Zermatt: Checked-In & Dined

Wake Up to Matterhorn …

That was the name of the listing on AirBNB for the apartment we ended up booking for our two night stay in Zermatt. Catchy title … and true … until the clouds moved in soon after we checked in. But that was later … let’s get to the apartment first.

We knew that we’d have to walk a bit from downtown Zermatt to the apartment and then negotiate 62 steps to get to Haus Fontana. A few wrong turns added to the distance, but using a video and map provided by the property manager, we got ourselves back on track. The good news is that we got to the apartment before the drizzle we encountered soon after leaving the train station turned to a downpour.

From the photos included with the AirBNB listing, we knew the studio apartment was going to be small. A sofa bed in lieu of a real bed; a tiny kitchenette. Good enough for two nights certainly … and clean. And in a residential area away from the hub-bub of busy downtown.

Arriving at the apartment around 4:45p, we immediately went out on the balcony to check out the scenery. Good thing we did. With the rain increasing, we managed to see the Matterhorn for a few minutes before the clouds veiled it. Tomorrow’s Matterhorn forecast is for snow, so we’ll have to cross our fingers and hope we have another chance to see it before we leave on Tuesday.

When the rain let up, we headed back into the village for dinner. We were welcomed by a band playing on the main drag. Not sure if they play every day or just on weekends, but it was a nice touch.

Checking out the various dining options, we settled on casual terrace dining offered at the Pollux Hotel. It was cold, but not uncomfortably so at 6:00p. We took one of the tables on the terrace overlooking the main street, sipped our wine, and enjoyed our food while watching the crowds passing by. I ordered the Wiener schnitzel … served with potato wedges seasoned with herbs, Parmesan, and garlic; steamed vegetables; and cranberry jam. Mui ordered the sliced “Zurich style” veal … meaning it had a creamy mushroom sauce … served with rösti and steamed vegetables. Both dishes were accompanied by a crisp salad with a delicious dressing. By the time we were finished, we had no room left in our tummies for dessert.

It started to rain again and the temperature cooled considerably while we were eating. By the time we left the restaurant just before 8:00p, the rain was steady. On the way to the apartment, we stopped at Denner for groceries — breakfast fixings mostly. We got back to the apartment before the rain turned into a downpour.

While there is snow in the forecast tomorrow for the high peaks, it’s rain with which we will have to contend. The woman at the Visitor Center said that it would be clearing up in the afternoon … in town at least. She gave us a few ideas for things to do, so we’ll be spending tomorrow exploring Zermatt.Read more