As a premier skiing destination, Courchevel in France requires little introduction. It forms part of the prestigious Les Trois Vallées, the world's largest interconnected ski area, which also includes Méribel and Val Thorens. The scale and the famously affluent clientele can be intimidating, but as a new feature demonstrates, there is no single correct way to experience these legendary slopes.
Urban Glamour at Maya Hotel Courchevel 1850
The recently opened Maya Hotel, part of the Maya Collection, brings a distinctively fresh and glamorous atmosphere to the heart of Courchevel 1850. Its location is a skier's dream, being just a two-minute walk from a gondola station, with views of the lifts directly from the guest rooms. The area is also renowned for its high-end delicatessens offering foie gras and truffles.
The hotel's rooms are notably spacious and elegantly designed. A standout feature is the deep bath, where guests can soak after a day on the slopes while gazing at the mountain silhouette. However, the property truly comes alive after dark. Its Mayabay restaurant, serving Japanese-Thai cuisine, provides a vibrant, pulsating atmosphere where champagne and sushi flow late into the night, offering a refined alternative to traditional hearty ski fare.
This is a hotel that understands its audience, delivering glitz and glamour in abundance. It epitomises the Courchevel experience: prestigious, expensive, and fun, significantly shaped by the area's substantial international investment.
Alpine Seclusion at Refuge de la Traye
A mere thirty-minute drive transports visitors to a completely different world at the Maya Collection's sister property, Refuge de la Traye. This exclusive retreat offers a profoundly isolated mountain experience. To preserve the peace, access is restricted and can only be achieved by a small snowcat vehicle or on foot, winding through a wooded valley to a private alcove above Les Allues.
Originally built in 1982 and comprehensively renovated in 2019, the refuge consists of three chalets with just six rooms and suites. The silence is profound, broken only by the soft sound of snow falling from laden trees. The trade-off for this serenity is a longer journey to the slopes, with a door-to-door ski trip to Méribel taking about one hour, but most guests find the remoteness is well worth the effort.
Despite its secluded location, the refuge anticipates every need. Guests can indulge in Japanese spa treatments, have a bottle of the monastic spirit Chartreuse delivered to their room, or enjoy chef-prepared snacks in a private cinema. The restaurant is a celebration of rich Savoie cuisine, featuring dishes like truffle-laced foie gras and buttery Grenobloise sauce, culminating in spectacular desserts such as a flaming omelette norvégienne (Baked Alaska).
Contrasting Experiences in One Legendary Region
The two properties, both under the Maya Collection umbrella, showcase the remarkable diversity available within the Les Trois Vallées. One offers the buzzing, high-energy glamour of a world-famous resort, perfect for those who want to be in the thick of the action. The other provides a rare opportunity for deep solitude and connection with the Alpine landscape, appealing to those seeking a restorative escape.
This duality highlights the versatile appeal of the French Alps. Whether your ideal ski holiday involves late-night sushi and champagne or snowshoeing under a twilight sky in near-total silence, the region caters to both extremes, proving there are indeed multiple ways down a mountain.
Booking Details: Maya Hotel Courchevel 1850 requires a minimum two-night stay, with prices from €1,568 bed and breakfast for a deluxe room. Refuge de la Traye also has a two-night minimum, with rates starting from €1,790 bed and breakfast for a deluxe room.
