Lodging

You almost can’t go wrong picking a hotel; the only thing to consider is location. The closer you are to the center of town, the easier it is to get home at night.

For the best Zermatt has to offer, head for the Zermatterhof (027-966-6600; fax 027-966-6699; €€€), the Mont Cervin Palace (027-966-8888; fax 027-966-8899; €€€) or the Riffelalp Resort 2222 (027-966-0555; fax 027-966-0550; €€€; photo above right). All with most facilities one can think of including health clubs, sauna, hot tubs and indoor swimming pools.

The most charming is Hotel Monte Rosa (027-966-0333; fax 027-966-0330; €€€), one of the grand hotels in the center with access to one of the best pools in town.

The second group and slightly less expensive includes the Hotel Nicoletta (027-966-0777; fax 027-966-0788; €€–€€€) with its roof-top bar, the Schweizerhof (027-966-0000; fax 027-966-0066; €€–€€€; photo below left) with numerous restaurants and the Hotel Alex (027-966-7070; fax 027-966-7090; €€–€€€; photo bottom right). The Alex is a favorite with its indoor swimming pool, indoor tennis, squash, health club, sauna and grill room.

The next group includes:
Hotel Walliserhof (027-966-6555; fax 027- 966-6550; €€) First-class rustic lodgings with top restaurant.

Hotel Butterfly (027-966-4166; fax 027-966-4165; €€) In the center of town, whirlpool and fitness room.

Hotel Garni Simi (027-966-4600; fax 027-966-4605; €; photo left) Same owner as Furi restaurant.

Hotel de la Poste (027-967-1931; fax 027-967-1909; €–€€) If you can stand the activity and noise, the funkiest hotel in Zermatt (if not the whole ski universe) which really deserves a chapter to itself.

Hotel Gornergrat (027-966-3920; fax 027-966-3925; €) A fairly modern hotel in the heart of Zermatt across the street from the train station.

Hotel Alpenhof (027-966-5555; fax 027-966-5556; €€) By all reports one of the best hotels in town. A chalet-style hotel just across from the main Sunnegga lift and only minutes from the center of town.

Hotel Admiral (027-966-9000; fax 027-966-9009; €€) Shares the pool with the nearby Christiania. Most who have stayed here have nothing but praise for the place.

Alphubel (027-967-3003; fax 027-967-6684; €) A relatively small, two-star hotel in the middle of Zermatt.

Hotel Style, formerly the Hotel Biner, (027-966-5666; fax 027-966-5667; €) now sets the pace for home-style comfort. Downstairs you can pamper yourself in a heated pool and sauna.

More economical:
Hotel Burgener (027-967-1020; fax 027-967-5579; €) Traditional and rustic.

Testa Grigia (027-966-7900; fax 027-966-7901; €) This is a bed & breakfast.

There are countless hotels in Zermatt and there are not any bad choices. Check out the B&B rate since one of the highlights of visiting Zermatt is the restaurants. This insures you won’t be tied down to eating dinner every night in the same hotel.

Ski Chalets: Inghams/Bladon. Click here for more information on ski chalets.

Apartments, condominiums, flats
Apartments are the best choice if you really want to save money in Zermatt. Not only will it cost substantially less but you will have room to spread out, the facilities of a kitchen and the option of staying home for dinner and relaxing.

A well-organized rental system offers apartments for more than 6,500 people a night. Write to the tourist office and ask for a list of apartments available when you plan to be in Zermatt. Include your needs, such as the number of people in your party. The office will send a listing of available apartments and a map showing their locations. Select the apartment you want and correspond directly with the apartment owner or the tourist office.

The apartments normally include bed linen, towels and cooking utensils. A visitor’s tax is added, and there may be an extra charge for the electricity and heat.

Expect to pay €23 to €43 per person a night, depending on the number of people sharing the apartment and its location.