Exclusive chalets, chic club hotels, 5-star gastronomic restaurants: this winter, mountain hotels are reborn, and the 2018-2019 season will be full of remarkable openings. We bring you to the heart of the Alps to discover some of those exceptional accommodations.
Chic chalets in Val Thorens
The first ski resort to open in mid-November and often the last one to close in the beginning of May: the reputation of Val Thorens is renowned. At the heart of the resort, the concept of 5-star Chalets Cocoon will be in its crowning glory: 10 large apartments to rent (up to 6 bedrooms) with a sauna and a jacuzzi. You'll feel perfectly at home—that is, if "home" also offers exceptional hotel service!
A Club Med village in the Arcs
The Club Med village "Les Arcs Panorama" will open in the family resort of the Arcs, in Arc 1600, this season. Home to panoramic views on the Tarantaise at the heart of the huge ski area "Paradiski", the "Cinq Mondes" spa, and a kids' club from 4 months old, this is the quintessential 4 and 5-Trident Club Med experience at the heart of the Alps.
The life of Riley in Morzine
At the heart of the "Portes du Soleil" ski area in Morzine, a treasure chest for exclusive vacations will open this winter. You'll love the Chalet Sapphire with a spa, a swimming pool, a hammam, a massage room, a jacuzzi, a sauna, a theater, and a private restaurant—just 500 meters (0.3 miles) from the slopes!
A top address in the Alpe d'Huez
There is a reason why this new 5-star hotel in the Alpe d'Huez, one of the sunniest spots of the Alps, got its name! Daria-I Nor means "sea of light," and is taken from one of the most beautiful diamonds in the world (the Koh-i-Noor, meaning "Mountain of Light"). Formerly of the Royal Monceau and the Spring in Paris, the chef Damien Ruffier prepares brilliant delicacies for guests.
A third K2 in Courchevel
As the mythic resort of the Trois Vallée area, Courchevel needs no introduction. Like its sisters the K2 Palace and the 5-star K2 Altitude, the K2 Djola opens at the top of Courchevel, at 1850, and offers a direct access to the slopes.
A 100% wooden hotel in La Clusaz
Wood, brass and leather: noble materials are at the forefront in this new and cozy address, which looks like a classic English club. The Saint Alban unveils a modern decoration, a Nuxe spa, and a ski shop at the heart of this famous and trendy resort, renowned for its festive atmosphere and its sporty slopes.
A new Folie Douce in Chamonix
For 15 years now, the Folie Douce set up its unique concept on the Val d'Isère slopes: day-time clubbing on the slopes at 2,500 meters (8200 feet) high! In December 2018, the Folie Douce will set up its first hotel instead of the Savoy, which has been a mythic place in Chamonix since 1904. What can we say other than: let's dance!
Charming chalet in Sainte-Foy
Far from the crowd of larger stations, Sainte-Foy Tanrentaise stands out from the others thanks to its model village-look and its well-preservecd natural spaces. In Monal village, listed by the Savoy department, “Les Chalets des Hauts du Monal” open right next to the slopes: nestled in exceptional surroundings, there are 5 high-class chalets big on design.
Exclusively from Première Neige
A new shelter in Val d'Isère
At 2551 meters (8370 feet) high, the former Val d'Isère telepheric station, closed in 2016 for rennovations, will reopen in 2019 as a luxury hotel, boasting the title of the highest in France. To tide us all over, the panoramic restaurant and the cocktail bar open this season, as well as a 380 square meter (4090-square foot) penthouse available for rent and a 14-bedroom dormitory in a mountain theme for big groups.
Learn more: - Prepare your trip with Savoie-Mont Blanc - France Montagne - Haute-Savoie
Go further: - Thrill seekers: extreme lines in the Alps - What to do and what to see in the Alps?
By Caroline Revol-Maurel
Journalist passionate about wild nature, travel and rock. As happy to write about bearded vultures as Lou Reed. Often accompanied by my two best critics, my daughters.
