay out of the big resorts, its actually quite cheap! there was a survey done showing that in general switzerland was actually cheaper than france in everything except ski passes. beer is quite expensive (usually about 6CHF a pint), but then you can always stop off at the supermarkets.

saas fee would be classed as a big resort, at least well known, and thats reflected in the prices (on and off mountain). Engelberg may well have similar prices, andermatt should be cheaper though.

you might want to look at some of the 'smaller' resorts as well, notably the val d'anniviers and swiss side of PDS, even the Alpes Vaudoises area (diablerets, leysin, villars). Theres also stuff around the swiss-german side, but not too familiar with those resorts.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Swiss prices in general are similar or cheaper than the more expensive parts of UK, Food is in general very well priced in hotels but more expensive up the mountain (as everywhere), Expect to pay arround £2 for a 1/3rd L pottle of drink (soft or beer) at lunch, however if you are in a group you may fin that mountain restaurants will offer you a 1L bottle of soft drink for about £3 (not all restaurants, usually in the ones with table service. Speaking of which service is always included in Swiss Restaurants but the leaving of a SMALl tip is appreciated

After all it is free

You are not missing anything.
It is a myth that Switz' is very expensive....based on a historic truth when £/CHF was as low as 1.80 in 1995-96.
rate is now 2.25 or so and there has been almost no inflation in Switzerland while prices have risen in the UK and France.

brian

rungsp, it was 96 I was in Verbier, that explains a lot then rolling eyes

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Was in Davos a couple of seasons back, didnt think it expensive at all.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

lrx28,

Of the resorts you mention the onlyu one I have skied is Andermatt which was great and not expensive. As a generalisation my own experience of Swiss reosrts is that they are no more expensive than French resorts though a bit more expensive than Austrian. The main thing I have found is that eating out in Swiss restaurants tends to be pricey compared with elsewhere in the alps and half board is a far better option.

snow reports

dub_01,

lrx28, just do it and you will be pleasantly suprised. wink

You know it makes sense.

A friend reckons Zinal is relatively inexpensive and fairly central for a few Swiss resorts Laughing

It could be an up and coming area, with the British moving in.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Zinal is a pretty good place but being up a long and winding road I don't think it is very central for anything other than other resorts in the Val d'Anniviers.

A snowHead

lrx28, We have been ski-ing Switzerland off and on for 20 years. We are big fans of one of those smaller resorts i.e. Nendaz, which is part of the The Verbier 4 valleys circuit. Have a look at at www.nendaz.ch for a general view and www.telenendaz.ch for details of the ski-ing. Verbier is more expensive but not outrageous and of course it has great off piste ski-ing possibilities. Try www.verbier.ch for the general view and www.televerbier.ch for the skiing possibilities. These resorts are all in the Canton of Valais which is easily accessible from Geneva Airport direct by train and connecting Postbus to the resort. This rail system is brilliant and they have a great site at
www.sbb.ch.

As stated by other contributors Switzerland is no more expensive than UK especially if you go self catering. My wife spent a month out in Switzerland in March and reckoned that her English housekeeping allowance for thje UK was sufficient in Switzerland over the same period of time.

For a huge selection of accommodation possibilities try www.interhome.co.uk.
Personally we drive to this part of Switzerland which is a mere 540 miles from Calais mostly by motorway. Anymore questions come back on the thread.

A snowHead

What's cheap and what's expensive. I've found that Switzerland prices are similar to everywhere. I don't expect to save money when I go skiing in fact I expect to spend quite a bit. Don't be put of by rumour. Switzerland is a great place to ski - get stuck in snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Thanks everyone for the advice - very encouraging!

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Switzerland is often overlooked by Brits for basically having a preconception that "its Swiss it must be expensive". In fact the resorts are quite cheap compared to France & even Austria. Its in the City's like Zurich,Geneva,Luzern etc you will find it expensive however if you compare it to UK prices there not much in it.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

thing with switzrland is that there's no crap alternatives

eg mcvities chocolate hobnobs cost the same in switz as uk but there is no safeway savers option in switzerland

mmm chocy hobhobs

Disclaimer - other supermarkets do crap biscuits too.

mmm chocy hobnobs

question can you get mcvities hobnobs in switzerland

PS Laax is just about the best place to ski on piste ever. (never been off piste - i sink cos of all the chocy hobnobs wink

)

You'll need to Register first of course.

hobbiteater, I'm seeing a sort theme running through you post wink

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

All my snow skiing has been in Verbier. (Not a ski snob, just the way it has been!) Always thought it was overly hyped by those who have not been there. HOWEVER, The Skiing area IS great for intermediates and experts. Swiss Ski school was brilliant.....WE never felt Switzerland was overly exspensive....although there are plenty of poseurs about the place of all Nationalities, denominations and orientations that could get up your nose if you let them.

As to relative costs; I have flown and driven, nothing in it (in terms of pleasure)(the anticipation and excitement of the outbound drive is always negated by the long haul home after a great time!)

We really hated the package deal flight experience:- Crap depature times from Grotwick, crap aircraft, crap breakfast, crap terminal in Geneva, crap transfer coach- while some idiot rep thinks he can scam us on lift passes, ski school, gear hire and duff restuarants. Just glad the chalet hosts turned out to be the very best.....catered chalets with budget package TO are much the same anywhere as far as I can see. If you want to try Switzerland as an alternative to France/Italy/Andorra ....just do it . For the sake of a few quid try Verbier (if you have to budget to the last penny you can't really afford to go skiing anywhere anyway!)

brian

hobbiteater, perhaps a change of name to hobnobeater might be in order Laughing

Help!!

Swiss Resorts - what's expensive??

snowHeads Forum Index >>> Resort Reviews and Trip Reports