At 2,222 metres above sea level on the Riffelalp plateau, with the Matterhorn's pyramidal silhouette rising directly to the south, few hotel sites in the Alps carry a more precisely calibrated relationship between building and mountain. The Riffelalp Resort 2222m is reached exclusively by the oldest electric railway in the Alps — the Gornergrat Bahn — which deposits guests at a private station before the car-free plateau takes over, enforcing a deliberate separation from the valley floor below. The main building, a grand Belle Époque structure that traces its origins to 1884 and was rebuilt after a catastrophic fire in 1961 before undergoing extensive renovation in the early 2000s, presents the stucco-and-shuttered facade of a classic Swiss mountain hotel, its pitched roofline and symmetrical fenestration framing views that remain almost absurdly cinematic. Inside, the interiors work the full vocabulary of high Alpine warmth: coffered spruce ceilings, wide-plank oak floors, and walls clad in warm-toned pine establish a material continuity across the roughly 70 rooms and suites. The main lounge, visible in the images, layers Chesterfield leather wingbacks against a deep-carved stone fireplace with painted floral detailing, the combination suggesting a Valais hunting lodge filtered through a more urbane sensibility. Embroidered edelweiss motifs appear on bedding throughout, a quietly insistent local reference. The outdoor thermal pool, steaming against snow and framed by the Matterhorn, is among the most elemental images Swiss mountain hospitality can produce.

Accessible only via a 15min train journey from Zermatt village. Zermatt is 2hr 45min from Milan Malpensa airport (MXP); 2hr 50min from Geneva airport (GVA); 2hr 30min from Bern airport (BRN)

At 2222 metres, you’re a lot closer to heaven and in the clear thin air the stars put on their most breathtaking display. Reception holds the key to a heavenly experience. Feel relaxed in the beneficial mountain climate in the middle of fragrant pine and larch forests and with a spectacular view of the Matterhorn. Arriving is an experience in itself. As the rack railway climbs and the commotion of the village is left behind, sit back, relax and enjoy the majestic view of the Matterhorn. In the summer, the highest tram in Europe waits at Riffelalp station to take you on what is probably the shortest tram ride in the world to the Riffelalp Resort. In the winter, our porter will be happy to pick you up on the skidoo. Or you can make use of the short walk through the picturesque forest to listen to the silence of Riffelalp for the first time. In summer, Riffelalp offers a typical Alpine scenery with meadows and cows. In the midst of one of the most beautiful walking, biking and climbing areas in the Alps, the Resort offers a variety of all kinds of activities. In the winter, the Riffelalp Resort is in the middle of the world famous Zermatt ski resort - the ski slopes go directly past the hotel - and is a perfect ski-in, ski-out hotel. For anyone wanting to go on an excursion to the excitement of Zermatt, the village can be reached with the Gornergrat railway in just 20 minutes. Half-board guests can dine in our partner restaurants in the village. The hotel's train brings night owls back to the Riffelalp free of charge until 11.30 pm. Most guests prefer to stay in heaven on earth at 2,222 metres above sea level and enjoy the distance from the rest of the world.