04 Sep 2018
New hotels and chalets
The famous French après-ski bar La Folie Douce is opening its first hotel. La Folie Douce is taking over the Savoy, a historical building in Chamonix from 1904. Decorated in a 'Roaring Twenties' style, the hotel will boast 141 premium bedrooms for two to four people, as well as 107 bedrooms in a hostel style that can accommodate up to six people each. Guests can choose between three restaurants in the hotel: La Petite Cuisine offers traditional Savoyard and Italian food, La Fruitière is a gourmet restaurant and Le Kiosque has delicious street food. The hotel also includes a spa, a pro shop, a kid's club and, of course, a lively après-ski bar with live music. The La Folie Douce hotel will open on 22 December. It costs from €24 a night per person in the hostel part, and from €89 per night for a double room in the premium part. https://www.lafoliedoucehotels.com/en.html
After the opening of the Hyatt last winter, La Rosière has another luxury hotel opening this season. The Alparena is a four-star hotel with 58 bedrooms and suites, as well as a spacious spa of 1,000 m2 with a swimming pool, a paddling pool, saunas, hammams and a whirlpool. It also boasts a fitness room and a massage room. From €145 per person per night half-board. http://hotel-alparena.com/en/
La Rosière also has a new luxury chalet, the Chalet l'Aiglon. It can host up to 14 people in five bedrooms. Guests can relax in the chalet's steam room and hot tub, and dinner can be served in the chalet. From €171 for two people in a double room with breakfast. www.chaletaiglon.com
St-Alban Hotel & Spa is a new four-star hotel in La Clusaz. Built of wood in a contemporary style, St-Alban has 48 bedrooms and a beautiful spa by Nuxe with an indoor swimming pool, a sensory shower, hydromassage benches, an ice cave and treatment rooms. From €130 per room per night with breakfast. https://www.hotel-st-alban.com/en/
Saint-Martin de Belleville has two new luxury chalets: Pure Black Crystal Chalet and Pure White Crystal Chalet. They have a swimming pool, sauna and massage room and offer all types of services: a chef, a personal yoga/sports/ski instructor, babysitting services, a driver, etc. From €14,500 per chalet for a week. https://chalets-stmartin-belleville.com/
Val Thorens natives Maud and Jean-Paul Delettre are opening Chalet Cocoon in Europe's highest ski resort. Situated in Les Balcons area, the residence will comprise 10 large apartments for 5 to 12 people, all with a wellbeing area, sauna and Jacuzzi. Chalet Cocoon offers hotelier services: catering, home massage, cleaning and indoor parking. The communal living area boasts a swimming lane. Rates from €2,366 per week. www.chaletscocoon.com
Les Hauts du Monal in Sainte-Foy Tarentaise has five new chalets. www.saintefoy-tarentaise.com
Unique experiences: new refuges and hotels cut from the world
Located at 2,551 metres, Le Refuge de Solaise in Val d'Isère will be France's highest hotel. It will only be accessible via the ski slopes and the new Solaise Gondola lift, meaning that when the lift is closed the guests are cut off from the rest of the world. Le Refuge de Solaise will have 34 bedrooms, three apartments, a dormitory with 14 beds and a spa and restaurant. It will cost around €100 per night per person. https://lerefuge-valdisere.com/en/
In Manigod, an old altitude farm from 1779 has been turned into a comfy refuge called Le Refuge d'Ze. It has six en-suite bedrooms, a sauna and an indoor pool. From €164 per night for a double with breakfast. http://www.refuge-dzelavoye.fr/
A new refuge called Le Trait d'Union is opening in Saint-Martin de Belleville. It is an authentic Savoyard chalet with three rooms, located at 1,725 metres. It costs €28 per person per night breakfast included. www.letraitdunion-les3vallees.fr
New residences
MGM has several openings this season. Les Chalets Eléna in Les Houches is a family-friendly residence near the village centre with 49 apartments. Four-star residence Anitéa in Valmorel has 40 comfy apartments. Both have a 1,000 m2 wellness centre. In Samoëns, MGM is opening a five-star residence with 32 cosy apartments as well as a four-star hotel, Les Suites d'Alexane.
https://www.mgmfrenchproperties.com
In Saint-Martin de Belleville in Les 3 Vallées, Caseblanche is a new chalet built in a traditional architectural style with 34 apartments. It is luxurious ski-in, ski-out accommodation and perfect for families. www.chaletcaseblanche.com
A new four-star residence is opening in Les Saisies. The Residence Club MMV Les Châlets des Cîmes is made of cosy apartments from one to four bedrooms, all with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.
Tignes also has a new four-star residence. The Residence Club MMV l'Altaviva has 150 apartments, all of which are tastefully decorated, along with a beautiful terrace facing the slopes.
Club Med continues to open new establishments in Savoie Mont Blanc. This winter, a new club will open in Les Arcs 1600. With 1,050 beds and 426 bedrooms, the Club Med Les Arcs Panorama (4 Tridents) is the biggest Club Med in the Alps. www.clubmed.co.uk
Avoriaz has a new Belambra Club at the bottom of the slopes. It includes 250 bedrooms, a huge terrace and a kid's club.
Renovations
Ascensus chalet In Les Carroz is a Savoyard farm built in 1877 that has been converted into a sumptuous chalet with premium hotel services. It can accommodate up to 16 guests. From €100 per person per night half board.
British interior designer Sara Copeland has been working with the five-star hotel La Sivolière in Courchevel. She has redecorated 20 bedrooms, one apartment and four suites in a cosy style. From €690 per night.
https://www.hotel-la-sivoliere.com/en/
The five-star Palace hotel the K2 in Courchevel has created a new suite called the K3. The ultra-luxurious suite covers three floors and a total of 300 m2. K3 comprises three bedrooms and a lounge with a fireplace.
In Courchevel Moriond, 20 apartments from the Cîmes Blanches residence have been turned into beautiful family rooms for the four-star hotel Fahrenheit Seven.
Several hotels in Megève have been renovated. The four-star hotel l'Arboiserie and three chalets from the five-star Chalet Mont d'Arbois will reopen in mid-December. The hotel Coeur de Megève has earnt a fourth star.
La Tovière, located at the bottom of the slopes, opposite the Funival, has had a makeover and is now a four-star hotel with 29 bedrooms.
From €199 per night for a double room with breakfast.