CHALET getaway
switzerland The Lodge, Verbier The lodge is Sir Richard Branson’s Alpine outpost and is more than a worthy addition to the Virgin Limited Edition portfolio. Eleven full-time staff, including two Raymond Blanc-trained chefs, look after a maximum of 18 guests and the chalet is the epitome of Alpine cool. From the outside it looks more like a small hotel than a large chalet, and comes complete with private ice rink, indoor pool and full spa, plus an imaginative bunker room with pool table, home cinema and dance floor. Next stop, the moon. www.thelodge.virgin.com
One-week chalet board from £58,000
THE LODGE
Les Anges, Zermatt
Sagittaire, Verbier CK Verbier are the resort’s leading luxury chalet operators and last season launched Sagittaire to great acclaim. In the centre of the resort just down the road from their eponymous and much-loved Chalet Kernow, the beauty of Chalet Sagittaire is its flexibility. In total it can sleep up to 31 guests, but is divided into three self-contained apartments, with a stunning pool, spa and gym facility. CK’s food and service are reliably excellent, and the company boasts one of the finest private wine cellars in the Alps. Gentianes is the penthouse apartment, with beautifully aged timber ceilings and glorious south-facing terrace overlooking the Val de Bagnes. www.ckverbier.com
One-week chalet board in Gentianes (sleeps 12) from CHF 33,000
Designed by renowned Swiss interior designer Magali von Tscharner, and sitting at the very edge of the Petit Village area, ‘the Angels’ has a truly heavenly view of both the Matterhorn and Zermatt itself. With 700 square metres of living space over three stunning floors, all clad in reclaimed timber, it is a cutting-edge addition to the Zermatt portfolio this winter. There’s even room for a baby grand piano in the split-level living area, and an outdoor hot tub to escape to while the children practise their scales. www.mountainexposure.com
One-week chalet board from CHF 57,000
Eugenia, Klosters If Klosters is the most upmarket resort in Switzerland, then Eugenia is its most compelling address. By Baroness Thyssen-Bornemisza in the very early days of Klosters, it was made on a scale that modern day chalets could until recently only aspire to, and remains truly baronial. The chalet is choc-full of antiques, with nearly every room coming complete with a grand roaring fire. The master suite takes up the entire floor and comes with arguably the most grandiose private bathroom in the Alps. A colossal mix of history and style. www.oxfordski.com
SAGITTAIRE
One-week chalet board from £27,200
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