Chalet La Tillette is new on the boutique chalet scene located in the quiet hamlet of La Masure just ten minutes from Sainte Foy and around twenty to Val d’Isere, Tignes and Les Arcs. There’s a free shuttle bus up to Sainte Foy resort from the chalet, allowing the more adventurous skiers and boarders to take advantage of some fantastic off-piste routes that lead back to the chalet.

The Details

La Tillette is a unique property and is owned and managed by Lloyd and Sarah Rogers. The duo have experience of fifteen years in the ski industry, previously running a chalet business in Sainte Foy which they sold back in 2007.

Lloyd is the architect behind the property and is a former snowboard champion, so he can definitely give you a few tips about the area and where the best ‘local spots’ are. And just for good measure Sarah is a dab hand at snowboarding too with a British title to her name as well.

The chalet has four incredibly comfortable en-suite bedrooms accommodating up to eight guests. The properties living space is bright and airy with panoramic views from gigantic windows. La Tillette is a pretty tech savy chalet with wi-fi running throughout and it has a cinema room with piano.

The Service

Here you get a personal and friendly service from the experienced couple with homely and welcoming touches. The food is exceptional and Sarah has some great menus and is always on hand to discuss special requirements and your favourite dishes. You’ll be treated to her cuisine on five nights out of every seven night’ stay so there’s plenty of opportunities to sample a variety of culinary delights, including local specialties.

Alpine Guru

Some people seem to think that all the mountains just shut come the end of April. Whilst it’s true that May is a quiet month as many prepare for the shift towards summer there is still plenty going on. Here are a few interesting events taking place in May:

Goat Show

We couldn’t resist mentioning this one. On Wednesday 9th May in the mountain village of Saanen, located next to Gstaad, it’s the annual goat show from 1pm. There isn’t an awful lot to say about it but if you want to admire the local Saanen mountain goats then it is certainly worth a watch (if anyone does make it over please share your goat photos with us on our Facebook page.)

International Firefighters Festival

On May 18th to 20th Interlaken will host the International Firefighters Festival. This event celebrates firefighters and their crucial roles in our society and has a very fun vibe. There’s live music, open air firefighting demonstrations, a parade, fantastic food and a whole bunch of other stuff. Plus being held in Interlaken it’s a great location, not only the event, but also to explore afterwards.

Cheese Feast

Spending a great deal of time in Switzerland means that we’ve acquired quite a taste for cheese. Sitting at the foot of the Alps is the town of Gruyères, which is well known for its excellent cheeses. On 6th May this medieval town plays host to the cheese festival. Local producers will be showing off their products and there will be plenty of demonstrations of the towns traditional cheese making methods and processes.

Alpine Guru

We don’t throw the word ‘luxury’ around much at Alpine Guru. We believe that it’s an overplayed word, especially in the travel market of today.

The chalets in this Über Luxury collection are one of a kind and unique properties, their services exceed those of the world’s finest hotels whilst offering the upmost privacy and freedom. Stepping into these residences you’re heading into a world where seemingly impossible requests have a chance of coming true.

We’ll let the pictures do the talking and if you’d like to discuss any of these properties in more detail, as always, we’re on hand to help.

Chalet Ferme de Moudon in Les Gets was designed by Nicky Dobree and has even featured on a special series of Grand Designs featuring overseas properties.

Chalet Marco Polo is one of the newest super chalets on the block, with Indo-Asian design influences and an extensive spa and wellness area. The chalet is situated right in the heart of Val d’Isere.

Chalet Zermatt Peak is the ultimate playboy pad with cutting edge design right out of the movies. Sitting in the rocks in Zermatt this mountain hideaway has uninterrupted views and a six star service.

Chalet Spa is more like an exclusive boutique hotel than a traditional chalet; with a contemporary interior design and an exterior in keeping with local properties of the Val d’Bagnes. The property has an exceptionally well trained hospitality team and staff with a full time chalet manager.

Take a look at the other properties in our Über Luxury collection and make sure to let us know what you think in the comments.

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Our hotel collection is a fairly recent addition to the website, we’re currently visiting and shortlisting hotels so that we can create a stunning portfolio of the finest mountain hotels. Whilst at the moment we only represent a few hotels their merits can’t be argued – they all have stunning design, unique quirks or history and tradition. If you know of any hotels that you know to have impecable service, stylish interiors and facilities to match then let us know about them in the comments.

If you’re looking into the options for a summer trip, whether it be for relaxing in the mountain sunshine or to get outdoors and reconnect with nature then you should consider these hotel options:

Hotel Nevai Verbier

Hotel Nevai in Verbier is one of the finest properties in the resort and opens during the summer months. Verbier has a plethora of summer activity opportunities from biking through to mountaineering and relaxation / yoga weekends.

Victoria Jungfrau Hotel and Spa Interlaken

Interlaken is one of the coolest places in Switzerland. Nestled between the mountains and beside magnificent lakes it’s a hard location to beat in both the summer and winter months. There’s everything from shopping through to activities for the most die hard extreme sports enthusiasts. You can go sky-diving in Wilderswil or learn to paraglide and look down on some of the most majestic mountain scenery in the world. The Victoria Jungfrau Hotel and Spa is the ideal location to spend your stay with its luxury spa and impeccable service.

Hotel Les Fermes de Marie

Megeve is a charming medieval village which is captivating through all seasons. Here you can play golf, eat some of the finest mountain food around (Megeve even has a Michelin starred restaurant) and really enjoy nature. Hotel Les Fermes de Marie is an exceptional choice for summer rejuvenation with its ‘Pure Altitude Spa’ and outdoor jacuzzis.

If you’d like to tailor a summer stay to any of these alpine hotels or others from our collection then get in touch with us and we’ll get planning.

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Without question one of the coolest resorts in the Alps, Chamonix is a year-round hive of mountain activity. Home to Europe’s highest mountain, the Mont Blanc massif and surrounding ranges attract a diverse clientele from around the world, ranging from mountaineers and hikers to ski bunnies and powder hounds.

The resort has a huge range of chalets to suit all desires. Amongst the finest and one of our personal favourites is Chalet Cragganmore. Known locally as ‘The Glass House,’ the philosophy behind its design was centered around the mountains. The architect, Renaud Chevallier, has managed to fuse the scenery and light that surrounds the property with the interior through large double-height windows.

The Details

Located in Les Tines, Chalet Cragganmore is just up the valley from central Chamonix and within ten minutes’ drive of all of the local ski areas. The property has six individually designed en-suite bedrooms which all have private balconies or terrace access allowing you to get the most of those epic views. There are all the features that you’d expect of a chalet of this calibre with everything from a cinema room through to a gym, bouldering wall and even a private massage room.

The unique design is what really sets this building apart – it’s light and spacious and manages to create a strong connection with the natural environment.

The Service

Cragganmore is available on either a self-catered basis or with private catering. The service can be as relaxed or elaborate as you desire with indulgences such as a private driver service and in-house massages. Of course Alpine Guru can help with any extra requests you may have.

Alpine Guru

Tucked at the head of a valley in the far South of Switzerland, Zermatt is one of the world’s most famous mountain resorts. Dominated by the iconic Matterhorn, the town’s architecture ranges from ancient wooden barns to opulent Victorian-era hotels to cutting-edge contemporary chalets. Dotted around the hills above the town are several picturesque satellite hamlets including Findeln, Furi and Zum See where you can eat in some of the Alps’ best mountain restaurants.

The skiing in Zermatt is some of the best in the world. The three main ski areas of Sunnegga, Gornergrat and Schwarzee/Klein Matterhorn are interlinked by a state of the art lift system and an “International” ski pass gives you access to the Italian resorts of Cervinia and Valtournenche. The 22-kilometre run from Klein Matterhorn down to Valtournenche is not to be missed. Also not to be missed is lunch in one of the many excellent restaurants on the Italian side, especially if you have had your fill of hearty Swiss mountain fare, however excellent.

Zermatt and Cervinia’s network of pistes is enough to satisfy many holiday visitors. Less well known is the resort’s extensive and challenging off-piste skiing. One word of advice – avalanche risk and glaciated terrain make this a potentially hazardous area so hire a guide or hook up with a local to find the best powder in safety.

Zermatt is also a mecca for ski tourers and alpinists and the town is often just as busy in the height of summer as in winter as climbers, walkers and mountain bikers come to enjoy the giant mountain playground.

Eat

Just taking in Zermatt and Cervinia’s best mountain restaurants would be worth a week’s holiday in its own right – though perhaps with most of the skiing done in the mornings. Zum See, Chez Vrony, Findlerhof, Bontadini and Chalet Etoile to name just a few serve up a delectable range of traditional mountain fare and modern European dishes. The Mediterranean is just a few hours by road or rail from Cervinia and the fresh seafood in some of the restaurants on the Italian side is out of this world.

Drink

Zermatt has a range of watering holes to suit every taste. The Hennu Stall on the resort run down from Klein Matterhorn offers a truly memorable après ski experience and the Papperla pub is always busy in the late afternoon and early evening as season workers, ski instructors and tourists get stuck into the offerings from the indoor and outside bars.

For those in search of a more sophisticated drinking experience, the Snowboat bar down by the river or the Vernissage lounge next to the ice rink serve up drinks and cocktails in stylish surroundings. The Snowboat has a sunny rooftop terrace and the Vernissage – designed by the ubiquitous Heinz Julen – also has a cinema which doubles up as a live music venue.

Ride

When snow conditions are good there is great freeride skiing and boarding to be had in the “Garten” area below the Matterhorn, in the trees below Schwarzee and over on Sunnegga to name just a few. For the intrepid skier prepared to don touring skis and skins, the Schwarztor route off Klein Matterhorn down to the Gornergletcher is a classic run, especially later in the season, but watch out for crevasses and holes in the glacier. There is also some excellent off-piste on the Italian side – Bontadini couloir will demand your full attention and there is wonderful tree skiing above Cervinia itself.

If all that isn’t enough there are limitless heliskiing opportunities in and around Zermatt and snow parks at Trockener Steg and Bontadini if you fancy youself in the halfpipe or off a big kicker or two.

Stay

If you’re looking for a stylish, centrally-located place to stay which won’t break the bank then Chalet Gmatchi is hard to beat. Alternatively, if you are looking for the best accommodation, catering and service that money can buy try Chalet Les Anges up in the exclusive Petit Village area.

Relax

For a memorable relaxation and pampering experience try the spa at the Mont Cervin Palace hotel which offers every treatment imaginable and has a sauna, steam room, swimming pool and even an ice grotto.

Alpine Guru

April: a month when the mountains change dramatically as the season draws to a close. But fear not, it’s a fun fuelled month with plenty to do.

Snowbombing

Snowbombing is an action packed week of parties and on-snow action from 9th to 14th April in Mayrhofen, Austria. This exhilarating event sees some of the world’s top performers hitting the stage for a whirlwind week of mountain madness. Could this be the greatest show on snow?

Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival

Continuing with the ‘partying like it’s the end of the world’ theme, Telus festival packs a punch as one of the best gatherings of it’s kind and is an alternative to Snowbombing on the other side of the pond. This epic Whistler based festival spans ten days from the 13th to 22nd April and the party never stops with music, arts and sports.

Patrouille des Glaciers

Fifty three kilometres on foot and skis from Zermatt to Verbier, surely not? Well some of these guys are doing it in just six hours. Quite a feat. The biennial Patrouille des Glaciers will take place from the 25th to 28th April. Leaving Zermatt, the participants will set off to roaring cheer, drum beats and ringing cow bells as they head up the mountains in a zig zag line racing the distance through freezing temperatures and darkness. This years event should be quite a spectacle and those racing will certainly enjoy the benefits of the plentiful snowfall that we’ve seen this winter which should make the route unforgettable.

Know of any other cool events taking place this April? Let us know what you think about them in the comments section and if you’re looking for a last-minute ski holiday or a trip to one of these events then let us know.

Alpine Guru

Ok, so maybe these are just artists impressions but I’m excited. Another uber luxury chalet will soon be completed and joining our collection. Chalet White Pearl will join the ranks of Zermatt’s ever popular selection of chalets for the 2012 / 2013 winter season.





With five bedrooms, a cinema room and a premier location in Zermatt’s only ski-in / ski-out district, Winklematten, Chalet White Pearl sounds like it’ll quickly become a favourite and the base for many fantastic ski holidays in the coming years.





There are already a few stunning chalets in Zermatt but where Chalet White Pearl is destined to shine is in it’s wellness area which will include a swimming pool with relaxation area, not to mention the massage room, hammam, sauna and rain showers. We’ll be sure to report back with more details as the project nears completion over the course of the summer.

Alpine Guru

Dubbed as the Monaco of the European ski kingdom, Courchevel 1850 is renowned as a hub of opulence and extravagance with an edge of mystery that many mountain travel enthusiasts can’t quite fathom. For those who understand and appreciate the guilty pleasures of 1850, Chalet Pearl should be high on your considerations list. This chalet would be in our “Über-Luxury” category if we had one (perhaps we’ll have to get to work on that) and of course has a price tag to match, ranging from around €70,000 to €140,000 for a week’s stay. That said, we think it’s worth every penny and here’s why: -

The details: Chalet Peal has seven en-suite bedrooms, most of which have balconies with astounding views over the Dent du Villard. The spa area wouldn’t look out of place in a palace – in the chalet managements’ own words “the spa and wellness area would…be impressive in a luxury hotel.” There’s an in-house massage therapist who can of course provide a cocktail menu of soothing and relaxing treatments and you can even have a pre-ski massage to get the legs ready for the day ahead. For those who enjoy indulging in pre-dinner drinks the private bar in the living room is run by an excellent bartender whose cocktail repertoire rivals those in the world’s finest watering-holes. The final detail of note is the home cinema which can seat up to fifteen people for the ultimate movie watching experience.

The service: You’ll have your every whim catered to by true hospitality professionals. There’s a chauffeur service in rather lovely and spacious Mercedes Vianos, which of course have the compulsory plasma television screens. You get a superb private chef who can conjure up pretty much any delicacy imaginable and of course we can help you to tailor the ultimate menu. As usual if you can’t get what you need at the chalet (a situation which we sincerely doubt you’ll find yourself in) then we’ll be on hand to try and make magic happen.

So if you’re finding yourself pining after something really special and think you deserve the best then Courchevel 1850′s Chalet Pearl could be for you.

Alpine Guru

If you like searching online, you’ll have heard of the relative new-comer to the social world: Pinterest. We’re now pinning everything we like online whether it’s a recipe, a jaw-dropping view or a WOW Factor Ski Chalet.

Those of you who are already following our movements online will know that we’re pretty active on social media, and hopefully Pinterest will be a great new medium for us to share our holiday inspiration, passions and any other stuff we find online that we think you might like. We’re just getting started but watch out for regular updates. Remember you can check us out on Facebook or send us a tweet on twitter, we love to hear from you.

And big thanks to one of our Facebook followers for the inspiration behind the title of this post, we might even have to make up a copy of our goat specially for playing ‘Pin the tail on the goat.’

Alpine Guru