Monte Rosa Hotel

The Monterosa is a historic four- star hotel in the Belle Époque style in Zermatt in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It is a member of the Association of Swiss Historic Hotels.

History

The foundations of the Hotel Monte Rosa go back to the hostel Laubersche built in 1839, a wooden chalet, whose name was derived from its owner, a doctor Lauber.

1853 hired the young Alexander Seiler I. Chalet. The first two were successful summer went so Seiler was able to purchase at the end of the second year of operation, the property already. He built it from 6 to 35 beds and opened it on July 24, 1855 under the new name "Monte Rosa".

This was the birth of tourism in Zermatt and the original Seiler hotel industry. Whether the naming was related to the carried only a few days earlier on July 11, 1855 first ascent of the Dufour peak in the Monte Rosa massif or an accident was, is not known.

As was customary cultivated only in the summer, the hotel enjoyed particularly among mountaineers large Beliebtheit.1868 soon it was extended with an annex in the north to 60 beds, in 1890 a fourth floor and a mansardierter loft has been placed and cultivated a small dining room; the number of beds rose to 110 With this renovation, the Hotel Monte Rosa also received a distinctive facade.

With increasing interest of tourists on winter sports, the hotel was in 1960 equipped for winter operations and resulted in 1960/61, through the first winter season.

Hotel Monte Rosa and Edward Whymper

The strangers books of the Seiler Hotels and rich alpine literature show that all pioneers recurring guests from Zermatt and mainly the Monte Rosa were almost without exception.

According entry in the guestbook bored Edward Whymper, from 8 to August 13, 1860 for the first time in "Monte Rosa". From here he broke on 13 July 1865 for the first ascent of the Matterhorn. 1970 was inaugurated a memorial plaque for Edward Whymper at the entrance of the hotel Monte Rosa.

Hotel Monte Rosa and his guests

• " When writing in the parlor of the hotel Monterosa is frozen me the ink ." Reverend Christopher Smyth, one of the first ascent of Punta Dufour 1855.

• Scenes in the film Love and Bullets were shot at the Hotel Monte Rosa. Urs H. Keller, a former hotel manager recalls: Charles Bronson asked for me and ready for a complaint I went to him. " Can you imagine, I queued up to buy some stamps at the post office, paid them and left the post office without anyone even looking at me or asking me for to autograph. This Has never happend to me before - this is just fantastic "!

• " Ascended the Matterhorn on July 22nd 1871 and arrived at the summit at 8:55 am» So wrote Lucy Walker, the first woman on the Matterhorn, in the guest book from the Hotel Monte Rosa.