An independent guide to luxury ski chalets
From £900 pp/week
From £12,500 exclusive chalet per week
Vast, stunningly stylish modern
chalet in cute, hidden-gem resort
usp
Yellowstone Lodge, so-named because it was originally built by an American lady (who loved Yellowstone National Park), is an utterly gorgeous property that has been most stylishly refurbished by a couple who run a chain of successful gastro pubs in the UK. These people really know about great interiors and creating fabulous but cosy spaces.
location
The chalet is located in Sainte Foy which is really a collection of several hamlets that combine to make up a village. As such the resort has immense charm, it feels properly local and French, and it is small enough to make you feel at home and thoroughly welcome, however short your stay. Plus it is fantastically located for skiing both in Ste Foy itself and in the major resorts of Val d’Isère, Tignes, Les Arcs and La Rosière and La Thuile over in Italy – all of which are between a 10- and 20-minute drive away. There is transportation laid on from 9am to 6pm, and after 6pm by arrangement – although you are likely to be charged for a pick-up after feverish late-night clubbing in Val d’Isère.
style
There is a real sense of space and freedom in this chalet. It is clean, sharp and chic, with unfussy, modern touches that ooze good taste and style. Lime green is the theme in the main living space (there is a fabulous lime green giant winged armchair beside the fire and lime green leather bench seats around the dining table), while there are charcoal grey wool curtains, huge table lamps and Andrew Martin sofas. But it is not remotely austere or showroomy – there is not a chair you feel you can’t collapse in or a table you can’t put a mug down on. ^
rooms
All the rooms are spacious– some of the biggest we have stayed in, in fact. Each is quite different too, with safari-themed pictures (drawing on the idea of ski safaris which Ste Foy is perfect for) that cleverly double up as speakers for the iPod docking stations. The bathrooms feature Abhana toiletries, which are a gorgeous English brand and are all organic, made from very pure natural oils. There are some thoughtful touches too, such as an English plug socket in each room.
food & drink
Yellowstone is a fantastic party chalet, and the food is laid out in a refreshingly relaxed and social way – great mounds of delicious, hearty fare are put in big bowls in the centre of the table for people to help themselves to, rather than being snootily or over-prettily plated up beforehand. The idea is you can just pile in. That said, the standard is absolutely restaurant-level, with some plated meals being laid on when appropriate or specifically requested and BBQs possible out on the roomy deck area. Sample dishes include steamy bowls of leak and potato soup, followed by fish pie or a fun cheese fondue, then some thoroughly naughty chocolate brownies or ginger sponge and custard as puds. Pol Roger is the complimentary house champagne, and there is an excellent selection of house wines including good quality clarets and the owners’ own pub wine, Roger’s & Rufus’ Rose. ^
service
Yellowstone used to be a Descent chalet but its service is now far more relaxed and less wooden and stuffy. There is no green baize door or black jackets or staff standing like sentries. The staff are fun but professional. ^
spa facilities
Yellowstone has an outdoor Jacuzzi with totally uninterrupted views up the valley towards Val, plus a sauna and a lovely gym with views too. Daily massages are available but are not included. ^
children
All the bedrooms are big enough to take a cot, and baby sitting can be arranged, while there are very good ski school facilities at Ste Foy for children. The chalet is perhaps set up more for skiing children than for nannies and babies, however. ^
extras
There is free wifi throughout and a small business centre with scanner, fax and computer for those who cannot totally let go of work. A fun extra too: guests are given Flip pocket movie cameras to record their skiing. They can play them back in the evenings and even make a disc to take back with them at the end of their stay. ^
for skiers
Yellowstone uses local guide and personality Frank for their guests, as well as Marianne, a delightful former French ski champion who has excellent English (Frank pushes his clients hard, while Marianne is a little gentler). They do both need to be booked in advance though, so don’t leave it until you arrive. There is also an excellent ski school in Ste Foy, which also needs to be booked, but Marianne takes care of all ski arrangements once you have booked the chalet. Skiing in Ste Foy is great for intermediates while there is also excellent and challenging off-piste in the local National Parc. Skiers drop down from Val up the valley when the weather is bad, because there is lots of protected tree skiing, and many Espace Killy ski instructors ski in Ste Foy on their days off. It is also possible to ski somewhere different every day, either in Val and Tignes, over to Les Arcs, or down to La Thuile and La Rosière in Italy. ^
for non skiers
There are a number of lovely trips that can be done from Ste Foy, including a visit to the local tannery to pick up a cow hide or deer skin rug, as well as a tour of Arpin, a local woollen mill where you can view fascinating old looms and watch exclusive fabrics being made for the likes of Hermès. There is also a local food market once a week in Bourg St Maurice, while loafing about the chalet is also hard to beat or snow-shoe walking on the pretty slopes nearby. ^
best thing
The lime green chair, and the uninterrupted views across to Mont Pourri. ^
worst thing
Um. ^
getting there
The nearest train station is Bourg St Maurice which is just 20 minutes away. Otherwise fly into Grenoble, Chambéry, Geneva or Lyon (all roughly the same at 2hr 30mins away). The chalet doesn’t do transfers, apart from to and from the train station. There is a helipad just below the chalet, however, and you can catch a flight from Geneva. The pad is also where the drops over into Italy go from. ^
bottom line
Yellowstone Lodge operates as a boutique hotel outside of key weeks (Christmas, New Year, Easter and half term), and can be booked from £196pp per night. No one-night stays are possible, however: it offers three or four night packages (long weekends and mid-week breaks), as well as the full week-long packages. As a chalet it costs from around £1250pp per week, fully catered. ^
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 - 9
Food & Drink - 9
Luxury - 9
Don’t forget your swimming costume for the fabulous outdoor hot tub, and remember your iPod too. Chez Merie is the top tip for chef’s night off, in the local hamlet of Le Miroir – a thoroughly French local restaurant, run by two sisters.
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Bookings and enquiries: enquiries at chicchaletguide.co.uk Telephone:
+44 (0)7772 853996
guest book
"It is difficult to put into words what an extraordinarily wonderful week that was – a huge thanks. It was truly ‘formidable’, as the locals say!”
“What an amazing Yellowstone experience. We had a ball, loads of rosé moments and the fluffy robe thing –
all very spoiling and great fun. Thankyou.”
“A hilarious week at Yellowstone. Helicopters, powder, sun, and magnificent food. Thankyou"
summeR
From £1134 per room (£567pp) for 7 nights half board, which includes breakfast, three course dinner with house wine, local transfers in the lodge minibus and two privately guided half-day walks including food and drink. ^
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