New luxury accommodation set to debut in Morzine, in the French Alps
The beautiful and lively French Alpine resort of Morzine has long been a favourite with British skiers, combining world class winter sports facilities, an eclectic food scene and a rich cultural heritage. As winter fast approaches, the local tourism industry is working hard to ensure that all those that can travel this season will have a safe and enjoyable stay, with lifts scheduled to operate at full capacity from 19 December – 11 April. New for this year, three high-end chalets will debut in resort, enhancing Morzine’s superb accommodation offering, which already caters to just about every taste and budget, with excellent options for families, couples, and groups of friends alike.
The award-winning Boutique Chalet Company operate some of the finest ski properties in the Alps, with an existing portfolio of six stunning chalets in Morzine. This winter the company will open Chalet ZEMS Lodge, which will boast luxury and modernity in a beautiful mountain setting. The impressive architecture is one of a kind from the ground up and spreads across five generous floors. Featuring an impressive lounge, bar and cinema room, the building is nestled into the hillside, providing incredible Alpine views. A stone’s throw from the resorts’ bustling town centre, the chalet is ideally located, with access to the Super Morzine lift just a short walk away. The interiors were created by locally renowned designers Shep & Kyles and were heavily influenced by the Anglo-French owners. Guests will find a real vibrancy here, particularly in the soft furnishing, fabrics, and tasteful wall colours. The chalet comfortably sleeps up to eight adults and six children with four main bedrooms and two additional triple bunk rooms. Whilst the chalet is undoubtedly luxury in scale – being more than 500m2 in total – the space is divided into a number of more intimate zones, meaning smaller groups can cherish their time here without feeling overwhelmed by the size of the property. As well as the main open plan living, dining, and sitting areas, the chalet also benefits from a pool table, TV snug, spa area, and terrace, complete with a large swim jacuzzi.
Cost: Per week from €24,500 / £22,330 catered and €16,900 / £15,400 self-catered during the ski season.
Chalet ZEMS Lodge
Hunter Chalets is owned and operated by husband and wife team Wendy and Finlay Hunter, who have a shared passion for Morzine and a wealth of experience in the global luxury hospitality industry. This winter the company will be adding two new impressive chalets to the existing portfolio of 12 boutique properties in Morzine, with the opening of Four Twenty L’Elé and The Old Macaroni, both of which can be rented on a catered or self-catered basis, and offer luxury and extravagance in a beautiful mountain setting.
The Old Macaroni provides stylish high-end Alpine living, sleeping up to 18 guests. Immaculately restored from its traditional farmhouse origins, the chalet has been given a thoroughly modern renovation full of fun and bespoke features. With individually designed bathrooms and bedrooms, the property includes a super luxurious cinema, a massive outdoor deck, hot tub, and a glass fronted barrel sauna, framing undoubtedly one of the best views in Morzine. Taking influence from the owner’s favourite novels, each bedroom has been carefully designed to represent subtle elements of the book it is named after, including a Harry Potter inspired room for children. After a day on the slopes, guests can relax and unwind in the spa treatment room or in the lounge, which features a grand piano and a beautiful log burning stove.
Cost: Per week from £19,000 during the ski season.
The Old Macaroni
Four Twenty L’Elé is a masterpiece in architecture and design, having been transformed from a traditional horse stable into a stunning, modern chalet. The entrance level is a large open-plan living, dining and kitchen area that is flooded with light through a massive glass-fronted wall that looks out on to a garden with a hot tub and impressive views of the valley. Central to the ground floor is a spectacular glass staircase that leads to the upper level, which includes two bedrooms and a master suite with a large king-sized bed and original exposed beam features. The lower level opens out into a second large living room with a wood-burning stove and television, plus an open-plan dining area, additional kitchen, and two further large bedrooms. Floor-to-ceiling windows, industrial influenced features and designer fixtures and furnishings make this property a calm and beautiful place for up to 10 guests to enjoy during a winter holiday in Morzine.
Cost: Per week from £6,000 during the ski season.
Four Twenty L’Elé
More news from Morzine
Covid-19: To ensure all visitors to Morzine feel safe and healthy this winter, a number of special measures will be in place. Wearing a mask will be compulsory in accommodation communal areas, in the waiting areas and on the ski lifts, and social distancing rules will be in place throughout the resort. Hand sanitiser will be widely available, and holidaymakers are encouraged to book ski passes online, meaning they can beat the queue. Reassuringly, those that pre-book their ski passes of between 3-15 days by 19 December 2020, will be entitled to a full refund if they need to cancel their trip for any Covid-19 related reasons, up until the day before they depart. Lift capacity will remain at 100%, avoiding congestion, but the lift company will follow all rules set out by the local and national government. What’s more, visitors can book with their stay with confidence, because the hotels and many of Morzine’s other accommodation providers have agreed on more flexible conditions for this winter. If the government were to restrict non-essential trips to Morzine, or if Morzine were to be closed due to the pandemic, the amounts paid in advance will either be transferred to a future stay, a credit note, or refunded (depending on the provider’s policy). Details about all participating accommodation providers can be found at this link, and holidaymakers are encouraged to visit the dedicated Covid-19 information page for all the latest advice.
New from Morzine Mountain Cooperative: This organisation is a collective of all mountain professionals that live and work in the Morzine area. They have joined forces to offer a wide range of outdoor activities whilst still working independently. A new yoga experience will be introduced this season, in which an expert instructor will host yoga sessions in the mountains of Morzine. Wearing snowshoes, the specially adapted lessons will allow participants to draw strength from the wild landscapes and fresh air. The activity ends in a mountain refuge with a meditation by a fireplace accompanied by a hot drink. Also new from Morzine Mountain Cooperative, is an intriguing nocturnal snowshoeing experience. The stargazing excursion gives participants the opportunity to take a snowshoe walk under the night ski in the company of an expert guide. Perfect for those with a love for astronomy, the activity which starts and ends in Morzine’s town centre, lasts for two hours.
More info: www.morzinemountaincooperative.com
A bird’s eye view in Morzine: At the summit of Nyon at an altitude of 2,019m, a new 10m long glass walkway has been installed called Le Pas de l’Aigle. The attraction, which is free, features a 350m drop beneath visitors’ feet and a breath-taking 360° view from Lake Geneva to Mont Blanc.
An impressive new red piste: The remodelling of the red Aigle run going from the summit of Nyon at 2,019m, down to the Nyon plateau at 1,413m, which began last year, will be completed for winter 2020-2021. The run will be three times wider with 2km of skiing pleasure. What’s more, a new covered escalator will take skiers and pedestrians from the car park to the departure point of the Nyon cable car.
To plan your Morzine trip and for more information, please visit:
https://en.morzine-avoriaz.com
