CERVO Mountain Resort — Hotel in Zermatt

⚠️ Stay away from Hotel Cervo in Zermatt — for your own safety and your family’s well-being. This isn’t just a bad experience. It’s a health hazard. ⚠️

I never thought I’d write a review like this. I’m not someone who complains publicly — I’ve traveled a lot and always tried to be understanding. But after what happened to my family and me at Hotel Cervo, I feel responsible to warn others.

We stayed there from April 14 to 20, with our 11-year-old child, expecting a relaxing, high-end vacation. We paid 12,000 CHF, trusting the promise of five-star comfort and service. Instead, we lived through what can only be described as a complete breakdown of safety, hygiene, and human decency.

On the night of April 16, a snowstorm hit. Zermatt lost electricity — something that’s not even rare in April. At first, we weren’t worried. Surely a five-star hotel would have a backup plan, right?

Cervo had nothing. No generator. No alternative solution. We went three days with no power, no heating, and no hot water. Outside, it was below freezing. Inside, we were layering jackets and still shivering. We had to shower in ice-cold water, and that included our 11-year-old. I stood there, trying to comfort my freezing child while knowing there was no other option. That moment broke me.

This wasn’t "unexpected." This wasn’t "just weather." This was preventable, and Cervo chose not to be prepared.

And that wasn’t the end of it.

The food tasted fine — not great, not terrible. But after nearly every meal, I felt sick. I couldn’t figure out why — until we saw it with our own eyes: Mice. Running across the buffet. Crawling near the food. And at one point — I wish I was making this up — two of them were literally mating on the buffet counter.

We told the staff. Their answer? “It’s nature.”

I love animals too. But this? This is blatant negligence and a disgusting violation of health standards.

About the power — I still don’t know if other hotels had generators. But I do know that by April 17, other places already had electricity back. We walked to a hotel just 200 meters away to charge our phones. Restaurants, bars, and even supermarkets in Zermatt were lit up. Cervo was still in the dark.

Later in the week, the hotel moved us into a downgraded room because of a risk that a tree might fall on our chalet. Then they offered us 1,600 CHF “as compensation.” Not a refund. Not an apology. Just a quiet offer — like they were hoping we’d take the money and say nothing.

We didn’t.

I lost 4 kilograms during this trip — not from skiing, not from exercise — from stress, cold, and food that made me feel worse every day. I spent most of my time worrying about my child, wondering if I’d made a huge mistake bringing my family here.

Because I did. I trusted a brand. I trusted a rating. And I paid the price.

🛑 Please. If you're a parent, if you're planning a trip, if you care about your health — do not go near this hotel. Not every problem can be avoided. But the way Cervo handled them — or rather, didn’t — made everything worse.

What should have been a beautiful week in the Alps turned into something I hope no other family ever has...

So much to say, but I will try to keep it brief. I recently stayed here with my wife and my nine-year-old son to finish off a 11 day summer trip around Switzerland. We could not have picked a better finishing spot to end an already amazing trip. Cervo went beyond our expectations.||Visually, the resort is stunning and unique, which is what I always look for when traveling. It reminded me of mountain villages I have visited in Nepal and Tibet, but with a five star twist. Set high up the mountain and away from the crowds of the town below, this resort is truly a getaway. And you take an elevator to get up there which my kid loved. As soon as we showed up we were greeted by a very attentive staff, and they brought us hot cocoa and some warm towels in the lobby. They were all very helpful throughout our stay. Going there felt like you were escaping the hustle and bustle of the world and that is exactly what we needed.||We had a suite with an insane view of Matterhorn and it was quiet and peaceful at night, which we loved. The suite, like the resort, was decorated with carefully curated artwork, photography and amenities, including a backpack that we borrowed for free for our daytime mountain excursions. The concierge gave us a tour around the hotel and it felt like there was a surprise around every turn with the various passageways that got you from one end of the resort to another. There was even a climbing wall in the building we were in!||The restaurants were excellent— we ate at all three—and the menus were unique and extensive. I only wish we had more days to try more things. The breakfast, which was fully included (and all you can eat!), was particularly unique with the buffet cave that featured some very tasty things, including a juicer with all of the fruits, vegetables and herbs provided. That was really awesome.||The spa was beautiful and serene. The one thing that struck me the most was the yoga room, which is in a figure 8 shape and had this amazing vibe to it, like a secret lounge. The infinity pool was perfect to lounge in with a stellar view of the Matterhorn. And the grounds are, again, so unique with the modern east Asian mountain style and vibe. Also, I had an incredible facial massage with Aleksandra, who also teaches yoga and meditation at the resort. Do not miss an opportunity for her treatment if she is available!||Among the best parts of the resort is the access to trails. The hotel is already at the base of some great hiking and offers immediate access to the funicular that takes you to the top of the mountain, so hiking and biking to, and from the resort is very convenient.||It was also really cool seeing other families there because it gave my son some vacation play friends. I can also see myself taking just my wife back there for a romantic getaway.||Overall, if you want an extremely unique getaway mountain experience in one of the most beautiful places in the world, this resort is the one you should go to. I have traveled to countless countries and stayed at some of the top resorts around the world, and this one easily entered my...

Amazing, amazing, amazing!||This hotel is 100% on my list to come back to for so many reasons!! ||Firstly, the moment I walked in I was welcomed and offered a seat in a sitting area to do the check in and a prosecco, what service!! ||When I got to the room, wow!! Super luxury mountain lodge feel, it's technically ski in and ski out as the tunnel to the chair lift is connected to the hotel and one of the runs ends at the reception of the hotel, it wasn't open yet when I visited but it did have snow and soon to be ready for ski in and ski out.||But back to the room, it had a full bathroom with a bathtub and a separate shower and a huge basin area for getting ready, girls if you know you know! ||The view from my room was stunning! It looked out to the snow and some of the trees and did I say snow?? It was magical!!||They also had a lot of wellness options at the hotel such as day spa, sauna, steamboats and my favourite was the outside onsen (jacuzzi) that looked out to... you guessed it... the snow covered mountain, it was honestly incredible - freezing when you got out, but a hot shower fixed that up!!||The restaurants and bars were great. The first night I dined at the restaurant upstairs (unsure of the name, but even though I was a solo traveller, we were travelling as a group but stayed in solo rooms) and dined in the private dining room, the food here was exceptional and the wines to match the meal were great.||The restaurant downstairs where you have breakfast of a morning, turns into a dinner venue of an evening and is very Moroccan inspired food. The flavours were incredible and the chefs did a great job.||There was a little issue with a prosecco not being brought out 2 times to our group once they'd been ordered, but the staff resolved it and it didn't affect the stay or experience at all.||The only thing here was the usual European adapters didn't work in the room, but the lovely staff in reception loaned me a Swiss plug/adapater that I could use.||The most amazing thing about the hotel is the staff. I accidentally left my bag at another venue and was so worried as it had my phone and my wallet inside, and the staff did everything, they paid for my taxi fare (put it on my room charge to settle the next day/check out) and they investigated all of the venues in the area and called them to retrieve my bag and my phone. Nothing was taken from it and I was and still am so so grateful!||The general manager even came to say hello at dinner and bidded us a good farewell on our last night (this was before the bag incident). I've also received a follow up email from the hotel post stay to check in and see that everything was okay.||In all honesty, I don't think I've had such a personalised experience at a luxury hotel of this size before, it felt like a small boutique hotel, but from the looks of it, they had quite a few rooms and customers coming and going for food and drinks.||Cannot recommend enough, and cannot wait to return...