Zermatt
Riffelhaus 1853
On the Riffelberg, 25 rooms · In depth
About Riffelhaus 1853
Riffelhaus 1853 stands on the slope of the Riffelberg above Zermatt, reached by the Gornergrat cog railway. Built in 1853–54 and renovated in 2014, it has 25 alpine rooms and Matterhorn suites, a sun terrace and a small spa whose outdoor whirlpool looks straight at the Matterhorn.
A mountain hotel since 1853
The Riffelhaus began in 1853–54, when a village priest, Joseph Ruden, and two friends built a hotel of 18 beds here, the highest in Europe at the time, as the hotel tells it. The Burgergemeinde of Zermatt bought it in 1864 and enlarged it to 30 rooms, and after a renovation in 2014 it took its present name.
Getting there
Zermatt is car-free: park in Täsch and take the shuttle train, then cross the station square to the Gornergrat railway. The Riffelberg stop is about 25 minutes up by cog railway; the train fare is not included in the room rate.
Where nature and adventure meet, in the hotel’s words.
The spa
The spa is small and beautiful. The outdoor whirlpool, kept at 37 °C, faces the Matterhorn and opens daily from 10.00 to 20.00. The sauna area, with a 70 °C Finnish sauna, a steam bath and a relaxation room with day beds, opens from 15.00 to 20.00. Outside guests may book a visit between 10.00 and 16.00.
Rooms
There are 25 rooms and suites, renovated in alpine style, in two categories: alpine rooms, some with a direct or partial Matterhorn view, and the Matterhorn suites.
Eating and drinking
The restaurant serves classic mountain cooking with Valais specialities such as the Walliser Teller and Gsottus, at lunch daily from 12.00 to 15.00; dinner, including a seven-course menu, is reserved for hotel guests. The terrace looks to the Matterhorn and suits a glass of local Pinot Noir. In summer there are barbecue and raclette Sundays; in winter Sunday is Gsottus day.
Our advice: stay at least two nights so you see the Matterhorn at dusk and at dawn, book a Matterhorn suite, and time your whirlpool for the late afternoon, when the day visitors have gone down the mountain.
Why it's on our list
- Built in 1853–54, renovated in 2014
- 25 alpine rooms and Matterhorn suites
- Outdoor whirlpool at 37 °C facing the Matterhorn
- Finnish sauna, steam bath and day beds
- About 25 minutes from Zermatt by cog railway
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Riffelhaus 1853 before you go.