My wife and I bought a swiss holday appartment for skiing, the cost of 10 days in a hotel for a family of four was not far off the equivalent to the costs of owning an appartment. After buying it, I had a gut feeling that it would have been about the same to rent an appartment for the year. However since the pound has fallen, renting or hotels would have been a painful option.

Owning a holiday appartment is superb is when you spend 2-4 weeks on holiday.
Also for kids to take their friends out - priceless. Obviously they will trash the place once! I know - I was a teenager - wont do that again.

The romance of getting through the tax system and all the other bureaucracy was made enjoyable and easy by a very helpful bank team and estate agent. (Zweilütschinen Valley / Interlaken)