Zermatt, Switzerland

Zermatt is an uber-fashionable Swiss resort highly popular with both the British and international markets. Dominated by the magnificent Matterhorn Mountain, Zermatt is able to combine great skiing with an attractive, lively village and stunning scenery.

Zermatt was first made popular by the British mountaineering fraternity of the late Eighteenth Century and like Chamonix, another popular destination of the era, the architecture of the resort owes much to that age. Many of the best and largest hotels in Zermatt were first built well over a hundred years ago so there is an overwhelming feeling of heritage and history attached to Zermatt.

As this resort was initially developed with hotel accommodation the private and holiday rental chalets that have all been built during the last 30 years are generally not centrally located. Instead these are found in the more out lying elevated areas such as Winkelmatten. Whereas these luxury chalets are situated some way from the centre they do give guests some spectacular views over the resort, and in many cases also towards the iconic Matterhorn Mountain.

Although the resort is car free, it is not a quiet rustic village such as Wengen or Saas Fee (in the neighbouring valley). Zermatt is big business and the class, glamour and quality all hit you as soon as you step off the train (the resort can only be accessed by train from Tasch). There is no doubt that Zermatt is a ski resort that is best appreciated when done in style. So try not to worry about the credit card bill - just soak up the atmosphere, jump in to the stylish lifestyle and enjoy.

Guests return year after year to enjoy the wonderful scenery and the excellent skiing which covers three major ski areas. With over 200km of piste to choose from and peak elevation of 3,820 metres, Zermatt offers expansive and snow-sure skiing throughout the season. However, it is the fabulous on-mountain dining that really draws people back. There are many books and guides devoted to the on-slope restaurants and mountain hut eateries of Zermatt. The list of famous places to eat is long and distinguished - many argue that this Swiss resort offers the best on-mountain dining experiences of the World and we are not going to disagree.

This website hosts a fantastic collection of luxury properties in Zermatt but to see a much wider range of more affordable Zermatt chalets please see the collection of properties on our sister website, Alpine Answers.