Thanks jacknutter- Switzerland Holiday Win

LeeRits · 12 November 2024 at 8:51PM

Just wanted to say thanks to @jacknutter for posting the following competition:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6489177/e-06-02-luxury-five-star-escape-to-the-mountains -

I was picked earlier this year as the winner and took the holiday in August with my daughter. We flew out monday morning and fly back friday evening. I'm a bit late posting as it slipped my mind but just wanted to say a huge thanks. I'd been on a dry spell for over a year on the forum and this was a fantastic prize to win. It really was luxurious and far beyond anything I can normally afford! My daughter had never been abroad so it was amazing to be able to take her somewhere so wonderful for a first holiday. I've already warned her not to expect this in the future, back to Travelodges and budget flying from now on

The resort we stayed in treated us fantastically considering we weren't paying customers. They picked us up from the train station in the village and the driver told us a lot of history of the area and mountains. We were greeted with cold towels and fresh infused water while checking in as it was a hot day while the driver took our luggage down to the room. They gave us a quick tour of where the restaurants and spa where.

Zermatt don't allow any cars at all. You can only get there via public transport or e-taxi. It was a 4 hour train (and brief rail replacement coach) journey from Zurich to Zermatt but the views where outstanding all along the journey. The village was insanely quiet. I've always visited and stayed in cities so to stay somewhere that has no noise pollution was a new experience for me and it was bliss. We had a fantastic view of the mountains right outside the room and a great view of the Matterhorn.

In the area, we went for a lot of walks, visited the Gorner Gorge, took a cable car up a mountain and went for a small hike and a dip in a mountain lake. One day we took a day trip (4 hours each way) to Geneva to visit the CERN Science Gateway which she loved. I personally don't think it was worth the 8 hours of travelling there and back. I thought there would have been more to see and do there and probably wouldn't bother again unless I was already in the area tbh.

On the final day we had an evening flight so we went to Zurich and left our luggage in the lockers at Zurich train station, we then hopped a train over the the Lindt museum which was another great experience. You pay a fee for the self-guided tour and get to see how it all started and how its made. You also got to try a lot of free samples (which I did

) and buy some exclusive stuff you can only get there.

The lady who helped organise it was super helpful when it came to arranging things and sorting out expenses. As the flights had to be a SWISS flight and not a codeshare, we could only fly from London as the Manchester flights where codeshare ones and we live in Liverpool. Thankfully I was able to claim the return train tickets to London and a hotel overnight in London. I was also able to claim back 3 days of train travel in switzerland, the cost for the mountain cable car, museum entrance and travel insurance.

It was a fantastic holiday that I got to experience with my daughter and we enjoyed it so much that i'm going to see about saving up and going back in a few years if possible

Here's a few pics: