Alpenrose Hotel and Gardens

With slanted brick roofs and bright green shutters, the Alpenrose Hotel and Gardens looks more like a cottage than a hotel. The rustic structure is matched by equally cozy, quaint interiors, with mix and match vintage lampshades and drapes, deer-skin rugs, and distressed wood coffee tables throughout the lobby and common areas. Magazine-cover upholstering on the sofas, a cluster of framed photographs, and multiple trinkets throughout the reception lend even more eclectic character. The slightly dated design and lack of elevators gives the hotel an old-fashioned charm reminiscent of a bed-and-breakfast, though it may not be for guests looking for something more modern. Outside, beautifully landscaped rose and herb gardens with amazing views of the Jungfrau mountains, give the property a storybook setting, perfect for tourists (especially, tour groups) wanting to soak in the countryside outside Interlaken. 

The hotel is one of many chalet-style Swiss buildings on a wide, quiet street in the heart of Wilderswil. The location and surrounding village is picturesque and peaceful (the gardens themselves are a village attraction), if not slightly sleepy. The Gsteig Church is a three-minute walk away, while the Unspunnen Castle ruins are a 15-minute walk away. The train station is a three-minute walk away, and public transport will reach the larger Interlaken and Jungfrau regions in 12 to 14 minutes, which have more restaurants, shopping, and entertainment along with Jungfrau Parl. The domestic Bern Belp Airport is an hour- and 30-minute drive away. Zurich Airport takes two hours and 30 minutes to reach by car. The hotel does not provide airport transfers. 

Rooms range from the tiny Economy Singles to larger Classic Doubles to a spacious Garden Suite, so there’s something for most budgets here. Decor in all rooms is super simple, sometimes bordering on stark, with generic bed frames, bedspreads, and mostly bare walls. Rooms are clean, and there’s rarely an issue with exterior noise. However, creaking floorboards and thin plywood often lets sounds from neighboring rooms seep through walls. Not all rooms have private balconies, but all of them do have gorgeous views of the gardens or the Jungfrau mountains. Sparse amenities include electric kettles, small flat-screen TVs, and free, reliable Wi-Fi. Bunk beds are a convenient feature in Family Rooms and the Garden Suite has a more luxe design with a chandelier and furnished terrace.Bathrooms are small and functional, with walk-in showers and handheld showerheads. All provide limited toiletries, and some have hairdryers. The cheaper rooms come with shared bathrooms. 

Free breakfast is available to all guests at the hotel’s restaurant, a vintage space with wooden tables, burgundy carpet, and wide windows providing beautiful mountain and garden views. The buffet has a substantial variety of cold cuts, cheese, fruits, breads, boiled eggs, and cereals. The adjacent restaurant and pub space with checkered tablecloths and cowbells on the wall, offers a mixed range of soups, salads, burgers, and pasta, along with a Swiss menu featuring fondue and rosti. The food, much of which is sourced from the hotel’s own gardens, is both tasty and reasonably priced. In the summer, guests can enjoy terrace dining. There are no pool, fitness, or spa facilities on-site, but during the summer, an open-air hot tub is available in the garden. Property-wide Wi-Fi is free. Free parking is offered in front of the hotel.