Absolutely loved our stay at Hotel Cheminée. It was better value than many other hotels - we secured the largest room type on offer for less than a standard double at most other places. Zermatt is not a big place - so being just a few minutes away from the main street/train station and down by the river was still a brilliant location at a great price.
We booked via Hotels.com for which we got a great rate. Our room overlooked the Matterhorn and had a balcony (as pictured) which was stunning. The river rushing outside is the kind of white noise I enjoy at night but for sensitive sleepers it may be a distraction.
Staff were wonderful when greeting us and helped us get our bags up the stairs (be aware, there is no lift here). The room was spacious - biggest we stayed in across 5 hotels in our Swiss trip but at no extra cost compared to much smaller ones we had. The hotel is (unsurprisingly) Alpine in style - a real ski lodge vibe which was super comfy. This is not trying to be a overly fancy, super-modern place - it is authentic, warm, homely and perfect for a mountain stay. Some may call it dated but I feel they're missing the point. Our room was clean and spacious, the bathroom serviceable and the location ideal. Overall, excellent value.
There is a keyed entry system whereby your room key is locked in/out in exchange for an external key - just for info. We didn't have breakfast here so cannot comment on the food.
Would happily come back to this hotel again next time.