What’s New For Ski Season
THE TRIP:
Mount Noire in Val d'Isère
Mount Noire wants to bring diversity to the slopes. It aims to introduce skiing to people from all backgrounds and nurture talent to increase representation in winter sports. It also hosts regular skiing and snowboarding trips, with the next one taking place in Val d'Isère in March. It’s suitable for skiers of all abilities, including beginners. Guests will stay in a ski-in-ski-out chalet near the centre of the resort with its restaurants, pubs and nightclubs. A great way to discover the region and meet likeminded people, the trip includes transfers, accommodation, lift passes, equipment hire, lessons and other activities.
From 17th to 24th March; from £306pp
Visit MountNoire.com
THE CAPSULE COLLECTION:
IKKS Paris x Duvillard
IKKS Paris has collaborated with French skiwear brand Duvillard to create a nine-piece capsule collection for men and women. Combining IKKS Paris’s chic aesthetic with Duvillard’s alpine know-how, these are investment pieces to elevate your style on the slopes. The women’s edit features down ski jackets with faux fur collars, as well as matching ski pants and merino wool sweaters – ideal base layers or throw-on pieces for après ski.
Visit IKKS.com
THE 414 COMPANY/UNSPLASH
THE RESORT:
Zermatt
Zermatt is the charming car-free resort in the Swiss Alps that sits beneath the instantly recognisable Matterhorn. It’s got endless slopes for beginners and pros alike, as well as numerous activities for non-skiers who fancy a winter holiday in a glamorous resort. Mountain Exposure is one of the leading operators in Zermatt, with an extensive selection of luxury catered and self-catered chalets. Its team of experts will plan each part of your trip, from transfers and ski lessons to equipment hire and childcare. Ideal for first timers or family holidays.
Visit MountainExposure.com
THE CHEF RESIDENCY:
Cédric Grolet x Airelles Courchevel
Social media’s favourite pastry chef has a new residency at luxury ski hotel Airelles Courchevel. This season, Cédric Grolet will oversee all viennoiseries, pastries and desserts at the property, including a special dessert table in the Les Table des Airelles restaurant where guests can try his signature dishes, as well as new creations made exclusively for the hotel. If you’re not staying overnight, drop in for tea and a patisserie selection after a day on the slopes.
Visit Airelles.com
THE HOTEL:
Six Senses Crans-Montana
For an ultra-luxury trip, bookmark the new Six Senses property in Crans-Montana – a glamorous part of Switzerland known for its 300 annual days of sunshine, crisp mountain air and scenic villages. The hotel is a two-hour drive from Geneva and has smart Swiss décor, eclectic artwork and modern rooms, from apartments to multi-room suites. As with all Six Senses hotels, guests can expect a host of dining options and world-class facilities, including three swimming pools and a state-of-the-art spa with a biohacking lounge. There’s ski-in-ski-out access plus a ski concierge who can arrange lift passes and ski lessons. The hotel will be open year-round with water sports, outdoor cinemas and pop-up restaurants in the summer.
Visit SixSenses.com
©SIX SENSES HOTELS RESORTS & SPAS
Roman Tyulyakov
THE EXPERIENCE:
Night-Time Cross-Country Skiing at Les Diablerets
Les Diablerets is one of the top resorts in Switzerland, where visitors are almost guaranteed good snow. A great resort choice for experienced skiers, it recently opened a 1km loop for night-time cross-country skiing. Illuminated by solar energy and open daily until 9pm, the route has been designed with two tracks to allow skiers and hikers to experience the slopes under the stars. Les Diablerets has also opened a black ski slope that comes in at 41° – making it one of the steepest in the Alps. The piste links the summit of the Scex Rouge to the Col du Pillon before hitting a 3km run down to the valley with an exhilarating drop of 1,000m.
Visit MyVaud.ch
THE CASHMERE BRAND:
Gobi
Mongolian-born Gobi cashmere recently arrived in the UK. The brand’s mission is to produce luxurious, accessible and sustainable cashmere, so expect to find lots of classic and timeless designs that are made to last. Ahead of your next ski trip, browse its selection of rollnecks and cardigans, all in versatile, neutral colours, as well as accessories including hats, scarves, gloves and socks. With a focus on comfort and quality, all of Gobi’s pieces are crafted only from the best yarns.
Visit GobiCashmere.com
THE FAMILY HOLIDAY:
F&P Travel Ski Chalet Experience
Regular SL readers will know we’re big fans of F&P Travel, so we were pleased to hear it’s offering a new chalet experience for family holidays to Méribel. Created to take away the hassle and admin of a family trip, the team will take care of all the details, from picking the kids up from ski school to arranging movie nights and children’s teas. During a seven-night trip, guests can also count on complimentary baby-sitting sessions, a chalet kitted out with family equipment, and access to the team’s concierge service to book restaurants, organise lessons and take care of pre-arrival shopping.
Visit FAndPTravel.com
THE SPA:
Das Central, Sölden
Das Central, a modern alpine hotel in the Austrian Alps, has opened a spa experience high above Sölden's rooftops. The new Summit Spa is spread across the hotel’s fourth and fifth floors, with six treatment rooms, saunas, a relaxation room, gym, infinity pool, and bistro and bar. Guests can enjoy facials, massages and holistic body therapies, before relaxing in the wellness area with its impressive mountain views. Elsewhere, the hotel has built 31 additional rooms and suites with light and contemporary interiors. Visit the nearby Elements 007 to discover the James Bond franchise's most memorable ski scenes, including the Sölden mountain chase from 2015’s Spectre.
Visit Central-Soelden.com
THE CITY STOP-OFF:
The Woodward, Geneva
Whether you’re looking to explore a new side of Switzerland or want to break up a transfer to or from your resort, The Woodward comes highly recommended. On the shores of Lake Geneva, the suite-only hotel offers panoramic views of Mont Blanc and beyond, and its two restaurants, L’Atelier Robuchon and Le Jardinier, have both been recipients of Michelin stars in their New York locations. Expect creative dishes offering respite from cheese-laden, Alpine cuisine. The hotel is also home to Switzerland’s only Guerlain spa – and the longest pool in town – which includes two Swedish baths, a snow shower and six treatment rooms, with one double room for side-by-side wellness treatments guaranteed to restore ski-weary bodies. When you’re ready to head home, Geneva airport is a 15-minute taxi ride away.
Visit OetkerCollection.com
THE STORE:
Bogner
German athleisure brand Bogner has opened its first London store on Dover Street, where shoppers will find a range of ski clothing, accessories and equipment. Loved by celebs and A-listers (including Princess Diana who was often photographed in its ski jackets), the brand is known for its one-piece suits and retro jackets. Visit the store to see the full collection, have items personalised, and take advantage of personal shopping.
14 Dover Street, Mayfair, W1S 4LW
Visit Bogner.com
THE ULTRA-LUXE EXPERIENCE:
Four Seasons La Suite Idéal Package
Most skiers dream of having the mountains to themselves, so Four Seasons Megève has created an experience to turn it into reality. Guests can now stay in the hotel’s plush Suite Idéal – the highest accommodation in Megève – as part of a three-night package. The suite, which sits above mountainside restaurant L’Idéal 1850, sleeps up to four (children are welcome) and couldn’t be easier to reach. Guests have access to fresh morning snow, before returning on the last cable car to enjoy a private dinner and stargazing from the suite balcony, all hosted by a personal butler. You can then choose to stay a further two nights at either Four Seasons Hotel Megève or Four Seasons Les Chalets du Mont d’Arbois. The package starts from £5,162 and includes lift passes, breakfast, butler service and more.
Visit FourSeasons.com
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