The calm in the eye of the hurricane

chestnuts soup, butter tender veal fillet in the dough. And after that caramelized peach? Or rather Mousse au Chocolat? It is difficult, in pink, to focus on French-inspired Salon from the 1930's to good food, because directly behind the mullioned Windows of this wall. How in a time window, the images from the Eiger North wall are all of a sudden, as the German mountaineer Anderl rear Maier and his three comrades, as they soaked in the storm and desperately through the icy "spider" torment and know that We can now go up just yet, there's no way down.

in 1938. With a lot of persistence and even more luck, they managed for the first time, the rose, the "murder wall". We are glad that we are hanging out in the rope, and, again, the panel slides knife to smooth the fillet in the dough. Style full of comfort and eerie mountain-dramas – this combination makes the Bellevue des Alpes is unique. All the great mountaineers of the 20th century. Century were a guest here. At the entrance of the armchairs in the Bar with the dark leather, in which one sinks in the evening like to hang the photos of the North wall luminaries and a picture of Clint Eastwood, turned here 1975 "The Eiger Sanction". Often with in the image: Heidi from mountain pastures, legendary hotel patronne of the 70s, 80s and 90s. Who has not experienced your strict Regime, has never really been in the Bellevue des Alpes.

Also, your nephew Andrew, who has taken over the Hotel with his wife, Silvia, in 1998, and now in the 5. Generation of leads, gave it to the Collective: "I remember well when I took off the shoes in the house immediately, there was a horrific thunder weather," he says.

Neither the TV nor the Sauna

Outside the door in the daytime. The cog Railways blades of Wengen and Grindelwald are constantly tourists to the Kleine Scheidegg, the Japanese complete in batch mode on the Quick, the Jungfraujoch. Anyone who drives the Ski, on top of Paradise – slopes of all difficulty levels, where you look. And on the third weekend of January, visitors to the Lauberhorn ski races for even more worry operation.

But there is calm in the eye of the hurricane known to the masses. Who sets the Hotel revolving door with the old brass fittings, can be found immediately in a nostalgic box, where there is at 2070 metres above sea level except history and a lot of rest. No Lift, no TV, no sauna landscape. In 2011, the Bellevue has been named Swiss Historic Hotel of the year, "this has brought us exceptional reputation of new guests," says Andreas von Almen. 80 percent of the visitors are regulars, the Englishman at the next table are already the 20. Here. But the charm of nostalgia is, more recently, in the case of young couples and families, "they appreciate the historic interior, almost even more than the older guests, because for them it is unusual," says Silvia of pastures. The hotel Manager was originally a flautist, Andreas von Almen comes from a hotel dynasty, was an architect, actually.

It is not the worst way to approach this building and mountaineering heritage as a newcomer, and not as a conventionally-thinking Hotelier. Rarely do you find a nostalgia, the hotel is well-maintained so in Detail: history lives in this house, but you don't smell musty. There are age-old, creaky wooden stairs, but the wood worm dwells guaranteed elsewhere.

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The wall covering made of fabric in our room comes from printing chairs from Alsace, the original fittings from the 20s are freshly plated and Shine like the best of times. Andreas von Almen has sought from the Bernese Oberland up to the Ticino after the craftsmen: "I was very lucky that I found some people who master these ancient techniques," he says. The red lamp shades made of fabric, dip the wood-panelled dining room, in a wonderfully otherworldly atmosphere, are hand-made, "an old lady from the Region, has stitched, hardly anyone can today."

in 1840, had been built in a first Bellevue of the Seiler family, and because others also wanted a piece of the profitable cake at the foot of the famous trio, was built 50 years later, right next to the Hotel des Alpes as a Competitor. Adolf Seiler blessed are bought it in 1912 and connected the two houses. In 1984, the last time was increased, since only stylishly renovated. The drinking water comes directly from the Lauberhorn from our own source.

masts disturb Panorama

But Paradise seems to get cracks. At least from the point of view of the Almens: "It is our capital attacks," says Andreas von Almen, "the world-famous Panorama of the Eiger North wall." He says the "Eiger-express", a gondola of enormous extent, with the aim of bringing per hour over 2000 people from Grindelwald directly to the eigergletscher Station above the Scheidegg.

For the hoteliers family means the major project for mass instead of class, long as you have processed against your rejection but ultimately withdrawn. "We had no Chance against the railway operators," says Silvia of pastures. The 60-metre high masts will be placed directly between the Hotel and the Eiger North wall, which will dull the present clear, unobstructed view.

Still, the railway is not finished, and as we go down the next day with the best weather of the snow–covered trail to Alpiglen-Brandegg, we are once more fascinated by the force of the wall. First ice, second ice field, the famous Hinterstoisser-cross-aisle and the place where the arms Andi dangled Briefly in 1936, dead in the rope.

Back in the hotel room, we find a note on the console: Please in the evening, no sports wear! Here history is lived – and even Heidi from Almens legacy.

The trip was unterstütztvon Jungfrau Region tourism.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 17.01.2019, 18:23 PM