A Summer Weekend in Zermatt

We just returned from a wonderful weekend in Zermatt with my parents. They were visiting from Seattle and I thought we should visit one of the most iconic images of Switzerland, the Matterhorn. Zermatt is a beautiful car free village just over three hours train ride from Zürich.

We stayed at the amazing Hotel Schweizerhof & Residence right in the center of Zermatt. They have an amazing, and empty, pool and spa. The breakfast was delicious and the service and staff were super friendly. We booked two rooms on the same floor, which was perfect. Each room had a large bed and pull out sofa bed, two TVs and two bathrooms, and a full kitchen. Absolutely perfect. Oh, and we could see the Matterhorn from our balconies! (I’m wondering if we can book this for a ski week in February! Absolutely perfect location.)

As soon as our train arrived in Zermatt we headed for the Tourism Office next to the station. We got acquainted with all the playgrounds in Zermatt and recommendations on where to go. We also got a little coloring paper from them. The girls colored the back of the paper and returned it to the Tourism Office the morning we left. They received a bag full of gifts from Wolli, the village sheep mascot. Such a sweet present for the long train ride home.We went to the incredible Wolli’s Adventure Sunnegga Playground and Leisee lake and then lunch at Chez Vrony. I was really happy that we splurged on Chez Vrony. My Mom and Dad loved it. It is such an experience taking the funicular to Sunnegga and then the long walk down to the restaurant and the even longer walk down to Zermatt from the Chez Vrony. And our food and view were absolutely amazing. In the winter it is a ski in ski out restaurant. But it’s absolutely gorgeous in the summer. We usually just go to the local Coop (grocery store) for meals, but a fancy lunch was a very nice treat.

There is a children’s menu, although for next time I will definitely order the girls something off the regular menu. There was a bouncy house for the girls to play on. We hardly saw them throughout our fabulous lunch as they were busy bouncing around. When they were not bouncing, they were looking at the sheep in the meadow below Chez Vrony. Anyway, absolutely recommended for a special occasion.

Tickets: Check with your Gemeinde if you qualify for discounted tickets. There is a Tageskarte that gives 45chf train tickets anywhere the SBB travels each year. Check the calendar and see if the dates apply for the special yearly discount or stop in at your local Gemeinde.

Other options to save money on Zermatt tickets include buying Super Saver tickets or parking at Täsch and taking the train one stop to Zermatt. We ended up taking the train from Zürich to Zermatt which was just over three hours, but it was a beautiful train ride and included the playground carriage for the girls.
Stay: Hotel Schweizerhof & Residence or Butterfly Best Western
Play: Wolli’s Sunnegga Adventure Playground (here are more great playgrounds in Zermatt)
Eat: Chez Vrony, Fuchs Bakery (basically for the playground and garden in the back)
Swim: Hotel Schweizerhof & Residence has a fabulous pool that is 10chf to swim in for the public!