Credit: Hotel L'Apogée
First off we'd like to start by wishing all of our Club Members a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year! It's certainly been a year to learn from, but moving forward we wish everyone well, and promise to continue delivering great content, products and stories into 2022!
With lockdown restrictions springing up all over the place, it seems I’m the only one who didn’t make it to Dubai. Unfortunately for myself, travelling out of London anytime soon is but a dream. However, if I were to jump on a plane (hypothetically of course), Dubai would be far from my top choice. Courchevel on the other hand, seems more my style…
Spending the winter (or at least a few days of it) in the Alps is pretty much unbeatable. Of course, this ski season is turning out to be quite different, and for myself non-existent. But I did have plans to get away to the Alps at some point, just without any skis strapped on. Now sat at home, I’m thinking it would be more than ideal to be spending the Christmas period in the alpine paradise of Courchevel, or “1850” as it’s commonly referred. As skiing wasn’t on my agenda in the first place, I’d take this opportunity to enjoy Hotel L’Apogée to the fullest.
Part of the luxurious Oetker Collection, with sister hotels ranging from Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes to The Lanesborough in London, is there really anywhere else you’d want to stay when up in the mountains? A 10-minute walk from the resort centre makes Hotel L’Apogée the place to be, not to mention festive shopping is that bit easier.
The hotel has 53 rooms, all furnished with bespoke pieces specially made by local craftsmen. I could imagine myself getting pretty comfortable in the 538sqft Deluxe Junior Suite, with its modernist furniture and marbled bathroom, not to mention the comfortable king-sized bed. These rooms come with a few other perks as well: some have a steam room, others have a balcony overlooking the ski slopes. There’s even a choice of view: I’d opt for a room looking out across the Courchevel valley, but the option to be woodland-facing is also there. So far so good, right?
But Hotel L’Apogée would be my destination of choice for several other reasons besides the view. A foodie at heart, I’m pulled to the gastronomic activity taking place atop Jardin Alpin. The Hotel’s Japanese restaurant, Koori, offers the very finest sushi available in the Alps, with a menu that would rival those in Central London. Then there’s the unquestionable lunch spot, Le Bar de L’Apogée. The Lobster club sandwich or the special Grilled filet steak with béarnaise sauce would go down just fine. And don’t get me started on the desserts served at Le Comptoir de L’Apogée, like the classic tiramisu or mango pavlova...
Besides the food, the hotel also excels in other areas, such as the selection of cigars available in the Cigar Lounge, where one can enjoy an evening spent sat by the log fire; the deep sofas make this the ideal place for relaxing. Alpine walks, a dive in the indoor pool, and maybe a visit to the sauna would fit nicely into my hypothetical Christmas spent at Hotel L’Apogée!
