Elite Traveler Winter 2023/24

SKIING

Gstaad Palace, Penthouse Suite GSTAAD, SWITZERLAND Set in a region renowned for its celebrity residents and old-world glamour, the family-run Gstaad Palace has been o ff ering authentic hospitality for over a century. The signature Penthouse Suite, accessible via a private elevator, features three bedrooms with a large living room and dining area. Extra touches such as the wine cabinet, humidor and fi replace give the suite that extra vintage elegance Gstaad is renowned for. The decor is distinctly Swiss, with engraved wooden furnishings, gingham touches and velvet upholstery. Step out onto the terrace to see the suite’s 360-degree views of Saanenland’s sun-drenched landscape. The terrace is also home to a hot tub, and a sauna is tucked within the castle’s turret. For an authentic Swiss dining experience, the in-house fondue restaurant La Fromagerie beckons. This unique eatery is situated within a former World War II bunker, once a vault for Swiss banks’ gold bars. Price on request. Contact Lauren Aubert, sales executive, sales@palace.ch, +41 337 485 440, palace.ch

Airelles Courchevel, L’Appartement COURCHEVEL, FRANCE A pastel-pink Austro-Hungarian castle set in the heart of the Three Valleys, Airelles Courchevel is a Bavarian-style palace fi t for royalty. L’Appartement, the hotel’s signature four-bedroom suite, is a hotel-within-a-hotel with an endless list of amenities to ensure that once guests return from the slopes, they need not leave. The suite has its own spa, complete with a waterfall feature, sauna, sensory shower and ice fountain, as well as a cinema and children’s playroom. Each bedroom has a dressing room, en-suite bathroom (with a hammam) and balcony. Should guests still be hungry for mountain air, a 1,600-sq-ft private terrace and outdoor Norwegian bath await. Bring along your furry friends and they’ll receive a VIP welcome, inclusive of a personalized collar and pet bed. While you’re busy on the piste, the hotel’s huntsmen will, on request, take your beloved pet on a walk through Courchevel. From $28,287 per night. Contact Silvia Almeida, reservation manager, reservation.lesairelles@airelles.com, +33 479 003 838, airelles.com

Photos Roberto Bonardi, Michael Sinclair Studio Ltd, Christian Horan