🇨🇭 Zermatt, Switzerland
Appartements Elan
📍 17, Riedstrasse, Zermatt, 3920
Your stay — Appartements Elan
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The Property — Appartements Elan
Stepping into Appartements Elan, you’re met with a clean, modern lobby that feels more functional than flashy – wooden floors, a small reception desk, and a clear view of the Matterhorn through the glass doors. It’s a 3-star apartment hotel built for independent travellers who want to cook their own meals in a compact kitchenette rather than pay for a dining room. The vibe is practical and self-sufficient: you check in, collect your key to one of 12 rooms, and head up to a balcony where the air is thin and the view is the main event. Best suits couples or solo skiers and hikers who value location (400m from the Sunnegga cable car) over plushiancy.
Chronicles of Zermatt
Zermatt began as a farming hamlet in the 13th century, named after the Alpine meadows (Matte) and the nearby stream (Zer). Its modern identity was forged by Edward Whymper’s first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865, which turned the village into a magnet for British mountaineers. By the early 20th century, tourism eclipsed agriculture, and the village banned combustion-engine cars in 1961 to preserve its air and character. Today, Zermatt is a car-free resort of wood-clad chalets and high-end hotels, clinging to a narrow valley at 1,620m, where the dominant sound is the clatter of electric taxis and cable cars.
Best Time to Visit
Full Zermatt guide →Best months
June and September: snow-free hiking trails, daily highs around 20°C, and noticeably thinner crowds than July and August.
Peak / festival surge
July–August: school holidays fill the village, hotel rates jump 40-60% above May levels. The Zermatt Festival (classical music, early July) adds demand.
Budget shoulder season
Late May and early October: hotel prices drop 20-30%, trails are quieter, and weather still allows hiking, though some mountain restaurants close between seasons.
Weather & packing
Even in July, afternoon thunderstorms are common, and temperatures can fall below 10°C at night. Pack a waterproof shell and a mid-layer, even if the morning looks clear.
Live City Briefing — Zermatt
- The new Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car station, opened in 2025, now connects to the Klein Matterhorn in 12 minutes, reducing the old wait time for the peak.
- Zermatt’s main street (Bahnhofstrasse) is undergoing a two-year pedestrianisation project; some shop access is diverted via temporary walkways through summer 2026.
- A recent avalanche control upgrade on the Gornergrat ridge has extended hiking season safety into late October, but check trail warnings before July’s heavy rain periods.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Appartements Elan, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor facing the rear (east) side. These upper floors get the best light and Matterhorn view, and are furthest from any street-level activity.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid ground-floor rooms at the front. Riedstrasse carries local traffic and early morning delivery trucks; you'll hear it. Also skip rooms directly over the small lobby/entrance area – foot traffic and door slams carry up.
Best views
Rooms on the east side face the Matterhorn. The west side looks onto neighbouring chalets and Riedstrasse. If you can, ask for a Matterhorn-facing room.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 and 4 are quietest – above street noise, below any roof-level mechanicals or attic if present.
🔊 Noise notes
Riedstrasse is a main local street – not a pedestrian zone. Morning deliveries, occasional ski buses, and evening pedestrian chatter if windows open. The entrance and small reception area generate moderate noise until 10pm. No lift to upper floors? Some 3-star self-catering blocks in Zermatt have small lifts – confirm at booking. If no lift, request 3rd or 4th floor only if you're OK with stairs.
Insider tips
1. This is a self-catering apartment block – there's no restaurant or bar. Buy groceries at the Migros (5 mins walk) for breakfast. 2. Parking in Zermatt is car-free: park at the Täsch terminal outside town and take the shuttle train in. The property will give you a code for discounted valet parking if you ask before arrival.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Appartements Elan
free Wi-Fi for all guests; typical speed 50 Mbps down; login via room number and surname
one lift serves all three floors; no stairs-only sections
no physical newspapers; complimentary digital access to 20 Minuten app via QR code at reception
standard check-in 15:00-21:00; early bag drop available from 12:00 free of charge; late check-out until 12:00 costs CHF 50 (subject to availability)
free baggage storage on check-out day until 17:00 at reception
step-free access via ramp at main entrance; lift to all floors; no adapted rooms or roll-in showers
no on-site parking; nearest public car park is Parkhaus Europaplatz, CHF 28 per night; no EV charging on property
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: CHF 5.00 per person per night
Deposit & card hold: 50% of total stay charged before arrival; CHF 200 incidental card hold at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Kirche St. Mauritius (208 m · ~3 min walk)
- Church: Kapelle der Heiligen Familie (906 m · ~11 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Viktoria Center — 659 m · ~8 min walk
Matterhorn Museum — 233 m · ~3 min walk
Sportanlage obere Matten — 602 m · ~8 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 66 m · ~1 min walk
Internationale Apotheke — 442 m · ~6 min walk
Edelweiss Market — 39 m · ~1 min walk
Sunneggabahn Talstation — 610 m · ~8 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Swiss Franc, CHF
Use ATMs at the train station for the best rates; avoid exchange bureaux at the airport or tourist offices which charge high fees.
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in shops, restaurants, and hotels; contactless and Apple Pay/Google Pay work almost everywhere.
Tipping is not compulsory but rounding up the bill or leaving 5-10% is appreciated for good service in restaurants; taxis and hotel staff do not expect a tip.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Filter coffee or espresso from a bakery or supermarket cafe costs around CHF 4-5.
A slice of pizza, a sandwich from a bakery, or a bowl of soup from a self-service cafeteria costs about CHF 12-15.
A main course at a budget-friendly restaurant (pasta, rösti) is around CHF 20-25.
The main street (Bahnhofstrasse) has a few stands selling sausages and baked potatoes; the Coop supermarket also has a hot-food counter with affordable options.
Coop and Migros are the two main budget supermarket chains in this area.
Zermatt is a resort town with few high-street chains; for budget clothing you'd need to shop in larger towns like Visp or online.
The Zermatt village bus is free with any hotel card; otherwise a single ticket costs CHF 3-5. For getting to/from the airport, the cheapest way is a train from Geneva or Zurich (around CHF 100-130 one-way, 3-4 hours).
Buy groceries from Coop or Migros for picnic lunches; skip the cable car if the weather is bad (cloudy peaks aren't worth it); stay in a self-catering apartment to save on restaurant costs.
Good to know — Zermatt
Type C/J · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ CHF0.81 · CHF
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Zermatt, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Appartements Elan
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 66 m · ~1 min walk — pharmacy · Internationale Apotheke — 442 m · ~6 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Zermatt Station (Bahnhofplatz) → Hotel Viscaria (Riedstrasse stop)
💡 Buy a 24h ZermattBus ticket (5 CHF) or use the ZermattMobil app for real-time stops. Get off at 'Riedstrasse' — walk 50m east.
Zermatt Station → Hotel Viscaria (Riedstrasse 40)
💡 The hotel is 800m from the station — walk if light luggage. Taxi is electric since no combustion engines allowed. Book 10 mins ahead in winter.
Zurich Airport → Zermatt (via Visp)
💡 Change at Visp to the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn narrow-gauge train. Sit on the left for the best mountain views approaching Zermatt.
Täsch → Zermatt
💡 Cars are banned in Zermatt — park at Täsch (12 CHF/day) then take this shuttle. Buy a round-trip; it's cheaper than single tickets.
About Zermatt
Wikipedia ↗
Zermatt (German: [tsɛʁˈmat] , Swiss Standard German: [tsɛrˈmat]; Highest Alemannic: Zärmatt) is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a year-round population of about 5,800 and is classified as a town by the Swiss Federal...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Appartements Elan?
Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor facing the rear (east) side. These upper floors get the best light and Matterhorn view, and are furthest from any street-level activity.
Which rooms should I avoid at Appartements Elan?
Avoid ground-floor rooms at the front. Riedstrasse carries local traffic and early morning delivery trucks; you'll hear it. Also skip rooms directly over the small lobby/entrance area – foot traffic and door slams carry up.
Is Appartements Elan noisy?
Riedstrasse is a main local street – not a pedestrian zone. Morning deliveries, occasional ski buses, and evening pedestrian chatter if windows open. The entrance and small reception area generate moderate noise until 10pm. No lift to upper floors? Some 3-star self-catering blocks in Zermatt have small lifts – confirm at booking. If no lift, request 3rd or 4th floor only if you're OK with stairs.
Which rooms have the best views at Appartements Elan?
Rooms on the east side face the Matterhorn. The west side looks onto neighbouring chalets and Riedstrasse. If you can, ask for a Matterhorn-facing room.
What are insider tips for staying at Appartements Elan?
1. This is a self-catering apartment block – there's no restaurant or bar. Buy groceries at the Migros (5 mins walk) for breakfast. 2. Parking in Zermatt is car-free: park at the Täsch terminal outside town and take the shuttle train in. The property will give you a code for discounted valet parking if you ask before arrival.
What time is check-in at Appartements Elan?
Check-in at Appartements Elan is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Appartements Elan have Wi-Fi?
free Wi-Fi for all guests; typical speed 50 Mbps down; login via room number and surname
Is there a city or tourist tax at Appartements Elan?
CHF 5.00 per person per night
Where can I eat cheaply near Appartements Elan?
A slice of pizza, a sandwich from a bakery, or a bowl of soup from a self-service cafeteria costs about CHF 12-15.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Appartements Elan?
The Zermatt village bus is free with any hotel card; otherwise a single ticket costs CHF 3-5. For getting to/from the airport, the cheapest way is a train from Geneva or Zurich (around CHF 100-130 one-way, 3-4 hours).
When is the best time to visit Zermatt?
June and September: snow-free hiking trails, daily highs around 20°C, and noticeably thinner crowds than July and August.
Top Attractions in Zermatt
💡 Look for the grave of guides from the 1865 disaster—names are etched in stone. Best light for photos is 3–4pm in summer.
💡 Best in late afternoon for golden light on the wood. Check the blackened beams inside—soot from open fires preserved them for 400+ years.
💡 Skip Grünsee if short on time—it's the least scenic. Pack a picnic and swim in Leisee (water is cold but clear in July–August). Allow 3–4 hours.
💡 Go early morning before 9am to catch still water and avoid crowds. The trail is well-marked and takes about 20 minutes from the station.
💡 The free audio guide in English is worth it—focus on the 'Crystal of Bort' section with historical climbing gear and diaries.