Sandra Jativa and the staff handled a situation horribly. The room had what appeared to be black…read moremold and was completely unacceptable to stay in. Instead of taking responsibility, staff gave misleading information, told us to go through Booking.com for a refund, then later denied everything and changed their story. The entire experience was dishonest, unprofessional, and disgusting. We left because we did not feel safe or comfortable staying there

We stayed for 3 nights, the first 2 with 3 people, and the third night with 4 people. The 3-person…read moreroom was very tight, but the 4 person room was quite spacious and comfortable. Everything worked well for us, although the shower water would fluctuate erratically between hot and cold, and when we made trips to reception, there were others noting a light or AC wasn't working. We had a good experience though, especially toward the end with the nice room. The staff were all very reasonable and patient. There was free water and available amenities with a refundable cash deposit (hair dryer, adapter, umbrella, etc). The location was good, and everything was clean. Despite the small room size, I'd honestly stay again!

We didn't stay here, but we had pizza and beer here twice. There are not many options for food in…read moreGimmelwald, so competition is not a factor. Needless to say, I wasn't excited about the "famous" pizza when I first heard about it. But, the kids were hungry and we weren't about to head back up the hill to Mürren. I am glad we tried it: I think their pizza is good by at-home, large city standards and fantastic given the location! As far as food goes, I think the menu at the hostel is limited to pizza, but it is executed well and definitely worthwhile. In addition to the pizza, they have a small bar with two beers on tap: light and dark. While we were there, they were out of the dark, but their light was very drinkable and the local craft brews available in bottles are good as well. I had a hoppy amber that really hit the spot on our last evening in town. I think it was called "Two Jocks" As of this writing, you can get a cheese and tomato pizza for 16 CHF and can add up to 4 toppings for an additional 3 or so CHF. Even better, the pies are ready really quickly! I recommend using some of the chili oil on the tables if you want to spice things up a bit. Pizza and beer makes a great, no-brainer end of day meal after a long day of hiking around the area. They also have soft drinks and other harder stuff at the bar (Jack Daniel's, for instance). If you don't want to stay, you can order the pizza to go and eat it in your room. Just remember that pizzas are not typically served pre-cut in Europe, so you may need a knife if you're sharing :)

Amazing views!! Right on the edge of a mountain. Clean hostel. Everyone does their own dishes here…read more Family style, homey feel. Free breakfast is offered. Only down side is there is one bathroom for everyone with 3 toilets and 3 showers. You also have to pay 1 frank to shower for 8 minutes of hot water because the hot water is limited up in the mountain! Lol. The views and location make up for everything! They have a free laundry room here as well and free billiards room. Also really good beer! 1/2 liter for $5 at the hostel bar. Cheaper than the brewery next door and it's the same beer.

If you're planning a stay in Interlaken on a budget but still want comfort and friendly vibes,…read moreBackpackers Villa Sonnenhof is a good hostel to use as a base. The rooms and facilities are well-maintained overall. The staff are super friendly. My sister became good friends with the guy who cleans up the kitchen area at night. It's an excellent value for money. Breakfast and bus passes are included, although we didn't use the bus passes much since we have the Swiss travel pass. The bus stops right in front of the hostel, and very convenient. They mark any food in the fridge & pantry left over by guests who already checked out with a free sticker so that current and new arrivals can have them if they wish. A pretty good deal, minimizing waste, and helping out current guests. Having fully equipped kitchen was great. The only downside is if you have roommates who are not neat and/or respectful. Our shower was flooded the first day we arrived by one roommate who was checking out that day. But you can't really choose roommates if you're staying in a fully booked hostel.

I've done capsule hotels before, but this was my first time staying in a hostel (although we did…read morehave enough people to get our own room). I think this is a great choice if you're looking for a budget accommodation and don't mind the hostel environment. Having 4 people so you can book out a whole room though was definitely helpful for us since you never know who you'll get, and we didn't want to deal with that coin toss. PROS - Extremely friendly and helpful staff. We had a very large group checking in, split across multiple rooms, and with people checking out at different times. But the staff was more than happy to assist us! - Plenty of lockers to store your belongings. We were able to do so while waiting for our check-in since we arrived a few hours earlier than our check-in time. - Lockers available inside each room too for you to lock your things up if you're sharing a room with strangers - Lots of common area space including ping pong tables, kitchen and dining area, laundry, breakfast area (with complimentary breakfast), patios, and a kids room. - Comfortable beds with an outlet and shelf even for the top bunk - Close to a bus stop and within walking distance of the train station CONS - Only 4 washers and dryers so you may have to wait like we did when trying to do laundry late at night. Quite a few people weren't the best about taking their clothes out on time either. - Shower situation wasn't the best. There was a flimsy shower curtain, but as soon as you turned the shower on, it would blow inwards and stick to you the entire time. Because of this it didn't do a great job keeping water in either so the floor would get pretty wet. - We came in July and the room was very warm even at night. We did try keeping our window open but since there was no screen, we were worried about bugs and only kept it open a crack. Overall, could use some minor improvements but I think that's the hostel experience. Great for travelers on a budget!

We were pleasantly impressed with our 4-person private room. Besides having to share 2 bathrooms…read moreamong 5 rooms on the floor (which we rarely had to wait for), we were very happy with the balcony view from the 2nd floor, the availability of amenities like a hairdryer, as well as a fully stocked kitchen and dining area. Everything was clean, and the reception staff were friendly. Excellent value for what we paid! We would 100% stay again.

Surprised that there aren't more reviews of this place on Yelp. I've just enjoyed a weekend stay at…read morethis hostel after a previous 1 night visit 10 years ago. This was the perfect and affordable location to enjoy Lauterbrunnen. The (dorm) price at 30 CHF is reasonable, but the dorm experience reminded me that it's also dependent on the guests, with etiquette and sleeping habits proving to be highly variable among the other guests. While that was a source of slight irritation to me, it also made me appreciate choosing the "upper" (loft-style) bunk in my room and focus on other aspects of the hostel's experience, including a wide-ranging worldly group of guests and the amusing reality of the longer you stay, the more senior you become, which was particularly apparent over the course of a weekend.

This place was ok, definitely a "bargain hunters" place where sacrifices must be made (but that's…read morewhat hostels are all about, right?). Location: It's not bad at all - only about a 10-15 minute walk to the train station, and as the name suggests only a 2-3 minute walk to the Lion statue. Building: The building is clearly old, based on the creaky stairs which probably wake people up in the hallway rooms (where I was - thank goodness for earplugs!). But it's not falling apart. The common room is small and echo-y so it gets loud, but there are quieter patios overlooking the streets where the wifi works. Facilities: Wifi - it's not blazing but it's reliable and it works. Doesn't work in the rooms. Rooms - do include lockers with a key lock. Lockers are big enough to accomodate even roll-wheel luggage if you need that. Beds are comfy enough for bunks. Showers/bathrooms - a bit limited as there is only 1 shared bathroom per floor and 1 shower room per sex per floor with only one shower stall inside. I didn't have a problem as I showered at night when no one was around, but I can imagine it gets hectic in the mornings. Reception: Not terribly helpful or outgoing but they get the job done, for the most part. Their "check-in or out after hours by appointment" doesn't exist in the normal sense of the phrase - I had to check out before the reception opened and the receptionist evidently didn't want to be there for it, so I had to turn my key in the night before, before the reception closed at 10. This meant that I couldn't leave after I turned my key in, plus my locker had to remain unlocked overnight. Not something I was terribly comfortable with, but I had to do it.

This was by far the biggest hostel with the most to do than any hostel I have ever stayed in the…read moreworld. I love how everything is set up for numerous places to chill comfortably. Two different buildings with pianos and one has a guitar. Pool table, dart boards grill, bar, nightclub below ground and activities every day. Don't let me forget to mention the huge kitchen. The biggest kitchen in any hostel I have ever stayed in. Maybe because this hostel is huge. They've been doing this since 1907 and these folks know what they are doing and do it well. I definitely recommend that you check this place out!

I stayed at this hostel for 4 nights and I loved my entire stay. I stayed in a 10 bed mixed shared…read moredorm; the room was spacious and very clean. I loved the huge window in the room, the view was beautiful and it always smelled fresh and crisp. Furthermore, the bathrooms are nice and kept very clean. I loved the showers, I spent 3 months in over 12 hostels in Europe and the showers at Balmer's were my favorite! Very modern and well thought out. Now for the most important part, the vibe here is amazing! Since it's Interlaken, you'll meet a lot of adventurous people who'll be down to go on day trips and excursions, which was amazing for me as a solo traveler. There's not much to do in the area at night so a lot of people from the hostel gather to play board games and chill - these were some of my favorite nights of my entire trip. It's not the most social hostel because the staff doesn't plan events so your fun will depend on the guests staying while you're there, but lucky for me it was a great night every night. There's also a foosball table and a hot tub, need I say more? As for location, it's walking distance to the Interlaken Ost train station, a bus stop (that can take you to and from the Interlaken West train station), and numerous markets/shops. Note: The hostel gives you a free bus pass upon checking in, you can use the bus pass to ride the city busses for free! The only negative is that laundry is very expensive, I paid the equivalent of $25 to wash and dry one small load of laundry. I was shocked. Plan your trip so that you do laundry right before you arrive here, or wait until you leave. Overall, this hostel is a gem. I already have my second stay booked this summer!!!

I stayed here for two nights while touring Switzerland with my Swiss girlfriend and 8-year-old son…read more We loved it! Our room was spacious and clean and had its own bathroom. Like most places in Switzerland it does not have air conditioning, so if you are American and used to AC, be advised. The hostel also features a rooftop terrace where we ate dinner both nights, as well as a kitchen and lounge area with drinks for sale. The location is also a bonus. This hostel is built into an old building that was part of a former industrial complex of warehouses, factories, train depots, etc. Just outside the hostel is a brewpub, a cafe, and a truly spectacular Skills Park, which, if you are traveling with kids, they will love. The hostel is also right down the street from the main train station of Winterthur. Overall this is a great spot to stay!

I could only stay in Depot 195 for one night but I can assure you this place is great. Very comfy…read morerooms and great showers/bathrooms. The man (sadly can't remember his name) who helped me at reception was very very welcoming. He had great English and was incredibly nice. He showed us some cool spots to check out and good restaurants. Cleanliness is a strong suit here. Very happy with the stay!

I think this is the first HI hostel I've been to where it's not compulsory to be a HI member…read more Certainly this is the first where there were mixed sex rooms. The crowd kept to themselves, probably because this hostel is so big, the common area does not facilitate interaction (which is a flip side of a large, spacious common area). It welcomes guests of all ages, unlike some which (try to) enforce (relative) youth in guests. A good breakfast with a good spread is included in the price (there're even some local products), and it starts at 6am! Lunch & dinner are also available at reasonable prices (for Switzerland). The room was quite roomy. The power socket was really near bed - just above it, though it was recessed as is common in Switzerland so not all power adaptors will be able to use it. The lockers were both in the room and large.

This is a hostel located at prime location! You'll be close…read moreto everything in Zurich, perfect for tourism. I loved the rooms, the hangout areas, breakfast - all impressive! However, one thing that concerned us were, surprise parking fee which was not mentioned before. Overall it's pricey but maybe worth it!