From lake hikes to ice fishing, sledging and skiing to overnight stays in the „Frutt Lodge“. The „Melchsee Frutt“ has a lot to offer. In this „Ultimate Melchsee Frutt Guide“ you will find everything you need to know about the mountain area.

Pictures and text by Marc Gottwald

Right in Switzerland’s heart sits a magnificent resort famously known as the Melchsee Frutt. This resort is accessed using the national highway A8 that heads towards Sarnen. The Kanonsstrasse leads you to Stockalp Valley Station, from where your adventure begins with a ride on the gondola, which takes you to the Frutt. From the beginning of May to the end of November, a car road also leads to the „Melchsee-Frutt“. The parking fee is about CHF 15 per day.

There are  two seasons to enjoy: summer and winter. The hotel’s opening times are also scheduled according to these seasons. The winter periods usually run from December to April. On the other hand, the summer/Autumn season runs from June to October.

How to access “Melchsee Frutt”

During summer, guests can take their cars up to the “Melchsee-Frutt” Resort scheduled periods during the day and night. However, the street does not allow vehicles during the winter season due to the snow. Guests are always advised to park their cars at Stöckalp and then take the gondola up to the resort. For Hotel guests the staff makes the check-in process easier by transporting luggage to the hotel room.  

1. Hotels and Spas

Apart from the modern furnished “Mountain Lodge” the resort also has a magnificent “Frutt Family Lodge” and Spa with an open-air lounge that offers incredible mountain views.

Hotel Frutt Lodge & Spa

As The Frutt Lodge & Spa is by far the best hotel at Melchsee-Frutt, I want to tell you a bit more about it. The hotel features a clean indoor pool, a spacious sauna area, a steam room, and a hot tub. The dedicated team takes guests also to relaxing massages and wellness treatments.

Apart from the excellent service you will get from the “Frutt Lodge” Spa team your sauna sessions which won’t end before you get served with dried fruits and a variety of fresh teas. This makes the experience even more soothing and relaxing.

There are more saunas found in the “Frutt Family Lodge”. You can access the lodge through an underground tunnel that offers a trek from the mountain lodge.

Activities At “Melchsee Frutt”

Enjoy fun-filled activities and sports that will create a lasting effect on your well-being during your stay at “Melchsee Frutt”. Whether you are old or young, you surely find some activities you will enjoy doing during your stay here.

2. Hiking: My Top Three “Melchsee Frutt Hikes”

In the following I want to show you my favorite hikes at “Melchsee Frutt”. One is a short hike, the other two take a little bit longer. But don’t worry especially in the region around Melchsee and Tannensee you can take a shuttle train back called “Fruttli Zug”.

a. Melchsee Frutt Four lake hike: Melchsee, Blausee, Tannensee, and Engstlensee

The Melchsee Frutt gives hiking a new definition with the great sweat-releasing hiking routes and the beautiful views over the Melchsee, Blausee, Tannensee, and Engstlenensee lakes along the hiking routes. This hike is actually my huge favorite but takes around 4 hours minimum.

Hikers get to enjoy floral splendor along the hiking routes and opportunities to taste various tasty cuisines at the family-friendly restaurant stopovers such as Tannalp near Tannensee, Engstlenalp, and Bonistock. Whether you taste modern delicacies or traditional dishes, these beautiful restaurants will meet all your culinary needs.

If you arrive by public transportation you can also hike from Melchsee-Frutt to the Engstlenensee and then take the bus back from Engstlenalp to Meiringen.

b. Melchsee – Tannalp – Bonistock round hike

What a wonderful  lake hike! It begins and ends at the top of “Melchsee Frutt”. The entire walk usually takes approximately two and a half hours. However, if you want to make it short, you can opt for a train ride from Tannalp back to Melchsee-Frutt with the “Fruttli Zug”, which offers a ride with a fantastic panorama view over the area. The ride will shorten your walking distance hence reduce the time you take to complete your hike by around 45 minutes.

Honestly, the hike from Melchsee via Bonistock to Tannalp is very beautiful and offers great views over Melchsee and Tannensee lake from the splendid Bonistock.

The walk begins at the top station road that leads to Hotel Frutt Lodge and Spa. From there, a panoramic lift offers the family a great view of the Alpine world covered by a massive stretch of snow. On a clear day you can even see the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

You shortly go back and then branching to the right in direction of Bonistock. As you continue ahead, just follow the direct path uphill. This uphill route has a height difference of total 200 meters of altitude.

Beautiful Summer days

During your hike on the way back in Summer you can also enjoy a dip in the Melchsee lake with your friends. The lake is swimming-friendly, so you don’t have to be worried about alligators chasing you out of the waters. Of course, I am joking, in Switzerland we have no alligators in our lakes, except when the media makes some jokes like the one at “Hallwilersee”. But the Melchsee is a lake also for fishing so you can observe a lot of fishers trying their luck.

Of course you can also do the route the other way round, from “Melchsee Frutt – Tannalp – Bonistock – Melchsee Frutt”.

If you will use a train from Tannalp to Melchsee Frutt, you will miss the swim in the “Melchsee”. However, you can enjoy the sight over the Mount Titlis, Obwalden peaks, Tannensee, and Melchsee lakes during your die.

Bonistock

At the Bonistock hotel, you can snack with your friends or family before continuing with the track. You will be pampered by a beautifully prepared meals and desserts that give your taste buds new feelings. Hikers can also decide to spend a night at the “Berghotel Bonnistock” and receive good accommodation services from the friendly and dedicated staff.

Arriving at Tannalp.

The last destination before moving back to “Melchsee Frutt” is “Tannalp”. At arrival, you can re-energize by having well-prepared meals and beverages at the famous Berggasthaus Tannalp. Of course you can eat your menu with amazing panoramic views.

Depending on where you want to take your hiking trip, there are different routes you can take back to “Melchsee Frutt”. Or as I already mentioned the “Fruttli Train”.

c. Melchsee Frutt – Tannalp

If you want to take it easy, you can also hike from “Melchsee-Frutt” to Tannalp and stop at the restaurant there. There is also the possibility of swimming or taking the „Fruttli Train“.

Melchsee Frutt in Winter

“Melchsee-Frutt” in winter offers as well different beautiful activities. Here I want to show you some of my favorites you can do in this mountain resort.

3. Skiing

The resort of “Melchsee-Frutt” has 36km slopes for experienced skiers and also kids who want to learn to ski. Especially the steep area of “Bonistock” is the best area for experienced skiers and snowboarders with a stunning view over the Swiss Alps.

For Freestylers there is the fruttpark.ch with kickers, rails, and boxes. Lastly, the speed freaks prefer using the skicross slope, which provides a mix of fast paced sliders, curves, jumps, and waves. The fruttpark.ch is in the Area of Erzegg.

Furthermore, there are some smaller ski lifts where children can learn to ski.

If you want to check how many slopes are open, you can find it under this link:

4. Sledding 

Whether you are a pro sledder or a beginner, you will enjoy the eight-kilometer sledding route from “Melchsee Frutt” down to Stöckalp. If you have never sledded before, don’t be discouraged, as the resort offers a learning trail that will prepare you for the ultimate sledding experience of your life.

5. Snow Hiking or Snow Shoe Hiking

It is also very worthwhile to visit “Melchsee Frutt” in winter. Especially the snow hike from Melchsee to Tannensee is impressive and attracts many people. If you want to get away from the masses for a while, you can enjoy impressive panoramic views on a snowshoe hike to Erzegg. With good visibility, you can not only see in direction of Meiringen but also the famous “Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau”.

 6. Melchsee Frutt Ice Fishing

Whether you are a parent who wants to teach your kids how to fish or just enjoying some time alone as you try to catch those aquatic creatures, ice fishing will be a fun activity if you like fishing.

The winter season favors fishing more in the far north regions of the resort. At 2000 meters above sea level, one gets to enjoy fishing both in the snow flurries and in the sun. Fishing is also possible on the „Melchse- Frutt“ in summer.

 7. Observing stars 

The Star observing site at Tannalp next to Tannalp lake offers a fantastic sight of the starry night sky thanks to the mountain tops with perfect sizes that block artificial light from the nearby cities. With an astronomical telescope, you can observe stars, other planets, distant galaxies, and nebulae.

Thanks to the Planetenwelt team, guests are treated to an insightful journey into stellar worlds with an introduction to observational astronomy and a thrilling sky watch through a powerful telescope.

The resort also prepares star parties. The parties are all about watching multimedia shows of astronomical wonders. It is also essential to keep in mind that the parties are only for families with kids older than 8 years old and other groups with an idea of what star observing is all about.

Conclusion about Melchsee Frutt

The mountain resort Melchsee-Frutt features, a wide variety of great activities to do, delicious restaurants to try and with the “Frutt Lodge” a great hotel to stay. It is guaranteed to have a great vacation here, but it’s also a perfect destination for a day trip. The location offers beautiful scenery and serenity needed to relax the mind and breathe in fresh unpolluted air.

Furthermore, the tranquility provides a suitable environment for writers and meditation lovers who also love to experience the feeling of being one with nature. The “Melchsee Frutt” is a family-friendly place to visit with your loved ones. It is even one of the places you can recommend to your friends who may have no idea of where to visit when planning the next vacation or day trip.