A Swiss town has launched a “Bike Hotel” certification scheme to cater for cycling-mad tourists visiting the region.
This summer, visitors to the town of Gstaad in Switzerland will be able to choose from a range of hotels that guarantee to take care of cyclists and their bicycles during their stay.
The hotels currently certified under the scheme guarantee to provide lockable storage, a bike repair service, tools and cleaning kits, laundry services for sweaty riders and staff members knowledgeable about the cycling routes in the region.
Bikers can also expect cycling-themed hotel packages including additional services such as special packed lunches, ‘après-bike snacks’ and wellness facilities.
Ten hotels in the town are currently certified “Bike Hotels” under the scheme.
The Alpine town of Gstaad is one of the most popular ski regions in Switzerland in winter and offers stunning walking and cycling routes around its mountains, valleys and lakes in summer.
Tourist authorities say that there are some 500 kilometers of GPS tracks available to mountain bikers around the town, and around 150 kilometers of tracks that are signposted.
Cycling is proving to be a popular pastime this summer, with several hotels pushing cycling-related services or packages.
For those unable to get out of the city, a swathe of bike sharing schemes has hit global cities this year, such as those in Denver, Colorado, Valence in France, Mumbai in India and Mexico City, as well as one in London , which will launch on July 30.
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