What is the best ski hotel in Europe?
Jul 24, 2014, 8:01 am
#61
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
1. Skiing Quality
2. Town - Restaurants , Shopping things to do off the mountain
3. Atmosphere
4. Food and Restaurants
I don't ski, so I cannot comment (like apres ski, though!). All I can do is compare the hotels.
Gstaad is seriously high-end. The town (more like a village) is small but very chic, but if you stay at Alpina Gstaad, there is little incentive to leave property as the food & restaurants are so good. It is, however, very un-stuffy at Alpina, which is a real breath of fresh air in this place, as previously, Gstaad Palace was the only option, and it is terminally stuffy IMHO.
I have not stayed in Courchevel for a while, which is why I have yet to try L'Apogée. Good high-end shops and plenty of buzz, but no idea if the skiing is better here than Gstaad. Le Melezin suffers from it being managed by the owner's daughter, even though it is an Aman. It can be a bit arrogant compared to the usual Amans, but the suites are nothing but lovely.
Cheval Blanc is very nouveau-riche and blingy but with good service.
Frankly, I much prefer the new wave ski resorts of Alpina Gstaad and The Chedi Andermatt - they are so approachable compared to the old school.
2. Town - Restaurants , Shopping things to do off the mountain
3. Atmosphere
4. Food and Restaurants
I don't ski, so I cannot comment (like apres ski, though!). All I can do is compare the hotels.
Gstaad is seriously high-end. The town (more like a village) is small but very chic, but if you stay at Alpina Gstaad, there is little incentive to leave property as the food & restaurants are so good. It is, however, very un-stuffy at Alpina, which is a real breath of fresh air in this place, as previously, Gstaad Palace was the only option, and it is terminally stuffy IMHO.
I have not stayed in Courchevel for a while, which is why I have yet to try L'Apogée. Good high-end shops and plenty of buzz, but no idea if the skiing is better here than Gstaad. Le Melezin suffers from it being managed by the owner's daughter, even though it is an Aman. It can be a bit arrogant compared to the usual Amans, but the suites are nothing but lovely.
Cheval Blanc is very nouveau-riche and blingy but with good service.
Frankly, I much prefer the new wave ski resorts of Alpina Gstaad and The Chedi Andermatt - they are so approachable compared to the old school.
Jul 25, 2014, 8:49 am
#63
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
Fly to Geneva. I normally stay a night or two there beforehand - best currently is Four Seasons des Bergues. Then ask Alpina to send a car for you. Best accommodation, I think, are the 8 Grand Luxe Suites, but even entry-level is pretty impressive.
Jul 25, 2014, 7:42 pm
#64
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: La Jolla, California
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, SWA CP
Posts: 1,123
I don't see the need to stay in Geneva if your starting point is London. And I certainly wouldn't take a day off of my time in Gstaad to see Geneva.
Jul 26, 2014, 12:45 pm
#66
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: Flying Blue Plat / Amex Cent / Amex Plat AF
Posts: 20
L apogee has a bas "orientation" you dont have lot of sun in your room and some room have a direct view to the two chalets of the hotel and i dont like the decoration...
The restaurant was good.
i m always going minimum two times by year in courchevel, it s really easy from Paris by train.
The ski is one of the best in the world, forgot gstaad for the ski, not good at all....there is not lot of snow...
Are you coming with kids or family ?
The restaurant was good.
i m always going minimum two times by year in courchevel, it s really easy from Paris by train.
The ski is one of the best in the world, forgot gstaad for the ski, not good at all....there is not lot of snow...
Are you coming with kids or family ?
Jul 28, 2014, 11:23 am
#68
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
Not being a fan of private cars, I'd go to Geneva and take the train to Gstaad. You would change trains in Montreux. The train station is walking distance to the resort but it is up a hill so you might ask the hotel to come and get you. It looks like the train time is only slightly more from Zurich, so you could go to either city depending on the flight times and costs.
I don't see the need to stay in Geneva if your starting point is London. And I certainly wouldn't take a day off of my time in Gstaad to see Geneva.
I don't see the need to stay in Geneva if your starting point is London. And I certainly wouldn't take a day off of my time in Gstaad to see Geneva.
Jul 28, 2014, 2:53 pm
#69
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: La Jolla, California
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, SWA CP
Posts: 1,123
Off topic, but management of Thurnher’s Alpenhof in Zurs could not give me directions to the hotel without using the terms 'private car', or 'helicopter' in the response. And we were arriving via Munich, a mere 300km away. So we arrived by train and they refused to send a hotel car to take us to the hotel. Just to make sure we got the message, the GM refused to help us order a cab. We were left fighting for the rare cab with the drunks on the way to the bars in St Anton. St Anton, as best I can determine, is more for drinking/vomiting than skiing, so I'd DQ it as a family destination
Needless to say, I do not recommend Thurnher’s Alpenhof.
Last edited by mike_la_jolla; Jul 28, 2014 at 2:59 pm
Jul 31, 2014, 1:57 pm
#73
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Tour Choice
Posts: 5
Has anybody tried the resort at Dombai, Karachay-Cherkessia (Russia)? It's supposed to be quite popular with Russians, same region as Sochi, but I know that Karachay-Cherkessia has some instability problems as well.
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