An independent guide to luxury ski chalets
From £11,600 exclusive chalet per week
Sumptuous private home
in heart of Verbier
usp
Chalet Kernow is privately owned and operated by Charlie and Liz Berman, a charming British couple. It represents the Bermans’ winter home, and as such is genuinely family-friendly, properly equipped and feels more ‘lived in’ than ‘boutique hotel’. It is, however, seriously beautiful.
location
Kernow is located just down from the main Medran ski lift in the heart of Verbier on Chemin des Vernes. It’s a 5 minute uphill hike to the lift, easier going downhill at the end of the day. But a shuttle is available at all times.
style
Kernow might be a home from home, but make no mistake, it oozes deep style and has been dreamily interior designed. Far from being knick-knacky, with gingham and cow bells everywhere, the chalet houses an eclectic selection of beautiful, highly valuable, artefacts sourced from antique shops and fairs across London. These range from ancient Tibetan chests to Chinese iron cows from the Han Dynasty, antique Indonesian textiles and a giant 19th century French fireplace. But it all feels gorgeously homely and warm rather than austere and showcasey. ^
rooms
Each room is quite different from the rest. The one we stayed in was not huge, but had fabulous scarlet woollen blinds and an ancient, giant antique wardrobe with tasselled key. The biggest is the master suite, done out in shades of blue. There is a great kids bunk room too with gym mats. Each also has a balcony with sheep skin rugs stretched out on wooden loungers, but none has a TV, which we think is no bad thing. Who needs telly when you have mountains to ski? Jo Malone supplies the toiletries. ^
food & drink
Jono, the chef who used to work there, can boast that Jamie Oliver tried to poach him when he stayed a few winters ago. And that is not surprising: the food was knock-out. Kernow has a new chef for the coming season, forensically vetted by Jono, who is similarly top-notch. He will be able to turn his hand to everything from a plateful of bangers to a genuinely fancy four-course feast. Most of the meals Jono prepared were more home-cooking in feel than Michelin-starred restaurant with intercourse sorbets and endless dishes, and that is likely to be the style this season. They were just perfect for chowing down on after a day out on the slopes. Dishes ranged from top steaks and bangers and mash to seared salmon with haricot blanc and chorizo cassoulet or spatchcock quail with pea puree.
service
Relaxed but prompt. It’s like being a house guest in someone’s mountain home, so expect conversation with the staff but also an impressively high standard of discreet professionalism. Neil the rock and roll manager is most entertaining and full of charm.
spa facilities
Chalet Kernow has an outdoor hot tub plus indoor sauna and steam room with mini spa area. All sorts of beauty treatments can be organised in conjunction with Beauty and the Piste, or massages with local outfit The Verbier Touch. ^
children
Chalet Kernow is run for the benefit of the Bermans when there are not paying guests staying, so it is wonderfully equipped for families and children. While it does not employ nannies, it can organise babysitting/childcare. The chef is also very happy to make cakes/cook with children and the staff also know the area so well that they can recommend plenty of things to do beyond the obvious fun of sledging and making snowmen in the garden. At Christmas they supply stockings and gifts for children and always offer to let them decorate the tree, while at Easter they have egg hunts in the chalet. Kernow has a great collection of toys and games, albeit slightly more for boys than girls (they are basically all the Berman boys’ old toys and games) but they stock Lego, books and puzzles. The Kernow bunkroom also has its resident teddy bear plus there is a big collection of children's DVDs. For babies, they also stock essential supplies like bottles of Calpol and can arrange for wipes, nappies etc, as required. ^
extras
The chalet offers 24/7 transport in vehicles with discreet blacked-out windows, as well as an open bar (including excellent complimentary house wines, soft drinks and all spirits). There is a pool and snooker table on the mezzanine above the giant living space, an outdoor hot tub, indoor sauna and steam room plus mini spa area. The chalet also has a neat TV snug off the main living room, complete with UK Sky TV and full set of games consoles (including PS2, Xbox 360 and Wii), plus 500 CDs loaded onto a networked server and a chest bulging with around 500 DVDs. Parking is available for three guest cars, too, which is handy. The Bermans also co-own Chez Dany, one of the most popular mountain restaurants in resort, and a table is reserved there every day for guests at Kernow for their exclusive use. They just need to notify by 11am if they don’t want to eat there. ^
for skiers
Chalet Kernow uses instructors from European Snowsports and the excellent new Performance Verbier, run by a couple of British guys. They carefully match instructor to guest ability and taste (a young, comely female instructor perhaps being laid on for a middle-aged businessman). The instructors can be raised at a moment’s notice, such are the chalet’s relationships with the two ski schools, although obviously it is preferred if guests can anticipate need in advance. ^
for non skiers
The chalet has a good-sized gym with space for yoga mats. Skilates sessions can be arranged, as can pilates and yoga, together with all the spa treatments. Outside the chalet, non-skiers can go paragliding, husky riding, snow shoeing, even ice driving, plus day trips can be arranged to the local hot thermal spa in Lavey Les Bains near Sion. ^
best thing
The fabulous artefacts around the chalet and the huge communal area with giant fireplace. ^
worst thing
For some, this might be the lack of TV and music in the bedrooms. ^
getting there
No chalet in Verbier is allowed by local law to lay on transport beyond the resort, hence a private company is used by Kernow for airport and train station transfers. These all cost extra. The nearest airport is Geneva, around 1hr 20mins away, although Sion (45 minutes away) is often used by guests arriving by private jet. The nearest train station is Le Chable, just a 20 minute drive from the resort. ^
bottom line
The chalet sleeps up to 12 and costs from £942pp per week, based on full occupancy, rising to around £3027. The price includes all meals, decent spirits (with a good range of specialist cognacs, for instance) and house wines. ^
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.
Chalet - 9
Service - 9
Room - 8
Food & Drink - 8
Luxury - 9
Have a good mooch through the guestbook – it makes interesting reading. And try to decipher which quotes have been left by the star-studded array of former guests.
Quickfinder
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* Service
• Spa Facilities
• Children
• Extras
• Skiers
• Non Skiers
• Best Thing
• Worst Thing
• Getting There
• Bottom Line
• Bookings & Enquiries
• Other chalets in Verbier
• Other chalets to suit corporate groups
Bookings and enquiries: enquiries at chicchaletguide.co.uk Telephone:
+44 (0)7772 853996
guestbook
"Reality postponed, diets suspended, Perudo [a dice game] -filled nights, all our whims fulfilled"
"Thankyou for another blissful, indulged, spoiling week at Kernow"
“Huge, huge thanks for the most amazing week – seriously special in every way”
“Thankyou again for a really relaxing, indulgent, happy holiday. We love everything about it”
summeR
Price depending on what basis the chalet is hired, and they are flexible on catered or self-catered.
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