Alps trek. Where to start?

I would not rule out the TMB as being "too popular." We did it two years ago during the first couple of weeks of August during the peak holiday season in the EU and about a week before the UTMB and saw fewer people on the actual trail than we'd see on an average day hike of similar difficulty in our area. For the most part, most of the people we saw were close to towns, or near other places to stay, where people were taking day hikes to popular vistas. Other than that, we'd sometimes go an hour plus before running into other groups. It is a fantastic experience and when done with luggage transfers ends up being about 9 really nice and fairly easy day hikes.

I did tour de MTB last year the first two weeks of August right before UTMB. I didn't feel it was too busy. There were times that I had hiked for about an hour (and sometimes 2-3 hours) before I could see a group. I didn't mind running into hikers and chatting with them for a bit. I did a mixed of huts and hotels. I'm not sure if you can do all in hotels though! Enjoy it. It's been my best trip of all time so far!

> Circuit around Mont Blanc
The Tour du Mont Blanc or TMB is quite popular, but the accomodation available can handle it. In fact, the accommodation on any of the popular routes can handle the numbers.

However, I doubt you can have a HOTEL every night. A lot of the accomodation is Gites and Refuges. They have showers, but not private en-suites. You only get hotels in the valleys.

The same would apply to almost ANY alpine walking route. Some hotels in the valleys, but the rest are Gites and Refuges. Note that some of the smaller hotels and almost all of the Gites and Refuges are only open for the summer season. Get there too early and you can have a wee bit of a problem. Been there, done that.

Mind you … some of the Refuges up in the mountains can handle over 100 people per night. The buildings can be rather large – I have seen 3 story 'Refuges'. Walking is quite popular.

You can only get baggage forwarding in some places. Your idea that you can forward your bags from hotel to hotel is a bit optimistic. The hotels do not do this as far as I know, at least not in the mountains. And you can't drive to many of the Refuges, so how you expect that to work I don't know. Some of the tour operators may have an agreement with the Refuges to use their cableways (goods lifts), for a fee.

Cheers

I think your primary obstacle will be finding a company offering luggage forwarding. Not very common in the Alps (most people in your situation would only have day pack and rely on the catering and sleeping accommodation of huts and/or hotels.

On suite private rooms high in the Alps are very exceptional, you’ll thus have to find a route whereby you descend (almost) every night back to a valley (read: a village with hotel accommodation). Again, not a very common approach in the Alps (most people with similar requirements as you have would rather stay in the same hotel and make day hikes in the area).

Have a look at – a part of – the Chamonix–Zermatt haute route aka high route (the summer high route that is, not the winter high route), and consider walking a section of it. E.g. start in the morning from Trient, Switzerland (no hotel in Trient itself) eastwards. If finishing in Zinal (or walking the valley route to Zermatt), if using the cable lift form Le Chable/Verbier and if using the alternative leg via the village of Grimentz, only one night needs to be spend in a hut (= Cabane de Prafleuri).

Plenty of trip reports online. You can most probably book all hotels & hut(s) via email/online. Don’t know of a company offering luggage transfer. Thus consider hiking with a lightweight day pack – plenty of catering options on route – and sending your luggage – wrapped in cellophane – with fresh clothes and other goodies to your hotel in Zermatt/Zinal (Geneva airport has a post office – obviously check opening hours & dates).
Get the ‘Swiss Transfer Ticket’, allowing a return trip: Geneva <-> Zermatt. On route to Zermatt, get off at Martigny and take the bus with destination Trient.
More info: get the Cicerone guidebook (can be purchased as an ebook).

The TMB is, together with the Tour Vanoise, most probably the most popular (read: busy) walking route in the Alps. Personally, I would avoid it at all cost during high season.