The hostel is easy to find and is about halfway between Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West railway stations – although getting there from Interlaken Ost is a little easier. It is 5 minutes walk from the main street, Hoheweg and all of its shops, restaurants and bars.
Backpackers Villa is without doubt one of the better Swiss hostels. It is impeccably clean and well maintained. The staff are very friendly on arrival – and give you a good rundown on what is available in Interlaken, and give you some souvenirs such as a postcard and a pen. They can also do package deals including skipasses and ski equipment for various durations. Checkin times are a little inflexible though (4-9 pm only) but if you arrive later than 9 pm they will leave the keys in a box at the door.
The hostel is run by the Swiss United Methodist Church so there is a meditation room, onsite chaplain, and numerous biblical references around the place – but don't let that put you off. Breakfast is included and is always a high standard – juice, tea/coffee, cereal and toast. There is also a TV in the breakfast room showing a live webcam of the conditions on the skislopes so you know what to expect when you get up there.
Backpackers Villa is a quiet hostel – certainly compared to Balmer's down the road – but whilst there might not be drinking into the wee small hours there are still a lot of people happy to have a chat. The kitchen is well equipped and large so it is easy to cook yourself a cheap meal rather than paying exorbitant restaurant prices
At the time of this review, CHF29 is the going rate for a dorm and is expensive compared to other places in Interlaken – but Backpackers Villa is more central, includes breakfast and is quieter than the others. CHF2/12 minutes for the internet is expensive but you won't find any cheaper elsewhere in town.
Interlaken as a town is an enjoyable place – ideally located for both skiing and sightseeing. Railpasses and skipasses can be bought at the hostel, the tourist information centre and the railway stations. There are many skiing options, along with the possibility of travelling up to Jungfraujoch – at 3454m it's the highest station in Europe and has ideal views of Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger mountains. There is also the Piz Gloria restaurant at Schilthorn, with more excellent views – and it is the place where the 007 movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was filmed in 1968.
— Avis exclusif de Hostelz.com
April 2004
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