Zermatt

Jonnykitedude

Hi guys im heading to Zermatt at the end of march just wondering if anybody has been? any reviews?

Cheers
J

legoman

This is gonna be second hand information.

My sister went there last year just after christmas. Her first impression was that it was such a beautiful resort. She had views of the Matterhorn from her hotel room. Luckily for her, there was a massive snow dump a day before she arrived so the snow was excellent. She said the resort was pretty expensive. She didn't say much about the runs so I can't really comment on them. But the group she went with is fairly experienced so i doubt they would go to a crap resort.

Hope that helps

L

robinph

Was in Zermatt myself last week. It is an expensive resort though but last week due to it being the Russian Christmas/ New Year or some such the whole resort was taken over by excessively rich Russians so we managed to get into one of the cheaper hotels that they considered beneath them for a relatively reasonable price with Crystal.

Now for an illustrated report on Zermatt:

You can get an international lift pass that will cover you for the whole of Zermatt and Cervinia in Italy as well. The runs on the Swiss side are a bit more challenging than those on the Italian side though where they tend to be wide, straightish motorway runs but you get a few trickier ones on the Swiss side. The problem we had for a few days last week though was that as they had just had a dump of snow in the days before we arrived and then the Italian side was shut for a couple of days due to them not being able to get helicopters up to blast for avalanches, and then some of the higher lifts to the top of the Klein Matterhorn were shut due to the wind on a few days as well. It's also good to head over to Italy if only to be able to save yourself a few quid when getting your lunch which tends to be a bit pricey in the Swiss mountain eateries.

It is well worth going up to the top of Klein Matterhorn (Glacier Paradise on the ski map) though as the views are stunning on a clear day, but take it handy going up the last elevator and steps to the viewing platform as it is very high altitude and I saw a few people having to turn back. At the top of Klein Matterhorn you can also go inside the glacier as well, there is a door just to the side of the very top run after you come out of the tunnel through the mountain, and you then go down about 20m inside the glacier to the ice cave. I think they might even serve wine in there as well but it was early in the day whenever we were up there.

The transfer from Geneva can be a bit of a pain, I also have a bit of a hatred of Geneva airport as well as it's the worst one in existence in my opinion but thats another story. But the transfer buses will only take you as far as Tasch(?) from where you have to get a train as there are no petrol powered vehicles allowed in Zermatt itself, the train is only a short trip though and the TO's give you the return tickets for it. Once in Zermatt you then have to get an electric taxi to your hotel but they all have their own and will come and fetch you. Watch out for the taxi's sneaking up behind you though as you walk around the resort as they are silent and might run you over if your not paying attention.

For the apres there is a popular bar on one of the red runs back down into Zermatt, it is open until about 7pm'ish I think, and that then makes the final few hundred meter ski back to town quite interesting after a few Gluehwein. Once we were back in town though we ended up in one of the many bars in Hotel Post or near that area or more likely at Papperla Pub and it's club downstairs which seemed to where it was all happening.

Jonnykitedude

Cheers for the info guys, great help.

Do you know if the off piste is any good there???

EileenG

Yes, but potentially fatal. Lots of graves there of people who did it wrong. Worth hiring a local guide if you are serious.

Oh, take a look at the ceiling of the church while you were there. It's amazing. We got married in that church.

bonkey

EileenG wrote: »

Yes, but potentially fatal. Lots of graves there of people who did it wrong.

Not only that, but there's been avalanche conditions quite a lot this year. There's already been a couple of fatalities in Zermatt from people (one of whom was only off-but-near-piste, if you get my meaning) caught in avalanches.