An independent guide to luxury ski chalets
From £58,000 exclusive chalet per week
Sir Richard Branson’s
swish mountain home
usp
The Lodge is Sir Richard Branson’s well-publicised winter retreat, a sort of Necker Island on snow.
location
The chalet is tucked away beyond the main Medran lift up. It is far enough from the Verbier throng to be quiet, but not too far that you couldn’t easily stroll into town (which is about ten minutes away). A 24-hour minibus service is laid on, however, so walking anywhere is hardly necessary if your limbs are too weary after skiing. The chalet is also on a returning ski run so, snow allowing, you can ski right back to the door. One problem though: being so tucked away, it doesn’t really have any uninterrupted views.
style
Sleek boutique hotel rather than private chalet: there are no framed photos of the Branson clan or other overwhelmingly homely touches. Which is possibly for the best. The main communal area is pretty huge, done out in muted taupes and beiges, with the occasional emerald green splashes added. All very tasteful and understated. ^
rooms
The rooms are all a good size. They are beautifully styled, tasteful taupe being the overwhelming colour once again. Some bathrooms are bigger than others, although they all have baths as well as showers which is a good thing. The best rooms are either Master 1 or Master 2, both of which are extremely spacious. Cowshed provide the toiletries and they come in proper-sized bottles, rather than the mini, travel size, that are more usually supplied. Still not too huge to sneak a few into your soap-bag before departure, however. ^
food & drink
Phew, where to start. Food is a serious business at The Lodge. The Dutch executive chef, Gerwin Brand, and his sous chef, Italian Fabio Petrucci, both trained at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons under Raymond Blanc. Consequently, the attention to detail and professionalism is breath-taking. Gerwin makes his own delicious sourdough bread every day at 4pm sharp with special yeast that he has been nurturing for several years, while Fabio has a treasured collection of vintage balsamic vinegars from his home town of Modena. Menus are not enormous – just three courses, with canapés, but the dishes are perfectly constructed. As for the alcohol, this is all included, unless you ask them to call in something very special and expensive. The house champagne is Palmer Brut NV and there is an excellent selection of house wines, from Swiss rosés to Australian Rieslings. ^
service
The chalet is lavishly staffed, with 11 full-time members of the team. We don’t think we ever saw the same face twice. It is run by a young couple, Paul and Hannah, who are delightful and immensely capable and who manage to strike the right balance between friendly and professional (they won’t pull up a chair and sit with you, for instance, but they will eagerly share an off-duty beer with you in town if you bump into them). Other good-looking young ski bums complete the rest of the team. ^
spa facilities
The Lodge has lavish spa facilities. There is a good-sized indoor heated pool with fancy swimming jet for doing lengths against, plus indoor and outdoor heated jacuzzis, fully equipped gym and steam room. There’s a treatment room, too, for visiting masseuses, beauty therapists etc. ^
children
The Lodge is, perhaps surprisingly, very children-friendly. It can organise a set welcome pack and range of great activities including children's DVDs, toys, an Xbox, books, games, and treasure hunts in the evenings. They can also arrange ski instructors specifically with children's needs in mind or skating parties on The Lodge's ice rink. A full set programme of activities can also be arranged if you give them advance notice.
The chalet also has a special kids’ bunkroom which can accommodate six children, and the party room downstairs can serve as a kids-only zone. Babysitting can be laid on for an extra charge, with at least 24 hours notice, while special food and beverages or simple snacks and light meals can be prepared.
Infants up to six stay for free, children up to 12 cost from £350 per week while young adults from 12 to 18 cost £560 per week, all rates applying only when the total number of guests exceeds 18. ^
extras
There is a mini ice rink beside the chalet, perfect for trying out some curling or a bit of skating. The Lodge also lays on live music from one of the talented local musicians one night a week in the downstairs party area, reducing even further the need to go out. The basement has its own bar, a pool table and even a twinkling glitter ball. Lunch tables in mountain restaurants are all booked for you too. ^
for skiers
The Lodge uses local ski school European Snowsport and has three exclusive instructors on permanent stand-by as well as first pick on the rest. They are kitted out with The Lodge-liveried ski wear too, no less. ^
for non skiers
If there are non-skiers in your party, or you feel like staying put and not venturing out (which would be understandable), there is plenty to detain you in the chalet. There is the treatment room for booking in any variety of beauty or spa treatment, a huge TV downstairs in the bar area, complete with giant, up-to-date selection of DVDs, as well as the pool and jacuzzis. Alternatively, you could enjoy an in-chalet cookery demo or wine tasting – or an outing to the boutiques of Verbier, of course. ^
best thing
The staff, the cooking demo (Gerwin and Fabio do it every afternoon, if there is interest), and Bam-Bam the chalet dog, a gorgeous flatcoat retriever who is always happy to retrieve a snowball or be taken for a walk. ^
worst thing
The comedy shower caps in the bathroom didn’t quite fit in with the tasteful design elsewhere in the rooms – nor did the stuffed St Bernard dog which guests use as a Do Not Disturb sign, parked outside their rooms. ^
getting there
Guests flying into Geneva, Bern, Sion, and Zurich Airports are met on arrival by a member of The Lodge team if travelling as one group. The transfers all cost extra. Helicopter transfers can be arranged too, taking around 15 minutes from Sion, 40 minutes from Geneva and an hour from Zurich. ^
bottom line
The Lodge sleeps 18, in nine bedrooms, plus up to six children in a bunk room. Prices from £56,300 for the adults, children extra. ^
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 - 8
Service - 9
Room - 8
Food & Drink - 8
Luxury - 9
The chalet can only be booked out in its entirety throughout the season, but it is run on a hotel basis six weeks before availability if it has not been booked. Rates are far more affordable in the summer, when Verbier is still well worth visiting.
Quickfinder
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* Location
• Style
• Rooms
• Food & Drink
* 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
"Hannah, Paul and the team at The Lodge have seriously raised the bar on the standard of luxury ski chalets. A really fantastic week, many thanks."
W hayman
"Probably the best ski lodge in the world......!!
Thank you for a top of the world experience."
Harrison
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