I am an experienced traveler and have made many day trips to Zermatt. We really want to stay in the town for once in our lives, for two nights. We will be there in September. We know how expensive Switzerland is, but we are stunned by the hotel prices in Zermatt. Any suggestions for hotels? We are in our 70s, so the days of hostels are behind us. Or…a nearby town or village that would less expensive so we could (once again) take the train in for the day and yet have an at least sort of special stay nearby?
Posted by
Chicago
3280 posts
Last June I stayed at the Hotel Alpenhof.
https://www.julen.ch/en/hotel-alpenhof/
I paid $1018.42 for 3 nights. That included breakfast and a room with a view of the Matterhorn (except it was behind the clouds my entire stay). Expensive, but well worth it.
I had previously done a day trip to Zermatt from Montreux and fell in love with it and wanted to go back to spend more time there. I would stay in Zermatt if you can. There are cheaper hotels than the one I stayed.
Check booking.com for prices and then book directly with the hotel.
https://www.booking.com/region/ch/zermatt.html
Good luck!!!
Posted by
OP
57 posts
Thank you, Carrie. This is exactly my quandary. I feel it would be a true once in a lifetime experience, but man that is a lot of money.
Posted by
East Coast USA
81 posts
Yes, it is one of the most exclusive and famous ski resorts in the world, and the views of the Matterhorn are amazing. The village is fun to walk around, and there are many fantastic and pricey restaurants (but also there is a cheap and popular McDonald's!).
Okay, we just returned from Zermatt a few days ago. We were there for a week during New Year's and the hotel prices were totally outrageous! Well, husband is a skier and this trip was on his bucket list, so I made it happen. We stayed in a nice smaller place in a quiet area of Zermatt called Hotel Phoenix--three stars, but still almost $400.00 per night (and the minimum is seven nights during ski season!!). Sorry to say even the Zermatt hostel costs hundreds of dollars during holidays!
However, you will definitely not have to pay that much. First, traveling in September is a great time of year--Summer rush is dying down and Winter ski season has not yet started. There are more than one hundred hotels in Zermatt, and tons of chalets and chalet rooms to rent. Remember, in almost all hotels (except some five star) an ample breakfast is included in the cost. Some hotels with restaurants will also add in dinner at a reduced cost as well.
If you know your dates, you can use a search engine like Hotels.com to see what hotels might be available, and what their prices might be. You can check out chalet availability at the Swiss website: https://zermatt.swiss/en/plan-book/accommodations
Take the cog train up to Gornergrat to get a great view of all the mountains.
Yes, you can definitely do it, and it is never too early to plan and reserve. (I often book husband's ski trips a year in advance!)
Have a great trip!
Posted by
Nashville, TN
650 posts
It’s typical for decent hotels in Switzerland to be $350+ — it’s sometimes cheaper to stay in an apartment chalet rental than a hotel, but in general Switzerland is not an affordable vacation spot. Great alternatives are the alps in Austria & Slovenia, where you get a lot more bang for your buck. And a lot less tourists.
Posted by
Green Bay
21274 posts
If you buy a Peak Pass, not only does it include most of the lifts in Zermatt, but also the train from Taesch to Zermatt (a 12 minute trip). So look at hotels in Taesch and see if it saves enough money to make you feel a bit more comforatable.
Posted by
Chicago
3280 posts
What does the rest of your trip look like? I look at my budget for the entire trip. So, two nights at an expensive hotel for a 2-week trip is manageable. I’m not a big eater, so I don’t have a lot of food costs. Look and see where you can cut costs elsewhere on your trip.
If it was me, I would want to stay in Zermatt and not take the train each day. It’s nice to have a hotel right in town so you can stop by throughout the day if you want.
Posted by
Green Bay
21274 posts
I am leaving in 16 hours for Zermatt.
Posted by
Chicago
3280 posts
Lucky Sam. Have a great trip!!!!
Posted by
258 posts
We spent three nights in October in Zermatt at Hotel des Alpes. Stunning room and stunning views of the Matterhorn.
It was around 1000 CHF for the three nights, which compared very well with all the hotels on our trip.
That is what you pay for a view in Switzerland it seems.
Posted by
Citizen of the World
2167 posts
During September there are many accommodations in the $200-$300 per night range. Booking.com has quite a few places listed.
Posted by
Minneapolis
85 posts
I liked the Matterhorn Inn in Tasch. 212 CF for 3 people last July. It isn't Zermatt in several ways.
Posted by
Greeley, co, usa
2620 posts
Visp
Brig
then take the train up to Zermatt for the day
Posted by
Bay Area, California
1667 posts
Zermatt has to deal with overtourism, which is sadly associated with inflated hotel prices. Also, bear in mind that some rooms offer a view but some don't and so the latter should be more affordable. Everything mentioned so far is true. Try Brig or Taasch.
After you have booked something cancelable, keep checking hotel websites to see if there are any specials. Sometimes you may be lucky.