[Removed user]

1 February 2020 at 21:35:15 #825071

I’m planning a 12 night trip for Sept 2020. We are landing in Zurich and originally we were looking at:

3 nights Luzern, 5 nights Wengen , 3 nights Montreux & 1 night Zurich.

Once I went over the times for the trains with hubby (he can get motion sick on long train/bus journeys) he asked if there was anything similar to Montreux (Chateau de Chillon, Gruyeres, Broc, Glacier 3000) but a bit closer to Wengen.

I found Thun but was wondering if it was too similar to Luzern?

Opinions on Montreux vs Thun?

Thank you,

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[rockoyster]

1 February 2020 at 23:25:32 #929220

For comparison see http://www.myswissalps.com/forum/topic/a-week-in-thun (it is nothing like Luzern) and http://www.myswissalps.com/forum/topic/autumn-in-montreux-september-2019.

[Annika]

2 February 2020 at 7:16:38 #929221

Hi Navymom! I too think that Thun will give you a different feel than Lucerne. It has a great central location and allows you to easily travel to several parts of the country, although you’ll obviously cover different regions than when you’d be based in Montreux. Thun provides good connections to, for example:

• Spiez and the Kander valley (http://www.myswissalps.com/kandervalley);
• Brig (http://www.myswissalps.com/brig) and Zermatt (http://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt);
• Bern (http://www.myswissalps.com/bern) and Basel (http://www.myswissalps.com/basel);
• Neuchatel and Fribroug.

All of those require longer train rides though, and I’m not sure what your husband can cope with. Note that there’s more than enough to do within close reach of Thun: http://www.myswissalps.com/lakethun. Visits to the several castles, Niederhorn, Niesen (http://www.myswissalps.com/niesen) and Stockhorn could be on your list for example, and a boat ride over the lake (http://www.myswissalps.com/boatlakethun), if you husband feels well on board of boats of course.

Please compare the towns you mentioned through:

• http://www.myswissalps.com/thun
• http://www.myswissalps.com/montreux
• http://www.myswissalps.com/lucerne

[Removed user]

2 February 2020 at 13:48:14 #929222

Thank you Rockoyster, your links to your trip report were a great helps and your pictures are AMAZING!

Would you share your thoughts about Hotel Freienhof? I like the location, but there reviews seem to be mixed. I looking for a comfortable place to sleep that has its own bathroom, offers breakfast, but is close to restaurants for dinner.

[Removed user]

2 February 2020 at 13:51:49 #929223

Thank you Annika for the information. I’d like to keep the trains rides to under 3 hours each way, maybe closer to 2, but hubby knows of he wants to see different things, he’s going to have to deal with at least one long train, boat, etc ride. :-). I just don’t want too many of them.

[rockoyster]

2 February 2020 at 19:54:30 #929224

“. . . looking for a comfortable place to sleep that has its own bathroom, offers breakfast, but is close to restaurants for dinner.”

The Freienhof fits all those criteria.

Downsides were the room we had was quite “compact” and also a bit noisy when the windows were open. The main noise came from the water rushing over the sluice gates not far from the hotel. It made quire a roaring sound. It wasn’t evident with the double glazed windows closed but the weather was quite warm and we needed the windows open at night to cool the room down (no aircon). Location was ideal for access to station and town centre.

[Removed user]

2 February 2020 at 20:45:26 #929225

Thanks Rockoyster. If you had to choose, would you stay at Freienhof again or somewhere else?

[rockoyster]

2 February 2020 at 21:17:34 #929226

If I were to stay in Thun again I would probably stay at the Freienhof but that’s more likely because I’m too lazy to search for a better alternative. The compactness of the room was not really an issue as we only used the room to sleep and were out and about for most of each day. Earplugs helped with the rushing water noise. 🤓

After the Freienhof we stayed at the Eurotel in Montreux. It is hard to see how they both managed to get the same star rating. The Eurotel was far better – much larger room, great views, aircon and fabulous buffet breakfast.

I recall a trip report with someone recommending the Hotel Krone at Thun but can’t put my finger on it.

[Removed user]

3 February 2020 at 19:18:30 #929227

Thanks Rockoyster!