estig ious ▁R iff el al p ▁Grand ▁Hotel , ▁today ▁R iff el al p ▁mainly ▁consists ▁of ▁a ▁large ▁hotel ▁complex , ▁the ▁R iff el al p ▁Res ort ▁ 2 2 2 2 m , ▁and ▁a ▁chap el . ▁ ▁R iff el al p ▁is ▁connected ▁to ▁Z erm att ▁by ▁the ▁Gor ner gr at ▁railway , ▁although ▁R iff el al p ▁railway ▁station ▁is ▁located ▁some ▁distance ▁from ▁the ▁resort . ▁The ▁ ▁long ▁ ▁R iff el al p ▁tram ▁links ▁the ▁two ▁together . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁famous ▁Z erm att ▁hotel ier ▁Alexander ▁Se iler ▁first ▁sp otted ▁the ▁potential ▁of ▁the ▁R iff el al p ▁me adow , ▁with ▁its ▁view ▁of ▁the ▁M atter horn , ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 6 , ▁when ▁he ▁purchased ▁his ▁first ▁par cel ▁of ▁land ▁there . ▁It ▁wasn ' t , ▁however , ▁until ▁ 1 8 7 8 ▁that ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁R iff el al p ▁Grand ▁Hotel ▁got ▁under way , ▁and ▁the ▁hotel ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 4 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 8 , ▁the ▁Gor ner gr at ▁railway ▁was ▁opened , ▁and ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁the ▁hotel ▁built ▁the ▁R iff el al p ▁tram ▁to ▁connect ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁railway . ▁Ar ound ▁this ▁time , ▁the ▁capacity ▁of ▁the ▁hotel ▁reached ▁ 2 8 0 ▁rooms , ▁with ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁two ▁an nex ▁buildings . ▁ ▁During