Tradition obliges:
The family history of the Resort Hotel Alex.
Two generations have made it their life’s work to create great things in Zermatt. Explore the history of our hotel and discover what lies behind these storied walls.
Tradition obliges: The family history of the Resort Hotel Alex.
Two generations have made it their life’s work to create great things in Zermatt. Explore the history of our hotel and discover what lies behind these storied walls.
YOUR HOSTS
FAMILY PERREN & HÜRLIMANN
Tradition continues. The second generation has been running the hotel since winter 2005/06. Christina and René Hürlimann-Perren.
If there were a league table of the most original Swiss hotels, the Alex would surely be in first place. The traditional log-cabin exterior conceals an exciting world of experiences that is packed full of surprises. Hand-turned furniture, brocade curtains, velvet cushions, exquisite carvings, valuable pictures of the Matterhorn and thousands of other little details make the whole hotel into an amazing work of art that captivates visitors with its passionate love of hospitality. The spacious Alex Lounge Bar has themed alcoves such as the ‘Highlander’ or the ‘Scottish Corner’ and is the perfect place to sit back and relax for a while with an impressive selection of whiskies and cigars.
HISTORY
Resort Hotel Alex Zermatt
Alex Perren
born 1933
On his mother’s side, Alex is descended from the first man to climb the Matterhorn, Peter Taugwalder. His mountaineering talent has been with him almost since birth. He was the youngest Zermatt man to pass his ski instructor and mountain guide exams at the age of just 19. It was a dream come true for him. Now he could take guests on guided walks on his beloved Matterhorn and all the other 4000 metre peaks.
Alex became a hotelier after a tragic mountain accident on the Obergabelhorn when he was just 26, as a result of which he lost his lower left leg. So he had to give up his beloved career as a mountain guide and decided to take up a new profession as a hotelier.
But fate was smiling on Alex Perren: in 1962 he met Salzburg-born Gisela Becwar, who took a job as a maid-of-all-work at Resort Hotel Alex. Love eventually brought the pair together.
They set trends in Zermatt. The Alex became the ‘in’ place in this world-famous spa town. No visitor would leave Zermatt without having been to the Alex at least once. Over all those years, the couple invested constantly in the quality of their establishment. Today, the Alex is a jewel in the Zermatt hotel industry’s crown.
Since 2005, Resort Hotel Alex has been run by the second generation, daughter Christina Perren, and her husband, René Hürlimann. They, too, are committed to the family tradition of doing all they can to look after their guests.
The Hotel Alex was officially opened
They married in 1964, and so began a wonderful success story.
Gisela, a charismatic and extremely charming Austrian, and Alex, a typical down-to-earth ‘Zermatter’, made their mark on the hotel business in Zermatt as devoted hosts – today you would call them a Power Couple.
The Hotel Alex was officially opened
But fate was smiling on Alex Perren: in 1962 he met Salzburg-born Gisela Becwar, who took a job as a maid-of-all-work at Resort Hotel Alex. Love eventually brought the pair together.
They married in 1964, and so began a wonderful success story.
Gisela, a charismatic and extremely charming Austrian, and Alex, a typical down-to-earth ‘Zermatter’, made their mark on the hotel business in Zermatt as devoted hosts – today you would call them a Power Couple.
They set trends in Zermatt. The Alex became the ‘in’ place in this world-famous spa town. No visitor would leave Zermatt without having been to the Alex at least once. Over all those years, the couple invested constantly in the quality of their establishment. Today, the Alex is a jewel in the Zermatt hotel industry’s crown.
Since 2005, the second generation has been run by daughter Christina Perren and her husband René Hürlimann. They also feel obliged to tradition to pamper the guest completely.
Behind the original concept is a host family that celebrates hospitality with passionate determination and great savoir-faire.
SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE
Our laundry was completely renovated in 2012 and equipped with state-of-the-art, sustainable facilities. In this way, we guarantee quality control directly at our hotel so that you can enjoy a well-deserved rest in fresh, clean, cosy bed linen.