Rath checks in: The Omnia, Zermatt

For me, Zermatt is a place “on top of the world”. Impressively surrounded by the Matterhorn and numerous 4000m peaks, the mountain town awaits the elite from the Valais as well as visitors from all over the world. FIFA’s Chairman of the Board, Mauricio Macri, is one of them. Even hotel visionary Cesar Ritz came from Valais.

The Valais obviously have a very hospitable gene paired with cleverness and an unbelievably close cohesion that you otherwise only find in Sicily. The residents of Zermatt are committed to political issues in their country in Bern. The crème de la crème of top Swiss gastronomy also works here. No matter which gastronomic outlet my appetite takes me to, I always find unique quality. Fortunately, fast food stayed in the valley.

A prestigious place everywhere. The Matterhorn cements the way to heaven with its glacier fields. Did you know that half of this mountain with its distinctive shape belongs to Switzerland and the other half to Italy? Quasi an international massif that you can climb from various sides. Or, like me, enjoy the view from the helicopter.

In any case, you cannot fall back on a car. Zermatt has been car-free since the 1960s. From Täsch, five kilometers from the entrance to the town, I drive to Zermatt by limousine service. Electrically powered, of course. My place to stay, the Omnia, is also extraordinary. The Latin term means “complete” or “complete” and of course arouses very high expectations in me.

It takes a good deal of self-confidence to label your house with the wording “Omnia”. At first glance, the 30-room hotel is atypical for Zermatt. It looks like an American design mountain hotel, but on closer inspection it represents Swiss values ​​through and through.

Mountain views, art and culture

The New York architect Ali Tayar harmonizes the American lodge concept with the rugged Swiss environment. I enjoy the natural wood materials that point to Valais tradition throughout the house. The interior has a very aesthetic and modern contrast. The furniture systems used can be found as design classics in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, or here in the Omnia in Zermatt. In addition, many pieces of furniture are custom-made and specially designed to make the guest experience even more comfortable as a lodge element.

The generosity that has radiated towards me since my first step into the Omnia is also reflected in the Tower Suite. I really have to discipline myself to take a close look at the room and take my eyes off the window, because I am across from the Matterhorn. The telescope tempts me to spend hours on the balcony and watch the stars over the rugged top of the mountain.

If you are very calm, the Matterhorn will quietly whisper its secrets to you. Mountaineers have been trying to experience this for decades, and all they have to do is spend time in the Omnia. They could even have enjoyed the warming fire of their own fireplace and stove in the suite while relaxing on the chaise longue.

Fresh fruit on the table, flowers and loving details greet me in the suite. More attention to detail is not possible. The other guests think so too, by the way. November is known to be one of the rather poorly booked months, the house is still over 80 percent occupied and that with rather mediocre weather.

Besides, I don’t seem to be the only occupant in my suite. Invisible brownies seem to live unnoticed in my wooden cupboard. I’m only about an hour in the spa after I’ve used my suite well – let’s say Ü. I worked, shot videos, left and refrained from cleaning up the mess. When I came back an hour later, I found the rooms freshly cleaned and perfectly organized, without even seeing anyone from house-keeping. I’ve never seen it like this before.

Stylish service with Swiss charm

Usually I don’t get much out of the question of how to get there. In that case I would have liked to have answered it. Getting there is an adventure in itself. If you take the train to Zermatt, you have fantastic views of the majestic rocks through the extra-large windows. But I am not asked the question. The check-in is uncomplicated and quick, so that I can concentrate on the essentials, the beautiful house. Incidentally, I am addressed by name in every area of ​​the house, just like every guest.

Even in the early morning I witness the loving presence in the house. Even if the employees feel they are not being watched, they treat each other warmly. As a guest, I can feel that at all times. The attention to detail radiates even on the presentation of the coffee set-up. The sweetener, which is usually packaged in plain white bags, is celebrated in this house with a nature-friendly material and a red ribbon typical of the Swiss.

Filigree salt and pepper shakers are on my breakfast table. The egg is also served perfectly decapitated so I don’t have to do this. The jams are embedded in wooden bowls, cereals wait in filigree silver bowls to be eaten. The dishes are not only very attractive, at the same time the materials are also very quiet. By the way, the dishes are from Dibbern and seem almost Japanese-delicate.

The café service takes me back to the 19th century. The modern 19th century goes without saying. The service employees are all selected, handpicked, trained, trained, motivated down to their fingertips. The director of the house, Christian Eckert, inspires his employees anew every day. He knows his trade, after all he was trained by Rupert Simona, a very good hotelier who still enjoyed the management of the grandiose CEO of the Kempinski Group, Reto Wittwer.

Before I can take care of my departure, a friendly lady comes up to me with the words: “Mr. Rath, we saw your train leaving tomorrow at 10:37 am. We have organized a shuttle for you for 10 o’clock, is it your right? ”This is how Service close to heaven works.

The mountain is calling – excursions to lofty heights

The leisure activities around The Omnia are obvious, or rather on the mountain: With the Gornergratbahn I travel from 1605 m to 3089 m in 30 minutes. The train was the first electrically operated rack railway in the world. At the mountain station of the Gornergrat you will find the highest hotel at 3100 m, the Kulmhotel Gornergrat. If the weather doesn’t quite play along, you can experience the Matterhorn and the surrounding peaks in multimedia via 3D glasses. I enjoy both on my excursion.

Glamor on the mountain: four of the 25 cabins on the Matterhorn Glacier Ride are refined with 280,000 Swarovski crystals. You are guaranteed to have a glamorous appearance when you arrive at the Klein Matterhorn. Nevertheless, you should dress very warmly, it is extremely cold up on the mountain. Gloves and hats are compulsory. These are also available with Swarovski stones.

In the evening, warm up by the fireplace in The Omnia or go for a nightcap in the bar in the Hotel Post. Here you mingle with the locals and often meet the young Swiss on site.

After a long day on the mountain, I used the generous sows in The Omnia and the torch-enclosed outdoor pool. I swim straight from the indoor pool into the starry night at 36 degrees water temperature and watch the firmament in my swimming trunks. Anyone who does not become a romantic here can no longer be helped. The basic cuisine in the restaurant is vegetarian. Nevertheless, I can order fish or meat as a side dish. That’s entirely to my liking.

Conclusion: quality, culture and 100 percent commitment for the guest

The focus here is clearly on the guest, never in the way. So if you want to experience gastronomy and top hotel business in Switzerland, then I strongly recommend the Omnia in Zermatt. A highlight of my stay was definitely the helicopter flight with the impressive perspective of the Matterhorn and the no less impressive mountaineering stories of the pilot.

I close my column with a loving criticism of my valued colleague Karl Wild: 17th place among the best hotels in Switzerland? In my opinion that is terribly undervalued!

About the author: As a former grand hotelier and operator of a travel platform, Carsten K. Rath is a professional globetrotter. He travels to all of the hotels he writes about for the Handelsblatt on his own account. Rath is the source of ideas for the new ranking “The 101 Best Hotels in Germany”, of which the Handelsblatt is one of the partners.

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