Hotel ZERMAMA Zermatt

Ski hotels were a bit late to get swept up in the boutique-hotel wave. And Switzerland, despite notable pockets of creativity, has a reputation for conservatism that’s not entirely undeserved. So Hotel ZERMAMA Zermatt comes as something of a shock — a welcome one, but a shock all the same. Not just its modern style, putting the bare wood and organic textures of the Alpine lodge idiom to striking novel use. But also its friendly, welcoming atmosphere, its youthful attitude, and even its ultra-casual name.

All against a backdrop that could hardly be more classically Swiss: the peak of the Matterhorn itself. Hotel ZERMAMA Zermatt offers incredibly convenient ski access via the Sunnegga Railway, two minutes’ walk from your door — and, in the summer season, there’s no end of hiking and other outdoor recreation to be had.

The hotel’s 29 rooms and suites are stylish, and range from the very cozy single to the expansive “Mama’s Sweet” and the “Pool Position” suite, offering a heated whirlpool with a view of the Matterhorn as well as a Finnish sauna. Meanwhile, on the ground floor, there’s Zermama Bistro, serving everything from breakfast on through to dinner, with one of the hippest après-ski scenes in town.