Des Alpes Interlaken - Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Interlaken

We visited Des Alpes around Thursday, 24th July, 8:00 PM. Our experience was a mix of disappointment and eventual recovery, thanks to one attentive individual.

Upon arrival, we stood waiting at the reception, unacknowledged, until the hostess abruptly told us there were no tables and we’d have to sit at the bar table on the left—without so much as a proper greeting or smile. Thankfully, a gentleman who appeared to be the manager noticed us, stepped in, and quickly offered us an outdoor table, which we appreciated.

Once seated, our server brought the cheese fondue—but did not light the burner. As tourists unfamiliar with the setup, we assumed this was normal. Within minutes, the fondue turned cold. I later noticed other tables had visible heat rising from their pots. When I asked the same gentleman about it, he immediately apologized and replaced the burner. He was courteous, responsive, and clearly committed to good service.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the waitress who served us. Having worked in hospitality in London myself, it was very clear she was disengaged and uninterested in the guest experience. She delivered the fondue knowing it wasn’t heated, and made no effort to guide or check on us afterwards. Her indifference cast a shadow on what could have been a great evening.

The fondue itself was delicious once properly heated, and full credit to the man who looked after us—he truly salvaged the night. However, a bit more care, especially from the serving staff, would go a long way in offering tourists the warm Swiss hospitality Interlaken...

I am writing this review after a disappointing dinner experience on September 7, 2024.

The waitress who served our table was quite unfriendly. She lacked courtesy, didn’t offer any recommendations about the menu, and seemed rushed, even looking away while taking our order.

We ordered four fondues and three fish and chips. The fondues served to us contained alcohol, which I had asked the waitress to confirm. She responded rudely, saying, (“It was written in the menu, you should have read that"), and then left. I requested the bill and to speak with the manager, as I did not feel welcomed, especially since my kids were struggling to eat their fish and chips after what happened. The waitress returned two minutes later, saying, (“I informed the manager, and he is too busy to see you now. If you want to talk about the fondue, it was your fault because it was written in the menu"). I simply replied that I would mention this in my review.

To be fair, the fish and chips were not bad, especially the fries, but our dinner was ruined, and the kids couldn’t enjoy their meal.

When serving the dishes, they were not brought out simultaneously, which made some kids eat while others waited.

After our experience, I read other reviews about this restaurant - something that i should have done before going there - and found that our incident was not isolated. Unfortunately, this place has a history of mistreating customers, especially foreigners.

Overall, the fondue experience can be enjoyed elsewhere, where the...

Hi, we visited your restaurant for coffee a few hours ago. Our server was very lovely (we didn’t catch her name, but she had curly hair), and the view was fantastic as well.

However, we had a disappointing experience with another staff member named Fatima. I could let go of how she treated me, but not how she treated my friend. When I politely asked where the toilet was and even greeted her with a “hi,” she answered and rolled her eyes at me. How was I supposed to know where it was? It was my first time visiting the restaurant, and I am still a customer.

Then my friend told me that when she asked for some sugar, Fatima responded in an annoyed tone, saying, “What are you looking for?” and tossed the sugar at her.

I understand that staff can get tired, but in customer service, basic respect should always be shown. I don’t know why she treated us that way. We certainly didn’t do anything to deserve that attitude. We could have reacted in the moment, but we chose not to.

I hope you’ll take the time to check on how your employees are...