In past years, I had stayed in moderately priced inns and hotels in the valleys and made day trips on foot to the mountains. On those outings, I'd noticed sturdy but charming mountain huts and pensions high in the mountains, and was amazed to learn how cheap they were. Other hikers explained that you could hike from hut to hut with ease in a day. So last summer, I decided to experience them firsthand. The trick is an extensive network of inexpensive mountain huts and inns that offer room and board to hikers for decidedly un-Swiss prices.
Mountain inns offer a bit more pampering.
Reservations are recommended, but often not crucial, in the peak summer months of July and August. For starters, nowhere else but the Alps will you find so many soaring, awe-inspiring peaks in such a compact area. And in Switzerland, the world capital of tidiness and organization, hiking is especially pleasant thanks to a wealth of clearly marked trails, plus an extensive system of ski lifts, cog railways, post buses, and other means of conveyance to supplement your two feet or to give you a lift if you're feeling pooped. Unless otherwise noted, prices quoted for the huts and inns are for lodging for one adult including breakfast and dinner. Membership in any mountain club is usually sufficient for SAC rate eligibility.