Jungfrau Railways and Grindelwald Tourism representatives Daniel Bott and Isabelle vom Dahl kicked off their Australian tour in Brisbane on Thursday 12 September with an intimate media dinner, the first of several, including Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, during their week-long stay down under. LATTE joined other industry insiders for the Sydney leg this week and spoke with the pair about Switzerland’s emerging winter hotspots: Grindelwald, Jungfrau and Interlaken. Sonia Holt, who joined Switzerland Tourism as Marketing & Communications Manager AU/NZ four weeks ago, also attended the event.
Renowned for their dramatic mountainous landscapes, crystalline lakes and adventure attractions, the alpine locales offer world-class skiing, snowboarding, snow-shoeing, sledding, ice-fishing, ziplining, hiking, paragliding and more. However, the regions are now emerging as luxury hotspots with fine dining, five-star hotels and VIP experiences – all three hours or less from Zurich airport by train.
“The nature, the panoramas and the activities you can do in summer or winter, like hiking and skiing right next to the Eiger North Face, are so impressive – it’s our unique selling point,” says vom Dahl.
“Grindelwald is a perfect family area with slopes for everyone, whether you’re a beginner or experienced,” adds Bott. “It has just 50 km of slopes but they’re very diverse, with sledding or hiking, making it great for multi-generational family holidays.”
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A palace hotel at the Jungfrau gateway
The historic Grand Hotel Regina in Grindelwald is undergoing a major transformation after standing empty for the past decade. Dating back to 1896 and laying claim to a cameo in the James Bond flick On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the palace hotel has been acquired by Fortimo Group, a leading Swiss hospitality and real estate developer, and is being refubished into a 100-key luxury establishment complete with a spa, bar and restaurant and is slated to open in 2027. “The Regina is the major development in the area for the next two years and will be the flagship luxury hotel,” says vom Dahl. “It will open by 2027, 2028 at the latest.”
Michelin-star dining in Grindelwald
Foodies are now spoilt for choice in the Bernese village. Restaurant 1910 Gourmet by Hausers at Hotel Belvedere was awarded a Michelin star in 2023 along with 15 points by French culinary guide Gault & Millau. Here, Hungarian chef Dávid Imre Rózsa plates up modern yet pared-back dishes comprised of local ingredients to an intimate assemblage of just six tables.
This year, Rózsa also joined forces with other fine dining venues and their chefs, such as Urs Gschwend, Bergwelt Grindelwald; Aurélien Mettler, Hotel Fiescherblick Grindelwald; Paul Cabayé, Boutique Hotel & Restaurant Glacier; and Adrian Bolsmann, Romantik Hotel Schweizerhof, to produce the first iteration of Top Taste of Grindelwald Alpine Excellence Food Festival. With the rapid development of top gastronomy in Grindelwald driven by Gault & Millau and Michelin award-winning establishments, the festival showcases the region’s best culinary talent and is scheduled to run again from 30 May to 2 June 2025.
Trade-exclusive VIP packages for Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe
Jungfraujoch Top of Europe is a mountain-top tourist attraction on the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch, in Switzerland. The attraction includes a tricable gondola ride, the highest railway in Europe – the Jungfrau Railway, and a tourism facility comprising an indoor Ice Palace with ice sculptures, the Sphinx Observatory and Terrace, a Lindt chocolate shop, a gift store, a multi-media museum, three restaurants, a lounge, and outdoor access to the Jungfraujoch glacial saddle between the Jungfrau and Mönch peaks.
“We now have a very special product that we only sell to trade, and that’s our VIP offer,” says Bott. “It’s a full-day tour hosted by a Jungfrau Railways guide.”
Available from your clients’ hotel in Interlaken or Grindelwald, the package caters to groups of two to eight and includes transfers, access to the VIP Platinum Lounge and refreshments at Grindelwald Terminal, VIP gondola on the Eiger Express with complimentary champagne, tickets to Top of Europe, drinks at the Ice Bar, and a three-course lunch at Restaurant Crystal.
The jewel of Interlaken gets a facelift
Built in 1864, Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa Interlaken completed interior refurbishments and the installation of a new 20-metre outdoor pool last year. The historic five-star property boasts a refreshed two-level kids’ club, 106 junior suites, 110 rooms, a Michelin-star restaurant, and a sprawling 5,500 sqm Spa Nescens, comprising an indoor pool, two whirlpools, alfresco brine bath, sauna complex, steam baths, relaxation room, massage facilities, beauty treatments, gym, indoor tennis courts and personal trainers. Opened in 2022, Radius By Stefan Beer was awarded a Michelin star and a Green star by Michelin Switzerland last year for its unique concept, which sources all ingredients from within a 50 km radius of the hotel.
“What I think is very interesting for luxury travellers, as we know that Christmas markets in Switzerland are quite popular among Australian travellers, Interlaken has started a collaboration with Montreaux’s famous Christmas market to create a market in Interlaken next to Victoria-Jungfrau,” says Bott. “That will operate from 29 November to 22 December and will also have a light installation for visitors to walk through.”
“Interlaken is very well-connected. It’s easy to stay in Interlaken but do day trips with the Golden Pass Express and go to Montreax, go for dinner in Bern, or visit Grindelwald and the Jungfrau,” says Bott.
