It’s never too early to start planning your winter escapes. In fact, the earlier the better; these are six of the best ski chalets to book this winter and you don’t want to miss out.
Winter is creeping ever closer and if there’s one way to beat the blues, it’s to have an extra-special holiday booked. These ski chalets across France, Switzerland and Austria hit the mark.
Some come with personal chefs, others with a cinema room, and others still with private indoor pools and hammams. All are enclosed by white mountainous vistas that could never grow old.
Prices include a week’s stay, are inclusive of flights and transfers, and are valid for groups of 10 or more. All you need to do is book, pack, settle in – and ski.
In partnership with Scott Dunn.
Chalet Inoko, Val d'Isère, France Best For: A Modern Escape
Chalet Inoko blends all the photogenic parts of a ski chalet (think wooden frames and cosy fires) with the kind of elegant, modern luxury you’ll crave after a day swishing down the mountains. Its top floor offers double-height ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows so you can make the most of the staggering view across the resort, while inside, quirky, contemporary artwork and colour-coordinated book shelves decorate the walls. With such beautiful interiors, this is a chalet you’ll want to host in – and your friends will be all too pleased to visit and make use of the wellness centre’s pool and spa, plus warming four-course dinners prepared by a private chef. Chalet Inoko sleeps up to 14 guests in the main house, but if your party is bigger, you’ll find Le Petit Inoko chalet next door for a further 10 guests.
Chalech M, Lech, Austria Best For: Wellness
If spa and wellness is top of your ‘must have’ list post a tiring day on the slopes, look no further than Chalech M in Austria. Wellness lovers will swoon over the show-stopping spa where a large (and beautiful) heated outdoor pool awaits, complete with covered lounge space and towels. Adjoining the pool, you’ll find a sleek wood-clad sauna, a hammam, and a welcoming relaxation area. The rest of the chalet – with sleek, open, light-flooded modernist interiors – is just as impressive too, while cooking and cleaning can be left to the chalet’s wonderful team. Of course, you’re here for the ski, slopes and snow, but this is a space that might just tempt you away for a day of pampering instead.
Chalet Yeti, Val D'Isère, France Best For: Ski-In Ski-Out
One of the first popular ski resorts in France, Val d’Isère hosted the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics and is packed with authentic charm. Here, chocolate-box like chalets glow with warm lights in the evenings and, at 1,850 meters above sea level, you’re guaranteed snow during the winter season. Chalet Yeti, complete with five bedrooms and sleeping up to ten guests, is ideal for a group of friends, or for a family trip. This ski-in ski-out chalet boasts split level design, a heated boot room and ski storage, a hammam and heated indoor pool to warm up in post-ski, and a cinema room to unwind in front of a film. Keen skiers will love the location: you’ll have direct access to Val d’Isère’s famous World Cup ski course, Face de Bellevarde, an almost three kilometre black run. While an ideal spot for experienced skiers, Val d’Isère offers plenty of nursery slopes, ski instructors and ski schools for beginners too, so there’s really no excuse not to dip your ski boots in.
Chalet Machapuchare, Val D'Isère, France Best For: Epic Views
Chalet Machapuchare, steeped slightly above the main resort in the Le Crêt hamlet, offers breathtaking views across Val d’Isère and the surrounding valleys. Away from the crowds, you’ll have total privacy here – yet will only be a three-minute drive from the closest resort. The chalet is centred around a cosy, wood-clad living room with double-height ceiling and large windows framing nearby glaciers. With seven en-suite bedrooms sleeping up to 15 guests (one has bunk beds), a private cinema room and a wellness area with indoor pool, hammam, massage area, and gym, this is an ideal place for larger family or friend groups. A private nanny can be arranged upon request, breakfast and afternoon tea is served each day, and dinner, champagne and canapés are served six days a week. For fine dining with spectacular views on the seventh night, book one of two nearby high-altitude restaurants – Folie Douce or Le Refuge de Solaise.
Chalet Shalimar, Zermatt, Switzerland Best For: Families
Chalet Shalimar is located in the oh-so-picturesque hamlet of Winkelmatten, Switzerland. This is a perfect spot for families with young children; at a 15-minute walk, it’s easy to pop into the peaceful village to keep the little ones entertained, yet also close enough to the slope lifts so that small legs won’t get tired before you even make it up the mountain. Chalet Shalimar offers an impressive 10 bedrooms, a private indoor pool and spa, open fires, balconies and, perhaps best of all, a concierge team on call. Need to arrange childcare? Daily housekeeping? A private chef to whip up breakfast, canapés, four-course evening meals, and early children’s supper? When you’re here, you won’t have to worry about a thing. That’s what we call a true holiday.
Chalet La Varappe, Meribel, France Best For: A Cosy Retreat
In the heart of the world’s largest ski area, Les Trios Vallées, Méribel is a delightful French ski resort loved by families and A-listers alike. Linked to plenty of popular resorts, including Courchevel and Val Thorens, you can choose a different resort to ski at every day, if you so desire. Surrounded by Vanoise National Park, this magical spot offers scenes straight out of a wintery movie, and you can’t ask for a better address than Chalet La Varappe offers. Though right in the heart of Meribel, with an array of nearby restaurants and bars for lively après-ski, Chalet la Varappe also beckons cosy nights in the private outdoor hot tub or dinner with loved ones in front of the stone fireplace. Better still, the private chef means you can unwind with a glass or two of champagne after a long day on the slopes while dinner is prepared.
Lead image credit: Chalech M in Austria
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