Luxury Chalets - Luxury Ski News Archive

Benefits of the popular hot tub

Soaking in the tub is the perfect place to unwind after a day skiing, one of the most obvious benefits of a hot tub is to ease tensions. The soothing effect of the warm water and massaging action helps relieve physical, emotional and mental stress. Water supports the body and takes weight off joints, and soaking in the tub is known to relax tense muscles, joints and tendons.

One study suggests immersion in a hot tub for 10 minutes may lower blood pressure and help metabolism. Research also suggests the relaxation gained from a soak in a hot tub can also promote deeper and more restful sleep.

Benefits of the sauna

Saunas have been traditionally used to produce a feeling of relaxation. As your heart rate goes up and your blood vessels dilate, there is an increase in blood flow to the skin. Saunas may also improve blood circulation. Studies show saunas provide decreased DOMs (delayed onset muscle soreness) and a better workout recovery. The act of lowering blood pressure and increasing heartrate gives your heart a workout as much as it might performing medium intensity exercise like hiking or cycling.

It is important to ensure you don’t get dehydrated using a sauna, the average person can lose a pint of sweat in just a short period of time in the sauna, so drinking lots of water is a must.

Benefits of a swim

Swimming is a full body workout, it may seem like your legs and arms do most of the work, but that’s not the case. Swimming strengthens your core, raises your heart rate, and engages nearly all the muscles in your back. In general, exercise helps relieve anxiety and depression, and that includes swimming.

A gentle swim after other exercise is a great way to cool body temperature, and can be very refreshing. Simply tread water for 5-10 minutes and you will start to feel refreshed and renewed. Doing dynamic stretches in chest deep water, or varying kicking methods whilst treading water is a great way to loosen up the hips, knees and lower body muscles.

The benefits of massage

Massage is perhaps one of the oldest healing traditions. The act of manipulating muscles and other soft-tissue to improve wellbeing or health. Research indicates that massages are effective in managing: subacute/chronic low back pain; delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS); anxiety; stress; soft tissue injuries; high blood pressure and insomnia. Some of the physical benefits of massage include: reduced muscle tension; improved circulation; reduction of stress hormones; relaxation; increased joint mobility and flexibility; improved skin tone; improved recovery of soft tissue injuries; heightened mental alertness; reduced anxiety and depression.

We partner with Massage Me and Mountain Rehab for massage services in resort, both offer a choice of treatments including sports massage, deep tissue massage, and relaxing massage.

The spa with the ultimate view at 1950 m altitude

A number of our chalets have saunas, tubs or pools, but why not head to Bear Lodge in Les Arc this winter and enjoy the amazing spa facilities with pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi, massage suites and exercise room. Positioned on the piste at 1950m the snow-capped alpine backdrop will make a refreshing change from your local gym.

Entertaining this Jubilee weekend?

In our book a Jubilee celebration cake should be table leg groaningly big. It should have at least one candle, possibly a sparkler and icing as thick as the snow on the roof of your chalet. 

Four layers – two vanilla, two raspberry – sandwiched with a decadent mascarpone raspberry icing. Phwoar. When you cut into it a magical Battenburg-esque layering system ensures everyone gets a double flavour whammy in every iced slice. 

The recipe:

Make two sponges to your favourite recipe in 8-inch tins. Flavour one with vanilla, and one with a good amount of pink food colouring and raspberries (frozen will do). Once cool, slice in half horizontally. Cut a small circle of cake from each middle (ramekin size) and then another circle (cereal bowl size). Separate the circles and rebuild so you have two halves of cake with vanilla outer circles, pink inner wheels and a vanilla centre and two that have pink outer circles, vanilla inner wheels and a pink centre.

Raspberry & Mascarpone Icing

- 150g raspberries
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 250g Mascarpone
- 300ml Double Cream

Beat the raspberries, caster sugar and Mascarpone together well before adding the cream. Using an electric beater whisk until stiff and mousse like. Resist licking the spoon until after you’ve iced your cooled cake.

Finish with a smooth topping of icing and sprinkle with dehydrated raspberry pieces, fresh raspberries, Malteasers, white chocolate shavings, or anything else you fancy and throw on a candle with a flourish! Happy Jubilee Celebrations to you! 

If this tasty pud has whet your appetite for afternoon tea and catered chalets, browse live availability now. Our office will be closed over the Jubilee bank holiday but you can book online 24-7, and there's a Jubilee special offer to be snapped up too!

The ultimate skiing venue

This is the ultimate skiing venue, at 1530 metres altitude, on the piste, in the main Les Gets ski area of Les Chavannes and next to all the lifts. Green, red and blue pistes weave back to the terrace through the woods. The unique location offers unbeatable ski in ski out access, easy links to ski into Morzine and the rest of the Portes du Soleil area and absolute serenity in the evening.

CLUB Altitude Lodge will cater for 12-22 guests in six en suite bedrooms, three of which have private hot tubs.

Save up to £100 pp

We're so excited to have this chalet back, don't forget we have our 'saver week' discount for all January dates so you could save up to £100 per person by booking early.

If you are considering skiing this winter and have any questions we’d love to hear from you.

I remain sincerely sorry

I am acutely aware that our insolvency caused much pain and inconvenience to a great many people and I remain sincerely sorry that I was not able to find a way through the pandemic. Everything that we previously achieved was due to the unstinting support and loyalty of our guests who we clearly let down. It is true that everyone will get their money back for holidays not enjoyed, the vast majority have already done so, but this is a prolonged and laborious process and I remain ashamed that we were not able to honour our commitments in the first place.

Despite the nuisance caused to so many, I have been completely humbled by the groundswell of support since our demise from guests, colleagues and industry partners and it was this support that fuelled my determination to continue.

Nervous but excited

Having secured the future of VIP SKI, I don’t yet know how or what I feel. Certainly not victorious or even happy. I am minded to remember the late summer evening in 1989, with my family on their knees in front of the TV, stuffing my first brochure into envelopes. When I ponder everything that has happened since, I am panicked at the thought of having to do it all again. But then I realise that maybe I’ve got the chance to cut and paste the half I got right onto a blank sheet of paper. That must be a unique and compelling opportunity.

A new start

So the journey back begins now, and I can’t deny a frisson of excitement at the prospect of putting only the best bits all back together again. I guess it’s a bit like putting a bomb under 30 years’ work, I’ve just got to dust myself down, pull myself together and go back out and pick up all the pieces.

I never considered VIP SKI as my business, but rather a community of people and skiers; hundreds of thousands of guests, tens of thousands of colleagues, landlords, partners and suppliers, many of whom have become close friends, drawn together around a common love of skiing. My colleagues and I are simply relieved to have the opportunity of putting this back together again.

We will be taking bookings later this year

It will take a few months to be ready to open our doors to bookings once more, please bear with us whilst we put the team back together and sort out some admin, but this will be in good time for the new ski season, which my colleagues and I can now look forward to with both relish and new purpose.

We very much hope you will join us again in the mountains next season. Here's hoping 2021 is a brighter year for everyone. 

The Vegan Society

According to the latest research carried out by the Vegan Society in 2019, the vegan population in Britain quadrupled between 2014 and 2019. There are an estimated 600,000 Vegans in Britain, compared to just 150,000 in 2014. Almost half of UK Vegans made the decision to make this change in 2018, suggesting this pattern will only continue and accelerate. They estimate that Vegans and Vegetarians will make up a quarter of the British population by 2025 – the growth is exponential!

Changing mindsets

Veganism is one of the fastest growing lifestyle movements, and slowly but steadily even the more close-minded regions are beginning to adapt their repertoire. There is no doubt that this movement is worldwide, but in part due to the British influence on certain ski resorts, some ski towns have developed Vegan-friendly restaurants more rapidly than other, more traditional regions.

Home from home

We’re sure you would all agree that a catered chalet holiday revolves primarily around the food (and skiing of course). Our goal is to make your holiday as seamless and stress-free as we can. Whether you are gluten intolerant, dairy-free, nut-free or vegan, we work hard to ensure the menus will suit your needs.

Flexibility

Whilst our chalet menus are fixed, they are not set in stone. We have a switch menu option which allows you to swap dishes in and out in order to personalise your holiday menu.

For those of you staying in one of our CLUB Chalets, the chef will be offering canapes and a choice of menu on six evenings; and in our Hotel Theodul and Hotel Arlberg there is a more comprehensive meal plan with cooked breakfast and a choice of menu for the evening meal, on all seven days.

Regardless of which property you may choose, the London office team are on hand to discuss any concerns or requests prior to travel. The team in resort will be informed of any changes to the menus or other information long before your arrival.

Don't take our word for it

Naturally, we are biased and think highly of our culinary skills but if you need a little more persuading, here are some of our latest guests’ reviews on the matter:

No 2 Penthouse Avoriaz – January 2020: …the food was absolutely exceptional. Two of us were vegan, one lactose-intolerant and one unable to eat beef so the way they accommodated us was far beyond what we hoped…

No 2 Aspen House Val d’Isere – January 2020: …Her cooking was amazing, afternoon delights were to die for, and she was most polite andattentive to all of our needs. Our party included two couples (one of which had numerous food intolerances) and a 21-month-old. Sophie cooked my little boy a nutritional two course meal from scratch, every night and made sure all of his favourite meals were on the menu…

Chalet Marielaine Meribel – January 2020: The food is superb; better than the food we had mid-week! We really appreciate the trouble Anna has gone to, to cook gluten free for my husband and vegetarian…

Valdez Suite Morzine – January 2020: Exceptional food with any special requests catered for and menus were well thought out…

Darkoum Lama Courchevel 1850 – January 2020: The food was wonderful and they were able to tailor our meals to various specifications - one person has several severe allergies to nuts, eggs, etc, then there were children’s tastes to account for and adults!

If that’s not enough to whet your appetite, we’re not sure what is! Whether you have dietary requirements or simply love to talk about food (we do too), give us a call on 0208 875 1957 to discuss your next catered ski holiday today!