“Resort Hotel Alex” isn’t exactly a name that would inspire confidence in a quirky, last-minute getaway, yet it’s what we could afford on 18 hours’ notice in Switzerland. I’m very pleased to say this hotel exceeded any aspirations that I had (or didn’t). It turned out to be such a strange, delightful menagerie of decadent rooms, earnest talks, and inexpensive wine.

Since I couldn’t swim thanks to “champignons” and biopsies…apparently a gross combination in translation and reality…naturally, we checked out the gorgeous swimming facilities first.

The ground floor was like stepping into the home of an eccentric family member who was having a wildy passionate affair with both an interior decorator and a hunter of wild game.

The room itself was a bit of life inside a wooden shoe. The neighbors above could be heard toe to heel stepping in their ski boots, the strange western walk they showcased throughout the town.

Wooden cupboards for more wooden shoes.

If you don’t take to the slopes, you can spend your morning with 20% off of massages just as we did. Detox for me. Clams for others.

We sat on my bed drinking instant coffee, waiting for the sunrise, to turn the Matterhorn it’s rose-gold hue. The view didn’t disappoint and I can’t imagine how lovely it might have been straight on, still with some darkness shrouding.

Truly, for the last weekend away before the start of chemo and whatever else came next, I wasn’t sure what to make of Zermatt or the strangely named “Resort Hotel”, but I’m so glad we made the 3.5 hour train ride to and fro. The hotel was an absolute delight of kind service quirky decor, and cathartic ambiance from the spa to snuggling into large sofas by the fire and laughing asses off at ridiculousness of life and all that’s in it.