An independent guide to luxury ski chalets
From £10,600 exclusive chalet per week
Quaint, impeccably tasteful
mountain home in plum location
usp
The name Zen suggests something rather Asian and modern, but neither of these adjectives apply to this delightful chalet which is in fact a beautifully homely, tastefully old-fashioned, personally furnished, authentically Swiss private mountain home.
location
Unlike many luxury chalets in Zermatt which are a taxi ride and a funiculaire ride up above the village, Chalet Zen is just a bobble hat’s throw away (approx 50m) from the main lift up to Schwarzsee. It is tucked up from the street, at the top of a rather wearying climb of 38 steps, which makes it extremely private but stops it being strictly ski-in/ski-out.
style
The chalet is old-fashioned and traditional, yet absolutely pristine and gleamingly clean. It is stuffed with beautiful antiques, rugs and paintings of various classic snowy scenes and landscapes such as the Matterhorn, Zermatt’s iconic mountain, and it has lots of lovely dark old wood throughout. There are two living rooms, one where afternoon tea is served and another upstairs where dinner is eaten – each with gorgeous snowy views through the trees and up towards the Matterhorn itself. ^
rooms
The rooms are all excellent sizes – some of the biggest we have seen. Each has a different antique piece of furniture in it, such as a desk or beautiful old wardrobe, and some themed art such as Japanese silk screen paintings or nautical paintings. The bathrooms are all marble and shiney chrome, with toasty underfloor heating, thick dressing gowns and plentiful Jo Malone products. ^
food & drink
Oh my. Where to begin? Pedro the delightful Portuguese chef is a genuine darling who demonstrated immense attention to detail and love in the dishes that he served. Not only did he lay on magnificent multi-course feasts in the evening, he also pulled out all the stops for breakfast and afternoon tea too, proving his professionalism and commitment to laying on the very best. Each dish was beautifully presented, including the meticulously diced fruit salad at breakfast and the fresh mint-decorated bowl of Bircher muesli, while afternoon tea consisted of the lightest, fluffiest Swiss roll possible and melt-in-the-mouth Portuguese custard tarts – a welcome change from the more usual lump of cake.
The house champagne is Palmer Brut and the chalet has excellent house wines, including French and Swiss reds and whites. There is also an à la carte fine wine list that guests can upgrade to, plus special last-minute requests can be accommodated because the chalet has a local wine supplier which delivers within the hour. ^
service
Steffi, the chalet’s German manager, hostess and concierge, is utterly charming and, once again, quietly attentive and professional. She overheard us talking about our favourite movies one night and silently went and checked out whether any were available in the chalet’s library of DVDs; she was also unobtrusively around whenever we needed her to sort out a taxi or bring champagne to us outside in the hot tub. ^
spa facilities
The chalet has an outdoor hot tub, tucked away on the balcony among the trees, as well as a steam shower and a private dedicated massage room where excellent massages are laid on by the Zermatt Massage Centre at an extra cost. ^
children
The chalet is wonderfully homely and would be excellent for children. All kinds of baby equipment can be laid on, from a cot to bedding, pram, toys, baby phone and bottle warmer. It also has many toys and children’s games and DVDs, as well as a cute bunk room that sleeps two. ^
extras
There is a small library area in the upstairs living room which has a computer, printer and fax, and there is wifi throughout the chalet. The chalet also offers guests use of a Swiss mobile phone, complete with programmed useful numbers such as those for the top mountain restaurants, taxis and ski guides. ^
for skiers
Chalet Zen uses one of the best ski schools in the Alps, Stoked, run by the wonderfully efficient and well-organised Christian Meier. This guy has everything at his fingertips, from a bag-of-tricks backpack complete with full in-built sound system and chilled wine bottle storage, to the ability to arrange the best table in the sunshine at the gorgeous Restaurant Zum See. ^
for non skiers
Zermatt is the perfect resort for non-skiers. It can offer all kinds of diversions such as hiking and walking, tobogganing and snowshoe walking, as well as the rather more gnarly ice climbing, paragliding and sight-seeing by helicopter. There is a cinema too, an ice rink, a bowling alley, plus various courses where you can even learn about cheese-making. Culturally there is also the Matterhorn Museum, several beautiful churches and chapels to visit, galleries and a lovely guided tour of the village. ^
best thing
The staff and the food. ^
worst thing
Those 38 steps up to the chalet – rather exhausting at the end of a hard day’s ski, although the welcome at the top eases the pain. ^
getting there
The nearest airport would be Sion, just one and a half hours away, but only for private jets. Otherwise Zermatt is around 3 hours from Geneva, 3hrs 30 mins from Zurich, and 4hrs from Milan. ^
bottom line
The starting price is £1260 per person for an off-peak week. ^
bookings & enquiries
If you would like to make an enquiry or a booking, please email enquiries at chicchaletguide.co.uk. Remember, we have visited all the chalets we feature so can give you totally unbiased, independent advice on all of them. The prices we quote are also the list prices quoted by the chalets themselves, so there is no advantage in going to the chalets direct.
Chalet - 9
Service - 10
Room - 8
Food & Drink - 9
Luxury - 8
The chalet is just a short ski away from the Henustall, one of Zermatt’s top après joints, a must-visit for a post-ski beer and a bop. And ask Pedro for his divine Bircher muesli recipe – he’ll be happy to pass it on.
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• Best Thing
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• Bottom Line
• Bookings & Enquiries
• Other chalets in this resort
Bookings and enquiries: enquiries at chicchaletguide.co.uk Telephone:
+44 (0)7772 853996
guest book
"Wow, total 6* service, absolutely spoiled, fabulous chalet"
"The chalet manager - Steffi Minkner - showed the best service we could expect, being most friendly, understanding and always smiling. Steffi also showed very professional and LOVING care for our kid and the baby. We couldn't have asked for more. Please note that she is a real diamond among your staff."
"The performance of the chef was absolutely beyond belief. We enjoyed domestic and haute cuisine - always surprised by his high cooking and serving skills. And, which is most important - all guests noticed that the food was ‘charged’ with positive energy and love."
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