When I tell people I’m a travel writer, many raise an eyebrow, before asking me quite how I’ve managed to carve out a (teenage) ‘living’ travelling the world. The answer is long, but suffice to say, in the words of one national newspaper journalist, “it’s a career that pays more handsomely in experience than cash.”
The aim of this sporadic blog is not to bore you with tales of airport delays and queues, but, to share with you the ever-changing life of the UK’s youngest travel writer.
It’s seldom I find myself falling in love with a place. Let alone a city. It’s not that I don’t appreciate pastures new, or enjoy the bright lights of the big smoke, but to be honest, I wouldn’t say there are many cities I would claim to love. However, I’m truly smitten by Vancouver. Why?
I write at 38,000ft, on my way back to grey London, having spent four glorious spring days in the largest city of British Columbia. I’d been looking forward to my trip for a while. Everyone I spoke with prior to my trip, who’d visited, had the same reaction. Their eyes lit up, before they reminisced of days spent strolling amongst the metropolis, in the mountains, by the water, or on the beach. And it’s that exact diversity that captured my imagination.
You look one way and the North Shore Mountains tower above you, the other, and the vast Pacific ocean merges with the horizon. There is quirkiness too: sea planes swoop overhead as you admire the totem poles in Stanley Park, conscious of the smell of the sea wafting through the park. You can ski the local hills – Grouse and Cypress mountains – in the morning, and, if you’re brave, swim in the ocean in the afternoon. And the skiing, given its proximity to the city, is pretty good too. Both venues hosted events during the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, (Cypress was home to the infamous Ski Cross, which shot to fame during the Games) and thanks to continued investment, the resorts remain ever popular with skiers from the city.
Olympic Games are always a test for the host city. The eyes of the world suddenly converge on it for two-weeks, and then the show moves on. Years of meticulous planning and preparation (at vast expense) all under the spotlight. But what the Games do allow for is rejuvenation and regeneration – just look at how East London has changed.
Vancouver used the money to spruce up Gastown, previously a somewhat rundown area of downtown. Now, three years on, the district is an arty, cosmopolitan hive of activity. In the daytime, small independent shops, and the ‘Big Ben’ steam clock, attract hordes of tourists, whilst, once the sun sets, the bar’s attract a multicultural set from all over the city. As my fabulous guide Lois Tomlinson – from ToursByLocals – put it: “Gastown needed a facelift, and the Games allowed that to happen. They re-cobbled many of the streets, tidied up the area, and the result put Gastown back on the map – not only for visitors to the city, but also for Vancouver residents.”
So, I hear you ask, what is Vancouver’s downside? I’m normally quick to point out flaws in places, and there is just one: the weather. With a maritime, and mountainous climate combined, the weather is highly unpredictable, changes quickly, and it rains a lot. One day, I woke to blue skies, hours later the grey clouds rolled in, it rained all afternoon, but, by dusk, the spring sun was glowing on the mountains. It’s no wonder people never leave home without an umbrella, or their vitamin D supplements.
But anyway, who cares about rain? I’d found a city where weekday evenings can be spent strolling by the sea, and weekends on skis. If you ask me, that’s a pretty admirable lifestyle. Sign me up…
“Sir, What’s the purpose of your stay in BC?” the Canadian immigration officer in Vancouver asked me in a stern tone. “Snow!” I responded, beaming form ear to ear. His response was clear, and simple: “You’re too late.” I didn’t argue – they let me in anyway – but I knew he was wrong.
Let’s not joke. The knee deep powder may be long gone, and skiing to the resort base is a little sketchy now, but considering the time of year, it’s hard to complain about the conditions in Whistler. Last week I blogged from Switzerland’s Val d’Annivers, home to some of the countries most undiscovered resorts, whist this week I write from a resort rated number one in North America for not only skiing, but, golf and mountain biking. Whistler is a stalwart on the list of the world’s top ski resorts.
I was in town for the World Ski and Snowboard Festival, a ten day winter sports, arts and musical extravaganza hosted by the resort in April. It’s a pretty big deal and the events attract a crowd from the world over – rather like the resort itself. Previously known as Tellus – the main sponsor, who pulled out at the end of 2012 – the festival not only showcases the best of local talent, on- and off-piste, but also top international riders, artists, photographers, and filmmakers.
The headline events – The 27 hour filmmaker showdown and the photographer showdown – sellout within hours of tickets going on sale, and the rest of the festival remains ever popular year on year. The rules for the 72 hour showdown are tight. The participating filmmakers have – you guessed it – 72 hours to script, film, edit and produce a three to five minute film, all within 100km of Whistler. The results were spectacular. A showcase of local talent, is an understatement, the films were entertaining, fun and meticulously produced given the huge time restraint.
There were no such restraints on the photography entrants. Here the five finalists had to create a nine minute slideshow of photos, all set to music. Averaging four seconds a shot, that’s 135 photographs from their entire (lifetime) portfolio of work. We travelled the world in a matter of hours, gawking at the breathtaking views, dramatic sunsets, lofty peaks and vast oceans. But it wasn’t all nature, or – as the American’s put it – “powder porn”. We gasped at shots of skateboarders flying over city car parks, and mountain bikers above great precipices.
If you’re an expert skier few North American resorts can rival the varied, and extensive terrain Whistler offers. But, if you’re just starting out, or a little unsteady on your feet, the steeper than average trails, combined the unpredictable weather – including the mega snowfalls (and rain) – might be somewhat of a put-off. Oh, and whatever your ski ability, you need to be pretty good with jet-lag.
My introduction to the world that is Whistler may have been brief, and a little late in the season, but I certainly managed to flavor the essence of the world-renowned resort. I think I need to go back – in January next time!
I’ve discovered a newfangled love of small resorts. Last month I spent a week discovering the ‘gem’ resorts in Colorado, and this week I found myself skiing in some of the lesser-known resorts of south-western Switzerland.
Despite being just a stone’s throw from the likes of Verbier and Crans-Montana, the almost secret resorts of the Val d’Anniviers – Grimentz, Zinal, Vercorin, St-Luc and Chandolin – remain under the radar of most British tourists. In fact, fewer than 5 per cent of all visitors to the area are from the UK.
I found deserted pistes, and there was not a lift queue in sight. I assumed that this was because the season was drawing to a close. But I was wrong. 29 December 2012 was a record day for skiers in Grimentz, with 4700 people were on the mountain. It’s nothing when compared to larger, more popular resorts, which regularly see four times this number in a day.
And the skiing? Impressed doesn’t do it justice. Wide and perfectly groomed pistes greeted me, along with – thanks to countless epic snowfalls this season – fantastic conditions. I didn’t venture into the backcountry, but the whole valley is a freerider’s heaven. From Grimentz there are numerous routes off the back of the mountains – all of which take you back to the resort – and Zinal is home to a huge patrolled off-piste sector. Nearby Chandolin boasts yet more off-piste skiing, and also boasts the Ombrintzes couloirs. Each season, these narrow gullies play host to a qualifying round of the Freeride World Tour, where the best skiers in the world battle it out to gain a place in the main competition.
But it’s not all about gnarly descents. There’s both on- and off-piste skiing to suit all abilities at each resort. In total the five resorts are home to 220km of pistes and 43 ski lifts. Currently the stations are as yet unlinked, but this is all set to change next season. Work is underway on a huge cable car, spanning 3.6km across the valley, to link Grimentz and Zinal. Once complete it’ll be the third largest lift of it’s kind in Switzerland and create Europe’s newest ski area.
My guide around the Val d’Anniviers was former Powder Byrne MD Will Herrington, who now co-owns Grimentz-based Rental Prestige. The company specialises in self-catered chalets with a concierge service, allowing you to relax without an ever-present chalet host in tow. Herrington, who has lived in the resort for the past seven years is the biggest advocate for the area and thinks the new link is just what the resort needs: “the concern amongst some people is that the lift will change the soul of the resort,” he tells me, “and yes it will bring more tourists – but that’s what the resorts need to survive.”
Time will only tell, and it would be a shame to see such a charming village change, but ultimately, the new lift will convert Grimentz and Zinal from two resorts with great skiing into one new ski area. I fear we’ll be hearing a lot more about the Val d’Anniviers in the coming years. Sorry guys, but the secret is out…
I’m fortunate in the fact that, when discovering new places, and meeting new people, I get to hear a great deal of exceptionally interesting stories. It’s one of the things I enjoy most about visiting new places: stumbling upon surprising stories during everyday conversations. Not all are interesting though: a ski guide in America once spent an hour telling me about his dog. But, in the main, such tales give me a fascinating insight into the varied lives of the people I meet.
So naturally, I was captivated the other day when I heard The Beatles filmed their movie Help! in the Austrian resort of Obertauern, where I was visiting. A medium sized, family haven ski area – just one hours drive from Salzburg – the resort sprung to life in the 50’s, and to this day remains a winter only destination, virtually shutting down once the lifts close at the end of the long season, in early May.
It was the long season that drew the young-Liverpudlian band to the area, who were looking for a snow-sure resort in the spring of 1965, to film snow-bike scenes. By chance, the inventor of the snow-bike lives in Obertauern, and it was his friend who first let on to the resorts relationship with the band, over dinner.
Later I would meet hotelier Gerhard Krings, who, then in his 20’s, played the body-double for George Harrison in the film. “The 
Beatles couldn’t ski, so their management asked for four ski instructors to act as body-doubles in the film,” he tells me when I visit the now infamous Beatles Bar, in his four-star Hotel Seekarhaus. Over the years Krings has built up a vast collection of Beatles memorabilia, and photos from the film-shoot line the walls of his bar.
He talks fondly of his time with the band, recalling: “We didn’t know who they were. All we knew was they were British, and they wanted people who could speak English.
But it wasn’t all hard work. “We had a great time with the band, and one night it was a crew members’ birthday, and late in evening the boys got out their instruments and started playing in the Marietta hotel lobby.” Rumour has it guests in the hotel quickly congregated in the reception complaining about the nuisance noise. In fact, that impromptu performance would be the first, and last time the band played in Austria.
Crystal Ski now feature the four-star Hotel Marietta in their Austrian ski programme. The resort sits in an amphitheatre bowl at the end of the valley, which not only makes it hard to get lost, but also allows skiers to travel a circular route around the resort – maximising time on the slopes, opposed to on lifts.
In 2015 the resort will celebrate 50 years since the filming of Help! and the resort director, Mario Siedler tells me it’s going to be quite the winter, with a season of events planned. But, will the remaining Beatles return to the snow? Only time will tell, I suppose: but they might just need help with their skiing.
Colorado is home to countless big name ski resorts – Aspen, Vail and Brek to name but a few – but nothing can rival heading off the beaten track to the smaller resorts. Known locally as the “gem resorts”, these little hills offer an escape from the mêlée, and believe me, far more than one would imagine if you knew their acreage.
So, I buckled in, and set out to explore these little-known resorts by car. What I found were resorts so far removed from the corporate world – think Intrawest and Vail Resorts – that they have been able to forge their own identity and attract a different set of skiers: locals, and the truly dedicated. Forget mountain restaurants, five-star hotels, or high-speed lifts, these resorts really go back to basics.
On arrival into Denver I headed “out-west” on the I-70 to Grand Junction, (the last major 
town before you reach Utah), from where it’s just a 30-minute drive into the hills to the resort of Powderhorn. Here the landscape merges the characteristics of the two states, with views from the slopes of the vast “high desert” wilderness and dusty peaks on the horizon.
In the following days we would work our way back along the I-70, visiting a further five little gems: Sunshine, Cooper, Arapahoe-Basin, Loveland and finally Eldora. Averaging just three to four lifts each, and with only a handful of trails, you would be forgiven for thinking I’d be less than impressed. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
In fact, not only do they offer interesting skiing they all have their own little unique selling point: Cooper claims the ‘cheapest’ cat skiing in the US, but Loveland offers it for free, yes free. The A-Basin car park resembles a Los Angeles beach in summer once the lifts close, with people barbequing and toasting their day on the hill with a cooled Coors. In Sunshine, I ran into a bikini clad church group on the slopes, and in Eldora, I happened to visit on the annual 80s fancy dress day.
I discovered some of the most relaxing, enjoyable places to ski in North 
America, and all just a stones-throw from some of the biggest name resorts in the world. I’m not suggesting a road-trip like ours would be for everyone, but you could easily tick off a handful in a week, utilising the “gems pass” which grants discount on the lift-pass at each resort. Alternatively, if you’re already in the area, it’s worth jumping in the car one day to explore where the locals ski. What’s more, Vail Resorts pass holders can ski at A-Basin for free.
I’ve skied loftier, ‘greater’ resorts – yes – but what I found skiing the gems, were resorts that had a certain charm because of their small size. The resorts may be underrated, but only by those who haven’t taken time to find them. Make sure you go looking…
I’ve never been so cold in my life. Even my six layers and two ski jackets were struggling to retain my warmth in the -29C bitterness. Welcome to Tremblant, Quebec’s most notorious – and famously cold – ski resort.
Skiing in Canada varies so dramatically coast-to-coast given the vastness of the country, and skiing the east coast is certainly a unique experience. Ski out of Quebec City in Le Massif Charlevoix and you’ll have a view over the St. Lawrence River, whilst head west to Montreal, and Tremblant is the largest settlement before the Antarctic.
Quebec is a fascinating place: bilingual and with major cultural influences from Europe and the United States, it doesn’t really feel much like Canada at all. And things are no different in the world of food. There is something bizarrely humorous about sitting in Italian and French-Savioe restaurants in Canada. Saying that, there’s also something slightly condescending being instructed how to eat raclette by a Canadian who lives 4000 miles from the French Alps.
I can’t write about food without mentioning what is possibly Quebec’s signature dish: poutine. The messy pile of chips, gravy and cheese curds, isn’t the most appetising meal, but one every visitor to the province should try. The dish isn’t new, but has experienced somewhat of a renaissance in recent years, spreading across Canada. In Tremblant, pay a visit to Smokes Poutinerie and order the traditional dish for c$15 (£9), will fill you after a day on the slopes.
The purpose-built resort of Tremblant is designed architecturally in a style that has become synonymous with Intrawest owned resorts. If you’ve ever skied in Intrawest owned Les Arcs 1950 then you could easily have mistaken it for Tremblant when it comes to looks. The design has been likened to that of a Disneyland park in the past, although, personally I think it more resembles Toytown, the home of Noddy, a book character created by Enid Blyton, and a childhood favourite of mine.
I’d travelled to Tremblant to find out why the resort remains the solitary east coast survivor on the Crystal Ski programme, but also their most affordable transatlantic destination. Certainly a large part of the answer is the relatively easy journey. With a flight time of just six hours and then a 90-minute transfer, Tremblant is the quickest Canadian resort to reach.
The skiing is suited to intermediates (and beginners), although, given the resort is prone to rain, you best keep your wits about you as ice is to be expected. The mountain, Mont-Tremblant – translated as the “trembling mountain” – is split into two main sections: the North and South Side, and two other smaller sections, The Edge and Sunny Side. If the mountain is busy, or fresh snow has fallen, head straight to The Edge for the best skiing, on empty pistes (sorry, trails).
My return from Quebec signals – albeit only for a month – a hiatus from my travels. February is a busy month on the slopes and far from the ideal time to research features. So, bar a few UK trips, it’s time to enjoy being at home for more than four nights consecutively – a first since last year…
Regular readers of the blog will know that I’m a big fan of Les 3 Vallées – the world’s largest ski area – but are probably unaware that I’m actually quite the gourmand too. Food, particularly prepared by someone with far greater skills than me, plays a bit part of my life. In fact, whenever researching a new country prior to a visit, finding out the local, traditional food is often the first thing I search for.
So I’m sure it doesn’t come as a great surprise that I leapt at the opportunity to spend a few nights with Fish & Pips in Méribel last week.
Not only do they possibly have the coolest company name in the Alps – so called after Holly Fisher and Philippa Hartley, the company directors – but they also serve up scrumptious food in their nine chalets. Six can be found in Méribel Village, a satellite resort of Méribel, and three in the equally popular resort of Val d’Isère.
The thought of spending three nights in foodie heaven excited me greatly, and arriving to the most inviting chocolate cake, confirmed that I was set to be in for a treat. A big one.
Already cooking away in the (tiny) kitchen was Lucy Wigglesworth, our chef, who at just 23 years old, has worked in a Michelin starred restaurant, and has the skill and dedication of someone well beyond her years.
What followed for the next three nights was an eclectic mix of mouth-watering culinary delights. From the amuse-bouche right through to dessert, Lucy showed how cooking is definitely both an art and a science – serving up five courses of delectable cuisine. Chalets and intricate detail aren’t often found together, but what Fish & Pips prove, is when you take enough time to find the best chefs, the results are first-rate – even with just a domestic kitchen.
My nights of total indulgence and gluttony flew by, complemented by the homely, yet sophisticated feel of the chalet. Méribel Village offers something so different to the usual Méribel experience. It’s a small place – there is a small shop and one bar – but that’s what makes it special. Méribel is bustling, always busy, and (in my opinion) far from relaxing, whereas, by contrast, the Village is tranquil.
I can’t fault my time with Fish & Pips – the food, hospitality and chalets are all top-notch. Yes, they are not the glitziest buildings in the Alps, but that’s not what it’s about – here, the food is what people come for. And keep coming back for, time and time again.
I’ve always been a fan of weekend skiing, and I’m a true believer that if you get the logistics right, then you return feeling as if you’ve been away for a week. I’ve also discovered there are two sets of weekend skiers: those with money, and those who just can’t get enough snow in their lives. However, the reality is, you could probably do with both.
St Anton, in the Austrian Tyrol, is ideally suited for those looking to escape for a weekend skiing thanks to its proximity to Innsbruck airport, which is only an hour’s drive away. Transfer time is the biggest factor in choosing a resort for a short break: you don’t want to face a three hour drive when you have just two days on snow.
I’d travelled with Ski Weekends to sample one of their weekend ski packages. They offer a host of destinations that allow for 4 days skiing and just 2 days – Friday and Monday – off work.
My feature – already written and filed – is to be published in InTheSnow Magazine next week (!) and online in the next 24 hours, so I won’t repeat myself here (too much anyway).
St Anton is a resort famed for its après ski and home to the infamous Mooserwirt bar. You won’t find a better definition of Austrian partying anywhere. Sadly, I’ve been banned (by my girlfriend) from using my favourite saying, “Austrian-style, dancing-on-the-tables après-ski”, but I’m yet to coin a new phrase that describes the scene in St Anton in a better way.
But the resort doesn’t just attract party animals. In fact, it’s a place where people want to ski hard and party hard.
Showing me the way on the slopes was Reinhard Thaler, a ski instructor with the Alpin-Skischule, who’s lived and worked in the area all his life. He told me how the area is suited to intermediate and advanced skiers, as opposed to those just setting out on two planks: “There isn’t much ’highway‘, or ’motorway‘ skiing to be found here. Even our blue runs have the tendency to become moguled by the end of the day.” And he’d know. Even with the fantastic conditions currently seen in the Alps, a number of the runs were icy by midday, and the ski home can be a challenge on weary legs.
It was my first visit to the resort, but I can certainly see why St Anton has been a haunt of British skiers for such a long time. It has everything, is hugely popular with people from all over the world, but at the same time has retained the Austrian idyll and charm. Walking down the high street you get the feeling of living in a bubble, in which the troubles of everyday life are a world away. It’s certainly a resort suited to those looking to get away for a few days. There is no doubt, if you choose the right resort and spend enough time planning a weekend break, the result can leave you feeling like you’ve been away for a week.
I realised over Christmas that I, shamefully, haven’t updated this blog since the summer. The months leading up to December are always busy: writing, pitching, writing and some actual travelling. In fact, as I think back, the months went by so fast they feel like a blur already.
I escaped to Zermatt one weekend at the end of September for the ‘Swiss Winter Launch’, and ended up spending most of the time marvelling at my favourite mountain in Alps. It was my first visit to the resort, and despite not actually skiing, I can see why it draws people back time and time again. Autumn in the Alps is a season overlooked: the trees are golden and the late-summer sun lights the mountains softly. The balmy summer evenings might have long gone, but travelling up the cog railway at sunset is certainly a treat. It’s unusual for me to make such an early visit to a ski resort, but I’d jump at any opportunity to visit the Alps in autumn again.
Back in the UK autumn wasn’t so golden, the nights were drawing in and soon enough the clocks went back. And for a ski writer the real countdown to winter begins. The wait wasn’t long and two weeks later I was carving on the pistes of Ischgl, making my first turns of winter. I’d travelled to the resort for the opening weekend of the season – a big affair for the resort dubbed “the party capital of the Alps”. The majority of resorts in the Alps open without a scene, however, some prefer to open with a bang. Ischgl is certainly one of those, famed for its blowout all-singing, all-dancing opening week, climaxing with the infamous Top of the Mountain concert, which in the past has attracted the likes of Katy Perry, Elton John, Rihanna and Kylie, to name but a few.
This season was no different and resort opened in its usual exuberant style, with a series of concerts headlined by the Scorpions, who cheerily performed in temperatures of -10C to a 13,000-strong crowd. The wrinkly, but still splendidly energetic, German rock band – famed for their song Wind of Change – might not have troubled the UK charts much since 1991, when they were No.2, but they’re still massive in Germany and Scandinavia.
Pinning so much on the first week of the season is a big gamble, just last year the resort was forced to spend over €1m on artificial snow in order to ensure the ski area opened on time. However, this year the situation is poles apart: generous snowfalls in the early autumn left many high-altitude European resorts with oodles of snow, bolstered further by fantastic snowfalls at the beginning of December. In fact, this season, for the opening weekend, Ischgl had more kilometres of pistes open than any other resort in the world.
Next it was off to the glitzy resort of Val d’Isère to review the plush Chardon Mountain Lodge chalets. I must admit I’m not a chalet fan: in my (short) lifetime I’ve probably had one too many bad experiences – illnesses passed around the whole building, grimy kitchens, rude and bone idle staff – so when the company invited me to stay I did ponder on my answer for a few moments.
Who knows why I did as sitting here now it’s nigh on impossible to fault any aspect of the chalet or the service. But considering the likes of Paul McCartney and co have checked in over the years it’s not that surprising. Built in traditional Savoie style, there is nothing more welcoming than returning after a day on the slopes to homemade tea and cake by the roaring fire.
I’d last visited Val d’Isère when I was just learning to ski, so it was interesting to return and see what’s changed during the intervening years. Some things definitely haven’t: the resort is still full of Brits, and the skiing is still legendary. The resort certainly has a reputation that precedes it – some would say a good one, whilst, others may feel slightly differently… it’s an acquired taste.
Another whistle-stop trip back to the UK before it was off to another Val, this time Val Thorens, one of the resorts in the vast 3 Valleys – the largest ski area in the world. The resort was playing host to the Ski Cross World Cup (which doubled up as an Olympic qualifier event for the Sochi 2014 winter Olympic games). Our best hope for 2014 is Emily Sarsfield, an ex Alpine ski racer, and also an ex-race coach of mine.
It’s dangerous, adrenaline fuelled and quite the spectator sport. The athletes are fearless and not afraid to put up a fight. The sport was inaugurated back in the 90s, before making its first appearance at the Winter X Games in 1998 and later joining the World Cup Circuit in 2004. However, it wasn’t until post 2010 Games that Ski Cross became globally known. I’d almost go as far as saying the Vancouver Olympics will be remembered thanks to Ski X.
And that was that – three weeks, three trips and time for a rest. Work over, it was time to head down the valley to the quaint resort of St Martin de Belleville, my home for the festive period.
And my new years resolution: well, to update this blog more often would be a start…
I’ve just returned from a weekend whizzing up and down single-track mountain bike trails in the Italian resort of Pila. However, despite the fact I could write for an age about the mountain biking, I won’t, as the article will be published in the September issue of Vertical Drop magazine, out next week (!), so I thought I’d blog about an aspect of my trip that sadly won’t get the amount of space it deserves.
What amazed me in Pila wasn’t the resort, or the extent of the mountain biking trails (I knew the facilities would be good), but in fact, the hotel. I am lucky enough to reside in some wonderful hotels whilst on my assignments, many of which rightfully deserve the four or five stars they’ve been awarded. However, it’s rare I ever stay somewhere that seems underrated, or as if the awarded stars are wrong. In fact, previously, I’ve only ever thought a hotel ought be stripped of a star or two rather than awarded more.
Staying at the three star Hotel La Chance was an eye-opener to how an establishment can outdo any expectation and make a visit mean so much more to the client. There were all the facilities you’d expect to find in a four (if not five), star hotel: a spa, complete with, a sauna (with a window overlooking Mont Blanc), steam room, Jacuzzi, relaxing room and showers which could be programmed to feel like rain, a storm, or just a shower.
The hotel – converted from an old barn – opened three years ago and is family run by Natasha, from Scotland, and Jean-Paul, Italy, who were seemingly on duty around the clock during my stay.
I asked Natasha why the hotel hadn’t been awarded a fourth star: “We were new to hotel business when we opened three years ago and didn’t want people to be disappointed. It’s of far more value to us for people to go away satisfied than unhappy, so having three suits us perfectly.”
The food doesn’t disappoint either, a four-course set menu on offer each evening in the hotel restaurant. Here presentation never falters, and even when catering for a packed house (near enough 50 covers), each dish has clearly had as much attention as the first.
I had a look in the kitchen after breakfast on my last day, “wow,” I said, as I entered the room. Everything was so professional and meticulously thought out, just like the whole hotel. I couldn’t fault my stay at the La Chance, and if I happen to be back in the resort one winter I know exactly where I’ll be sleeping.
