BERGGASTHAUS AESCHER | MOUNTAIN GUEST HOUSE IN THE SWISS ALPS

Is there a more perfect, adrenaline fuelled location to spend a day or two of your winter holiday than the 170-year-old guest house, built into a cliff, up in the Swiss Alps? The Berggasthaus Aescher (“Berggasthaus” means “mountain guest house” in German) is situated below the Ebenalp Cliff which is the northernmost summit of the Appenzell Alps with the amazing Wildkirchli Caves nearby.

The guest house is only a two-hour car trip from Zurich. You can get there by hiking up to it, or, if you are more of a leisurely type of person, take the Ebanalp Gondola (cable car). A word of caution – when you get there, don’t expect to find luxurious accommodation, power showers, soft beds, and fancy room service.

The Berggasthaus Aescher is more like a dormitory with three rooms which have between six and ten mattresses that you put your sleeping bag onto. Should you need blankets, the staff will provide them for you.

The guest house has no conventional showers, and the water comes from the mountain. There is a single toilet, and no Internet or TV. The food is typically Swiss, and you are advised to try a delicious potato dish called ‘Rosti’ (an American version of hash browns).

As for the view, it doesn’t get more spectacular than the one from the Berggasthaus Aescher’s cliffside terraces. The guest house is opened only from May to October.

If you would like to go hiking in the area around the Berggasthaus Aescher, you can book a hiking trip beforehand via website Myswitzerland.com.

Staying at the Berggasthaus Aescher is, by no means, your typical vacation, but definitely an unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience.