“Wherever” turned out to be Berner
Oberland in the Swiss Alps! I’m glad—it was the highest place on our travel
wish list.
I looked up the definition of chalet
while in Switzerland, just to be sure where we were staying actually made the
cut. Here’s Merriam-Webster’s definition: “a Swiss dwelling with unconcealed
structural members and a wide overhang at the front and sides.” Check and
check!
While ski chalets without snow aren’t
quite as picturesque and romantic, they are still incredibly fun to stay in.
Our first was a cute little hotel above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, called Hotel
Baeren (the Bear hotel). We were surprised with a free upgrade to a balcony
room! Having that balcony really made
our chalet experience. We sat there for hours, watching the rain and clouds
wash over the mountains and then give way to golden sunshine…and sometimes both
at once! The rainfall could almost pass for softly falling snow when the
sunlight hit it. And I can’t put into words how much the view of the valley,
with its numerous waterfalls and green floor, affected me. I feel as if I
really saw Tolkien’s Rivendell, as he saw
it when he visited this very valley!
Hiking around Switzerland, the sight of
chalets became common, yet never dull, because each had its own unique
touches—a blessing written in gold paint under the eaves, red shutters instead
of green, or maybe the massive ceremonial cow bells hanging over their door.
The one thing they all seemed to have
in common were the geranium-filled window boxes. Even across the valley, at the
“retro” Hotel Alpenblick chalet, we found the same cheery, red flowers lining
the windows. I even saw one man covering them with hard-plastic tents to guard
them against the night winds.
Our second chalet was more like an
apartment building or boarding house. Kids coming and going, muddy boots on the
mats outside of the room doors, and the scent of fried chicken wafting up from
the owner’s kitchen (he claimed fried chicken is a traditional Swiss dinner,
but it still smelled too much like McDonalds or KFC to me). It IS actually a
residence for Swiss families, with a few guest rooms dotted throughout. So we
felt a little out of place.
This time, no upgrade, but we were
given the “quiet room” on the top floor in the back. The mismatched furniture
has been lovingly cared for since their arrival (probably in the late 60s
through the 80s, judging from the floral upholstery and plaid wool curtains).
The pink tile and palm-tree print shower curtain looked original too. They may
not have had the best interior-design sense, but the owners sure knew how to
maintain their property.
Neither chalets were particularly
“traditional” experiences, but I stayed in and walked among the ski chalets
long enough to get a good feel for them. Now, when I see the replicated style of
the “Swiss” bank back in Washington, I have to laugh. It’s not a bad
representation, but it lacks the realism
of a working, lived-in, built-from-centuries-of-tradition ski chalet.
Functional and cozy. Charming and unique. I like them, and I’d love to hole up
in one during the winter someday. However, I’m perfectly content with our
experience.
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