pulling out hair regarding Zermatt
 

We THOUGHT we had confirmed reservations in Zermatt (through reconline.com) until the hotel emailed us today that they are closed during the period we'll be there (May 3-5). The Butterfly also closes during that time. I'm having trouble finding actual "hotel websites" for Zermatt---everything I get on Google is a reservation service. Does anyone know if this is a totally "off" season for Zermatt? If you know of hotels that would be open I'd love to have some help. Currently there are four hotels that appear to have rooms---can anyone recommend any of them. They are: Best Western Alpen Resort, Walliserhof Swiss Quality, Minotel Alpenblick, and Alpenroyal Swiss Quality.

Thank you.

The ski season ends sometime in April so they may be taking a break. Many smaller hotels do this.

You might also check the Style Hotel Biner in Zermatt. I stayed there in September and really loved the hotel. My room had a balcony with a view of the Matterhorn.
Martha

Yes, May is off-season in Zermatt. I was on a tour at the end of May, and here is a quote from my report:

"Zermatt: as the end of May is not the season hotel Alex was closed, and we used the better Schlosshotel."

http://www.schlosshotel-tenne.ch/index.htm

Location and rooms are excellent, I had a balcony with the view of the Matterhorn. It's in a back alley next to the 2nd train station. The main one is across the plaza, the 2nd is to go to the mountains.

I can't give you recommendations, because we haven't been there ourselves yet. But I can give you a few websites; I looked them up in my Zermatt tourist guide.

www.alpenroyal.ch
www.reconline.ch/alpenblick
www.reconline.ch/walliserhof
www.alpenresort.ch

You might also try Antares, which comes highly recommended in one of my hiking books:
www.zermatt.ch/antares

and Coeur des Alpes:
www.coeurdesalpes.ch

I believe early May is indeed very "low season", and family-run places wil be closed while they take a break. But there are lots of hotels in Zermatt, so I'm sure you'll find something.

May is very much low season, particularly in the alpine villages. In addition to hotel closures, you'll find restaurant closures and some mountain excursions (cable cars/gondolas) will not be operating.

If you have your heart set on specific activites, you'd do well to check opening times well in advance.

If you don't require hotel service (cleaning and breakfast), I highly recommend Casa Vanessa II, which is open year round and has great rates in May.

http://www.casavanessa.ch/

Forgot to mention that if you require hotel service, Hotel Style Biner (mentioned previously) is also open year round - comfortable hotel with nice pool/hot tub/steamroom facilites in the basement. We've stayed there twice and really enjoyed it, but haven't been there since their remodel.

www.hotel-biner-zermatt.ch/

Isn't this the place with the bathtubs right in the room?

I stayed at the Alpenresort a couple of years ago when I was in Zermatt in late November (US Thanksgiving week) and I could not get a room at my previously-recommended Butterfly.

I had a room on the top floor which was large with a balcony that afforded a wonderful view of the Matterhorn.

The hotel is an easy walk or electric cart ride from the RR station.

I did not like the hotel as much as I liked the Butterfly but given that a lot of other places were closed and I was only staying for one night it was certainly convenient and more than adequate. There weren't a lot of people in the hotel.

The breakfast (included) buffet was a little skimpy as I recall and the night before, when I arrived, I decided to make it easy on myself and eat in the hotel. The service was poor.

All of this "less-than-expected" service was related, I am certain, to the season when few other travelers seemed to be around.

None of that detracted from the scenery, however.

I would caution you that if you are planning to go up to view the peak during the daylight to check the live cam in the waiting room of the Gornergrat RR (one of two routes up toward the peak viewing) BEFORE you take the plunge. It can be somewhat clear in the village yet the peak and the view over the Monte Rosa Massif can be totally obscured by clouds once you rise above the village level.

Yep, Hotel Style Biner has bath tubs in the middle of the room. We've stayed there twice and loved the place, but that was pre-bath tub relocation. Kinda curious about the whole concept myself.

The links on this page take you directly to the hotel websites.
http://www.zermatt.com/
We've stayed in Zermatt during the month of May but I believe it was in late May so problably more hotels open.
Good luck!

When researching trip to switzerland a couple of years ago, i found one hotel with a bath-tub that extended into the fresh air!!! [truly, not kidding]. Unfortunately, subsequent software failure has caused me to lose the web-site, but it was in the geneva area.

good luck with the hotel search.

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