Skiing since the age of five and passionate about all things snow. On a mission to bring you the latest updates, news and features from all of our resorts.
After bidding farewell to Georgia, our Meribelresort specialist, in July, we knew we had big boots to fill. Luckily we’ve welcomed Katie Durack and Libby Hunting to the team just in time to gear up for winter 2018/19.
We chatted with both of them to find out what they love about skiing and managed to get some insider tips on their favourite spots in Meribel and Val d’Isere.
What Katie did next....
Katie worked for us in winter 2016/17 as a chalet host in Indiana Lodge, Meribel. In between whipping up mouth-watering afternoon teas and keeping the chalet spik-and-span she could be found on the slopes, skiing every day no matter the weather.
“If I had to describe Meribel in three words I’d pick beautiful, energetic and traditional. A contradiction in terms perhaps, but the old French buildings hum with energy throughout the season. On a bluebird day I used to love catching first lifts to the top of Saulire and skiing down Creux, a long blue run which winds its way over to the Courchevel valley. Whilst you’re round there the hammocks by the Altiport are a lovely spot to stop and soak up some sunshine, before hopping back over to Meribel and ending the day with apres in Ronnie’s.”
Teacher's pet
Libby is new to the VIP SKI family but brings a wealth of experience to the sales team, having gained a BASI level 2 qualification in Val d’Isere. We’ve already booked her instructing services for our end-of-season staff trip and can’t wait to be pulled up on the bad habits we’ve all picked up over the years.
“My season in Val d’Isere was a blast from start to finish. After a long day of training we’d all pile in to Blue Note, a seasonaire bar which has to be the best kept-secret in Val d’Isere. If you go between 5pm and 6pm they lay on free dips and nibbles which you can enjoy alongside a beer pêche. The hill above the Folie Douce was another favourite spot for a picnic and hours of hilarity watching the madness which would ensue from 2pm every afternoon.”
Three's a crowd
With girls now outnumbering the boys in the office 7:3 we’re lucky that Andy Sorenti has also rejoined us, fresh from a summer season in Morzine. If you’re looking for a summer chalet holiday then call Andy for the low-down on mountain biking, parapenting, hiking, road cycling, swimming…he really did cram everything in to the summer and needs a few months behind a desk to recover!
Between the team we’ve been to every resort, stayed in every chalet and can confidently steer you towards the best option for your holiday. We love nothing more than a good chat about all things skiing.
Libby, Andy, Katie, Lou, Lottie & Jonnie are ready and waiting to pick up your calls on 0208 875 1957.
Skiing since the age of five and passionate about all things snow. On a mission to bring you the latest updates, news and features from all of our resorts.
You asked for more chalets in Avoriaz and we delivered. You let us know how important hot tubs, pools and saunas are and we listened. You made it clear that modern, sleek design elevates a great holiday to an unforgettable one and we hired the best interior designers in the Alps. As far as we’re concerned, if we’re not moving forwards then we might as well be going backwards.
So when it was time to look for a new property in St Anton to sit alongside the established Haus Hockhar and Haus Gamskar we didn’t take the challenge lightly. The location, décor and special extras all had to be spot on and we’re confident that we’ve delivered with Chalet Cristal, new to our portfolio this season.
The low-down on Chalet Cristal
The details on this 14-bed property were only released last week and we’ve already had a barrage of calls from clients old and new looking for something a little different in this spectacular resort. Chalets of this size and quality are few and far between. Small enough to retain the convivial feeling of an intimate gathering but large enough for parties of 14 to enjoy a three course dinner without worrying about elbows in the soup. We would recommend Chalet Cristal for extended groups of families and friends alike.
Our renowned serviceremains the same with two dedicated chalet hosts providing a hot breakfast, afternoon tea and three course evening meal on six nights of your holiday. The week will kick off in style with a champagne and canape reception to welcome you to the resort.
The skiing in St Anton
We’ve organized heated boot and ski lockers in a ski shop close to the slopes so that there’s no need to carry your equipment further than a few metres. Pre-book your lift passes and our resort staff will deliver them to the chalet before breakfast on the first morning, meaning that there is no time wasted before you are out exploring the extensive Arlberg ski area. The updates in 2016 to the lift system mean that it is now counted amongst one of the top 5 largest ski areas in the world, reaching over 2800m at it’s highest peak. The resorts of Zurs, Lech, St Christoph & Stuben are all accessible with an Arlberg lift pass.
The Après
If you’re keen on giving the afternoon over to après ski then St Anton will not disappoint. Bars like the Mooserwirt and Krazy Kanguruh host legendary parties every day of the season and the dancing continues into the wee hours back in the vibrant town centre. Besides the partying there are plenty of other activities for skiers and non-skiers to enjoy, including snowshoeing, horse-drawn sleighs and a fully equipped leisure centre.
Relax after a day on the slopes
But with your home-from-home being this comfortable you would be forgiven for not leaving the chalet. The sauna is the perfect place to ease tired muscles after a long day on the slopes and is sure to prove a hit with guests of all ages. Once dinner has been served there’s nothing more strenuous than the walk to the sofa and nothing more taxing than choosing which cheese you’d like to sample tonight – exactly how chalet holidays should be.
Tempted?
Call Jonnie, Lottie, Louise or Andy on 0208 875 1957 to find out more and secure your holiday today.
Rachel rejoined the VIP team after a season as a Chalet Host in Val d'Isere. Look out for plenty of exciting blog posts and lots of useful information!
Love cooking but lack experience or confidence? Nervous about the up-coming season? Or just interested to improve your cooking skills so you can impress your friends? Read on…
Our Head Chef from Hotel Montjola, Joachim Richards, is excited to share his wealth of knowledge and passion for cooking with those looking to train as a chalet host this summer
Joachim, also known as Joe, started his career as a chef 10 years ago. Since then, he has worked in a range of restaurants, including a prestigious Michelin star establishment. His love of food and determination to provide outstanding hospitality lead him to direct a successful business offering high-end catering for weddings, corporate functions, festivals and events. We were thrilled when he accepted the job with us in St Anton this winter.
Our chalet host cookery course
Joe is delighted to be a part of the training team this summer and will be leading our Chalet Host cookery courses on 23 & 30 June. The course covers all aspects of life as a chalet host, in a real chalet environment.
The course is delivered in the Alpine resort of Morzine. Based in one of our luxury chalets (with a hot tub!) it provides the perfect learning environment; you’ll be cooking in a chalet kitchen, at altitude, and with similar hours to that expected of you in a chalet host role.
Guaranteed interview
All participants of the course will be offered the opportunity to interview for a chalet host role with us for the 2018/19 winter season.
How much?
Alongside Joe, the course is delivered by experienced chalet hosts offering you their knowledge and guidance in a relaxed environment and with a maximum of 8 participants in any one session. It is designed to encourage you to interact, ask lots of questions and learn, not just about cooking but also life in general as a chalet host.
£645 per person in a shared twin room
£745 for single occupancy of a double room
Please note that flights are NOT included. We will be providing a return transfer service so do ask about this upon booking.
Book now
Places are limited so do get in touch if you have any questions regarding the course. Call our team on 0208 875 1957 or email ski@vip-chalets.com
Click here to read more about what’s included and to read the full course details.
Rachel rejoined the VIP team after a season as a Chalet Host in Val d'Isere. Look out for plenty of exciting blog posts and lots of useful information!
Alpe d’Huez has always been a popular choice amongst VIP SKI guests. With endless sunshine, over 200km of pistes and home to the longest black run in the world, it’s easy to see why people return year after year. We’re thrilled to be opening two brand new chalets in Alpe d’Huez for winter 2018/19.
Eden Blanc
Boasting an incredible ski-in ski-out location at the top of the village, right beside our other Alpe d’Huez chalets, the Eden Blanc property has been built to replace the previous well known Beau Soleil hotel.
We have snapped up two fabulous chalet apartments in this brand new property, Eden East and Eden West. Our interior designers are yet to complete the fixtures and fittings, so our photos are computer generated but rest assured, our CGI guys know exactly how we build and furnish and everything you see is to exact scale.
Eden East
Sleeping four guests in two en suite rooms, we’re certain Eden East will be a popular choice for families and couples choosing to ski in Alpe d’Huez. The position is sensational, piste and lifts right outside the building, and only 100m from the shops, bars and restaurants. There are flat screen TVs in each bedroom as well as WiFi and an open fire.
Eden West
Eden West is the bigger sister of Eden East, sleeping 6-8 guests with three en suite bedrooms, one of which has additional bunk beds, providing an ideal space for two families or a group of friends. There is private lift access and stunning views of piste and mountain from the living room and bedroom balconies. The chalet is comfortably and elegantly furnished with a spacious open plan living area, warm your toes in front of the open fire or curl up on the squashy sofas.
Huge plans for the future of Alpe d’Huez
Let’s not forget that there are huge plans on the horizon for this fabulous resort. 350 million Euros of investment has been confirmed to upgrade Alpe d’Huez in the coming years which includes linking the resort with Les Deux Alpes by 2021.
The gondola ride will take less than 20 minutes, and will open up the ski areas to a total of 475km making it comparable to the well-known Tignes and Val d’Isere or the Paradiski area.
Special launch offer
We’ve already seen significant interest in these fabulous new properties so don’t delay! If you book before the end of May, you can save £50pp.
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