The Biner Family

Biner is one of the original Zermatt families.

Today, you will meet numerous locals bearing the name although the connection between them is often somewhere in the distant past. The profession of mountain guide was followed by many generations of Biners, including our family.

The story of Sierrahaus started as a love story

We go back to the post-World War II years when Europe was re-opening and attracting visitors from over the ocean.

An adventurous young lady from the United States embarked on a journey to expand her world. Her love for the mountains brought her to Zermatt and changed her life. Here she met a local mountain guide called Alfred Biner. She stayed.

The couple married and started a family of their own. They built Sierrahaus, completed in 1958, as their home. At the time, it stood by itself at the end of the village yet to be developed. The ground floors of the building provided space for a family apartment occupied by the couple and their two sons. The floors above became small apartments, an opportunity to welcome the increasing numbers of visitors to Zermatt from all over the world, many of whom stayed to work in the expanding tourist industry, and many of whom carried on living at Sierrahaus. Those two boys who grew up here inherited the house from their parents and continued on their journey.

We welcome you to Sierrahaus

Still today, many call Sierrahaus their home away from home.

We, the owners and the others who work here, still exemplify the spirit with which it was first built – the draw of the mountains, a feel for adventure, and our connections with those whom we love. A great sense of fun is part of the package.