Elite Traveler HRS 2017-2018

elite traveler HOTELS, RESORTS & SPAS 2017/2018 71

STAY No 14 Verbier Weekly rate From $34,627 to $103,882

Sip champagne and soak in the hot tub on the terrace of No 14 Verbier

Ski Verbier Exclusive’s 18 chalets each emanate luxury with the added benefit of 24-hour chauffeur service, concierge and in-chalet staff. Of these, No 14 Verbier stands out for its amenitites — swimming pool, spa with cold plunge pool and Jacuzzi, two treatment rooms as well as two outdoor cedar hot tubs, large south-facing terrace, home cinema and fully stocked bar. The chalet exhibits rustic contemporary luxury and a distinctly alpine aesthetic, providing ample space for up to 26 guests. Madonna stayed here when she took to Verbier’s slopes last winter. RELAX With spa facilities and an in-house therapist, guests can indulge in a range of beauty treatments and holistic therapies without even leaving the chalet. Treatments range from Swedish and hot-stone massage to deep tissue and sports massage, plus a selection of facials, manicures and pedicures. Pilates, yoga and personal training sessions are also provided on request to stretch out aching limbs after a day on the slopes. DINE Throughout the winter months guests are hosted on an all- inclusive basis as gourmet meals are cooked up by each chalet’s accomplished private chefs. In summer, chalets are offered on a self-catering basis with the inclusion of breakfast and high tea, and the option to arrange a private chef or have reservations at Verbier’s top restaurants arranged for you. Throughout the year, the lodges are stocked with a selection of carefully chosen wines and the house champagnes Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut and G H Mumm Cordon Rouge. EXPLORE Summer Ski Verbier Exclusive recently extended its season to enable guests to stay throughout the summer months and make the most of the season’s laidback vibe, fine weather activities and events such as the Verbier Festival. At this time the company collaborates with a select few local operators; while Alpine Roots provides mountain biking excursions across varying terrain to suit each rider’s level, Les Ecuries de Verbier riding stables take guests on horseback along mountain trails and the guides of Altitude lead visitors on hikes up the town’s surrounding slopes. Winter When the snow arrives, Verbier becomes busier than ever, with the three surrounding mountains — Attelas, Mont Gelé and Mont Fort — creating valleys that are known for world-class skiing with more than 157ft of marked pistes. Mountain Air offers guests in-chalet fitting and the proximity of Verbier’s ski lifts makes it easy to get straight on to the slopes.

Ski Verbier Exclusive VERBIER, SWITZERLAND

In 1992, David Pearson founded Ski Verbier with just one chalet. Since then it has evolved into the success it is today. Owing to the creation of separate venture Verbier Exclusive with adventurer Tom Avery in 2009 and the fusion of this business with Ski Verbier in 2014, Ski Verbier Exclusive now has 18 luxury chalets, including the former hotel turned exclusive-use lodge, No 14 Verbier. Indisputably a playground for the international elite, Verbier combines dramatic alpine scenery and celebrated slopes with a vibrant social scene that brings people back year after year. And it’s not just about skiing here; the summer months bring a whole host of other alpine activities, from horseback riding to hiking and cycling, along with the season’s schedule of festivals and jubilant outdoor events.

Ski Verbier Exclusive Verbier Switzerland skiverbierexclusive.com

CONTACT David Pearson, founder, david@skiverbierexclusive.com, +44 160 867 4011

Additional activities such as in-chalet art classes with artist Milly Goodens and husky dog sled rides keep non-skiers happy

Curl up by a roaring fire after coming in from the slopes

Photos William Carey, Yves Garneau