Tobogganing in Grindelwald & staying overnight in Grindelwald’s newest boutique hotel

It’s been two years since our last visit to wintry Grindelwald. At that time, we were unable to implement an activity that was actually planned due to a lack of snow: the toboggan run from the Faulhorn. But postponed is not cancelled – and so at the end of January, my sister and I made my way to the Bernese Oberland once again. In addition to the longest toboggan run in the Alps, this time open and perfectly groomed, Grindelwald’s newest Hotel Bijou awaited us in the middle of the old village center.

Hotel Glacier: old lady spruced up

When the Hotel Glacier was built in the middle of the 19th century as one of the first hotels in Grindelwald, the Lower Grindelwald Glacier still reached down into the valley. At that time, the glacial ice was removed by hand and transported for cooling purposes on the final route towards Interlaken. At that time, the only road from Interlaken to Grindelwald that was passable for horse-drawn carriages ended in front of the Hotel Glacier and so the ice workers were among the first guests of the house.

About 150 years have passed since then and the glaciers have retreated far into the heights. The imposing mountain scenery with the Eiger as an attraction has not changed. In 2017, Justine and Jan Pyott acquired the Hotel and Restaurant Glacier and, during an intensive renovation phase, adapted the premises to today’s needs and a 4-star standard. As a basis for the redesign, the two carefully compiled the history of the house and derived the stories about the glacier and the ice workers from it as the guiding idea for the redesign. With the support of interior designer Francesca Alder-Schweizer, the two have succeeded in creating a really casual ambience out of the partly dusty rooms. Blue tones and earth tones dominate – despite the allusion to the cool glacier world, this results in a warm environment. The attention to detail is remarkable: the lamps in the restaurant look like ice crystals and here and there you can find old equipment of the ice cream workers.

The total of 28 rooms and suites are divided into seven categories. We spend the night in the Eiger View Room, which – as the name promises – offers a phenomenal view of the Eiger North Face. The rooms have all the amenities from well-placed sockets to kettles and Rituals toiletries (much to my sister’s delight).

Justine and Jan Pyott have not only given the Hotel Glacier a fresh appearance, but have also brought an ambitious chef on board in Jonas Messer. An exquisite multi-course menu is currently being worked on in the kitchen. Until this is ready to be said, the regular menu also offers some highlights, such as the alpine tapas (perfect for an extensive “apérölä” for two before dinner), the alpine perch fillet or the Oberland pork belly cooked for 24 hours. The spicy tartare variations and the veal burger are also highly recommended. I give me plus points for the opportunity to taste all the wines by the glass – thanks to Coravin!

Tobogganing in Grindelwald for the first time: Faulhorn toboggan run

There was plenty of snow during our visit this year. The only thing we were worried about was the weather – the weather was forecast to be quite cloudy for both Saturday and Sunday. But before we take care of the weather, let’s dedicate ourselves to the breakfast buffet at the Hotel Glacier. This contains all the necessary ingredients so that we can tackle the “Faulhorn” project strengthened.

We used to do the toboggan run from the Faulhorn traditionally as a family outing on New Year’s Eve or on January 1st. I vaguely remember how I scolded like a reed sparrow every time on the last climb. In order to enjoy the 15-kilometre-long toboggan run from the Faulhorn to Grindelwald, you need your own muscle power. Neither a cable car nor a post bus will chauffeur you up here – and that’s exactly what makes this excursion so appealing. The starting point for the toboggan hike to the Faulhorn is the First mountain station. If you don’t bring your own sled from home, you can rent one here at the Intersport shop. The daily rent for a toboggan is 15 CHF. Immediately behind the sports shop, the approximately two-hour, signposted ascent to the Faulhorn starts – and yes, you have to pull the sledge behind you yourself.

Before tackling the climb, we take a short tour of the First Cliff Walk. The dizzying summit tour on the First is definitely worth an extra round.

While the weather is still cloudy at the start of the hike on the First, the cloud layer loosens the further we advance towards the Faulhorn. Will we still see the sun today? After a first crisp ascent, the hiking trail mostly follows the shore of the frozen Bachalpsee. Some short sections can even be “sled” through.

The toboggan run towards Bussalp starts about 100 metres below the Faulhorn. The 460 meters of altitude already completed are noticeable in our calves. Nevertheless, we decide to bite through to the summit… maybe the Berghotel Faulhorn is also open in winter. A little too optimistic thought. And so our effort is not rewarded with a hot soup, but with a gigantic view over the sea of fog. Wow!

The following rapid descent is actually only an encore after this great summit moment. We are irritated that many people also climb from the Bussalp in the direction of the Faulhorn and thus impair the tobogganing fun. I would introduce a clever wayfinding system.

World Snow Festival Grindelwald

Back at the Hotel Glacier, we treat ourselves to an afternoon snack and then explore the wellness area. This one is small but mighty. Our favorite place is the outdoor hot tub with mountain views. Perfect for warming up tired muscles. Afterwards we walk to the center. Our stay coincides with the end of the annual World Snow Festival. At the end of each week, during which the international ice sculpture builders create their works of art out of the snow, the works of art are colorfully illuminated on two evenings.

Tobogganing in Grindelwald for the second time: Eiger Run

Originally, our plan was: one day of tobogganing, one day of skiing. However, the uncertain weather prevents us from renting skis. Instead, we spontaneously decide on Sunday morning for a second combination of hiking and tobogganing – only this time we complete the hike without a sled. In addition to the Faulhorn toboggan run, Grindelwald has a second great toboggan run on offer. The Eiger Run starts on the Kleine Scheidegg and leads to Grindelwald Grund. The most exciting part of this toboggan run is between Alpiglen and Brandegg.

In order to work off some of the calories we had eaten the night before at the Hotel Glacier, we don’t start tobogganing directly, but first hike from the Männlichen to the Kleine Scheidegg. I have already done this hike in summer and had prepared myself for an easypeasy winter hike. But there’s nothing there – the winter hiking trail offers significantly more metres in altitude than the summer version. After about two hours we reach Kleine Scheidegg and rent two sleds from Wyss Sport (with extremely friendly service by Grindelwalden standards: chapeau!). From there we follow the Eiger Run downhill. The Faulhorn descent is definitely out of competition, but if you go back and forth between Bussalp and Eiger Run, the choice is crystal clear to me: Do the Eiger Run! No bus shuttle will get in your way here – the altitude difference is overcome by train.

More winter tips for Grindelwald

• The Hotel Glacier is open almost all year round. Room rates vary depending on the season. The overnight stay in the Eigersicht room is available from 285 CHF. Current price information can be found here: Room overview Hotel Glacier
• Grindelwald offers two different day tickets for tobogganing: the Kleine Scheidegg toboggan day ticket and the Grindelwald-First toboggan day ticket. The cost of this is 35 CHF for adults. The toboggan day ticket Bussalp is sold by Grindelwald Bus and costs 47 CHF (the ski passes are not valid on this route). If you toboggan down from the Faulhorn to the Gaggi Säge bus stop, you can take the local bus from there (this is free of charge with the guest card).
• Away from the toboggan runs, I can also recommend the Eiger snowshoe trail. This starts at the middle station of the Männlichenbahn Hohlenstein and leads to Brandegg.
• The Panorama Trail Grindelwald is also very beautiful – it leads from the Bussalp towards Bort and can be done with snowshoes or sledges. At your destination, it’s worth stopping off at the “Schyr”.
• And if you are on the road in Grindelwald for several days and are still looking for a restaurant alternative to the Hotel Glacier, then make a detour to Café 3692 (Terrassenweg 61).

Note: our stay in Grindelwald was supported by the Hotel Glacier and Grindelwald Tourism. All impressions and opinions are, as always, ours.