Zermatt skiing and dining

[jaywbigred]

Anyone been to Zermatt?

Our honeymoon is coming up next month, and we are especially looking for dining suggestions, though I am also interested to see if there are particular ares on which to concentrate for skiing...

We've booked our hotel and we get a guide for 3 hrs our first day as part of that, which is nice. We are also set on skiing into Italy for at least a couple lunches, but past that, we have no idea where to head for lunches and dinners and beverages.

Thanks for any guidance!

 

[kingslug]

I've skied the Alps in Austria and France and all I can say is the food on the mountain was better than most restaurants around here,hell the food in the Best Western in Chaminox was incredible...with all the snow they are getting out there you should have a blast..just don't let those guides get you in over your head..its very different out there!!!

 

[thetrailboss]

I went to Zermatt in May 2002 and did some Glacier Skiing. Man, it is sick. Really sick. You are going to have a great time. I stayed at a hostel right at the top of the village, and at the base of the Gondola/Tram up to the first stage of the resort. No fakeness here. Have a great time. Get some real fondue and be sure to take the tram to the top of Klein Matterhorn at last once. And ski in Italy if you can.

 

[JimG.]

Anyone been to Zermatt?

Our honeymoon is coming up next month, and we are especially looking for dining suggestions, though I am also interested to see if there are particular ares on which to concentrate for skiing...

We've booked our hotel and we get a guide for 3 hrs our first day as part of that, which is nice. We are also set on skiing into Italy for at least a couple lunches, but past that, we have no idea where to head for lunches and dinners and beverages.

Thanks for any guidance!

Use the guide for skiing info...good choice to hire one to start.

Eat where you find places to eat...on mountain dining can be gourmet even at lunch.

And yes, make sure you enjoy a real fondue.

 

[Cheese]

Anyone been to Zermatt?

Our honeymoon is coming up next month, and we are especially looking for dining suggestions, though I am also interested to see if there are particular ares on which to concentrate for skiing...

We've booked our hotel and we get a guide for 3 hrs our first day as part of that, which is nice. We are also set on skiing into Italy for at least a couple lunches, but past that, we have no idea where to head for lunches and dinners and beverages.

Thanks for any guidance!

I was there in 2010 and absolutely loved the skiing. I was on a Penny Pitou trip so breakfast and dinner were included. The guides are very proficient at touring the resort, picking best snow conditions and lunch stops. We had a group of 5-6 people and had a reserved table at every lunch stop we made throughout the week. I just asked the guide what he was going to order, copied it and was never disappointed. It is popular in Europe to treat your guide to lunch btw. Additionally, most guides at Zermatt are ski instructors and are not allowed to go off piste. Penny specifically hires an off piste guide for the the advanced group on her trips so you might want to check to find out which type of guide is included with your package. Absolutely unforgettable terrain out there! I'm jealous, but I'll be back there again next year.

 

[RISkier]

Have no knowledge of Zermatt other than a place I'd love to visit. Sounds like a fantastic honeymoon. Have a great time.

 

[RISkier]

I meant to add and then accidentally hit the post quick reply button. There's a British discussion forum called Snowheads. I think the url is simply www.snowheads.com. A search should turn up lots of info on Zermatt. And the folks are generally willing to answer questions.

 

[elks]

I also spent part of my honeymoon in Zermatt. They didn't have much snow when we visited so we did a lot of groomed runs. The scenery is grand and beautiful. I'd highly recommend eating lunch in the small authentic chalets on the slopes. The food is just wonderful. Two that I recall are called Chez Vrony (http://www.chezvrony.ch/) and Zum See (http://www.zumsee.ch/). If it's sunny (it often is), eat outside, they'll even bring some blankets if it's a little chilly. Zermatt has, by far, the best food options I've ever seen at a ski resort. I'll always remember one thing about Zermatt: its food. In town, spend one night at Vernissage (http://www.vernissage-zermatt.ch/_, it's an unusual modular space which contains restaurant, bar, movie theater, and art gallery. It's pretty wild as parts of the rooms move to change from bar to movie theater. Heinz Julen, the architect that designed it did quite a few other buildings worth checking out in Zermatt. We stayed at one of the hotels he designed: Coeur des Alpes. Quite something... Have fun!

 

[farlep99]

Agree w/ above regarding Chez Vrony & Zum See. Both excellent. Views @ Chez Vrony are amazing. Definitely ski into Italy & eat lunch at Chalet Etoile. Best meal I had the entire time there. You'll have a blast. Great place.

For more info there's a thread on Snowheads called "Zermatt do's & dont's." Lots of good info on there

 

[skidmarks]

Zermatt!!

One of the best trips I've been on!
Make sure you get up on the mountain early to avoid the crowds on the lower lifts.
Hire a guide and do the Schwartz Tour which is a long off piste run into a glacier.
Grab the early train up to the Gornergrat Hotel and have breakfast, then get first tracks!!

 

[Cheese]

Definitely hire an off-piste guide for at least a day. Sharing the lifts with other resort guests we would hear, "Look at those tracks through there!" and just humbly smile.

 

[catskillman]

the on mountain restaruants in Italy are excellant - just watch the time. If you don't make the lifts back you are stuck. It apparently is a 4 hour drive back and will be very expensive.

Enjoy!

 

[ssusca]

I was there about 7 years ago. Don’t really remember much about places to eat, however if you’re looking for some good après drinks, I highly recommend the Hennu Stal. It’s toward the south end of the resort, on the way from Furi back to Zermatt. They have an outdoor area with a large fire or you can go inside and listen to the band. The band that was playing while I was there was excellent! Drinks are expensive, but then again, so is everything in Zermatt. Just be careful, don’t get too liquored up. You still have to ski the rest of the way back to town in the dark. Have a great time. I am jealous.

Also make sure you check out the Iglu Bar. I think its somewhere between Gornergrat and Riffelberg.

 

[jaywbigred]

Wow! Thanks for the tips everyone! This is exactly what we were looking for. If we decide we want a guide for more han the morning that is included with our hotel booking, who do we hire through? Does "the mountain" have a booking service in the same sense as in North America?

Going to find the snowheads post now...