Renting a forest refuge or hall for a child's birthday in Switzerland

Why choose a forest refuge or community hall?

The first reason is budget. A refuge rented for CHF 150 a day works out at under CHF 10 per child for 20 guests, while most ready-made party activities charge per head. The second is space: most refuges hold 30 to 70 people, and the Refuge Charlotte-Olivier 2 in Sauvabelin about 100, so you can invite the whole class, siblings and parents. And the place is yours for the day: at the Refuge des Saugealles in Lausanne, the rental runs from 9:00 to 8:45 the next morning.

Some municipalities and parishes even have a children's birthday rate. In Satigny, the hamlet halls cost CHF 80 on Wednesday afternoons, Les Evaux in Onex CHF 100, and the Petit-Saconnex parish hall CHF 150 for a birthday for ages 1 to 12. Scout huts are another option: the Cabane des scouts GSFM in Marly hosts 40 people with a kitchen, terrace and playground, and the Pfadihaus Muttenz costs CHF 300 a day.

A refuge gives you the setting, not the entertainment. For a great party, add a children's entertainer, magician or clown who travels to you, and order the cake: on KidsConfetti, one free request goes to up to 3 providers per category.

Vaud: more than 70 refuges and halls

With 78 listings, including 43 forest refuges, Vaud has the widest choice. In Lausanne, the Refuge des Saugealles in the Jorat woods costs CHF 250 for Lausanne residents and CHF 350 for others, with free firewood. The heated, step-free Refuge Charlotte-Olivier 2 costs residents CHF 230 on weekdays and CHF 300 at weekends (CHF 280 and 350 for non-residents). The Refuge du Grand-Jorat in Carrouge costs CHF 100 a day, CHF 50 for residents, but closes from November to April. Among the cheapest are the Refuge de Daillens (CHF 60 for residents, CHF 120 for others) and the Refuge Les Daillettes in Bussigny (CHF 110 flat, residents only).

For halls, Vully-les-Lacs rents its community halls for CHF 100 a day to residents and CHF 200 to others. The Salle Jéricho at the Chavannes-Epenex parish centre, for 30 people, costs CHF 120 for two hours and suits a child's birthday well. In Lausanne, the Espace Martin Luther King under the Saint-Laurent church is CHF 110 per half day, the Belmont parish house CHF 130 per day, and the Caveau Scanavin in Vevey CHF 150.

Geneva: community and parish halls

In Geneva, the 30 listings are mostly community halls (25) and parish halls (4). Several are aimed squarely at children: the Montfleury, Peissy, Bourdigny, Choully and La Boverie halls in Satigny cost CHF 80 for a birthday on Wednesday afternoon (residents only). The Chalet rustique des Evaux in Onex offers CHF 100 on Wednesdays from 13:30 to 18:00 for children up to 12, with free use of the park play areas.

Protestant parishes have their own packages: CHF 120 in Versoix (13:00–19:00, up to age 12), CHF 150 in Petit-Saconnex, and CHF 200 for four hours in Carouge or an afternoon in Veyrier. In Lancy, the Salle Annevelle costs residents CHF 100 and others CHF 200 until the end of 2026, then CHF 150 and 300. In Bernex, the Salle des sociétés de Luchepelet costs CHF 165, or CHF 82.50 at the communal rate, booked online at least 45 days ahead.

Fribourg, Valais, Neuchâtel and Jura

These cantons have 41 listings: 23 in Valais, 11 in Fribourg, 5 in Neuchâtel and 2 in Jura. In Valais, shelters (couverts) are often seasonal and very cheap: in Saxon, the Couvert Luizet costs CHF 40 for residents and CHF 80 for others, and the Couvert de Plan-Bot, for 100 people, CHF 100 and 200, from May to September. The Alpage du Planard on the Mont Chemin hosts birthdays for CHF 150 on weekdays and CHF 250 on Saturday or Sunday. Above Sion, the Couvert du Clourot is CHF 200 Monday to Thursday and CHF 300 Friday to Sunday.

In canton Fribourg, the Murtenholzhütte in Murten, with a playground, costs CHF 77 for residents and CHF 107 for others, the La Tour-de-Trême parish hall CHF 150 a day and the Cabane des Verdières CHF 160. In Neuchâtel, the Abri des Trois Tilleuls costs CHF 100 per period or CHF 150 for the whole day. In Jura, the Cabane La Chouette above Delémont costs CHF 80 including a basket of firewood, and the Cabane des Chaives-Vies CHF 30 for Courrendlin burghers and CHF 50 for others.

Bern, Solothurn and Aargau

These three cantons have 37 listings (24 in Bern, 8 in Aargau, 5 in Solothurn), mostly forest huts owned by burgher communities. The Waldhütte Schlosshubel in Langenthal costs CHF 90 a day including WC and firewood, and the Schwand-Hütte in Steffisburg CHF 80. The Waldhütte Spilwald in Frauenkappelen is CHF 150 excluding VAT, CHF 100 for residents. In the city of Bern, Träff 23 rents its room for CHF 150 a day (CHF 90 for local tenants), and the Pfadiheim Steigrüebli in Ostermundigen costs CHF 290 per 24 hours, CHF 150 for residents.

In Solothurn, the Waldhaus Subingen costs CHF 200 for up to 40 people and is open to non-residents; the Waldhaus Solothurn in Luterbach CHF 150 for an afternoon or evening. In Aargau, the Waldhütte Fröschenteich in Wohlen costs CHF 160 including firewood, and the Forsthaus Muntel in Wettingen CHF 190 Monday to Thursday and CHF 250 at weekends. In Aarau, the Waldhaus Gönhard costs CHF 260, but non-residents must also pay a hut warden at CHF 35 per hour.

Zurich and eastern Switzerland

Canton Zurich has 50 listings, and eastern Switzerland 21 more (Thurgau 9, Schaffhausen 7, Graubünden 2, and one each in St. Gallen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Glarus). In the city of Zurich, the small Waldhütte Binz in Witikon costs CHF 110 for 10 to 15 people, the Waldhütte Hasenrain CHF 290. The community centres (GZ) clearly target children: Saal 20 at GZ Wollishofen costs CHF 150 for a children's birthday from 13:00 to 18:00, Clubraum 1 at GZ Affoltern CHF 60 on Wednesday afternoons, and the Aktionsraum at GZ Oerlikon, with toys, a slide and a climbing wall, CHF 40 per hour. In Winterthur, the Güetli Pavillon costs CHF 200, and only CHF 50 in winter.

In Thurgau, the Heidelberghütte in Aadorf costs CHF 90 for residents and CHF 130 for others, and the Pfadiheim Arbon CHF 190 a day. In Schaffhausen, the Pergola Engeweiher, next to a playground, costs CHF 220 including firewood (May to September, Friday to Sunday). In Chur, the Bärenhütte rents for CHF 270 and is closed from November to March.

Basel and central Switzerland

Basel-Stadt (12) and Basel-Landschaft (15) have 27 listings between them. LoLa in St. Johann is designed for children's birthdays: CHF 100 per half day for neighbourhood residents, CHF 120 for others. The Kasernentreff in Kleinbasel now also hosts children's birthdays on Saturdays. In Therwil, the Blockhütte Froloo has a kids' birthday rate of CHF 100 for an afternoon, Monday to Thursday. The Eisweiherhütte in Riehen costs CHF 250 but is reserved for Riehen residents.

Central Switzerland has 22 listings (Zug 9, Lucerne 8, Schwyz 3, Uri 2). In Zug, the Quartiertreff Riedmatt rents a weekend slot for CHF 80 and a full day for CHF 200. The Waldhütte Sibrisboden in Unterägeri costs CHF 245 including firewood, and the Hockerhütte in Beromünster CHF 300. In Horw, the local corporation offers three shelter huts for 20 to 35 people that welcome birthdays, with prices on request.

Ticino: patriziato mountain huts

In Ticino, KidsConfetti lists three mountain huts owned by patriziati, all reached on foot. The Capanna Neveggio, at 940 m above Sant'Antonino, costs CHF 7 per adult for day use, half price for under-16s, minimum CHF 50. The Capanna Cremorasco above Camorino and the Capanna Mognone above Sementina open from spring to autumn; their party rates are in a separate price list.

Residents, bookings, keys and cleaning: what to know

About 90 listings publish a separate rate for residents, burghers or parish members, and around 30 are reserved for residents only, for example in Satigny, Jussy, Epalinges, Gland, Bussigny, Givisiez, Bassersdorf and Dietlikon. Some accept a non-resident sponsored by a resident, such as the Refuge du Laviau in Saint-Sulpice or the Cabane des Bois de Ban in Ballens. Several require an adult renter: over 25 at the Refuge de Chanoz Brocard in Lutry.

For a Saturday, book months ahead. At the Couvert du Bochet, residents can book up to 9 months ahead and others 3 months; Ecublens and Giez open bookings 6 months ahead; Bernex requires at least 45 days and Lancy 2 months for non-residents. Check the season too: many refuges and shelters close in winter, such as the Refuge de Daillens (November to mid-April) or La Barillette above Saint-Cergue (open May to October).

Read the rules: key handover (in Eclépens at 9:00, returned at 8:00 the next day), deposit (CHF 100 in Epalinges, CHF 300 in Lutry), cleaning (optional CHF 120 to 150 at the Waldhütte Ziegelhöhe), firewood (free at Les Saugealles, CHF 20 a crate in Münchenbuchsee, bring charcoal in Veytaux). Some refuges have no dishes, water or electricity, like the forest refuge in Pompaples. For a rain plan, pick a heated refuge with a proper room, such as Charlotte-Olivier, rather than an open shelter.