Arriving by train on a gloriously sunny afternoon I was greeted at the station by Upton, Manager of Chalet Maurice’s sister property Grace. Having spent 4 winters in Zermatt he’s a perfect guide and font of information on the resort. He is clearly passionate about the resort and his clients, who hail from all over the world.

We are taken up to Chalet Maurice by electro taxi – Zermatt is famously car free and these iconic little vehicles are the best way to get around town. Not the only way to arrive at chalet Maurice however; choose to be chauffeur driven from one of the airports and your taxi takes you to a private funicular, transporting you directly into Maurice! Definitely the stand out feature of this chalet. We are welcomed with a glass (or two!) of Perrier Jouet grand brut and treated to a very indulgent afternoon tea, accompanied by stunning views over Zermatt and of course up to the sometimes reticent Matterhorn. I’m pleased to say she is on full view this visit!

Chalet Maurice itself appears shy in the day time; understated with natural woods, and subtle earthy tones punctuated with little splashes of colour in the bedrooms (all of which bar one have stunning views of the Matterhorn). In the dining room my eye is drawn to a beautiful sculpture; I’m told this is entitled “What goes around comes around”  - a piece by Italian sculptor Lorenzo Quinn. Other than the service which is outstanding, nothing in Chalet Maurice is overtly flashy, not in the daytime at least; though the wellness suite is a wonderful feature and the view from the outside hot tub is out of this world. Nicely private – your own little amphi-theatre onto the Matterhorn! In the evening Chalet Maurice comes alive with clever, subtle lighting casting dramatic shadows across the sitting room and dining area. It really is a very special dining experience, especially if you are quick enough to bag one of the seats facing the picture windows onto the Matterhorn. Dinner itself was a spectacular affair; fireside canapés and the stand out dish for me was a rice paper ravioli of guinea fowl in a beautiful broth. Our chef hailed from Russia and brought with him experience of truly international cuisine. As a guest at chalet Maurice you can choose from multi course gourmet tasting menus such as those I enjoyed during my stay – or you can opt for simple home cooking, and anything in between. The skilled chef creates bespoke menus exactly to your taste – or will surprise you if you prefer! I really enjoyed the Swiss wines during my stay; we never get to find these back in the UK as such little is produced - and what the Swiss do produce they snap up for themselves, the whites in particular are really excellent.

Nothing is too much trouble at Chalet Maurice, and I found beautiful little touches throughout my stay – from the soothing foot gel in my room after a long and glorious day’s skiing, to the care and attention taken servicing the rooms. It seemed someone noticed each time I left and towels were straightened, lighting re-set for the evening, blinds drawn without my ever noticing the staff. I was also treated to a relaxing back massage in the chalet’s wellness area, very spoiling.

My stay at Maurice was really wonderful – I felt I didn’t lift a finger thanks to the fantastic team who arranged my ski hire, assisted me with my boots each morning and ensured there was always a taxi waiting outside to whisk me up to the slopes – or down into town after dinner to sample the cocktails at Gees. I may only have managed a couple of days on the slopes this season, but what a couple of days they were!