Best for: views, good old-fashioned luxury

COMPRISING three buildings, this is the best of Zermatt's Seiler group of luxury hotels. It is one of the town's oldest properties: the main building was put up in the 1870s, while a new wing, the Residence, was added in 1994.

Although the Residence rooms are better, many guests still prefer to stay in the older section, which has a more traditional feel, with plenty of the wood panelling so popular in these parts.

On arrival in Zermatt, you are collected from the station in the hotel's horse-drawn carriage. As you would expect paying these prices, a Matterhorn view comes with nearly every room. The emphasis is on white linen and flashes of strong reds and oranges to add life to the decor.

The 20-metre swimming pool is one of Zermatt's largest and best, and there are steam rooms, a fitness centre and spa offering treatments such as stone therapy, Swedish whole-body massage and lymphatic drainage. For families, the hotel restaurant does a special service at 6pm. Typical children's menu: veal escalope, saut potatoes and vegetables, followed by a strawberry pancake.

HOTEL MONTE ROSA

Which brochures? Crystal, Kuoni, Scott Dunn Ski

Cost: 1,221 with Kuoni

Best for: history buffs, foodies

ZERMATT'S longest-established hotel was opened by the ubiquitous Seiler family in 1855 and is still run by them today. A century-and- a-half have not aged this hotel much and service levels remain high. As is typical among these old hotels, built before real estate was at a premium, the rooms are of a good size, although the floral decoration of the wallpaper, drapes and some of the soft furnishings can seem a little overpowering.

The Whympersalon recalls mountaineering pioneer Edward Whymper, who stayed here in the 1800s during his famous ascents of the Matterhorn, and is a good place for a quiet drink while taking in the old mountaineering photos that cover the walls.

Guests can use the spa facilities at the Seiler Mont Cervin. The hotel's Speisesaal restaurant is a beautiful historic venue with ornate ceilings, and chef Albert Wysseier's food never gets boring: potato foam soup with marjoram pesto and cubes of monkfish; pot- roasted scallop on potato tartlet with rucola. You can also dine at any of the other Seiler hotel restaurants outside high season.

GRAND HOTEL ZERMATTERHOF

Which brochures? Elegant Resorts, Inghams, Kuoni, Scott Dunn Ski, White Roc Cost: 1,348 with Inghams

Best for: gamblers, tech-heads

THE 125-year-old Zermatterhof is slap-bang in the centre of town, close to the main square and next door to Zermatt's casino, which opened last season under new gaming laws. The casino runs four American roulette tables with a maximum stake of SFr200 on a single number, two blackjack tables with a maximum stake of SFr500 on each box, and there are 100 slot machines.

The exterior of the Zermatterhof brings to mind the sort of hotel that James Bond would feel very comfortable in. Inside, dark-wood panelling is so widespread that you could be

forgiven for thinking you had been transported to an old-school City boardroom. The exclusive feeling extends to the atmosphere. Having left your car at Tsch down in the valley, you are met at Zermatt train station by a horse-drawn carriage. Check-in takes place in your room. Like many of Zermatt's hotels, it's oriented so that the balconies of most rooms face the Matterhorn. All rooms have PlayStations and multifunction TVs with internet access. There is wireless internet access throughout the hotel if you have an appropriate laptop.

You have to wear a jacket in the main Prato Borni restaurant, where five-course gastronomic French-Italian meals are standard. Casual clothes are allowed in the new Lusi restaurant, where the menu is more steak than foie gras.

SCHWEIZERHOF

Which brochures? Elegant Resorts, Inghams, Kuoni, Scott Dunn Ski Cost: 1,158 with Kuoni

Best for: people who hate chintz and those who want culinary variety WITH a name like this, you expect the Schweizerhof to have been here for centuries, but it is just 20 years old, built in Swiss- chalet style almost opposite the railway station. Decor is a mix of rustic, sturdy beams, pastel blue and beige soft furnishings and white linen - a pleasant change from the boardroom stuffiness of the Zermatterhof. The south-facing junior suites have views of the Matterhorn, but with the hotel overlooking Zermatt's narrow main street, the lower floors get very little sunlight. The Speisesaal restaurant is part of Dine Around, which allows half-board guests to eat in 11 other Zermatt restaurants, except during peak holiday times.

The Schwyzer Stbli restaurant is more fun, with the coats of arms of the cantons of Switzerland and cowbells, and serving traditional Swiss food, including a variety of rstis. Cheese specialities are banished to the Chaeshutte so that the strong aromas do not put off diners who don't like the smell of fondue.

ALPENHOF HOTEL

Which brochures? Inghams, Scott Dunn Ski, White Roc Cost: 899 with Inghams

Best for: anyone in need of pampering, those who want to ski the Rothorn sector

THE Alpenhof is off the main strip

and sits on the banks of the Zermatt river, just across the bridge from the Suneggabahn funicular railway: perfect if you want to ski the Rothorn sector, while only a few minutes' walk from the centre of town and the action. Rooms come in three varieties - Classic, Alpin and Avant Garde. Classic rooms have rich wood panelling and flowery fabrics, Alpin rooms focus on pine, while Avant Garde are the nicest: bright and airy, with white walls, pale furniture and understated Designers Guild fabrics. Many rooms do not have a view of the all- important Matterhorn, but then you're not paying Matterhorn prices. The Alpenhof has the best spa in town: the Vanessa, where a classic 30-minute massage costs SFr55 (25), facials from SFr120 (55). The halfhour hay baths, SFr59 (27), involve being wrapped in grasses from Zermatt's mountain meadows. Le Gourmet, the one-Michelin-starred restaurant, feels more relaxed than some of Zermatt's starchier eatingout places.

HOTEL-GARNI ASTORIA

Which brochures? Inghams, Thomson

Cost: 749 with Thomson

Best for: families, aprs-skiers THE Astoria is a hotel garni, of which there are plenty in Zermatt. This means a hotel offering accommodation, breakfast, drinks and small three-course meals, with dishes along the lines of veal escalope with potatoes and vegetables, or pasta.

It's officially graded as a four-star but Thomson gives it a three T plus, which is closer to the mark. It's small, with only 21 rooms, and has friendly staff as a result. It is well placed for accessing the Klein Matterhorn sector of the ski area, perfect for nipping to Cervinia in Italy.

The Astoria is a different proposition

altogether from some of the bigname five-stars in town, so the emphasis is on comfort and function rather than opulence, making it a good choice for families. Decor is all oranges and dark browns, but rooms are spacious, with lounging areas, big wardrobes and spacious desks if you need to spread out your piste map to decide where to go. In the same building is one of Zermatt's liveliest bars, the Papperla Pub, so if you want somewhere calm, this is not the place to be. Also nearby is the Pipe Boarder pub, great for frozen margaritas and a chilled time.

Mark Frary flew to Geneva with Swiss International Air Lines (0845 601 0956). He stayed in Zermatt with Thomson, which offers one week from 509 half-board in a three-star hotel. For further information contact the Switzerland Travel Centre (00800 100 200 30, www.myswitzerland.com).

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