 Poster: A snowHead
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Yes, I know nobody can predict the snow, but having heard so much about the place we really want to give that Jungfrau area a go. Advice appreciated before we go book.
We intend to book with a major operator as that is usually best for Christmas. I have no flexibility about dates. After the sybaritic, not to say hedonistic delights of the EosB, Bev wants a place with hot water bubbling after skiing, or at least a pool.
The Sunstar places at Grindlewald and Wengen appeal to me as they don't charge a single supplement so Jon gets his own room without financial pain, though cost is not of great importance. I am a teacher you know, so this will make a change from having to flush the loo with champagne to use up excess salary.
So, any thoughts on hotels with pools? Any recommendations?
Grindlewald or Wengen? Jon will be 18 then and will want to get to bars with young people in them.
Don't want to have to carry skis too far, even if they are new, bright orange RX8s in my case or High Society in Jons.
How easily can you get around the area? Is it realistic to get up to Murren to ski on an short December day? (and back of course.)
I know there are hectares of info on this area but I spent about an hour reading the Junfrau thread last night and lost patience with trying to filter out info from the banter. (Nothing wrong with banter BTW!) (It is just that I am on dial-up at present!)
Any thoughts gratefully appreciated.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Chris Bish, IME Grindelwald was a lot livelier of a night. Murren was a trek from the Grindelwald side, and we never got over there, but saying that we only did a long weekend. Sunstar was very near the Grindelwald First Cable Car, if you wanted to do the Wengen side, that would be a 10 minutes or so walk thru the village to the train station.
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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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Chris Bish, Sunstar in Wengen is very nice, also it's right in the middle of the village so very convenient for both the cablecar (on the other side of the road) and the station (2 minute walk away). Wengen doesn't have incredible nightlife but it does have some, I'm sure if you asked Stab on the Jungfrau region thread he'd be able to give advice as to the best locations as he does some dj work there.
Trips to Murren or Grindelwald are easy enough from Wengen though it's worth checking the weather in the morning before going up to Piz Gloria as the cable car gets disrupted by high winds
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Thanks guys. Good stuff and confirming my view that Wengen is more central. I spoke to linds earlier and she said much the same thing. Thanks for the views on Sunstar. It does seem nice in the brochures.
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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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Chris Bish,
If you want to ski the whole area, stay in Wengen. Night life is not as copious as Grindelwald, but there's enough of it to keep your son happy. I have had many many a fun drunken night in Wengen (I'm 27). I was in Wengen for Christmas last year and the snow was not great - but last year it was poor everywhere. I've skied there the week before Christmas many times, and there is normally plenty of snow. I've not stayed at the Sunstar, but it is extremely well located (less than 5 mins to both train station and cable car) and people I know who've stayed there have liked it.
Selina
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| D G Orf wrote: |
| I'm sure if you asked Stab on the Jungfrau region thread he'd be able to give advice as to the best locations as he does some dj work there. |
 I've given up on educating the masses on music around here. It's either bloody RnB or 80s stadium rock imo.
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Chris Bish, which TO are you using and are you flying into Berne ?
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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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I spend every Xmas in Wengen and it's a great place to spend the festive season. The Sunstar is really nice and has a good pool. Never had a snow-less xmas in the last 17 years, but no guarantees! Access to Murren & Grindelwald is dead easy.
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stab,
They're replacing Honegg and Tschuggen? Oh no, love those lifts!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Will they be upgrading any lifts/pistes in Grindelwald this sesaon ?
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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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beanie1, Only Honegg (6 seater with covers). Along with a new piste through the valley between Lauberhorn and Tschuggen mountaintops.
I talked to some Jungfraubahnen dude on the Fallboden (plenty of time) in my excessively good  german...
What I understood Tschuggen drag is not going to be changed, nor did he know a lot about it, i got impression its owned independendly... (Although I regularly see GGM Mannlichenbahn shirts there)
D G Orf, You're SOOOO slow.... 2 minutes from Sunstar to the cablecar.... I needed about 23 seconds..
stab, How about the Grund queues? I never been there in mornings, so I have no idea.
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Thanks for very useful info. If we decide on the Sunstar at Wengen. which is looking good from all accounts, we will probably be with Inghams, who do fly to Berne.
Still open to suggestions and offers.......
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You know it makes sense.
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Ronald, no I said under 2 minutes to the railway station, I'd have said under 30 seconds to the cablecar if I'd given a time
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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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| Ronald wrote: |
What I understood Tschuggen drag is not going to be changed, nor did he know a lot about it, i got impression its owned independendly... (Although I regularly see GGM Mannlichenbahn shirts there)
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The lift system is jungfraubahnen owned but some lifts are privately owned but included in the lift pass, lauberhorn and arven are two of them.
This summer they have ripped open lauberhorn and layed pipes in for the new cannons, as well as honegg. At fallboden there is already a huge hole for the new reservoir, I have some pictures somewhere on my phone but I'm a slacker and can't be bothered to find them.
| Quote: |
| stab, How about the Grund queues? I never been there in mornings, so I have no idea. |
Mental, that's why holenstein is always closed in high season, there just arent any empty gondolas coming up.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Chris Bish wrote: |
Still open to suggestions and offers.......
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Victoria Lauberhorn is popular, and i think is blessed with the most expansive swimming and bubbling. (which is also open to the public, for something like 15 pounds)
Not sure the Silberhorn has all that much of the worldpool jazz and Eiger is even less sure with me.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have stayed many times in the Sunstar in Wengen and it is fine. Good bar and lovely barman. There is a live local band once a week. The pool is great too. The Tanne bar is literally opposite the hotel entrance and very popular with the young and locals. I would only book on a B & B basis. The difference in price between that and half board is minimal and it is fun to go out and eat in other places. The Baren Hotel, the Eiger Hotel and Da Sina's Italian restaurant are all excellent. You can also take the last train up to Wengenalp and have a fondue at the Jungfrau Hotel and ski home preferably in a full moon. Tobogganing is also very popular. Everything is in walking distance and everyone speaks English.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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When we pop over from Murren for the day we have eaten at Da Sina's Italian restaurant as the food is very good
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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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Thanks for all the information folks, Sunstar in Wengen via Inghams looks favourite at the moment - although I suppose we could use our BA vouchers and try to book it independently. Trouble is they only seem to like flying out of London now. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Got mildly confused in Thomas Cook's today (are you there Kate????) and booked Feb half term in Arabba, so the Dolomites are on the menu for next year. Well, makes a change from the 3V and they wil still be there next year. So Xmas is still open to negotiation. Wengen is still high on the list, but with the doubts about snow after last year, we are not rushing at present.
(Kate is the manager of our local Thomas Cook and has got into skiing after my malign influence. I hope she signs up as a snowHead soon!)
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| Chris Bish wrote: |
| Wengen is still high on the list, but with the doubts about snow after last year, we are not rushing at present. |
I had 128 days on the mountain last winter, 100 and something last year and the same the year before, snow is not a doubt, good off piste is always hit and miss though.
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stab, I will be very surprised if we are not in Wengen for Christmas, and I hope yu will be able to fix Jon up with some appropriate music experiences (how are you on Muse?). I'm just trying to work out why Inghams are about £130 dearer tha Crystal for the same hotel etc.
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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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because crystal will probably stick you in the broom cupboard.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Chris Bish, I have stayed several times in Wengen, at various hotels, and what I say is skip the Sunstar. We stayed a week there, and the food was marginal. I highly recommend the Regina - small rooms but great hotel and sensational food. But definitely stay in Wengen...more more festive, starting with no autos and a real village feel. John.
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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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| Quote: |
skip the Sunstar. We stayed a week there, and the food was marginal. I highly recommend the Regina - small rooms but great hotel and sensational food
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Seconded. The Sunstar's pool is nice though.
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JohnnyC, you don't happen to have tried the Sunstar in Klosters Dorf, have you? I'm going there in January and am hoping the food is OK!
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You know it makes sense.
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Hurtle, No, I haven't been to the Sunstar in Klosters Dorf. Once at Sunstar was enough for me! Now that I think back to my episode in Wengen at the Sunstar, the other issue I had with them was that my wife and I signed up for a junior suite, with the intention of really doing this trip right, and upon arrival we were given a 'family room' which was essentially a room and a loft with a bathroom so small two people couldn't be in it at the same time without whacking the other one with the door which swung in. And to think I paid extra for that privilege! No more Sunstar for me. JC.
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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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JohnnyC,
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hurtle, I would be very surprised if issues with one carry over to issues with others. I would imagine the Klosters Dorf Sunstar would be just fine.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Still hanging on before booking anything, so all this info is useful to me thanks!
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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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Any views on the Silberhorn then? OK, no pool, but it does have a whirlpool, which would probaly suit the requirements of one who has been spoilt rotten by the extremes of luxury I have heard you get on snowHeads bashes. not that I am jealous at all, he lied.
It also does single rooms so Jon gets a cheaper option.
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brian
brian
Guest
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Chris Bish, tell me to shut up but .... isn't Wengen a bit low for an early xmas booking ? If you want Swiss with epic scenery, food and a much higher ski area (inc glacier), have you thought about Zermatt ?
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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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The attraction of Wengen is that I have always wanted to go there and Bev will almost certainly be off there for the mid season Bash. Zermatt for Christmas might well be nice and I haven't ruled it out. Saas Fee might even be in there, but it looks a bit of a small resort. Already booked for Feb half-term, but shilly-shallying around over Christmas.
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brian
brian
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Oh well, don't get me wrong, Wengen is very pretty and the Eiger etc. are stunning (but not as much as the Matterhorn etc) and the snow will probably be fine but Zermatt would be much more sure of that.
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And there are some tempting offers for Zermatt too. Got me thinking now...
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brian, in general you may just be right... but there is a big but:
All but a few (Gummi Nord, Oh God... not the slopes for the faint of heart) of Wengens slopes are on alpine pasture and therefor need little snow. The rumours in the village during last X-mas were about that we were one of the least bad resorts of the alps. Now thats a rumour I was unable to verify, i can just say we were not bad at all 
D G Orf once wrote: Wengen never let me down either before X-mas or after easter, and he is about as close to furniture there as it gets.
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brian
brian
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Ronald, a fair point.
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I'm sure both Wengen and Zermatt will be great. Just need to find water for Bev and a single room for Jon. Once we have made our minds up that is!
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