Our Favorite Hotels in the Alps for a Winter Mountain Escape

© Le Coucou Méribel  © Grandes Rousses Hotel & Spa  © ILY Hôtels Studio Chevojon

Whether you're into full-throttle skiing or unabashed après-ski lounging, these five hotels, united by a certain "art of living," are ready to fulfill your every desire.

Tucked away from the limelight and less ostentatious than its famous neighbors (Val d’Isère, Courchevel, Méribel), La Rosière offers no less: at an altitude of 1,850 meters, it boasts perfect snow, maximum sunshine thanks to its south-facing slopes, and the Franco-Italian ski domain Espace San Bernardo (154 km of runs), letting you ski between France and Italy and zip over to La Thuile for lunch. Check into the I.L.Y hotel (short for I Love You!) inaugurated just three years ago.

This ski-in/ski-out chalet-style hotel, proudly wearing its four stars, perfectly blends into its mountain surroundings. It offers 69 spacious rooms, including 22 suites ranging from 56 to 137 m². Families will love the suites with two bedrooms and a living area. Most rooms come with terraces offering breathtaking 180° views of the valley, a major highlight of the I.L.Y Hotels La Rosière. The décor combines modern design with nods to alpine heritage: vintage sleds on the walls, oak log coffee tables, larch wood headboards, and retro mountain landscape photos.

Top feature ? The sprawling rooftop area housing a cozy restaurant, bar, and lounge with expansive seating around a fireplace—perfect for après-ski drinks! The adjoining terraces are ideal for a lunch with a view. Bonami, the charmingly named restaurant, highlights local specialties: morel mushroom crusts with crémant de Savoie, Savoyard burgers, cheese fondue, and charcuterie. Don’t miss the on-site chocolate shop.

Practicalities are sorted too: the concierge handles lift passes, ski lessons, and unique activities like ski touring, snowshoeing, dog sledding, or paragliding. A 420m² Nuxe spa featuring three treatment rooms, a sauna, hammam, three hot tubs, and a 16-meter pool adds to the allure. Other amenities include a ski room and a kids' club. Eco-conscious? Absolutely: the hotel minimizes plastic use and incorporates recycled furniture in the restaurant.

I.L.Y Hotels La Rosière, Les Eucherts, 73700 La Rosière-Montvalezan

© ILY Hôtels Studio Chevojon

A historic gem, the Grandes Rousses Hotel perches at 1,830 meters in the sun-soaked "Island of the Sun" area of the resort. Today, Patricia Collomb-Grelot continues a family legacy begun in 1902 by her great-grandfather, Joseph Collomb. This five-star ski-in/ski-out haven allows guests to hit the slopes (250 km) without breaking a sweat.

The hotel offers stunning views of the Oisans massif. Major renovations in 2019 preserved its chalet spirit while unveiling a new wing, Les Petites Rousses, with 44 additional rooms and suites, VIP chalets, and a second restaurant, La Ferme d’Hubert. The ground floor features a bar and a grand lounge lined with floor-to-ceiling windows, exuding a mountain vibe with warm industrial touches. Think chocolate, terracotta, and copper tones; faux fur cushions; leather and sheepskin chairs; and modern copper-accented coffee tables.

The 77 rooms, 18 suites, three lofts, and two chalets span the original and new buildings. Their cozy décor features paneled walls, light wood floors, and ochre-red hues. Some even boast terraces and mezzanines.

Foodies, rejoice: two restaurants shine here. L’Espérance serves hearty bistronomic fare with a modern twist, while La Ferme d’Hubert focuses on sustainable mountain cuisine. For après-ski, head to Aux Grands Rouges, the bar serving champagne, cocktails, and cheese-and-charcuterie boards. For a unique experience, try Aux Mas’Hauts, individual chalets serving fondue, raclette, and walnut or blueberry tarts on the terrace.

The 500m² Spa des Alpes is a standout, featuring seven treatment rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna, hammam, and alpine-inspired alpinotherapy®, plus myBlend treatments. Fun fact: the first ski lift was inaugurated here in 1936!

Grandes Rousses Hotel & Spa, 425 Route du Signal, 38750 Alpe d’Huez

© Grandes Rousses Hotel & Spa 

Its location, overlooking the Bellecôte slope, just a short glide from the ski lifts, the center, and its luxury boutiques, is already a major advantage for this hotel, inaugurated in 2016. From the moment you step in, you’ll love the warm atmosphere of the lounge, dressed in various types of wood (oak, pine, and larch) and white marble, where wooden and woolen sheep families lazily gather in front of a roaring fireplace.

Throughout this 5-star hotel, recently awarded Palace status, the decor, envisioned by Nathalie Ryan, takes inspiration from Alpine design codes. Highlights include the cascading chandelier at the center of the staircase, made of an array of white and translucent spheres, and the carpeted hallways evoking ski tracks in the snow.

In the 22 rooms, starting at 25 m², and 20 suites, clad in blond wood—some with balconies or terraces—mountain aesthetics are proudly displayed. Think wool or faux fur throws, armchairs upholstered in lambswool, and coffee tables made from tree trunks. The ultimate feature? The Appartement des Neiges, a 310 m² duplex penthouse with three bedrooms, offering the very essence of luxury.

New this season: Starting December 6, 2024, the Loulou restaurant makes its debut in a stunning Alpine-themed setting. Guests will savor Italian specialties, the hallmark of Loulou, including truffle pizza and pasta al pomodoro. Loulou Courchevel comes alive throughout the day, with its bar and cozy nooks open from breakfast until late at night.

After a day skiing down the Saulire or making the most of the 600 km of slopes in Les 3 Vallées, indulge in pampering at the Diane Barrière spa. Spanning a luxurious 1,000 m², it features six treatment rooms, including a duo suite, a 20-meter pool with a water circuit, a hammam, sauna, an outdoor hot tub, and a new Balmain Hair Couture space. Treatments by Biologique Recherche complete the experience.

Additional perks enhancing the hotel’s prestige include a kids club with various workshops, dog sledding, sled races, a ski room, and a private cinema room.

Barrière Les Neiges Courchevel, 422, rue de Bellecôte, 73120 Courchevel

© Hôtel Barrière les Neiges Courchevel

The ultra-chic Valais resort is worlds away from the bling of its French neighbors. Here, large English and Belgian families keep a low profile… Sitting at the gateway to Les 4 Vallées, one of Europe's most stunning ski domains with 400 km of slopes, Verbier is all about sport and nature. It’s here that Brigitte de Gastines dreamed up Le Chalet d’Adrien, named in honor of her grandfather, Adrien de Turckheim, a car enthusiast enchanted by the Valais landscapes during one of his journeys in a De Dietrich-Bollé over a century ago.

This five-star member of Relais & Châteaux stays true to its Alpine identity with abundant wood decor and a sprawling 200 m² terrace that boasts breathtaking views of the resort, the Matterhorn, and Grand Combin. And, as the ultimate perk, it’s only 30 meters from the Savoleyres cable car.

The 29 rooms and suites are decorated in wood, delicate fabrics, and artisanal furnishings, each charmingly named after mountain flowers like Ancolie, Carline, and Edelweiss. Thoughtful details, from unique objects to books left for a casual browse, give each room a cozy, homey touch. Most rooms offer a south-facing balcony with stunning views of the Alps. Guests can indulge in two on-site restaurants led by chef Sebastiano Lombardi: La Table d’Adrien, with its Michelin star and Italian-inspired menu, and Le Grenier, where a rustic wood-and-stone decor sets the scene for traditional mountain dishes like peasant soups, raclette, and fondue. Don’t miss the famous Sunday brunch, with homemade antipasti, a varied buffet, and Bagnes raclette.

The spa, renovated in December 2023, exudes a natural ambiance with wood, water, and stone as the star elements. Clarins treatments enhance the wellness experience, while infrared therapy boosts health and recovery. After a day on the slopes, relax in the spa’s hammam, sauna, whirlpool, sensory showers, and newly expanded relaxation area and state-of-the-art fitness room. For a refreshing swim, a 16-meter heated pool (29°C) with a view completes the experience.

Le Chalet d’Adrien, Chemin des Creux, 1936 Verbier

© Le Chalet d’Adrien

Perched at 1,600 meters, this five-star hotel, the third gem from Maisons Pariente, opened its doors in December 2019 in the most elegant resort of the 3 Vallées. A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, this chalet-style retreat boasts an interior design that leaves even the most seasoned aesthetes in awe! Architect Pierre Yovanovitch reimagines Alpine decor with a whimsical twist, starting in the wood-paneled lobby adorned with a colorful dome featuring a flock of owls.

Breaking away from traditional mountain hues, the designer dressed the 55 rooms, including 39 suites, and common areas in bold tones like terracotta, ultramarine blue, and powder pink—a daring and delightful departure. The rooms and suites, nearly all with balconies or terraces, showcase playful furnishings: tables with bird-leg-shaped feet, owl-head coat hooks, and polar bear-shaped armchairs atop snowflake-dotted carpets. Perfect for families, the hotel offers connecting rooms and two private chalets linked to the main building by an interior passage.

A charming nod to its name, Black Forest cuckoo clocks chirp throughout the property. Le Coucou is also home to three standout restaurants:

• BeefBar: A carnivore's dream with prime cuts sourced globally, like Jack Angus from Argentina, Kobe beef from Japan, and Wagyu from Australia.
• Biancaneve: The hotel’s chic new concept, helmed by chef Romain Guyot, offers refined shared dishes made with local and plant-based ingredients—think oysters, Sologne caviar, and smoked salmon, a refreshing change from raclette and fondue.
• Le Fumoir: On the eighth floor, this cozy spot by the fireplace serves up Savoyard delicacies with a panoramic view.

After skiing the slopes, head to the Tata Harper spa, led by the green beauty pioneer herself. Spanning 450 m², it features six treatment rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna, hammam, and jacuzzi. Families will also love the ski room and two dedicated kids’ areas.

Le Coucou Méribel, 464 route du Belvédère, 73550 Les Allues

© Le Coucou Méribel 

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