Swiss Chalet Near the Largest Glacier in the Alps Riederalp Vacation Rental by Owner Listing 124265

Haus Montanara

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Location: Riederalp, Switzerland, Europe (Aletsch region near Riederalp/Bettmeralp ski areas)

Accommodations:  Apartment, 1 Bedroom + Other (See Description), 1 Bath (Sleeps 4)

Imagine the perfect vacation:

One or more weeks of complete relaxation in the Swiss Alps.
Quiet motor vehicle-free rustic village with unique access by Riederalp aerial tram or by car to the edge of the village.
Stunning view of the major scenic wonders that define Switzerland.
Physical rejuvenation: walking, hiking, climbing, skiing, golfing, swimming, etc.
Gourmet dining.
A home base for sight seeing in Switzerland and central Europe.
Find all this and more at Ferienhaus Montanara!

Haus Montanara is located in the southern Swiss Alps, in the canton of Wallis/Valais, on a sunny south-facing hillside above the Rhone River, at the mid-station of the cable car route from Mörel to the Riederalp/Bettmeralp resort. Continue to the top, and a short walk will take you to the Aletsch Glacier, the largest in the Alps at 15 miles/24 kilometres long! The house was built in the traditional chalet style of the region, with totally modern amenities. Our comfortable 1-bedroom/1-bathroom vacation apartment offers a kitchenette and beds for up to 4 guests. Step onto the private balcony for spectacular mountain and valley views. Great hiking, climbing, and skiing "in a pastoral alpine setting" are just outside the door. Please browse our website (See Link Below) for more pictures of the Aletsch Glacier region, the village of Greich, and of course, our accommodations.

Many of the structures in the tiny village of Greich date to the 1600's. Haus Montanara was built in 1987 by a local man who appreciated the charm of the centuries-old buildings in this village and was careful to make his new home blend in seamlessly. After he died, Haus Montanara was bought by 4 families in the United States, 2 of which have Swiss citizenship. The main floor is used by the owners as a personal vacation house. The lower level apartment is rented permanently. The vacation rental is on the top floor.

NOTE: Please see our website link below for many pictures, maps, public transport options and timetables, area recommendations, links, etc. Our website links back to VRBO for renter comments and reservations.

Vacation Rental Features

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• Amenities
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Linens Provided
  • Off Street Parking: Parking is at the edge of the vehicle free village, for a small daily fee.
• Beds
  • Queen Bed
  • Murphy Bed (2)
• Kitchen
  • Full Kitchen
  • Cooking Utensils Provided
  • Refrigerator
  • Microwave
• Outdoor Features
  • Charcoal BBQ Grill
  • Deck/Patio
  • Balcony
• View/Location
  • Mountain View: Overlooks the Rhone valley and 14000 ft mountains.
  • Ski-In: When there is enough snow, you can ski directly from the ski area above all the way to our house. The cable-car to the ski area is a few minute walk from the house.
• Communications
  • Telephone: Has US telephone number using VOIP technology for free telephone use!
  • Free Long Distance: Free to US/Canada and all central Europe.
  • Broadband Internet: via WiFi
  • WiFi (Wireless Internet): Free. No computer provided but accessible from your own laptop.
• Suitability
  • No Pets Allowed
  • Smoking Not Allowed
• Activities (on site and nearby)
  • Golf
  • Tennis
  • Sightseeing
  • Restaurants
  • Swimming
  • Mountain Biking
  • Cross Country Skiing
  • Downhill/Alpine Skiing
  • Snowboarding
  • Sledding/Tubing
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • Hiking
  • Fishing
  • Health/Beauty Spa
  • Museums
  • Miniature golf

Rate Details (In US Dollars)

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Personal Currency Assistant™

Low  Season .. $500/week.  $100/day (3 night minimum).
High Season .. $650/week.  $150/day (3 night minimum).
Rates Do Not Include Local Tourist Nightly Tax of Approximately $1.50/Guest/Night.
Rates Include Apartment Rental, Utilities, Cleaning, Free Wifi and Phone.
See our website for specific up-to-date rate information.

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.

Property Photos

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Guest Comments (17)

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• 08/09/09
  Positive Rating
  Rich and Nola , Sacramento, CA
  • What a beautiful place! Haus Montanara is situated on a fairly steep slope with a great view of the valley floor, the city of Brig, and of the surrounding mountains. This is the perfect place to "get away" from it all. The village consists of 20 or so inhabitants; the drive to the village from the valley floor takes about 20 minutes through numerous switchbacks; cows wander freely (how cool to hear the tinkling cowbells). Yet one can take the tram (or hike) to the top of the mountain for contemporary shopping in the small ski village. Accommodations were good and Alice the caretaker was friendly. Owners are very helpful and friendly as well. Highly recommended.
• 07/03/09
  Positive Rating
  Adrienne Spinozzi and Kevin Gick , Brooklyn, NY
  • We stayed at Haus Montanara for 4 nights in mid- June and it was incredible. Everything about our stay in Greich was pleasurable, from the beautiful views from both the deck and out the bedroom windows, to the comfortable and clean beds. Marcus and Emily have thought of everything you could possibly need and we enjoyed coffee in the morning and dinner at night on the deck. It is the perfect place to stay for a true getaway--easy to get to, but out of the way enough so you can enjoy privacy and the surroundings pretty much on your own. Alice, the housekeeper, is lovely and very helpful should you need anything. We will most certainly be back at some point. Thanks for making our trip so exceptional!
• 10/03/08
  Positive Rating
  kal and Connie Chun , Nipomo,CA
  • we spent 4days here in early October 2008. What an awesome place to unwind! There were many beautiful flowers, a cool fresh breeze and we loved hearing the cowbells echo across the valley. We easily caught the train to montreaux to ride the chocolate train one day, and everyone was very friendly and helpful. It got colder every day and I'm glad I brought long underwear! I highly recommend haus montanara! Alice the caretaker was very sweet and helpful too- especially when we couldn't figure out how to run the washer and dryer.
• 09/06/08
  Positive Rating
  Tracy , Virginia, USA
  • I spent a week at the chalet with my 11-year-old. We loved it! After three weeks of traveling in Europe, it was just what we needed: a quiet, beautiful, peaceful place. We enjoyed hiking and biking. My son loved the playgrounds and activities for kids and the wonderful water park in Brig. It was a wonderful place to be "unplugged."
• 09/02/08
  Positive Rating
  , Toronto, ON
  • We spent 3 wonderful days at Haus Montanara in August with our 2 teenage sons. Accomodations exactly as described - comfortable and neat with amazing views in all directions. Very quiet. We enjoyed taking the cable car up to Riederalp to hike/bike for the day. Drive up from Morel to Greich is not for the faint of heart... would suggest parking at Morel and taking cable car up if have any fears of heights!! Owner very accomodating, easy to make arrangements with. Would recommend this accomodation.
• 09/02/08
  Positive Rating
  , Toronto, Ontario
  • We stayed in Aug 08 with our 2 teenage sons. Quiet, stunningly beautiful. We loved travelling up to Riederalp on the cable car and hiking/biking from there. Accomodation was perfect, as described in the advert. Owner very accomodating - easy to work with and offering suggestions prior to trip. Drive from Morel to Greich (town at bottom of hill) is not for the faint of heart - may suggest parking at base and riding cable car to Greich if you have any fear of heights! Would certainly recommend this accomodation.
• 06/11/08
  Positive Rating
  Roseanne & George McNeill , Ottawa, Ontario
  • We spent a wonderful week at Montanara, May 18 to 25, 2008. The chalet was very clean, well-equipped and comfortable. The village people were so friendly and welcoming. Views across the valley and mountains were outstanding. The cherry blossoms were beautiful, and the myriad wildflowers everywhere. We enjoyed the local walks with varying degrees of challenge. The local trains are so efficient and easy that a car is not necessary. The aerial tram to Greich was no trouble at all. There are no food stores open on Sunday, however, if you arrive that day. Our week flew by too fast, and we hope we can return soon.
• 05/10/08
  Positive Rating
  Chris Kernick , Milan
  • Stayed a few days in February. House is very accessible from Milan by main line train to Brig then on the mountain line to Morel, then cable car once an hour. Less than 3 hours door to door. The apartment is small but very well designed and suited well for 2 adults + 2 children. Area is beautiful; even in winter there are walking trails specially groomed on the snow above Aletsch Glacier. Good ski-school at Riederalp. Also a good range of ski runs plus nordic. Saturday is a bit manic as virtually the whole of Riederalp is either leaving or arriving- this would be a problem as the cable car fills up, but easy enough to work around either by change out on a different day or get away promptly in the morning. The villiage is very quiet- ideal for a young family or just to savour the tranquility of this fantastic place. And if you do want to party a bit, well Riederalp is just a few minutes away on the cable car.
• 04/25/08
  Positive Rating
  Victoria and Paul , Birmingham, UK
  • We stayed in Haus Montanara for a few days in April with our two children, 3 yrs and 18 months. After the skiing season and before the summer, it was very quiet, which suited us well, and the weather was kind. It was beautiful up on top in the snow, and the views from the chalet itself were breathtaking. Inevitably, we didn't travel too far with the little ones in tow, but did manage some hiking and sledging, which made for a delightful family holiday. Car-free Greich was a perfect place for toddlers to run around and explore, with far more freedom than they can enjoy in a big city! We'd love to return, and I'd recommend Haus Montanara to anyone looking for a quiet getaway in this stunning part of Switzerland.
• 04/23/08
  Positive Rating
  Mary Browne , Chicago, IL
  • Our week long stay at Haus Montanara was extremely relaxing and everything that we hoped it would be!!! We would highly recommend staying here to anyone looking for a more authentic Swiss Alp experience at a very nice chalet with beautiful views, located in a picturesque mountain village. The people were friendly, the food was great, and we enjoyed skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking around the mountains right outside the doorstep. The skiing was incredible; long runs and access to a huge area with breathtaking views of the Matterhorn in the distance on clear days. Hiking/snowshoeing was equally fun, with the awesome Aletsch glacier (the largest glacier in the Alps) at the top of the mountain! Montanara was the perfect, relaxing place to stay while exploring and enjoying this unique area of Switzerland. Our stay made us realize just how much Switzerland has to offer year round, and we would love to return to Montanara during the summer (or any time of year, of course)! Owners are VERY helpful and friendly also!

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