Quaint! That's the first word that comes to my mind for Les Pensieres. Located in a 15th century…read morebuilding, as part of the Merieux Foundation, Les Pensieres hosts public health related conferences. We were supposed to meet in Geneva for a meeting. However, the meeting organizers did not realize the fact that the Motor show is happening during the same week. Most hotels in Geneva were sold out, or ridiculously expensive. While the organizers panicked at not being able to get hotel rooms for the attendees, the Merieux Foundation graciously stepped in and agreed to provide a venue for our meeting. So, off we went to Annecy! Don't be fooled by the 15th century old school charm. Les Pensieres boasts of hi-tech facilities with video conferencing capabilities. The rooms are beautifully done, as no room is alike another. Breakfast was glorious with an assortment of cheeses (we are in the Haute-Savoie after all), charcuterie, and breads. Every lunch was an ornate 3 course affair and we tried hard to stay awake for the afternoon meetings. Les Pensieres could be an ideal location if you are vacationing in the Annecy region, but they do not let individuals rent a room to stay. You can only stay if you are part of a public health conference or organization meeting. Too bad, because I would travel to Annecy to stay here for a long weekend.

Absolutely gorgeous lakeside estate setting. It feels like you are in some show on the BBC when…read morestrolling the grounds. I was there for a scientific conference for three days and hated to leave. The food was classically French, with lunch and dinner three course menus that left you happy. The town of Annecy is a very pleasant 6km walk along the lake with many sections comprised of a boardwalk. If you ever get a chance to visit it is well worth it.

This 12th century building feeds a group of preschoolers daily at its large table due to the fact…read morethat they have no other place to eat. This restaurant is on a mountainside next to an old church and serves locally harvested vegetables and homemade sausage. It's near Champfromier where I was working at a local business. I can't say they speak much English but the food had been excellent the two times I have eaten there so far. For an authentic and very fresh meal, I highly recommend it.

An absolutely spectacular retreat! Comfortable rooms, friendly staff who aren't afraid of…read moresnowshoes, and an excellent meat fondue. We overnighted here during a snowshoe weekend above Montreaux. The room was great (in particular, one large mattress instead of two small ones pushed together), and the view out our window spanned Lake Geneva, but the food was probably the high point. For dinner after our Saturday hike, we got the fondue au chaudron --- thin-sliced raw meat, which you cook at the table in a copper cauldron of bouillon (or wine, if you prefer). The meats were beef, veal, and pork; veggies included green beans, carrots, zucchini, and something I think was a parsnip. The four sauces --- mostly mayonnaise-based --- were garlic, Calypso (something like Russian), curry, and Tartar. The house red wasn't anything special, but went fine with the meal. Breakfast (included in the room rate) was simpler, but also excellent --- croissants, whole-grain baguettes, butter, honey, jam, coffee, and orange juice. They had no problem providing decaf ("sans caffeine").

Five Stars is in the context of a traditional Swiss German Restaurant…read more Ambiance, a 10. The place is frozen in the late 1800's with a few updates like an exposed knob and tube electrical system, at least for the dining room lighting. The wait staff are dressed in traditional Haut Valais garb but unlike many places where the outfits seem too theatrical, here they just seem to naturally blend with the place and the aromas of traditional Swiss fare wafting from the kitchen and every table. If you have never eaten a Swiss rösti you must have it here because it is perfectly prepared and absolutely delicious. Once tried you will have your rösti benchmark from which to criticize all others. The meat dishes we ordered, veal, sliced cured local ham, calf's liver, were all delicious with a clean taste that told of locally raised stock. We were driving back to the Goppenstien from Zurich Airport with some tired travelers so we didn't stay for desert but what I saw looked like another trip to Reichenbach would soon be necessary.

The building is very modern and the facilities for cooking, reading and relaxing very nice. The…read morekitchen is large and comes complete with anything needed to prepare a gourmet meal or a snack. The dining room is also large, it accommodates up to 12-15 people with great views of the wilderness and a large green area next door. The rooms are big and beds comfortable. Bathrooms are modern with plenty of hot water and modern fixtures. I especially liked the wood cabinets which warmed up the room. Didier and Beatrice are a lovely couple, very attentive to the needs of their guests. They live next door and are available almost all the time in case they are needed. They are very accommodating to requests and go out of their way to make sure everything that's needed is supplied. The house is lovely, quiet and beautiful. I only had a bit of a problem with the internet connection, but it was quickly resolved. Beatrice let me use her office to connect. The location is lovely, close to Geneva and a short drive to all the skiing areas of the French Alps. I had a lovely time there for 5 days. I didn't have a car which is a must if one wants to get out in the town, but I specifically wanted some time in a quiet place where I could write and relax.