We had the privilege of spending three glorious nights at Riffelalp Resort in Zermatt and I can’t stop gushing about the experience to anyone who will listen.
This five-star resort is nestled into the mountains of Matterhorn, providing the best views of the mountain and ski-in, ski-out access. Skiing Matternhorn has been near the tippy top of my bucket list for some time, so the ability to not only ski it but to stay in such a beautiful setting at Riffelalp was the cherry on top.
Riffelalp is pure luxury in every respect, from their attentive staff and service to the beautiful rooms and amenities. Upon checking in, I instantly fell in love with the rustic decor of Riffelalp. The hotel is adorned with four different types of sheep in gold and silver, frosted white and brown. They are a mascot of sorts for the mountain resort, which is known for black-nosed sheep in the warmer months.
As this was a ski vacation for us, Riffelalp was absolutely perfectly situated for us to make the most of our time while in Zermatt. At 2,222-meters up (7,290 feet!), Riffelalp has ski and snowboard rentals on its premises, as well as an amazing building to keep your skis and gear after a day on the slopes. Each morning we’d head to the ski house, put on our gear and literally ski out the door as Riffelalp is located on a run. Within minutes, you are on the slopes, which is just the best way to start the day because it allowed us to get many more runs in. It was also great to have a place to drop off our items at the end of the day before decamping for a drink.
Our room was spacious and I loved that the decor from the lobby translated throughout the hotel in a very cohesive way. In 2016, they had a renovation that elevated the style of the hotel, making it a real treat for design buffs. Every which way you turn there is a truly instagrammable image worth capturing.
Riffelalp has 65 rooms and five suites. Our room was on the third floor, just down the hall from their spa. The rooms were stocked with luxury L’occitane bath products, which was a nice touch. The floors in the bathroom have radiant heating, helping you get rid of a chill from the mountains. We had a beautiful patio outside to enjoy our Veuve Cliquot champagne on which was waiting for us upon arrival.
Your stay at Riffelalp comes with breakfast in the morning, which is such a treat and necessary in order to fuel yourself for a day of skiing. Breakfast is located in the Alexandre Restaurant with views of the Toblerone. Each morning we were escorted to a cozy table overlooking the mountain where we watched the sun come up over Matterhorn while eating Swiss cheese and snapping photos of the mountain. Breakfast at Riffelalp is something I will truly miss. There is a massive buffet stocked with everything you could possibly dream of to eat.
We loved the omelette station where I would get scrambled eggs and bacon each morning and my boyfriend would get an omelette and sausage and all of the fixings. I became a huge fan of muesli on this trip thanks to their fresh muesli and toppings such as strawberry granola, goji berries and raisins. There was yogurt, fresh pastries with jams and nutella, the most delicious charcuterie board with Italian cured meats and a variety of cheeses. And, for the health conscious, there were fresh pressed juices each morning. I was a big fan of the spinach, avocado and orange juice each morning.
I was truly blown away by how many activities Riffelalp has on its premises. You could have a truly first-class vacation there without ever leaving the hotel’s premises, if you chose. For those with children, they have a wonderful “Kindergarten” center with a teacher to watch your kids. They have tons of activities on the premises for the children and a children’s dinner each night. There is an amazing bowling alley for guests that we had an absolute ball in one night after dinner. A quick game of bowling turned into two hours of bowling and an intense competition that I’m happy to say I won. There is also a great billiards room for those looking to play a little pool.
In addition to activities, they have several restaurants and bars for everything from classic Swiss fondue to a post-ski warm gluwein (my personal favorite). We’ll go more in depth in a blog post dedicated solely to where to eat and drink while In Zermatt, but Riffelalp has the following on its premises: Ristorante Al Bosco: an Italian eatery with a beautiful sundeck open for lunch and dinner; Restaurant Alexandre: international cuisine serving breakfast and dinner; Restaurant Walliserkeller: A Swiss restaurant serving up classic dishes such as fondue and raclette; The Mark Twain Bar and Lounge: a beautiful, rustic lounge with strong drinks, live piano and a great ambiance.
We had the pleasure of experiencing a lot of the food and beverage options at Riffelalp, and all were so well executed and delicious. The first day we arrived we came back from a day of skiing and retreated to the Mark Twain Lounge. I could spend days in this lounge with their fur throws and oversized, cozy leather chairs. We got two glasses of gluwein which turned into four glasses of gluwein and caught up about the day. That night, we had dinner at Walliserkeller and had fondue and cheese overload, but in a good way.
One of the offerings that impressed me the most was Riffelalp’s spa. We’re going to have a separate post just dedicated to the spa, because it’s that exquisite, but we’ll give you a high-level idea of it here. The spa features Europe’s highest outdoor pool that is situated directly facing Matterhorn mountain. The spa is luxury at its finest and it has just SO many options for guests. we spent a ton of time in the heated outdoor pool inhaling the Alpine air and taking in views of the Matterhorn. We also alternated in and out of the amazing treatment rooms, such as the steam room , sauna, organic sauna, whirlpool and grotto. It should be noted that spa access is limited to guests of the hotel.
The hotel is right off of the stop of the snow train that runs up and down the mountain all day, making commuting home from dinner or shopping in the village a breeze. Zermatt doesn’t allow any full-size cars, so the train is something everyone uses to get around. It’s a charming and efficient way to explore Zermatt.
Riffelalp exceeded our already extremely high expectations and felt like a cozy, luxurious home away from home while we were exploring Zermatt. It is part of the exclusive Luxury Hotels of the World group, and it’s evident why once you set foot into the hotel.
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