Switzerland in June hotels….. Book or wing it?

[KMD]

Putting the bare bones of a plan together for a trip to Switzerland in late June-early-July. Not a country I have much experience of so I’d like to ask those who have….. is it busy/popular enough to need to book accommodations in advance, or can you still wing it day by day with booking.com ?

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Moved and mild edit to title.

Richard

 

[KMD]

 

[Davey B]

We went in June a few years ago. We were going to camp but one of the group of 5 or 6 did some digging and found plenty of quality ski apartments up in the resorts, far cheaper than we could have camped for. I suspect that that period...mid June to Mid July is the sweet spot for it being quiet.

 

[KMD]

We went in June a few years ago. We were going to camp but one of the group of 5 or 6 did some digging and found plenty of quality ski apartments up in the resorts, far cheaper than we could have camped for. I suspect that that period...mid June to Mid July is the sweet spot for it being quiet.

Thanks Davey, the tour does take in many of the resort areas

 

[Slipperyeel]

Personally, I'd plan and book an itinerary for yourself. That time of year it's a hikers dream, schools have closed in Italy around then.... Depends on where you're thinking of going, but I'd assume it'll be busy (and I suspect it will be!).

 

[wessie]

Should be relatively quiet as the higher passes are rarely open before 3rd week of June. When I went over Susten in late June I was riding between two 5m walls of snow on the eastern side, so had no view into the valley or around the hairpins until I hit the apex. I didn't enjoy that experience!

 

[KMD]

Should be relatively quiet as the higher passes are rarely open before 3rd week of June. When I went over Susten in late June I was riding between two 5m walls of snow on the eastern side, so had no view into the valley or around the hairpins until I hit the apex. I didn't enjoy that experience!

Thanks Wessie, it’s going to be the car for us this year (management decision) .

 

[Wapping]

Personally, I'd plan and book an itinerary for yourself. That time of year it's a hikers dream, schools have closed in Italy around then.... Depends on where you're thinking of going, but I'd assume it'll be busy (and I suspect it will be!).

Should be relatively quiet as the higher passes are rarely open before 3rd week of June. When I went over Susten in late June I was riding between two 5m walls of snow on the eastern side, so had no view into the valley or around the hairpins until I hit the apex. I didn't enjoy that experience!

One says busy, the other not.

It’s a minefield out there….. ask your passenger, she’s decided everything else

 

[KMD]

One says busy, the other not.

It’s a minefield out there….. ask your passenger, she’s decided everything else

Remarkably close to the truth Richard

But, as she’s post-op a hip and a knee, it might be wise to accommodate her on this occasion, might even collect a few Brownie points in the process, we never know when they can come in handy.

 

[Udders]

It’s fecking expensive!
Don’t get caught speeding in your wife’s car either. Embarrassing on two counts.
Vignettes are cheaper than getting fined.

 

[wessie]

If you need brownie points, stay in the Parkhotel Sauvage in Meiringen. Conveniently between the Susten and Grimsel passes not far from Interlaken. Ask for a room with a view of the Reichenbach falls. Sherlock museum next door where they will probably have lots of photos and maybe a lifesize facsimile of Benny Cummerbund for her amusement.

 

[Wapping]

There’s no need to apologise (or make an excuse) for going in a car or indeed by foot, packhorse or on a bicycle. Nobody will shoot you.

It strikes me that Switzerland is a big country and the full ‘Grand Tour’ (as in the book in the picture) is a long way, which suggests you don’t know where you’ll be, come the mid-to-late afternoon on any one day of your jaunt. If so, it makes booking in advance….. um….. er….. tricky…. If that is, you plan to do the advance booking much before Easter, say.

Plan it out a bit perhaps? The Swiss Tourist website breaks the ‘Grand Tour’ down and maybe book some hotels, based on some sort of programme?

On the other hand, most Swiss hotels are pretty good. You’ll be hard pushed to find a totally duff one. Maybe book a hotel for the first and second night to get the feel for whether it’s as quiet as the grave or if it’s like Benidorm in August. You know what ever you do…. You’ll be wrong!

 

[MikeH101]

European school holidays cover 2nd half June & July (mostly) so these are busiest time for tourism. Camp /caravan sites get full but if you are going to hotels or Airbnb there is plenty of choice. Just be prepared to pay!!
As said before, a Vignette is mandatory on entry through the Zoll/ border, no question. Roads are good, traffic sticks to the rules (v Swiss!). Public transport is superb, a tourist rail pass is excellent value if you want to travel around the country available at any SBB station or tourist info.
Basel is a great city, easy to get to and easy to travel around CH. My preferred location compared to Zurich. Biking mates who stayed with us when living in Basel managed to do most of the passes as day trips.
Hope this helps.