Valais is home to some of Switzerland's most famous resorts, and prices vary widely between top-level Zermatt lodgings and those in humbler towns. To indicate the relationship between resort prices and simple, wayside auberges (inns), the price categories below have been equally applied, so remember: the standards in a $$$-rated hotel in expensive Zermatt may be moderate compared to ones in nonresort towns. &n;Check prices carefully. Demipension, or half board (includes breakfast and a hot meal, either lunch or dinner), is often included in the price, and rates may be listed per person. And when planning a vacation in fall or spring, research your itinerary carefully: many of the resorts shut down altogether during the lulls in May and from November to mid-December and schedule their renovations and construction projects for these periods. That means that while some places offer low-season savings, others simply close their doors.≠