As anyone who follows our blog and Instagram knows, we are DEFINITELY beach bums. 
Most of our trips revolve around some type of beach, however, there is just SOMETHING about the mountains that just draws you in! We have both always grown up around mountains, so maybe we just got used to them, but there really is something so profound yet powerful and magical about them, and the Alps are no exception! This was my first trip to the land-locked country of Switzerland and the first time I’d seen any of the Alps and there really is just nothing to compare them to, the country is just absolutely breathtaking! If you have not ever been, I HIGHLY recommend that you make this a top bucket list item. We spent 3 days and 2 nights in the adorable little car-free town of Murren, which is in the Burnese Highlands in the Jungfrau region (to read more about what we did in Switzerland check out my post here). Murren is nestled up under the mountains of Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau, which provide a gorgeous view no matter where you are in the town. The best view, however, comes from Hotel Eiger, which gives you a perfect view of the tallest and most famous mountain, Mount Eiger, hence the hotel’s name. We were hosted by Hotel Eiger in the fall of 2017 and had an absolutely fabulous experience!
This incredibly charming family hotel has been in Adrian and Susanna’s family for 4 generations, which is part of what makes this hotel so endearing and also so well-run…they have been perfecting the hospitality business since 1892! This means that every detail of 
your stay has been thought out ahead of time so that all you have to do is relax. They even allowed us to store our luggage at the front desk after we checked out at 11 since we were still planning on doing some hiking. They also are able to offer a room to shower and change in after you check out in case you need to clean up after exploring…see, I told you they thought of everything 🙂 We were welcomed by owner Susanna, who gave us a super helpful rundown of the town of Murren and of the 
hotel. Susanna (like most Swiss natives that we met) was extremely hospitable and helpful and is willing to answer any and all questions. She showed us the best places to go in town, the best hiking trails to take, suggested other towns and attractions to explore, and explained how to get there…she is a great resource that is always willing to help! That same hospitality is also true of the rest of the staff at Hotel Eiger…everyone is extremely friendly and hospitable and eager to help make your stay the best! Honestly, the customer service that we experienced at this hotel was probably some of the best we’ve had in all our travels. On top of that, we probably have had the best sleep here that we’ve ever had in a hotel, no joke. The combination of a quiet car-free town, fresh mountain air, and the glorious alpine water makes for a perfect night’s sleep, and some pretty perfect days too 🙂
The room itself was great…very spacious with a large bed, desk, lounge chair, wardrobe, 
mini fridge, flat screen tv, and a very clean bathroom (which comes complete with robes and hairdryer!). Everything you could need is provided and the room is very clean. The decor in the room is also very pleasing and makes you feel right at home. We especially loved the fresh air and natural light coming from the windows and balcony door. The best part of the room is the balcony (obviously), which faces the mountains and gives you a SPECTACULAR view, quite honestly, probably the best view in the town. Hotel Eiger was one of the only hotels with a clear view of the Eiger, which is what makes the hotel so spectacular. Free wifi is also available and you also get a guest card which will get you discounts in town at nearby shops!
As far as extra features and amenities go, Hotel Eiger offers just about anything you 
could want! They have an indoor swimming pool and lounge area, an outdoor rooftop lounge area, gym, ski room, sauna, indoor lounge area with leather couches, a bar, a child’s play room and library, souvenir shop, and 3 restaurants…THREE! (Check out the souvenir shop for super cute local handmade gifts and Swiss treasures; we loved the shop!). The free breakfast buffet is located in one of the indoor dining rooms with big windows that offer a perfect view of the Eiger. The buffet itself is fantastic with all types of bread, cheese, and meat options, cereal, yogurt, eggs, and pastries. They even offer a variety of juices and champagne!
As far as the restaurants go, the three restaurants offer the same menu, but all 3 have different, but spectacular views. One is located outside on the deck, which we visited
daily for after-hiking drinks, coffee, and ice cream. The other 2 restaurants are located inside and are a little more formal. Be sure to book your dinner reservation during sunlight hours so you can still see the view, and request a window seat if there are any available! We spent about $100 the night that we did dinner at the hotel restaurant and had some amazing local Pinot Noir, pesto-crusted lamb with spinach and ricotta ravioli, which we finished off with a crème brulee that was to die for! Everything was absolutely fantastic and definitely worth the money, I would highly recommend planning to do at least one dinner at the hotel restaurant, even if you don’t end up staying at the hotel.
We even got to meet the owner Adrian during dinner as he made his rounds and greeted every dinner guest in the room. It was really awesome talking to him and Susanna about the history of the town and the hotel and seeing where it came from and how it’s grown. We love supporting “mom-and-pop” establishments, and this one was top notch! Adrian and Susanna and their staff treat everyone like family and make you never want to leave!
Prices seem to run within the range of $200-$1,000+ per night, depending on the room and season, and so worth it for the value that you receive here! There are several options to fit a variety of needs and budgets, including standard rooms, superior rooms, junior suites, superior suites, and family suites. The price, value, hospitality and views are all part of what makes Hotel Eiger the #1 TripAdvisor ranked hotel in Murren, and for good reason (check it out here)! We were not disappointed (clearly). If you’re planning a trip to Murren you should DEFINITELY look into staying at Hotel Eiger….and if you aren’t currently planning a trip to Murren you should definitely start 😉
To get there:
Being that it is the highest town in the area, and Murren is a car-free town, it can be a bit 
tricky to get to. But again, the views make it completely worth it! We had a rental car that we left in the covered parking garage located at the train station in Lauterbrunnen, which is the town below Murren which IS accessible by car. We ended up paying about 25 CHF (Swiss Francs) for the 2 nights and 3 days that our car was in the garage, so it evens out to about 8 CHF per day. From there we got tickets to Murren, which cost about 11 CHF per person for a one-way trip. The fare includes a gondola from Lauterbrunnen to 
Grutschalp, and the train ride that takes you from Grutschalp to Murren. The entire trip from Lauterbrunnen to Murren takes about 30 minutes total. You can buy the tickets at the train station or the 
at the gondola station, and the gondola leaves Lauterbrunnen every 30 minutes. The train station at Murren is located right in front of Hotel Eiger, and while there is a porter available for the hotel, you really don’t need it since its right across the street. From what I’m told, you can also get to Murren via gondola instead of the gondola/train combination. We didn’t take that route, but the gondola station is on the other side of town, so if you go that route with your bags you may want to utilize the porter option.
*This post was a collaboration with Hotel Eiger, but all opinions and photos are my own
Pilot Life for Me 