Where to stay in Zermatt
Zermatt is a small car-free village in a narrow valley, so the choice is less about distance than about what you want from the evening. The center is the easiest base: the station, the lifts and the restaurants are all on foot. The older streets by the river and the slopes above are quieter, and Täsch, down the valley, is cheaper and empty at night. Stay in the center or Hinterdorf for a first visit, and book early for February, March and July to August. It is expensive everywhere, and what you pay for is the view of the Matterhorn from your window.
The short answer
- First trip
- The village center or Hinterdorf, a few minutes from the station and the lifts.
- Views and quiet
- Winkelmatten, on the sunny slope above the village.
- Peace at the end of a walk
- Blatten, the first hamlet on the path up the valley.
- Tight budget
- Täsch, 12 minutes by shuttle train from the village.
- Mountain stay
- Riffelalp, high above the village and reached by a railway.
How we judge a base: how long it takes to reach the station and the lifts, noise at night, how much it closes between seasons, and price. Nothing on this page is paid for, and the hotels we choose will say who chose them and when they last stayed.
Zermatt and the villages around it, side by side
| Area | Best for | At night | Zermatt station | Matterhorn Express | Sunnegga funicular | Getting around | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Village center | First visit, lifts and dinner | Lively in season | 5 min | 5 min | 10 min | On foot to the station | €€€€ |
| Hinterdorf and Steinmatten | Quiet, old village feel | Quiet | 5 min | 15 min | 10 min | On foot to the station, 5 min | €€€ |
| Winkelmatten and Hofmatten | Views, quiet, ski access | Very quiet | 15 min | 15 min | 5 min | On foot to the station, 15 min | €€€ |
| Blatten and Furi | Walkers, quiet stays | Very quiet | 25 min | 35 min | 20 min | On foot or gondola, 20 min | €€ |
| Täsch | Budget, drivers | Very quiet | over an hour | over an hour | over an hour | Shuttle train to Zermatt, 12 min | €€ |
| Riffelalp | Quiet mountain stay | Silent | 50 min | 50 min | 40 min | Gornergrat railway, about 20 min | €€€€ |
Walking times run from the middle of each base: the straight line plus a third for real streets, at an easy pace, rounded to five minutes. They mean something inside the village. Riffelalp and Täsch are reached by train, so read the transit column first. Price is our read from € (cheapest) to €€€€ (dearest) until booking-site prices replace it.
Where the bases are
Village center, for the lifts and the restaurants
The streets around the Bahnhofstrasse, between the station and the church, with the Matterhorn at the far end.
The center runs along the Bahnhofstrasse, the main street from the station toward the church, with shops, restaurants and hotels on both sides. The Gornergrat railway leaves from beside the main station, and the Matterhorn Express gondola and the Sunnegga funicular are a short walk away. On a clear evening the Matterhorn stands at the end of the street.
It is the practical base, and it is a resort: tour groups on the main street at midday, electric taxis on narrow streets, and a lively evening in the ski season. Rooms cost most in February, March and July to August. A few rooms face the street, so ask for a quieter side. You can walk to everything, and you will rarely need a taxi.
Good for
- Every lift and railway on foot
- The widest choice of restaurants and shops
- Easy arrival and departure with luggage
Think twice if
- You want a quiet evening in a room away from the street
- You are watching the budget in high season
- You dislike busy streets at midday
Staying in Village center: nearby sights, food and getting around
Hinterdorf and Steinmatten, for old chalets by the river
The older streets by the Vispa, with dark wooden barns and chalets a few minutes from the main street.
Hinterdorf is the older part of the village, with timber chalets and stilted barns along narrow lanes beside the river. Steinmatten lies just beyond it, a little further from the station. The Matterhorn Museum and the Kirchbrücke bridge are close, and the main street is a short walk away.
It is calmer than the center at night, and several small hotels and guesthouses stand here. The lanes are narrow and some are cobbled, so luggage is awkward without a taxi. It suits a stay of a few nights, and you still reach the station on foot.
Good for
- Old chalets and a quieter evening
- A short walk to the station and the main street
- The Matterhorn Museum on your doorstep
Think twice if
- You are traveling with a lot of luggage and no taxi
- You want a hotel with a large lobby and services
- You want lifts right outside the door
Staying in Hinterdorf and Steinmatten: nearby sights, food and getting around
Winkelmatten, for views and a quiet slope
Chalets on the sunny slope east of the village, with long views of the Matterhorn and a short, steep climb from the center.
Winkelmatten climbs the hillside above the village on the east side, along the lane that leads toward the Sunnegga funicular. Many houses are chalet apartments and small hotels, and the views take in the Matterhorn and the valley.
It is quieter than the center and usually cheaper than the main street for the same view. The catch is the slope: it takes ten minutes or more uphill after dinner, and snow makes the lanes slippery in winter. The Sunnegga funicular is close, which suits skiers and walkers. Restaurants are fewer, and you will walk down for dinner.
Good for
- The Matterhorn from your window
- The Sunnegga funicular nearby
- Calm nights above the main street
Think twice if
- You dislike steep walks after dinner
- You arrive with heavy luggage and no taxi
- You want shops and restaurants on the doorstep
Staying in Winkelmatten and Hofmatten: nearby sights, food and getting around
Blatten and Furi, for a hamlet on the path up the valley
Small hamlets south of the village, reached on foot along the river or by the Matterhorn Express stops, with chalets among larch barns.
Blatten is the first hamlet on the old path up the valley, about a kilometer and a half from the main street on a rising lane. Furi is a little higher, at a station on the Matterhorn Express route. Restaurants and a few guesthouses stand among old barns, and the Matterhorn rises ahead of you.
It is very quiet, and a good start for the Zmutt path. The walk into the village takes 20 minutes or more, uphill on the way home, and the gondola stops running in the evening. It suits walkers on a longer stay, and not anyone who wants a late night in the center.
Good for
- A quiet start to the Zmutt and Findeln paths
- Meadows and larch barns outside the door
- A short ride to Furi and the higher lifts
Think twice if
- You want to walk to restaurants in the evening
- You are visiting between seasons, when much is shut
- You have limited mobility or heavy luggage
Staying in Blatten and Furi: nearby sights, food and getting around
Täsch, for a lower price and a shuttle train
The last village before the car-free zone, 12 minutes from Zermatt by shuttle train.
Täsch is the end of the road for cars, with a big terminal car park and a station where the shuttle trains to Zermatt leave about every 20 minutes. A number of plain hotels, guesthouses and apartments stand around it, and the valley is narrow and shaded.
Rooms cost less than in Zermatt, and parking is easy if you drive. The catch is that it is a transit village: there is almost nothing to do in the evening, and the last shuttles run at set times, so check them before dinner in Zermatt. It suits a budget stay or a late arrival, not a stay for the atmosphere.
Good for
- A lower price than Zermatt
- Parking, if you arrive by car
- A short ride to the lifts
Think twice if
- You want an evening out in the mountains
- You are staying only one night and hate the changes
- You want to watch the Matterhorn at dusk from your room
Riffelalp, for a stay above the village
A small, high plateau at 2,200 meters on the Gornergrat railway, with a resort hotel and a view of the Matterhorn.
Riffelalp sits on a shelf above the treeline, reached by the Gornergrat railway in about 20 minutes from the village. There is a resort hotel, a chapel and a few huts, and the Matterhorn rises across the valley. A tram line runs a few hundred meters to the hotel in summer.
It is high, quiet and dear, and cut off in bad weather. You stay for the walks and the stillness, not for the choice of restaurants. It is shut between seasons, so check the dates, and last trains down leave earlier than a night out wants.
Good for
- The Matterhorn from the terrace
- Walks from your door
- Very quiet nights
Think twice if
- You want a choice of restaurants and shops
- You are visiting in the shoulder seasons, when it is shut
- You are traveling on a tight budget
Staying in Riffelalp: nearby sights, food and getting around
Where not to stay in Zermatt, and what to do instead
Every booking site lists these places to stay in Zermatt. We would skip them, or at least choose with care. Nobody pays a commission on a warning.
- A room with a Matterhorn view promised
Many rooms in the center look at the next building. Ask which way the room faces and whether the view is from the balcony or the bed.
- Täsch for a short, late-night stay
The last shuttles stop at set times, and a dinner in Zermatt can end with a taxi. Check the last shuttle before you book.
- A cheap room up a steep lane
A low rate up a snowy slope loses its value after dinner. Ask about the walk to the station and whether the hotel runs a luggage transfer.
- Booking late for February, March or July to August
Rooms are scarce and the best prices go first. Book three to four months ahead and keep a flexible rate if you can.
- A hotel that is shut between seasons
Many close from mid-October to late November, and again in May. Check that your hotel and the lifts are open on your dates.
Which base suits you
First time in Zermatt
The village center for the station, the lifts and dinner.
Couples
Winkelmatten for the view, or Hinterdorf for old chalets.
Families with children
The center or Hinterdorf, near the station and the shops.
A tight budget
Täsch, with a short shuttle into the village.
A quiet stay
Blatten, Winkelmatten or Riffelalp.
Skiing
The center, or Winkelmatten for the Sunnegga funicular.
Driving to Zermatt
Täsch, where cars stop and parking is simple.
Before you book a room in Zermatt
The practical things that decide whether a good hotel in Zermatt makes a good stay.
- The guest taxGuests pay a tax per person and night, collected by the accommodation. Zermatt Tourismus charges CHF 4 for guests aged 16 and over and CHF 2 for ages 9 to 15, with children under nine free, according to the rates in force since November 2022. We could not confirm that these are unchanged for 2026, so check the figure you are shown at booking.
- Arriving without a carZermatt has no private cars. Drivers leave the car in Täsch and take the shuttle train, which takes 12 minutes and runs about every 20 minutes. Trains from Zurich airport to Zermatt take about three and a half hours, via Visp, where you change to the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn. Check the SBB timetable on the day.
- LuggageElectric taxis and hotel carts meet trains, and most hotels will collect you if you ask. Say what you are carrying when you book, especially for Hinterdorf, Winkelmatten and anywhere on a slope.
- The off-seasonBetween seasons, from mid-October to late November and again in the spring, many hotels, restaurants and lifts close. Check that your base and your plans are open before you pay.
- WeatherCloud, not distance, decides a mountain day. A flexible rate helps, since you may want to swap your big ride to the clearest morning.
- Prices and extrasSwitzerland is expensive, and Zermatt more so in ski weeks and in July and August. Check whether the rate includes breakfast and a luggage transfer.
Where to stay in Zermatt: questions people ask
What's the best area to stay in Zermatt for a first visit?
The village center or Hinterdorf. You can reach the station, the lifts and the restaurants on foot. If you want a quieter slope and a view, Winkelmatten is the next step up the hill.
Should I stay in Zermatt or Täsch?
Zermatt for the atmosphere and the lifts, Täsch for a lower price and parking. Täsch is 12 minutes by shuttle train, and has almost nothing to do in the evening.
Is it better to stay in the village or higher up?
In the village for restaurants and flexibility, higher up for silence and walks from the door. The high places close between seasons and are hard to leave in bad weather.
Can I stay somewhere cheaper and still see the sights?
Yes. Täsch and the apartments up the slopes cost less, and the railways and lifts are the same. The area is expensive overall, so check what each rate includes.
How many nights do you need in Zermatt?
Two nights covers the Gornergrat and a walk. Three or four gives you Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and a spare day, since cloud is the usual reason a plan changes.
How do I get from Zurich airport to Zermatt?
Take a train to Visp, then the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn to Zermatt. It takes about three and a half hours, with a change.
Do I need a car in Zermatt?
No, and you cannot drive there. Cars stop in Täsch, and a shuttle train takes 12 minutes to the village. Trains from Visp are the easier way.
Is Zermatt safe at night?
Yes, it is a small, quiet village with well-lit streets. The lanes can be icy in winter, so wear shoes with grip.
