The Matterhorn Hostel Zermatt

For people watching their budget who can manage very basic facilities, this place may work. It’s better than some reviews I’d read, but it’s definitely a budget hostel. Things are old, though clean enough. The showers are in the basement, the water was lukewarm and could be cold, and the drains didn’t work well. The beds are bunks, and the top ones have no ladders. They provide wool blankets, but they’re scratchy, so I’d bring a sheet or liner. They don’t give you room keys, so rooms are left unlocked. Bring a lock if you want to secure your things, and you can use the locker provided. Locker space seems to vary.

The hostel was quite expensive, although Zermatt itself is an expensive place. Compared with other hostels around Europe, the quality here was very low. Check-in at 1600 is quite inconvenient, and there’s only one toilet available. We had a room to ourselves, so at least there was plenty of space. The showers were dirty and drained so badly that they flooded after about two minutes. The wool blankets on the beds were very itchy and made sleeping uncomfortable. Expect people to be noisy through the night, especially if you’re sharing a room.

You get what you pay for. The beds were comfortable, but there isn’t much else I can praise. They provide wool blankets and uncomfortable pillows, which are bearable if you sleep heavily. The doors squeak and the floors creak unbelievably loudly, so you’ll be up early whether you want to be or not. The bathrooms were fairly clean, but the showers didn’t get very hot and were clogged with all sorts of stuff, so they flooded easily. It wasn’t a horrible stay, but I’d pay a little more if I could.

They upgraded my friend and me to a private room with two beds, and let us leave our extra bags in the lounge while we hiked around Zermatt. The staff were understanding and helpful. I wanted a cheap, clean, comfortable little hostel with friendly staff, and that’s what I got. It reminded me of the days when all you needed was somewhere to crash, and they do that well. There’s no bed linen, which is a bit of a hassle but manageable. The wool blanket they provide kept me warm, though it’s kind of scratchy, so a liner is handy. This isn’t a five-star hotel, and that was fine by me. For the right person, this place is a miracle and made my Zermatt stay even more charming. Highly recommended!