Zermatt, Switzerland is home to one of the most famous mountains…The Matterhorn!  Famous so much, Disney designed one of their rides after this Swiss Alps Peak.  Zermatt was one of the most lovely ski villages we had been to.  The car-less streets are lined with boutiques, restaurants, chocolate shops and bakeries.  It’s a year-round village that attracts hikers and skiers from all over the world.  The region called “Matterhorn glacier paradise” is Europe’s largest and highest lying summer skiing region. Numerous national ski teams train here in the summer. The region is legendary amongst mountaineers: the Haute Route, a challenging international route that takes several days to complete, leads from Mont Blanc to Zermatt. We visited Mont Blanc this past summer – post HERE.

We LOVED Zermatt and can’t wait to go back and enjoy more après !

Tips before you go:

• Getting to Zermatt is a little tricky with its location in the Alps.  Don’t let that stop you from taking the train ride to get there…its stunning!
  • 3 – 3.5 hours from Zurich and Milan
  • 4 hours from Geneva
• Zermatt is car-less, so you have to take the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn in Visp or Täsch.
• You are in Switzerland, so be prepared for the higher prices.  Its worth it !
• Take the Gornergrat Bahn railway up to the glacier to witness beautiful views.
• Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is the highest cable car station that takes you 3,883 m to the top overlooking The Matterhorn.

Accommodations

Backstage Hotel

We found Backstage Hotel while browsing CN Traveler.  Luckily for us – there was availability!  The only room that was available was  the “Family” Cube/ Room which exceeded our expectations – the room was one of the biggest hotel rooms we had stayed in Europe! In addition to the main room with seating area, there was also another small room with bunk beds and a second bathroom.  Our favorite part of the room was the balcony that over looked the Jacuzzi and the spas that were complimentary to all guests.  We enjoyed sitting out on the balcony enjoying the views and sipping on wine we brought from Italy.  The complimentary breakfast was fantastic – the croissants were some of the best croissants that we’ve had – so fresh ! The staff was so friendly and made our stay that much more enjoyable.  We would highly recommend staying at Backstage Hotel !!

Unique Hotel Post

Another hotel we were looking into was Unique Hotel Post.  There wasn’t availability so we didn’t get to experience the “hotel” portion of the building. We did spend quite a lot of time there though – dinned at two restaurants (The Factory and Brown Cow Pub) and also had some drinks at Papa Caesar and Broken Bar.  The owner of the hotel did a fantastic job at utilizing the space to create unique environments for people to enjoy.  We would also recommend staying here due to the design of the hotel, the amenities and the central location.  It’s hard to leave the place that has 4 restaurants and 5 bars and clubs.  The only thing they don’t have are the slopes…those are just minutes away !

Restaurants

Brown Cow Pub

Located in Unique Hotel Post, Brown Cow Pub is known for their burgers and a good time! Though we didn’t have the burgers, we can confirm that their vegetable soup is delicious.  We came back twice for lunch since we enjoyed it so much! The have a great selection of beers on tap along with wine and warm beverages.  Be sure to check this spot out if you are craving a hearty or light meal.

The Factory

Also located in the Unique Hotel Post, The Factory is a rustic Italian restaurant is the perfect setting for a dinner.  Serving pizzas, pasta meat or fish, The Factory is great for large group or couples.  We actually dined here twice since we enjoyed the lasagna and chopped salad so much we wanted to come back and order the pizza.  We got crazy and even ordered the gelato too – so good !   The food and service at The Factory was lovely and we would highly recommend this to anyone visiting Zermatt!

Snowboat Bar & Yacht Club

Due to the time of year we went (in between fall and start of winter season) we noticed not all the restaurants were open.  One of them being Snowboat Bar & Yacht Club.  We were so excited to try this place, but it will have to wait until next visit.  If anyone goes, please please let us know how they liked it !

Après

Harry’s Ski Bar : If you are looking for a good après, go to Harry’s Ski Bar.  It’s the spot where people hang out once they get off the slopes (or for some who didn’t make it up!)

Papa Caesar : Located in the Unique Hotel Post, this is a great lounge to grab pre-dinner drinks.

Broken Bar Disco : One of the most legendary nightclubs in the Alps! Its located in the Unique Hotel Post and has one of the most famous wine barrels.

Loft Club  (for ages over 25 years) : Located on the ground floor of The Factory, this club is a lively place to enjoy music and dancing.  Opens at 10pm.

Omnia Hotel : Grab a drink at the Omnia terrace that has a view of the Matterhorn.

 

Cheers,