Golden Jubilee

A Golden Glow

Val Thorens is a hidden gem of a destination. Not that it is hidden out of sight – its name is well-known. The vast network of pistes to which it effortlessly connects, the high-altitude snow quality, and the range of possibilities for everyone from beginners to off-piste afficionados, are common knowledge. But it is hidden insofar as seekers after luxury chalet holidays rarely had Val Thorens at the top of their list. This, however, is changing.

The resort retains its relaxed vibe but it is no longer all about small apartments. Luxury accommodation has been added to its rich and varied mix, and there are some very fine options. Three stunning examples comprise Chalets Koh-I Nor, a Persian name that translates as Mountain of Light and refers to a diamond of over 100,000 carats. Chalet Golden Jubilee, with its lustrous glow, is one of them.

As if the drama of the glorious mountain views from Koh-I Nor were not enough, the interior of each of its three chalets is a work of art. Nothing here is bland. They are classic and they are funky, they are comfortable and they are beautiful. The attention to detail for all the elements that work in a luxury holiday is admirable and yet each individual chalet is brim-full of character. They are operated along lines that will suit many of you. No hassle as you hasten towards the morning lifts as a continental breakfast will be prepared for you. Nor housework, as tidying and cleaning will be daily. And you enjoy the freedom to set your own schedule and to dine as you please.

Golden Jubilee shines magnificently when it comes to the spa. It is privileged with a private pool, small but stylish and making good use of its space with hydromassage jets and counter-current swimming. There is a steam room and sauna. This is the restorative intermission between the end of the ski day and the evening ahead.

Then, it might be tough to go out to dinner. As the sky outside darkens, Jubilee wraps itself around you like a velvet blanket, the open-plan living room aglow with golden light from fabulously retro lamps. Silhouettes of distant mountain peaks are visible through the large window, shimmering as the sun sinks and the moon starts to rise. The whole space enjoys the dancing of the flames from the logs burning in the central chimney. Dinner, prepared in the sleekly black kitchen, will be taken around a rather dignified square dining table. Square is such a social way for a party to dine, so social that the dignified bit might not last. But this is a ski holiday, after all.

Five double bedrooms and a children’s room are restful havens, wood clad and sumptuous, with well fitted out bathrooms. At the same time, they also celebrate the high alpine location, showing off the breath-taking views through French windows that open onto wooden balconies. It is a dream come true to awake on a morning when those sunlit peaks reflect the brilliant white light of snow. And, up in Val Thorens, you are in their midst.