About us

The history of the Alpen Resort & Spa dates back to the early 1970s. Brothers Arma and Hugo Aufdenblatten recognized early on the potential of a district of Zermatt that was still largely undeveloped at the time. While many considered the location too far from the village center, they were convinced that Zermatt would continue to grow. Today, this very location is among the most popular in the village—just a few minutes’ walk from the train station and the mountain railways. With this foresight, the former Sporthotel Tennis Star was born—a place that was far more than just a hotel.

Even back then, the Tennis Star set new standards. In addition to the hotel buildings, a curling and bowling hall, several tennis courts, an indoor tennis facility, and an indoor swimming pool were built—a combination that was virtually unique in the Swiss Alps at the time. Today’s Alpen Resort originally consisted of two hotels: the Tennis Star and the Tennis Club. Building C, as it is known today, once housed a Blizzard ski shop owned by the Julen family, which remains one of the best-known specialty sports stores in Zermatt to this day. Even the small pond near the current entrance tells a piece of history. It used to be much larger and stocked with trout, which were served fresh in the restaurant.  

The family’s entrepreneurial spirit was repeatedly evident in their willingness to break new ground. As early as the late 1970s, the hotel was equipped with a solar power system—long before sustainable construction became the norm. In the 1980s, the two hotel buildings were connected, creating the area where the PeakFine restaurant is located today. At the same time, the swimming pool was lowered to create additional space at ground level for the hotel’s future expansion.  

In the mid-1990s, the former Tennis Star was renamed Alpen Resort. This marked the beginning of its transformation from a traditional sports hotel into a modern vacation hotel. The former curling and bowling hall also underwent changes over time. In the early 2000s, it became the Calypso restaurant, which quickly became a popular gathering place—especially for the Portuguese community in Zermatt and Täsch. A small piece of this history has been preserved to this day: the former bowling alleys are still located beneath what is now The Dude restaurant. They were never completely removed.  

When Mario Aufdenblatten took over in the early 2010s, the next generation began to carefully develop the hotel further. The biggest milestone came in 2017. As part of a comprehensive renovation, the rooms were modernized and a wellness area spanning nearly 1,000 m² was created—one of the largest in Zermatt. The Alpen Resort became what is now the Alpen Resort & Spa.  

Standing still is not part of the company’s history. During the COVID-19 pandemic, two new concepts were launched. With The Dude, Zermatt gained a modern gathering spot for locals and visitors—a place for relaxed evenings, great drinks, and an international atmosphere. Almost at the same time, the Hornox Alpine Grill was born. The idea for it came about quite personally: Because Stefana Aufdenblatten is a vegetarian, the family kept asking themselves the same question: Where can you find a restaurant that makes both meat lovers and vegetarians equally happy? The answer was a grill restaurant that combines both—high-quality meat dishes and creative plant-based cuisine under one roof.

Today, the Alpen Resort & Spa is run by the third generation of the Aufdenblatten family and is the centerpiece of the Aufdenblatten Collection. What has remained unchanged since the days of Otto and Emma Aufdenblatten are the same values: foresight, genuine Valais hospitality, and the joy of creating places where people love to gather.