Travel -- 3 days ago
Words: Gentleman's Journal
Scott Dunn’s award-winning ski chalet Eagle’s Nest has it all. From an indoor pool and outdoor hot tub to a private chef and car service, not to mention enough beds to sleep an Olympic skiing team in and Val d’Isère’s best views, it’s set up to offer a skiing holiday like no other.
Is there a greater treat than a week in Val d’Isère at the height of the season? Guaranteed snow between December and April, 300km of slopes, epic scenery, and fabulous aprés-ski; with the sun bright, the sky azure and fresh powder having fallen on the slopes overnight, for some this is as good as it gets.
But it is possible to go one better still. Standing proud at the end of the famous La Face ski run, is Eagle’s Nest, a six-suite, four-storey jewel that crowns the Alpine experience. Taking a superior stance both physically and metaphorically over the village, the flagship of Scott Dunn’s chalet portfolio is possibly better described as an uber-chalet.
Based on location alone, it’s a remarkable place to stay but there’s no sense that Eagle’s Nest is resting on its laurels. In 2002, it was the first chalet in the world to offer an indoor swimming pool, a raising of the bar that started a trend for ‘better-than-hotel’ chalet experiences, and this year, following a £540,000 ($800,000) refurbishment, it reopened to maintain its position as one of the most splendid and luxurious places to stay in Val d’Isère.
Of course everyone defines luxury according to their own personal taste. For some it lies in the decor, and on this count, designer Martine Parizot’s interpretation of traditional chalet style – wood, stone, and slate – is well-judged, neither twee nor incongruously contemporary. Taking her cues from the vaulted church-like ceilings, totemic Madonna and Child sculptures feature throughout the interior design alongside hefty antique pine furniture, leather sofas to sink into, a log fire, and plush rugs.
Beyond the rustic comfort of the old-world styling lies 21st-century tech including a Sonos integrated music system and flat screen televisions. A mezzanine level hovering over the dining area is kitted out with a TV, Xbox, iPad and iPod dock, and there are flat-screen TVs in most of the rooms if you feel the need to escape, though there’s plenty of space to mill about without feeling crowded. By the time evening comes, the large dining table is the kind you’ll want to sit around until the small hours, solving the world’s problems and telling the raucous stories you never thought you’d share.
For many, the quality of any holiday can stand or fall on the food, but Eagle’s Nest is meticulous on every point here too. From the champagne picnic made up for the private airport transfer to a perfectly brewed mug of tea in bed before breakfast, every moment is thoughtfully catered for. The chalet’s private chef will prepare a high quality menu based on the requirements of the group, offering cooked breakfasts, afternoon tea, and a three course evening menu with paired wines, or simply beans on toast if you like.
If you fancy a contrast to ski-fare (though who could tire of tartiflette, raclette, or fondue?) then Ping Coombes, winner of MasterChef 2014, has created a pan-Asian Malaysian-style menu exclusively for Scott Dunn chalets. Warming laksa, rich, slow-cooked beef, and an oozy, indulgent chocolate lava cake with peanut brittle and sesame seed ice cream all feature; clean, sharp, but no less comforting flavours after a day on the slopes.
Or perhaps the height of five-star leisure lies in the facilities. For example, the in-resort driver service to bring you back from exploring the new slopes at the top of Solaise at the end of the day, and the hot tub on a newly-constructed cantilevered outdoor deck waiting for you to soak your muscles as you enjoy a glass of vin chaud. Four floors down that game-changing swimming pool remains, as well as a steam room and sauna, amenities anyone would be grateful of after a day on piste. And should your knees fail you, there’s a lift to save your legs on the stairs.
Still, regardless of the measure you use to gauge luxury, it’s the uniqueness of where Eagle’s Nest is situated that’s the real treat. By day, every window is a picture; by night the south-facing balcony opens onto an expanse of sky and mountains lit by luminescent snow. It’s cliché to say the view is breathtaking – after all, that could just be the altitude – but such a privileged vista is a reminder of why it is one ventures to ski at all: nature in her splendour is surely the greatest luxury, and Eagle’s Nest the ideal vantage to see it.
Seven nights at the Eagle’s Nest start from £1,575 per person based on full chalet occupancy of 12 or more people. Price includes British Airways flights from the UK, private airport transfers, the chef, host and in-resort driver service. For details, visit scottdunn.com
This article is from our current Jan/Feb issue, which is on newsstands now.
