‘This place has ruined ski trips for me now – nothing will compare.’
You may recognise Megève from your social feeds – the likes of Lucy Williams and Vogue Williams have both used this cosy bolthole as a long weekend winter escape. But are these Four Seasons chalets and hotels worth the hype? And which should you opt for, depending on your slope-side priorities?
If you're anything like me, skiing often comes second to a sunny beach mission, which means when you do finally get your feet in those hefty boots again, you want all the cosy-core vibes.
One of the reasons I said yes to this trip was that I’d seen photos aplenty on Instagram of celebs cosied up in the wood-panelled walls of both the chalets and the hotel here, and I was desperate to see what all the fuss was about - and whether either were worth the presumably pricey nightly fee, obviously.
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A unique collaboration between Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and the Rothschild family (of big German banking wealth and notoriety), the collection comprises Four Seasons Hotel Megève – the only hotel on the dizzying heights of the Mont d'Arbois slopes – and Les Chalets du Mont D’Arbois, which is a winter-only retreat offering classic Alpine charm.
These two properties are the only Four Seasons Hotels in the whole of the European Alps, so before you even step your snow boot onto that branded doormat, you know you’re about to stumble upon something special.
And we did. I knew from my arduous research (sleuthing) before the trip that the calibre of people staying in these chalets are even more well-to-do than those you might find in a Third Space gym. And it seems I'm entering my investigative journalism era, my friends. I was right.
As we stacked our skis in the private equipment hire room at the hotel – each pole labelled with our name – we realised we were literally among royalty. When all our giggly fantasising about who we might find ourselves sat next to at breakfast, or hypothesising about the gaggle of gents being loud at dinner, was actually verified by the names on the ski poles positioned next to ours, we knew this place was somewhere we’d never forget.
If you’re after chalet-girl chic and true mountain relaxation, opt for Les Chalets du Mont d’Arbois.
It’s no wonder this place has a reputation among royalty and the it-crowd alike. Although I’ve been skiing a couple of times before, this is the cosy, quintessential, fur-lined ski chalet that I’ve always conjured in my mind but never quite found.
The chalets and hotel are the brainchild (brainchildren?) of Noémie Rothschild, who was desperate to recreate the vibe of St. Moritz in a bygone era, when it was quieter, less popular, more demure.
And, authentic Alpine charm aplenty, under the Four Seasons group the chalets are still as much the paradigm of chalet chic that they were when Noémie established Megève as a premium ski resort, almost a century ago.
Positioned at the foot of the Mont d’Arbois slopes, a snowball throw away from the ski lifts, this winter-only property is split into three traditional chalets – two available for exclusive use – and all with access to La Table de Noémie restaurant serving locally sourced dishes and regional specialties, the indoor-outdoor pool (a personal highlight), and an outdoor sauna and spa. No wonder it draws in the glitzy elite.
If you’re serious about your skiing but still want a spa, especially if you’re travelling with kids, stay at the hotel.
To call it 'influence' is to understate it – you can really feel the flare of the Rothschild family as you walk the halls of this magnificent hotel. Artworks akin to those you’d find in the National Gallery adorn almost every wall, with curious clay pots and souvenirs from Noémie’s travels forming a glass display cabinet partition around one of the restaurants. The family’s wealth (and, thankfully, good taste to accompany it) is apparent everywhere you turn – in the salon-like lobby, the ice bar, and wrapped up tight in all the beautiful, fur-lined furniture. But it never feels too pretentious or ostentatious. Never too much.
Boasting a distinct French character and modern Alpine aesthetic, the 55-bedroomed hotel is home to the region’s largest spa, one of the world’s finest Alpine golf courses and Michelin starred restaurant, La Dame de Pic – Le 1920. We'll get back to this.
It’s the only hotel with direct access to the slopes in winter and to the golf course and hike tracks in summer, offering the best location for outdoor adventures and culinary delights, while still only being a short drive from Geneva.
The staff here reappear as regularly as a plucked chin hair (or so I’d imagine), but are far more welcome and less prickly. I won’t be the first to say it, but Four Seasons also just doesn’t miss a detail. When we're being shown round the ever-so-classy kid’s club – worlds apart from any I remember from my youth – it's evident that the experience for children here has been given as much consideration as that of their adult companions, which most parents will know is a rarity.
Nothing for me beats a soft furnishing to nestle into with a book and a coffee, and few chairs compare to the white shaggy one to the side of this salon-like lounge room, with views out to the monochromatic mountains. Does it get much better than curling up in a cosy corner indoors when it’s visibly cold outside? I’d say it doesn’t.
There’s a seriously cool cigar room attached to the effortlessly dapper lobby, and the first thing you see when you check in is a panoramic, cinema-like view through the window behind the concierge. Snow-capped forests and tiny dots sliding down the white cliffs dance around the shadows of fast-moving staff as they check you in. I must admit, I was expecting a little more tack from a hotel this fancy, but every element was classy and well-contemplated.
If you’re feeling even more boujee…
Mont Arbois’ L’Idèal 1850 is where we had lunch one day after hopping on the ski lift half way up. It's completely secluded from any other hotel or chalet, and is a real sight to behold. The snowy hills, like sand dunes, are vast and seemingly unending around the almost-360 view out of the windows. When you book a night here, only a chef and a butler stay over to tend to your needs, and apart from that the whole mountain is silent. We didn't stay over, but we had a tour and couldn't lift our jaws from the floor for the duration. It's giving honeymoon.
And what about wellbeing? What is there to do in Megève?
It would be remiss of me not to mention the skiing – Noémie’s instructor was right when he told her this would be a great location for a resort. With stunning views of Mont Blanc from many vantage points, this is the largest ski area in Mont d’Arbois, and for those who hate crowded pistes and lift-queue scrums, this place is magic – Megève is incredibly quiet.
As an (almost) beginner I felt catered to and comfortable, perhaps more so than any slopes I’ve pizza-positioned myself down previously, plus the pros among us were challenged and excited as they went off to explore and do the more daring runs. If you're a real powder junkie, apparently on a good day swishing through the trees is something you'll never forget, although you'll never catch me off-piste. I've just taken everyone else's word for it.
There are also plenty of activities off the slopes, including two toboggan runs, a large outdoor ice-rink in the town centre, and one of the biggest sports centres in the Alps. If you're into your extreme sports, there's a helicopter ski safari; dog sledding; electric fat bike riding; ice skating; snowshoeing, ski touring and cross-country; hot air balloon rides; paragliding; ski joering (horse-drawn skiing); horse-drawn carriage rides and canyoning. I think you'd be hard pressed to be bored.
Snowshoe-ing through the forest and lunch in an igloo
The trees, like the Four Seasons emblem embossed on the pillowcases, are pine trees standing upright in the forest. It’s not hard to guess which season these represent, each branch almost buckling under the weight of the blanket of snow that sits atop its leafless arms.
Perhaps my favourite part of the trip was crunching through the snow as we marched towards an igloo, made by our guide, full of blankets, candles (worrying), mulled wine and cheese. I never thought I'd feel cosy inside a small house made of snow, but you'd be surprised.
The spas! Oh, the spas…
I’m not sure I’ve ever had so many replies to my Instagram story as I did the day I went for a swim in the outdoor pool at the spa for the chalets. Though the hotel pool is far bigger and perhaps more impressive in itself, the contrasting snow-capped mountains provide a backdrop that can’t be rivalled. Watching steam rise off the water with hot air balloons floating across the sky and craggy mountains blocking out blue skies behind, snow surrounding the pool’s edge, is a dip I don’t think I’ll forget in a hurry.
And – don’t panic – there’s a fully-equipped gym
One word of advice, however. When packing, try to leave space for trainers, so you don’t need to wear your snow boots to work out in. They’re especially tricky on the treadmill, I’d say. See evidence here.
Tell us about the food, we’ve heard it’s Michelin star
Anne-Sophie Pic is the most decorated Michelin-starred female chef in the world, currently holding 12 Michelin stars across her restaurants. As well as that being extremely iconic, Anne-Sophie’s kitchen at Le Dame de Pic produces some of the most delicate and delicious food I’ve ever tried. The highlight for me was the brie ‘de Meaux fermier’ that’s produced just east of Paris, parcelled inside melt-in-the-mouth pasta triangles that were particularly moreish.
You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to Rothschild family vintages from the impressive wine cellar, which you can dine in surrounded by bottles that are likely older than your parents.
The hotel’s Japanese restaurant is also a real experience – I delighted in a rosemary cocktail of sorts that I perhaps reordered a few too many times. The sushi was out of this world, although I never quite got to the bottom of the relevance of Japan here any further than Noémie likes Japanese food – as is the way with many features of the hotel itself. And after a few days here, I feel her and I have awfully similar taste.
Is Four Seasons Megève making any sustainable steps?
There are a few things you might notice as you walk around your room at both the hotel and in the chalets, which indicate that the Four Season Hotel franchise is making a concerted effort to diminish the size of the footprint it leaves on the world through tourism.
For starters, you won’t find single-use plastic water bottles, or shampoo and toiletries bottles, in any of the rooms here. Notices about reducing daily guest bedsheets and towel changes can be found in the rooms, which can’t be said for all luxury hotels, even now.
The property has a 3,000 litre rain collector to reuse water that nature fills our cup with. All restaurants use organic, Fair Trade and ‘sustainably sourced’ ingredients, although I say that with hesitation, as it has no definite parameters. Overall, it seems like they’re conscious of the consequence of winter tourism on the planet, but could almost certainly do more.
Internationally, Four Seasons has created an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) program, in which they seek to preserve and regenerate the beautiful places in which they operate and leave a positive, enduring impact on our communities. If you want to take sustainable tourism seriously and put matters in your own hands, Megève is accessible all year round by rail.
The verdict – do Megève, and these Four Seasons hotels, deserve their winter ‘it destination’ status?
Absolutely. This place, and this trip in general, has completely ruined ski holidays for me now – nothing will ever compare. The chicness of the chalet was everything I’d been dreaming of since I first saw Chalet Girl in 2011. It’s totally, incomprehensibly perfect, from the fur-fringed chairs in every effortlessly cool breakout area, to the bold and awe-inspiring art and breathtaking views from each vantage point, namely the bath tubs and concierge reception of the hotel.
Both properties took my breath away from start to finish, and it only adds to the Megève magic that they’re steeped in so much grand history and heritage. I must say I didn’t know what to expect when staying at my first Four Season Hotel, being someone who exclusively likes to book small boutique hotels for every non-work trip. But this completely won me over, both have boutique-feeling elements and I can’t conjure in my mind a more perfect place to rest my head each night when on a busy, energy-sapping ski holiday.
It’s a real investment to stay here, even if you don’t opt for a Four Seasons property. Megève in general has made a name for itself for being pretty pricey – it was put on the map by the Rothschild family, after all. And that's why it attracts those with cash and clout to spend. But for something special, a big birthday or a once-in-a-lifetime family adventure, I’d go back here in a heartbeat. Next time, I’ll have the Suite Ideal 1850, please.
Go there!
To secure a room at the chalets for the winter season for £633 a night, BOOK HERE
Or, to try the Four Seasons Hotel for £1,690 a night, BOOK HERE
For the Suite Ideal, at £1,265 per night, BOOK HERE
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