Restaurant Le Soliat : Creux-du-Van, 2108 Val-de-Travers

Very, very bad hygiene and high prices. They are doing the dishes in still, dirty water, no dishwasher. Discusting and dangerous...

We stopped to have a beer and a cup of tea and we loved the atmosphere. We didn’t order anything else but some ppl were having fondue 🫕. So recommended, specially if it get’s chilly and rainy. The staff was very kind with us and they even have WiFi, free small Swiss chocolates and two floors. A go-to after having walked for a while.

I got caught in a really bad hail and rain storm and found Le soliat to be open on a Tuesday ! I entered through the door with my last step and nerve. It was definitely the most characteristic and rustic of the chalets I’ve stopped in. Walking around, you can feel every step pressing into the wooden boards, but don’t worry, I didn’t fall through😉. There are two floors. I chose to dine upstairs, as the downstairs main room is very large so I left it to groups. The upstairs was much more quaint and cozy for a solo hiker like myself. There are a few lamps but most of the light comes from the small windows around the building. There were fireplaces in the main room. There are outlets upstairs AND WIFI. More than I could’ve asked. They cook the traditional Swiss dishes in the kitchen but also sell many artisanal goods like local beers, tartes, farm eggs, bread, chips and other farm items. Around noon, there was a rush of German hiking groups. I heard workers speaking Dutch, Spanish, French, and some English. They provide beds for rent in the property next door. Their only downfall is that they are more expensive than other chalets I’ve passed. 17,90 CHF for a beer, cafe, Pringle’s, and a plum tarte They accept cash OR a local money transfer called Twint