la belle vue Spiez
A minimalistic, nordic inspired interior design ambience combined with a family-like staff in Switzerland's strategic location makes the la belle vue Spiez the perfect spot for a proper getaway.
It is located only half an hour from the Swiss capital Bern and less than an hour away from various breathtaking mountain peaks. The paradise for outdoor activities lovers - with the possibilities to ski, hike, bike, paraglide, sledge or any other discipline you can imagine, only a drive or a train ride away. The hotel has equipped their Website with a few of the possibilities one has in winter and summer when visiting the surroundings.
During my stay, I managed to visit the stunning Oeschinensee, Blausee and First. At the end of the post (after the pictures) a brief comment of my experiences on each, if you are interested :)
Now back to Spiez…
One doesn't have to take a train or a car to enjoy nature. A few steps away from the hotel, one can go up the Spiezberg for a run at the vita parkour or a beautiful sunrise walk by the vineyards with the stunning view of the lake and surrounding mountains. The beautiful Lake Thun is also only a few steps away from the hotel and invites you for a swim. A walk by the lake up to the Faulensee is highly recommended.
For the cultural and city appreciators: you can visit the Spiez castle and church or take a short train ride to the neighbouring towns Thun and Interlaken.
After a long day out and about, there’s nothing like coming back to a cosy and friendly environment. The coffee culture at la belle vue is such that makes you want to stay the whole day indulging yourself in all the delicacies it has to offer. Known for its splendid breakfast and brunch options, it has in its menu a variety of choices, all mainly from local suppliers. In their breakfast menu, you will find how many kilometres away the producers are located - the croissant from the bakery up the street, the dairy products from an organic farm close by and the high-quality coffee beans from the Rösterei Heer in Thun.
While my stay, the Corona lockdown was in place, therefore the restaurant was closed for non-hotel- guests and due to costs, they decided only to keep their breakfast offer for the guests, thus not providing lunch or dinner. However, they give a list of options one can choose from in the region - including hotels where you can eat-in as a partnership program and takeaways that you can bring back to the hotel and eat in their restaurant.
Nevertheless, coffee (and all its varieties, including Chai-Latte, Kurkuma Latte, Matcha, etc.) is always available upon request at the counter for hotel guests. You might also be lucky to find some of their delicious home-made pastries displayed at the counter. The hotel manager Emilie Lindblohm and the skilled cook Regula are the ones putting their love in the sweet and salty delights. You will not regret tasting a little bit of everything.
In a nutshell, la belle vue is an exceptional place, which I can highly recommend to anyone wanting to escape the buzz and find some tranquillity. Even if looking for a place to change home-office scenarios, the stillness and calmness will provide you with the perfect working environment. As a nomad, it was the ideal spot to be at - enjoying nature in the morning, nourishing my body well with great food and working efficiently in the afternoon with a breathtaking view, not to mention the lovely company of the fun team.
I hope to soon come back to this gem.
OESCHINENSEE, BLAUSEE & FIRST
I had previously visited the Oeschinensee during summer, but not yet during winter times. Its reputation is well credited—such an incredible place to go for a walk and be amazed by nature. There are also ski slopes, but the hiker's path goes a different route, making it an enjoyable walk. It is a popular place, so I recommend going on weekdays and more towards the morning to avoid the crowds.
The same was true for the Blausee. I visited it during summer but was missing the winter version. It is a beautiful lake and well maintained (admission fee to the park costs CHF 10 during weekends and CHF 8 during the week), but if you are looking for a raw nature experience, this is not the place for you. The walks are relatively short, and there is a lot of infrastructure around the lake, a very touristic spot. A recommendation could be to first shortly visit the Blausee then head to the Oeschinensee for more nature.
I was lucky to also find the time to go to First - a peak one reaches from Grindelwald, in the well-known Jungfraujoch region. I walked from First to Faulhorn and down to Bussalp, where one can fetch the bus back to Grindelwald. What a stunning landscape! It is, however, also a trendy route; therefore, I highly recommend the weekdays. As in the Oeschinensee, the hiking path does not cross the ski slopes, making it very relaxing. A lot of people were snow showing or making a ski tour in the course.