Members -- 9 days ago
Words: Holly Macnaghten
With frost on the ground and festivities in the air, it’s hard not to start dreaming about a week (or two) on the slopes. Organising your group and getting your ski legs in order aside, the hardest part of any ski trip is working out exactly where you want to go. Now we certainly aren’t accusing you of being celebrity-junkies, but if it’s good enough for the A-Listers then it’s good enough for us, so take a look into what goes on in two of the worlds most exclusive ski resorts in the world.
ASPEN: SHOUT, DON’T WHISPER,
“Subtlety be damned, Aspen is Hollywood on skis.”
Who you’ll meet at the bar:While Jack Nicholson and Antonio Banderas may have multi-million dollar homes here the average A-List visitor to Aspen can expect to spend up to $1 million in a weekend. Heidi Klum and Seal, Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Kate Hudson, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. Hang out in the West End or Red Mountain.
Don’t: Book a return ticket. Everyone of note arrives by private jet, usually from LA (Clay Lacy Aviation). So be sufficiently charming and you might just be invited to an after party – at Winston’s in Los Angeles.
What not to wear: Smarten up but don’t worry about lugging too much gear with you. A handful of boutiques have recently made their Aspen debut, including Dolce & Gabbana, Helmut Lang and Rag & Bone. Moncler is still the go-to for piste while girlfriends should be kitted out in a white Chanel all-in-one and lots of fur.
Where to eat: You’ll need to slip the concierge some serious wedge to get a table at David Arquette and John Terzian’s Bootsy Bellows or Tim Goodell’s Ricard in nearby Snowmass. Failing that, the après scene at Little Nell is stellar.
Where to stay: Little Nell Residence at the bottom of Ajax mountain, after it’s recent $18million renovation – regulars Kate Hudson and Goldie Hawn seem to love the changes. thelittlenell.com
VERBIER: OLD MONEY, NEW POWER,
“Steep and deep Verbier in the Swiss Alps is Chelsea-on-piste.”
Who you’ll meet at the bar: Rock up at Hotel Farinet for a bit of après and you may have the relative misfortune of sharing the place with James Blunt or Jason Statham, but if Richard Branson’s Lodge is not taken over for personal use, then Price Harry can often be found still in his boots, before he smartens up for supper at Marcus Bratter’s Nevaï hotel (he also owns Farm Club). Harry’s mate Guy Pelly opened Public Verbier, a new institution in the Alps for young Londoners, last year, so expect to see Verbier regulars like Jude Law, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Oliver indulging in the scene.
Don’t:Expect to hear much Russian in the queue to the Savoleyres lift, vulgarians are barely tolerated in Verbier which regards itself as sophisticated. Incidentally, new money tends to hover around Courcheval where they can comfortably land their jets.
What not to wear:Though the vibe is young and carefree, plenty of planning is needed to work the look in Verbier. Après is almost always done in full piste gear (especially if you start up at Ice Bar and have to ski down). You’re never too far from Jack Wills chinos or the fuzz of a cashmere pullover.
Where to eat: On-piste, make like Beatrice and Eugenie and grab a pizza at La Vache, the upmarket pizzeria opened last year by James Blunt with partners Lawrence Dallaglio and Carl Fogarty.
Where to stay:Virgin’s The Lodge, a 9-bed chalet with a ratio of one member of staff to every guest. You can book an individual room but far more fun to take the entire lodge where the pool, gym, spa and ice-rink will be yours for playtime. thelodge.virgin.com
