Zermatt with Kids

Oh Zermatt!! Your beauty inspires me, your history embraces me, and your prices? Well.. what do you expect for a village that sits at the base of “THEE Matterhorn”?!

*As a reminder! Zermatt is a CAR-FREE city. You MUST park your car in the neighboring town of Täsch and take the commuter train into Zermatt. The trains run every 15 minutes and are fairly inexpensive!

Stay.

Hotel Berghof was the finest abode we stayed in in Switzerland! Absolutely beautiful, elegant, wonderful full-breakfast, 2 pools and spa, kids toys… and yes.. even a “better-than, peek-a-boo view” of the Matterhorn from our balcony window! Hotel Berghof staff will pick you up in their mini- “electric shuttle” (these shuttles are the only ‘cars’ allowed in Zermatt.. and only on side streets! Get caught driving your car in this city, and it will cost you about $750. traffic fine!) There is not one bad thing I have to stay about this hotel. While most local Zermatt hotels will put you $300-1200 in the hole a night, this beauty had a summer sale of less than $200. a night! (Incredible deal for this town!) On to of the amazing family deal, I believe our family was upgraded, as the room was far beyond my expectations! (Or it been recently renovated to a suite). Gorgeous designer furniture, sitting area that can be closed off with curtains, fireplace, elegant bathroom ensuite with footed bathtub AND full-body shower. Downstairs on the first floor, families will find spa with 2 wonderful pools (one chilly and one heated), steam bath, Turkish bath, sauna, and gym. My daughter adored the 2 pools and meeting new French friends to play with, while my hubby and I could relax on the divine spa chairs and stare up at the Matterhorn through a gorgeous telescope. For breakfast, expect nothing but the finest Swiss and French cheeses, fruits, Italian meats, cereals and freshly baked breads. This place was really, really special.. I needed a few weeks here!!! (I plan to return one day during ski season, as the lift up the Matterhorn is right outside the hotel door!)

Eat.

*Swiss Chalet: We were looking for fondue, and this restaurant was kind enough to take us without a reservation. (Most restaurants require reservations during both summer and winter seasons.. so make them well in advance!) Kid-friendly and quaintly decorated like a exterior of a Swiss chalet inside, this adorable, yummy restaurant served the most delicious, local-cheese fondue! Know that you will receive bread with the fondue, and the veggies will be a little extra (but worth it for the variety). There is a kid-friendly menu as well, along with crayons/drawing mats to keep the little ones entertained. And the whole family will enjoy the warm, chocolate fondue with fruits and cakes for desert!

*Cafe DuPont: I was originally drawn into this restaurant for 2 reasons: It was the oldest, running restaurant in Zermatt, and #2) They could take us without a reservation. I adored the historical pictures on the wall of Cafe Dupont, and the patio seating in the small square. The food was okay. I passed on ordering fondue, since I had it the night before.. I’d classify their fare as “comfort food”. Think: sausages, gravy, fries and gravy, rösti (Swiss hash browns), and hearty soups. It was a bit pricey for “comfort food” such as a Bratwurst and fries… but again, in a town like Zermatt, you could be at a 5-star restaurant spending a whole lot more…

Play.

*There’s the MATTERHORN. It’s there. Looming like a majestic beast, eyeing your every move on the way to town…. And there’s the hundreds of dollars you’ll spend in riding gondolas up it.. (just to see it a little closer!) Since it was summer, had our 5-year-old in tow, and a unbeatable view from our hotel anyway, we decided to make it a memorable fun day for her… and boy! That was an excellent choice! Not only did we still get our Matterhorn visual intake for the day, but she had a blast.

*Forest Fun Park: This was our daughter’s highlight of the entire Swiss trip! This typical ziplining park had some great kids’ courses (while my hubby and I stayed near in case she needed assistance). The ziplining courses had some fun and challenging obstacles, including gliding over the chilly, rough river and over the top of a playground! There was a professional photographer (in case you forget your Iphone), and snack bar as well. The best part is, Forest Fun Park is at the base of the Matterhorn as well, and so there are amazing views when you tackle those ropes and wires! At around 18 Swiss francs for her to zip around for an hour (we had about 90 minutes, as I think someone went to lunch ;) I could have taken here everyday, as it brought just pure bliss to our hearts watching her loving the sport!