Bertol Hut — Local services in Evolène

I stayed in the winter room at the Bertol Hut with my 19 year old son and our guide as a stop off on the Haute Route. The main reception and kitchen were closed so we were billeted downstairs in a cozy wood lined kitchen/dorm. There were 25 bunk spaces and 4 seats at the table so it was a mercy no one else showed up!|Facilities were basic(as you’d expect for a winter room) but the location and views were hard to beat- utterly spectacular. That said , to get the views you need to walk up a pretty steep path ( if coming from Arolla) and then go up some steep glaciated snow slopes, some fixed ladders over a Rocky outcrop and then a fairly long vertical ladder to reach the hut itself. Not the place for those who don’t like heights.|I’ve given it 5 stars not for the level of comfort(we had to melt snow for water and a shared dorm can’t compare with a five star hotel room) but for the sensational location and the sense of privilege felt in staying in such a remote and unspoilt location.|And also for the toilets. Taking an alfresco leak at 3300m with views over the glacier is highly recommended. Just don’t trip on the way back in: it’s a...

I stayed in the winter room at the Bertol Hut with my 19 year old son and our guide as a stop off on the Haute Route. The main reception and kitchen were closed so we were billeted downstairs in a cozy wood lined kitchen/dorm. There were 25 bunk spaces and 4 seats at the table so it was a mercy no one else showed up!|Facilities were basic(as you’d expect for a winter room) but the location and views were hard to beat- utterly spectacular. That said , to get the views you need to walk up a pretty steep path ( if coming from Arolla) and then go up some steep glaciated snow slopes, some fixed ladders over a Rocky outcrop and then a fairly long vertical ladder to reach the hut itself. Not the place for those who don’t like heights.|I’ve given it 5 stars not for the level of comfort(we had to melt snow for water and a shared dorm can’t compare with a five star hotel room) but for the sensational location and the sense of privilege felt in staying in such a remote and unspoilt location.|And also for the toilets. Taking an alfresco leak at 3300m with views over the glacier is highly recommended. Just don’t trip on the way back in: it’s a...

Stayed there as our last part of the Haute Route. This hut is unusual in its location compared to most huts in such that you need mountaineering experience to get to and from it. It is perched high (3300m) on an exposed rock and requires scrambling, glacier traversing (and ladders to climb on 1 side). Once there though the lady who runs the place is very friendly. The food was good and the accomodation is not bad given the location, due t the location and shape of the hut the windows in the dorms are minimum and those in the back of the dorm are very much in the pitch dark. But then you're there to sleep :) The place was clean and I liked the bedding - very colourful! The common dining room had an extensive mountain books library and had some cards and boardgames. Would definitely go there again, even just for the sunset views. As mentioned below by others the WC is outside and is reached via an exposed metal grated walk bridge which is around the hut. This is not for those with vertigo, but then I doubt anyone with severe vertigo with ever even be able to get...