A year ago, I would have considered a week's summer holiday in the Swiss Alps as the sort of thing my grandma would do. In fact I think I still have bundles of postcards she sent to me from Switzerland and Austria somewhere. Don't get me wrong, we kids appreciated the boxes of Neapolitan chocolates she brought back with her, I just hadn't realized she was onto such a good thing and I didn't cotton on until my 30s!

WHY AROSA?

I don't always travel alone, but I am used to doing it from time to time, and I knew that I wanted a peaceful resort where I could quietly relax in the evenings, catching up on all the reading I've been meaning to do, without being the conspicuous lone traveller.

BOOKING:

GETTING THERE:

Heathrow airport is large and it can take a while to get around even when it's not very busy so I would advise travellers to get there in plenty of time, even when just travelling to Europe. I would also advise you to get breakfast in the airport as the airline's idea of breakfast on the plane, although complimentary, was a ropey looking Danish pastry and some nasty coffee.

My deal with Kuoni included Fly Rail Luggage Transfer for one piece of luggage per person. For the uninitiated, this will be quite a revelation.

Currently the fly rail scheme operates on flights going through both Zurich and Geneva to almost 30 popular resorts. Transfer times vary from 2 to 6 hours, depending on your final destination. There is definitely an argument for taking early flights, as if you fly late in the day there is a chance that your luggage might not make it until the next morning!

THE FLIGHT:

ARRIVAL & RAIL TRANSFER:

Kuoni provide you with a Swiss Card rail ticket and a list of travel itineraries so you can make your way to the resort at your own pace. The Swiss Card covers the full return journey between the airport and your resort, and also entitles you to a 50% discount on further unlimited trips during your holiday using The Swiss Federal Railway Network, all postal coaches and lake steamers for a maximum of 1 month.

With most trips you need to initially make a short train journey from Zurich Airport to the main Zurich train station. If you need a coffee I recommend you pick one up here as the stuff they sell on the train is rather vile!

Upon arrival at Chur I boarded a narrow gauge railway train which took me up the mountain to Arosa, in the Schanfigger valley. It was not entirely clear how to get to the platform so for the sake of clearing the matter up: you head out of the station and the 'platform' is actually just the road outside the front. It basically is a tram line which the train travels on through Chur, eventually heading up the mountain on more conventional looking tracks! The journey up the mountain is incredible: the train twists its way up and around the mountain and the views of the forests, ravines and waterfalls is breathtaking. As you climb the temperature does start to drop so it's worth having a sweater handy.

The hotel in Arosa, The Sunstar Parkhotel, was located a 10 minute walk from the station. Directions were included in my pack from Kuoni and, having only hand baggage with me, it was an easy journey. Village life in Arosa centres around tourism and there was good signposting for all the major hotels anyway. The staff were friendly and courteous and almost all spoke English, although I did always show willing and try some of my basic German!

The room was a single one, which was fair enough as there was no single supplement to pay. It had a spacious bathroom including a good sized bath (important for a soak after a day's hiking) and a powerful shower. There was a good sized television with a few English language channels, notably BBC World and BBC Prime. A free minibar was included which included bottles of mineral water, beer and orange juice. I had paid extra for a superior room which had a balcony, complete with table and chairs, and faced out towards the forest. Upon reflection I would save myself the £28 or so as the standard rooms were exactly the same inside, minus the balcony, and faced out towards the lakes. A balcony is a nice idea but even in August it can be too cold to sit out for any length of time at that altitude. The room, although comfortable, was not the sort of room you would relax in for any length of time (no comfy chair) but there was an extremely comfortable lounge provided elsewhere.

Meals at the hotel were excellent. Breakfast was a buffet such as you would expect at any international standard hotel. It was the sole reason it took me so long to get out onto the mountains each day! The evening meal (included on the half board deal) was a staggering 5 courses. This consisted of a salad buffet, followed by soup of the day, followed by a starter, followed by main course (a choice of fish, meat or vegetarian dish) and choice of a dessert or a cheese and grape platter. Drinks and coffee were extra but inexpensive. There was a good choice of

Pictures of Kuoni

Sunstar Parkhotel Arosa

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There was free use of the hotel's indoor swimming pool, approximately 20 metres, which had fine views of the pine forest. During the day there were quite a lot of children using the pool so I tended to head there at around 6pm, when they had all gone to dinner and I could have it to myself. Bliss! The hotel also has its own bowling alley, indoor tennis and badminton and a health and beauty spa (all at an additional charge, payable locally).

THE RESORT AND SURROUNDING AREA:

The map indicates to you how many minutes it should take to get from one 'junction' to the next and also marks tourist attractions (like the cheese factory, for example) and mountain huts selling food. This was great as I could plan lunch breaks into my hiking. Some of these huts, particularly the ones near cable car stations, had quite elaborate menus, whilst others were more basic, selling rosti and bratwurste. I found it was a good idea to aim to get to these huts at around 2pm, and have a late lunch, as they did become crowded earlier on. It was also a good idea to pick up some picnic stuff from the village Co-op (more swiss chocolate) as I discovered one of the huts on the map was not actually open in the summer.

Those not really wanting to do full-on hiking will still get a lot out of the area as you can take the cable cars up to the Weisshorn summit (2653m) or the Hornli (2512m) and take in breathtaking views. You can also get off at the intermediate station on the cable car to the Weisshorn and have a nice gentle walk back downhill to the village. Indeed there are gentle lower level trails all around the village. It is also possible to hire mountain bikes from various locations such as the station. Additionally, the Arosa Card entitles you to take the narrow gauge railway several stations downhill to other villages.

A note about livestock: the 'fields' are roped off with cable, rather than fencing, and it's not uncommon for trails to lead you through herds of cattle, all wearing the characteristic cow bells. You really do hear those cow bells wherever you go! For those who are nervous about cattle: these cows are extremely non-plussed and, unlike any cattle I've ever come across in this country, will not even look up at you. 'Gates' are usually just a piece of cable you unhook and then rehook up when you are on the other side.

The tourist office is situated within spitting distance of the hotel, on Poststrasse, where more detailed maps can be obtained for really serious walkers. It's always worth checking the notice board outside the office as there is a list of events in the village due to happen over the next few days. They also tell you what the weather is supposed to do over the coming days and whether there will be any outdoor swimming on the lake.

There's not really much of a nightlife in Arosa during the summer months. I suspect the pace picks up a lot during the winter skiing season, when the resort is swarming with people. There are some restaurants open in the evening during the summer, as well as other hotel restaurants, if you haven't opted for the half board deal. Twice a week there is a water and light show down on the Obersee where the water squirts in time to the music - not overly exciting but worth a wander down the village for a look at. There is a small cinema set-up with some films shown in English, times available from the tourist office.

There's quite a lot to do for kids in the area, although much of this is weather dependent. I did see one or two people bravely pushing buggys over the mountains in the rain but I reckon bad weather would confine most families indoors. If the sun is shining there are plenty of trails aimed at children, such as one where you can feed red squirrels in the forest, or another where you track down the planets of the solar system. There are also farms and working museums, boating and swimming on the lakes and horse riding. If it rains I guess you either put on your kagools and wellies or stick to swimming and bowling at the hotel. If you're lucky there might be a movie on at the cinema.

The weather in Arosa is very changeable. Early in the morning it can easily be 0°C even in August although it really warms up once the sun comes out. I would say that about 2 ½ of the 6 days I spent there were drizzly and the hiking was pretty much in the clouds. It wasn't particularly cold (waterproofs over thin layers were adequate) and the walks were still beautiful. There were a couple of fantastically sunny days when the climate changed completely and it felt like I was walking in the Mediterranean. Some mornings there was snow on the peaks, other mornings there wasn't. You just had to take it as it came. The air is incredibly clean and crisp and I swear I could feel it doing me good regardless of what else the weather was doing.

I really enjoyed this package from Kuoni. It wasn't the cheapest holiday on the high street but I think it was the best value for holidays of this type. I think you get what you pay for, and this delivered everything it promised. All travel arrangements and accommodation were exactly as described and this holiday included so much that I really spent very little cash whilst I was there. I would really recommend this hotel as an establishment which looks after lone travellers (I was by no means the only one) and despite my preconceptions I did not see anyone resembling my granny!

- Take plenty of warmer clothes no matter how warm the rest of Switzerland feels. You may need your hat and gloves even in August! If you wear several layers, you can always peel some off.

- Take some good books. There's not much entertainment in the evenings.