Luxury ski chalet Maison Blanche et Verte, Chatel. Chic Chalet Guide review.

Maison Blanche
et Verte

Châtel, Portes du Soleil
Sleeps - 12 + 2

From £1000 per person per week

Designer chic in family-friendly
Portes du Soleil resort

usp
Maison Blanche et Verte, so-called because it is the perfect year-round mountain home, great for the snow of winter and the beautiful greenery of summer, is a knock-out contemporary new build. It has plenty of space – a mighty 600 sq m no less -- and separate blocks for living/dining/entertaining and sleeping, meaning that noisy night owls do not disturb those early to bed, plus it is a superbly appointed modern chalet.

location
The chalet sits in arguably the best spot in the resort, a commanding position high up overlooking the town of Châtel and the ski slopes beyond. There are almost 360 degree views from the stunning sheet glass windows in the living area, and it faces south west so there is sunlight flooding in for most of the day. The nearest ski lift is a 2 minute walk, but transport is laid on to whisk guests wherever they would like to go in the mighty Portes du Soleil ski area.

style
Designer chic. Maison Blanche et Verte is all about simple, big, statement pieces. There is no clutter or chintz or anything nick-nacky here, just superb Conran sofas, German designer lighting, fabulous wooden tables and Eames dining chairs. It was interior designed by Jimmy MacDonald who runs Tent London, the interior design show popular with boutique hoteliers, and it shows. Traditional materials have been used in a contemporary way, however, so there is plenty of wood and stone, but more than anything there is glass – giant sheets of it, letting the views and the light come in. ^

rooms
There is no master bedroom at Maison Blanche et Verte, but all the rooms are well-fitted and a good size. Most have balconies and face the fabulous views up the valley (only one doesn’t, but it has an even bigger balcony than the rest to make up for that). Four have baths, two have walk-in showers, and the fittings are all premium quality including Bette and Duravit. The toiletries are Molton Brown and come in a chalet-branded courtesy pack, while The White Company has supplied all the crisp bed linen and the dressing gowns and slippers. ^

food & drink
The chef at Maison Blanche et Verte has no limit on his food budget – he just gets in whatever he likes that is fresh and seasonal and good quality, buying local wherever possible. There is no fixed menu and he is extremely flexible, favouring light, delicately flavoured international cuisine rather than traditional Savoyarde (we dined on a fabulous Thai green curry one night and Moroccan lamb another). That said, he can also knock up a fantastic French onion soup or a new twist on a tarte tartin. He will fully discuss food in advance of guests’ arrival too. ^

The wine at the chalet is a treat. There are excellent house whites and reds, including a Chablis Premier Cru and Savigny Le Beaune as well as an organic Côte de Nuit Village red, but there is also an impressive, well-priced à la carte wine list which concentrates on the best of fine Burgundies and Italian wines. There is a Sassicaia Super Tuscan red, a Pouilly Montrachet white and an Opus One Californian red – all at near-shop prices. ^

service
The chalet is lavishly serviced; there is a chef, a manager, a driver and a host to look after you. All of them are hard-working, friendly and attentive. ^

spa facilities
Maison Blanche et Verte is luxuriously well appointed for spa facilities. It has a 20’ indoor pool with swim jet and massage jets, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows that open out onto the terrace on a hot day. There is a good-sized sauna, a lovely, airy massage and spa room with sunken bath for private treatments, plus a fully equipped air conditioned gym with TV. No hot tub however. ^

children
The chalet is really family-friendly and there are plenty of nooks and crannies for children to play in. A nursery for little ones, stocked with soft toys and Fatboy beanbags as well as a changing table – travel cots and high chairs are all available – gives them their own dedicated space. There is also an older kids lounge and playroom on the mezzanine above the main living area, with a plasma TV with full satellite television package plus Wii and Xbox. It even has a cinema room with proper cinema seats where kids can be safely entertained for a few hours. ^

extras
Maison Blanche et Verte has extras galore. Guests are given free guiding around the resort on the first day, there is a fully equipped cinema with cinema seats and proper surround sound, and the chalet has wifi throughout as well as hard wiring in the bedrooms. Transfers to and from the airport are also included in the price and, usefully, they can do pick-ups at different times if groups have different arrival times. There is in-resort transport and, most thoughtful of all, a pre-programmed guest mobile, complete with useful chalet numbers on it. Guests are each also given a piste map goggle wipe – useful for cleaning steamed up goggles and far better than paper piste maps that blow about in the wind and disintegrate in the wet. ^

for skiers
Châtel is one of the French resorts that make up the vast Portes du Soleil ski area. It is a great, intermediate, family-friendly resort, with plenty of blues and reds, three ESF schools and an English independent ski school too. It is surprisingly good for off-piste too, while skiers can also easily access the rest of the Porte du Soleil area including Avoriaz and Morzine. ^

for non skiers
Châtel is an excellent spot for non-skiers. There is a farmer’s market in town every Wednesday, a wonderful thermal spa with outdoor pools and treatments at Lavey Les Bains a day trip away, plus the charming medieval village of Yvoire nearby which has lots of arty shops. Non-skiing guests can even spend the day shopping in Geneva or else try out any number of alternative snowy activities such as cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing. ^

best thing
The views, the spa facilities and the food. ^

worst thing
The lack of hot tub – but the owners assure The Chic Chalet Guide that they are looking into this. ^

getting there
Châtel is about 1hr 30mins from Geneva. Airport transfers are included in the price, and the chalet will also do two pick-ups if guests have different arrival times. Geneva is the nearest airport. ^

bottom line
Prices start from around £1000 per person per week. ^

bookings & enquiries
If you would like to make an enquiry or a booking, please email enquiries at chicchaletguide.co.uk. Remember, we have visited all the chalets we feature so can give you totally unbiased, independent advice on all of them. The prices we quote are also the list prices quoted by the chalets themselves, so there is no advantage in going to the chalets direct.

Scores out
of ten

Chalet - 9
Service - 9
Room - 8
Food & Drink - 9
Luxury - 9