From fellow hikers I recalled several speaking of Saas Fee as a great location for hiking. I decided to spend four days hiking in the Saas Fee region. Saas Fee sits at 6200 ft elevation in a narrow valley with peaks climbing 8-9,000 ft on all sides. The views are majestic. This 19th century village filled with Swiss huts is part of the delightful culture of the region.

Although, there were many lodging selections, I wanted to stay at a hotel that provided breakfast and offered dinner -- at a reasonable price. Hotel Marmotte is located in a quiet area toward the far end of the village. Each room offers a balcony with spectacular views of the Alps in 3 directions. They are also adding a Swedish sauna.

Under new local management, the hotel has been gutted and remodeled quite nicely. The breakfasts were excellent and the 5-course meals at night - complete with dessert and expresso - left me wondering how I would hike the meal off the next day. And the salads... more