Hotel or chalet? How about a chalet-hotel?

We are most well-known for providing chalet holidays, and some of our returning guests are wondering if a stay in our hotel would live up to expectations.

In my opinion, our new piste side hotel in Les Arcs offers the perfect balance between the immensely popular catered chalet and the additional facilities of a hotel. Having stayed there myself last week (yes, I enjoyed a week skiing in Les Arcs) I can hand on heart, honestly say, everyone must experience a stay in Bear Lodge!

This new concept designed by Andy Sturt and built by Luigi, was 7 years in the making (read the previous blog here), and this new signature complex is everything I hoped it would be and more. Ok, travelling with EasyJet from Birmingham could have been a little more organised (long queues at check-in and through security), it was a little stressful but my goodness it was so worth it. When my husband and I finally arrived at Bear Lodge it was like we felt a weight lifted and we felt alive again. To quote my husband ‘’Wow, what a place”.

Extra level of service

Of course, Les Arcs is high altitude, snow sure and provides access to the huge Paradiski area, we were blessed with fantastic snow conditions and blue skies almost every day. But the partnerships with Intersport, ESF and Massage Me added an extra level of service in this wonderful piste side chalet hotel.

Having been blessed to experience this fabulous hotel I wanted to share 10 reasons why I feel everyone should consider Bear Lodge for their next ski holiday.

1. Ski from the boot room door…

Take the lift from your bedroom to level 3. Take your ski’s & boots from your private locker (warm and dry of course from the heated boot rack), and step outside directly onto the piste. Bois de L’Ours lift is in sight which you can take and then ski all the way to the Vanois Express giving you access to La Plagne. Or carry on down and take Comborciere 41 to venture over to Arc 1600 and Arc 1800.

Need to hire equipment, no problem. Intersport have set up a ski and board hire service in the hotel ski & boot room. What’s more they’ve built a dedicated website for VIP SKI guests to pre-order equipment. Get kitted out without even having to leave the hotel.

The same wonderful, home cooked menu that you would expect to find in our chalets, but with a choice of starter, main and dessert. Wine is still included throughout dinner (a choice of red, white and rose), and the cheeseboard, should you have space, is still served with coffee. With dinner served between 7:30 and 9 pm it gives you a little more flexibility, there's also the choice of dining within the privacy of your own family/ group, or for those looking to socialise its the perfect environment to chat with fellow guests over dinner. 

This is the perfect start to the week, not only to familiarise yourself with the ski area, but to meet like-minded guests of a similar ski ability. We skied with Fanny from ESF, a wonderful guide, who was hugely knowledgeable about the area and ski terrain. It was so nice to pocket the piste map and just follow her lead.
If you're not confident to join the guiding group then we have our own dedicated ski lessons with ESF limited to 6 in a class. From absolute beginners to committed skiers who also meet right outside the boot room

What better way to ease the aches and pains of a days skiing than a dip in the pool, a soak in the hot tub, and a relax in the sauna. Just take the lift to floor one … The pool is open daily 08:00 – 20:00. The Sauna and Hammam are available daily from 16:00 – 20:00 (earlier on demand and bad weather days)

Inside the wellness suite are two private treatment rooms. I enjoyed (or should I say endured?!) a back, neck and shoulder massage one morning and can highly recommend Massage Me who offer treatments in the hotel any time between 8am and 8pm.

Afternoon tea is served in the bar each day from 4pm, so it’s a great way to meet other guests and swap stories from the day. The bar is operated on a tab system which is really convenient, and I can recommend the ‘Bear Forest Fizz’ cocktail… you’ll have to visit to find out what’s in it

If you need anything at all or would just like to chat during your stay, the concierge team are at reception between 8-12 and 4-8. But our VIPConcierge companion via WhatsApp is available 8-10 every day and can help you with frankly anything.

Comfortable beds, plush carpet, plenty of hot water, bunk beds in family rooms for the kids (or you if your husband snores?!), wake-up drinks delivered to your door, daily housekeeping, and breath-taking views. What more could you want?

What most guests love about a chalet holiday is the attentive service from their dedicated chalet hosts… it’s no different in the hotel, but you have many more hosts catering for your every need. We were impeccably looked after by Ben, Molly, Jessie, Adam, Leah, Owen and Louisa to name just a few of the team.

We'd love to chat with you about your next ski holiday, be it Bear Lodge or one of our other chalets. There's still 10 weeks remaining of this season, head to the slopes, we know you won't regret it. 

Call the team today or drop us an email at ski@vip-chalets.com