Rooms

The rooms at Iglu-Dorf can accommodate families, but most igloos are designed for couples; from the simple Romantic Igloos (just for 2) to the lavish Igloo Suite, which comes complete with its own loo, sitting area and private Jacuzzi with obligatory view of the Matterhorn. If you’re travelling with kids, the Family Igloos have plenty of space and offer good value (sleep 2 adults and up to 4 children).

Most of the rooms, apart from the Family Igloos, have huge ice carvings cut into their walls; when we visited there were lots of Greek gods and scantily clad women, but the theme changes each year. All rooms have their own electricity in the form of a small lamp. The corridor linking them is lined with artworks sunken into the snowy walls and frozen in ice - these range from arty bottles of vodka to small carvings. Apart from this, decoration is basic. Plump Arctic sleeping bags lie on top of ice plinths covered with faux-fur throws and sheepskin rugs and, well, that’s it really.

There are no showers and running water is very limited. Those staying in the Romantic and Family Igloos also don't have an ensuite. Instead, there’s a shared unisex toilet block just across the outdoor lounge area, where the bar is during the day. It’s a bit of a walk but the loos flush and are perfectly clean, plus the block is heated and has 2 sinks. If this sounds a little too much like hard work, the Igloo Suite has a private ensuite loo.

Eating

Given that this is an igloo village, set in splendid isolation at 2,727m in the middle of a mountain, it's a wonder that food is on offer at all. But it is, if only rather basic options. The evening meal is a simple but delicious cheese fondue followed by chocolate brownies. You can eat as much as you like of either, although we challenge anyone to eat vast quantities of cheese fondue. An aperitif plate of cheese, garlic sausage, dried fruit and rye bread with a glass of Prosecco is also available at any time of day, and is included in some room rates.

There's an Igloo Bar which serves an impressive array of drinks, from flavoured vodkas to schnapps (recommended after the fondue), local white wine and beer, as well as an outdoor bar for daytime socialising. Alcoholic drinks cost extra (bring cash) but are fairly priced, and draw in lots of day visitors from the piste. There is also a tea bar which you can help yourself to all evening, stocked with a variety of herbal teas and powdered stock to make a light soup.

Breakfast is served at Hotel Riffelhaus after your night’s stay in the igloo village. It consists of fresh pastries, croissants, fruit, yoghurts, and a selection of hot options including eggs, bacon and sausages - perfect for warming up after a night on ice.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast

Activities

A stay here is an activity in itself, but there are a few options to help keep you warm and the blood pumping:

• After dinner your guide will take you on a short snowshoe walk up the piste (included in the rates). It's quite magical to be on the mountain without any screaming skiers hurtling by, silently walking about under the stars with just the moon and the Matterhorn for company
  
• Back at the igloo you can jump in the Jacuzzi, which is properly hot and designed especially for warming you up before you climb into bed for the night. The views of the Matterhorn, once again, make stripping down to your swimwear in sub-zero temperatures well worth the discomfort
  
• If sleeping here isn't igloo-tastic enough, you can sign up for an igloo-building introductory workshop (additional cost). There are taster sessions that last an hour, or you can take on a bigger project lasting 3-5 hours
  
• Zermatt town has fantastic skiing and snowboarding, with 360km of slopes at your disposal. There's something for all levels here, and it's great fun to arrive at the igloo village on your skis or snowboard

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Hiking
• Skiing
• Snowsports

Kids

There is nothing specially set up for children, but little ones might really enjoy the experience of sleeping in an igloo. There is no age limit - it is up to parents whether they want to bring really small children - but we wouldn't recommend bring children under 5 years old (see our 'Families Should Know' section).

Family friendly accommodation:

The Family Igloo is the best bet. It can only be booked by families and is suitable for 2 adults and up to 4 children, though bear in mind this room does not have an ensuite loo. Sleeping bags can be zipped together for exchanging body warmth.

Family Rooms

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Iglu-Dorf is located at around 2,700m on the edge of Zermatt, in the Gornergrat ski area, Switzerland. It is 240km east of Geneva, 230km south of Bern and 260km north of Turin. Note that it is a car-free town.

By Air:
You can fly into Geneva (240km) from all over Europe and from most countries across the world. You can also fly into Zurich and Basel, which are all similar distances from Zermatt and have similar railway connections. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.

From the Airport
We'd recommend taking the train but you could also hire a car (see below).

By Train:
It’s easiest to come by train. International connections will take you to Brig or Visp, from where you change onto the
Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn railway, which goes right into the centre of Zermatt.

You'll need to take the Gornergrat railway from Zermatt up to Riffelberg train station. Guests meet at Hotel Riffelberg at approximately 5pm before getting back onto the train and travelling up to Rotenboden train station, from which it's a 10-minute hike to the igloo village.

By Car:
Zermatt is car-free, so you'll need to park in Täsch, 8km up the valley, and take a shuttle train in. If you want to hire a car, see our car rental recommendations. Speed cameras are everywhere in Switzerland, so beware!

Detailed directions will be sent when you confirm a booking through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Switzerland and getting around