An independent guide to luxury ski chalets
From £560 pp/week
From £6680 exclusive chalet per week
Chocolate-box chalet with knock-out views in charming hidden-gem resort
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Chalet Merlo (‘merlo’ means blackbird in the local patois) is a lovely, extremely comfortable chalet in a tiny Tarentaise hamlet with among the very best mountain views we’ve come across. It has played host to numerous celebrity guests who have all, quite understandably, raved about it.
location
Merlo is located in Sainte Foy, just 15 minutes down the valley from Val d’Isère, and as such has a world of ski choice within easy reach. The chalet is tucked away high up among other old farm buildings and chalets but is perfectly situated for excursions to Val and Tignes, Les Arcs, and La Rosière in Italy. It also faces south towards the top end of the Tarentaise valley so is bathed in light, and its views up towards Val and across to Mont Pourri and the Vanoise National Parc are just heaven. The approach to the chalet is up a cute little winding pathway, too, making it feel genuinely olde-worlde and rustic.
style
The chalet is very much traditional Savoyard farmhouse in style, all wooden-beamed and with the genuine old slate tile ‘loze’ roof. The owner collects art so there is a somewhat eclectic collection of paintings around the property, mostly (and maybe a little inappropriately?) of Parisian landscapes and, erm, scantily clad ladies. But the overall feel is of big, battered leather sofas and armchairs, giant cushions and chunky hand-hewn wooden tables. It is immensely cosy and lived-in, with piles of books and magazines everywhere too. ^
rooms
The rooms are lovely, each with great views once again, but they are not huge. Some have baths, some just have showers, but they each have charming built-in wardrobes made of reclaimed old timbers. Toiletries are L’Occitane and the fluffy bathrobes Kelly Hoppen. ^
food & drink
Merlo uses high-end private chefs and everything is home-made, from the canapés to the afternoon cake. There is no chalet cookbook as such, but the cuisine is classic French with international influences, and the chef can do stuff to order too. All beer, house wines, digestifs and champagne (Veuve Clicquot) is complimentary, and a nice touch is that they change the house wines each night. It is also possible to upgrade to fancier wines such as a Chateauneuf du Pape. ^
service
The staff wear a uniform but they are very low-key rather than butler-style. They are all friendly and attentive, but not in your face or starchy. ^
spa facilities
Merlo has a glorious 8-seater outdoor hot tub with just breathtakingly panoramic views up the valley and across to the Vanoise. There is also a sauna and a gorgeous little mazot or mountain hut with a heated table in it where you can enjoy private massages and treatments. In addition to this, the chalet has its own two-storey gym in a separate building with the most impressive range of Cybex equipment, should the skiing not be enough for you. ^
children
There is no minimum age at the chalet. It has a great bunk room for kids, and plenty of old-fashioned, child-friendly board games plus an Xbox 360 and PlayStation. There are no interconnecting rooms at all and also no room for extra beds or cots in the bedrooms, but there is an excellent crèche at Ste Foy which will take young ones from the age of three, and private nannies can be arranged. Some babysitting is possible with the staff, but mostly it is sub-contracted out. ^
extras
Airport transfers are included, as well as on-demand daily runs to and from the slopes. Transport is laid on all day up until around 10pm, but the chalet can happily arrange taxis for later. Merlo also has several pairs of snow-shoes so you can explore the valley on foot, plus an Apple Mac, iPod docking stations in all the rooms and wifi throughout. ^
for skiers
Chris, the man who built the chalet and who lives locally, is also a qualified mountain guide, and he looks after the off-piste needs of all guests. Top instructors can also be arranged, but they need to be booked in advance, while passes, skis and boots can all be booked in advance by the chalet too. The chalet’s staff do some hosting round the slopes, while they are also happy to advise on and transport you to any number of the surrounding fabulous ski areas and arrange day passes if necessary. ^
for non skiers
There is a huge variety of diversions for the non-skiers, from an ice-rink at La Rosière to husky sledding, skidooing, snowshoeing, massages in the mazot, quad biking, ice driving and even ice climbing. There are also lots of local artisans that you can visit, such as cheese makers and tanneries, where you can pick up a cow hide or deerskin rug, and there is a great local market in Val once a week. ^
best thing
The views, and the hot tub. ^
worst thing
The rooms are lovely but are not very big. You have to be pretty organised and tidy with all your ski clobber. ^
getting there
Chambéry is technically the nearest airport, but there are limited flights into it. Geneva is usually the best bet, and the run takes around 2 hrs 30 mins, but can take as long as 4 hrs in high season on turnaround day. ^
bottom line
Chalet Merlo costs from £560 per person per week up to around £1350 in peak season. ^
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 - 7
Food & Drink - 8
Luxury - 8
Don’t miss out on a pre-dinner hot tub soak with champagne and the best views in the valley. Drinks are lowered down to you in a gorgeous old wooden bucket from the deck area above.
Quickfinder
• Summer
* 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 Sainte Foy
• Other chalets to suit corporate groups
Bookings and enquiries: enquiries at chicchaletguide.co.uk Telephone:
+44 (0)7772 853996
guest book
The chalet has played host to a number of celebrity guests, including Sebastian Faulks and Mariella Frostrup.
Faulks said: “The longest run in Europe and the best chef in Europe. What more could you want? Well, a helicopter, great guiding, a wonderful chalet and lovely people. Did I forget anything? No – and neither did you.”
Frostrup said: “Thankyou for a really spectacular few days in unmitigated luxury.”
Les Cerniers | Chamonix | Courchevel 1650 | Les Gets | Laax | Lech | Méribel | St Martin de Belleville | St Moritz | Nendaz | Sainte Foy
Tignes les Brévières | La Tzoumaz | Val d'Isère | Verbier | Veysonnaz | Zermatt