Zoo des Marécottes Boutique Hotel – A Mountain Retreat in Switzerland
A hotel in the grounds of an alpine zoo is not something you come across every day and the Zoo des Marécottes Boutique Hotel offers a unique experience. The post Zoo des Marécottes Boutique Hotel – A Mountain Retreat in Switzerland appeared first on The Travel Magazine.
Black News 
Les Marécottes is a charming little village in the Valais region of Switzerland. Lying in the Trient Valley it is surrounded by stark grey mountains and green forests. The ideal location for its zoo, the highest alpine zoo in Europe. The Zoo des Marécottes Boutique Hotel is just inside the entrance to the zoo.
Les Marécottes Village
It occupies a wooden building that blends beautifully with its surroundings. Incorporated in the grounds of the hotel is a natural, alpine swimming pool that is open to hotel guests in the summer. The zoo is open to guests throughout the year through their own, private entrance. An additional treat is the opportunity to join the keeper when he does the morning feed.
Eurasian Lynx at Zoo des Marécottes
Who for
Families with young children will delight in a visit here as special food is available from the shop to feed the animals. Couples seeking a romantic getaway will feel at home here as will animal lovers who can enjoy close encounters with the alpine fauna that live here. Small groups can also be catered for as the hotel boasts a modern conference room.
Accommodation
All seventeen rooms have balconies or terraces and most of them overlook the zoo. There are three categories of the Family Room – with terrace, with balcony and with bathtub. These rooms have a mezzanine floor. Other room types are Room with Terrace, Mountain View Room, Room with Balcony and Accessible Room. The family rooms have a mezzanine floor. All the rooms have a private bathroom with toiletries, a flat-screen television and free WiFi.
Bedroom at Zoo des Marécottes
Food & Drink
During the winter, guests can eat and drink in the cosy restaurant, combined with a small bar. It also has a pizzeria. In the summer months, this restaurant expands onto the large sun terrace. Open to the public as well as guests in the hotel, it can seat up to 250 people. The hotel offers a buffet or continental breakfast
Bar at Hotel Zoo des Marécottes
Facilities
Facilities include a seasonal, outdoor alpine swimming pool that is solar-heated and a garden. An elevated indoor Jacuzzi overlooks the zoo, and there is also a fitness centre. And the zoo that surrounds it. Guests in the hotel have their own private entrance into the hotel, which they can visit any time. This zoo has been created within a larch forest, which means the animals live in enclosures that re-create their natural habitat. Feeding time is the best time to view the animals, and guests have the opportunity to join the keeper when he feeds the animals. A wide range of alpine animals here ranges from the marmot to the black bear.
Black Bear at Hotel Zoo des Marécottes
How much
Prices from £260 for one night in including breakfast.
CHECK AVAILABILITY
What’s nearby
Zoo des Marécottes is conveniently situated close to the Les Marécottes ski area, accessed on a modern cable car. This resort is one of the few relying on natural snow and offers endless possibilities for off-piste skiing and free riding. There is also an exciting toboggan run from the top of the cable car down to the village and an ice rink in the neighbouring village of Salvan.
In the summer, the whole area around the hotel has numerous walks and hikes for all standards. Fishing is also available in the lakes and rivers. The mountain restaurant at the top of the cable car offers traditional dishes and spectacular views both winter and summer.
The Mont Blanc Express stops at the railway station next to the hotel. Passing through stunning mountain scenery, this train will transport guests all the way to, with the option of visiting other villages on the line.
At the Top of Les Marécottes Cable Car
VERDICT:
Perfect for lovers of the mountains, alpine wildlife, winter adventures and summer activities.
The post Zoo des Marécottes Boutique Hotel – A Mountain Retreat in Switzerland appeared first on The Travel Magazine.
