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'Solmaï has such a warm and cosy atmosphere'

'You staff's expert knowledge made a real difference to our holiday'

'This has got to be our favourite chalet in the Alps'

In the know

Sleeps

Up to 20 guests in ten bedrooms.

Ideal for

Resort-centre après ski, serious off-piste skiing and year-round indulgent spa breaks. The chalet has two distinct areas so it’s good for two large family groups, too.

Rates

€38,800 to €59,800 a week. Half the property can also be rented, with seven nights from €27,800 to €32,800. Double rooms are also available for €595, or suites for €745 a night, including breakfast, afternoon tea and a private chauffeur service. Prices are inclusive of a 15% agency commission.

Minimum hire

One week in the winter or two weeks in the summer.

Also

There are two study areas with full office services including multiple phone lines, fax and printer. There’s high-speed WiFi throughout the chalet. Solmai has an excellent wine cellar with house wines and an à la carte menu.

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Interior

Bedrooms 

Bedroom 1: This is the master bedroom with a spacious en suite bathroom and separate shower. There’s a library of books, a stereo and an iPod docking station.
Bedroom 2: This cosy double room has an en suite bathroom.
Bedrooms 3 and 4: Both are double or twin rooms and share a separate bathroom.
Bedroom 5: This is a twin room with an en suite shower room.
Bedroom 6: On a mezzanine level, this is an ideal bedroom for children as the ceiling is low, making it a bit awkward for adults. There are two double beds and a single bed.
Bedroom 7: On the first floor, this is the second master bedroom and it has an en suite bathroom with show and Roman-style bath. It’s a spacious room with a more formal style.
Bedroom 8: On the second floor, this double bedroom has lots of character and a cosy atmosphere under the eaves and roof beams. It shares a library and TV room with Bedroom 9 and has its own en suite shower room and a great balcony with south-facing views.
Bedroom 9: This spacious double has a mezzanine level with a double and single bed, making this room ideal for a family with children. It has its own bath and shower room just across the landing.
Bedroom 10: Like 8 and 9 this double room is stylishly decorated and has a soft leather sofa to relax on. It shares a balcony with Bedroom 8 and has its own en suite shower room.

Kitchen There’s an open-plan kitchen next to the living and dining room on the ground floor where breakfast is normally served. With six staff to look after you guests will have no need to venture into the kitchen.

Living room The main living area is next to the dining area and the large sun-trap terrace. It’s more formal than the TV room on the ground floor but is a wonderful place to relax with an evening aperitif. There’s a large log fire, a music centre, flat screen TV and an extensive DVD library.

Dining room The main dining room has a more formal atmosphere than the one downstairs so you can choose where to dine depending on your mood. The table has enough space to accommodate up to 20 guests. The walls are hung with the owner’s excellent personal art collection. It’s also possible to dine outside on the large sun-trap terrace in warmer weather and fully enjoy the spectacular panorama.

Other There’s a separate downstairs living and dining area with a table that seats 12 or 14 guests. This space is normally used for breakfast. There are comfortable leather sofas in front of the stone fireplace and there’s also a stereo, plasma TV and a DVD library. Chalet Solmai also has a sauna and hammam on the ground floor.

Outdoor

Gardens Chalet Solmai has a wonderful south-facing terrace directly outside the main living and dining room so even though you’re in the centre of Verbier you have a sizeable outdoor space in which to relax. It has a wonderful view of the mountains to the west, making it a great place to watch the sunset.

Parking There are two parking spaces outside. There are also two additional spaces inside but this area is normally kept clear so you can get ready for the slopes in the morning in space and comfort.

Chalet Solmaï

Verbier, Switzerland

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Chalet Solmaï

Verbier, Switzerland

Getting there

Planes Geneva airport is a little under two hours away by car (www.gva.ch). Swiss Airlines from City airport is our favourite option. If you have your own plane you can land at Sion about 30 minutes away. Chalet Solmaï, like all chalets in Switzerland, cannot offer its own transfer but will be happy to organise transfers for you with a limousine service and will meet you at the airport armed with goodie bags for your journey.

Trains Getting to Verbier by train is perfectly possible. The journey to the resort takes three hours from the airport and the nearest station is in Le Châble down in the valley. You can make the transfer to the resort by cable car, which takes you up to the main ski lift station, just four minutes' drive from the chalet. Alternatively, organise a transfer with the chalet manager.

Local taxi service In the unlikely event that you are separated from your chauffeur-driven 4x4 and need a taxi, try May Taxi (+41 (0)27 771 7771) or Taxi Rosset (+41 (0)27 771 1266).

Directions by road From Geneva take the motorway via Lausanne and Motreux to Martigny. Don’t be tempted to choose the cheaper hire cars on the French side of Geneva Airport as these don’t have the permits for the Swiss motorways. From Martigny take the E27 and follow directions to Verbier. Turn left onto Rue du Crêta-Cô at the school at the entrance of the resort. Turn right at the roundabout onto Rue de Centre Sportif; Chalet Solmai is on the left.

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Review

Chalet Solmaï is one of the largest private residences in the Swiss Alpine resort of Verbier, providing all the space and comfort you could wish for. Its central location, just a few minutes stroll from some excellent bars and restaurants is a real bonus in a town famous for its après-ski. But what makes Solmaï particularly special is that it was built for the owner’s family and retains the individual style, attention to detail and relaxed atmosphere you’d expect in an elegant family home.

The chalet can accommodate up to 18 guests in ten bedrooms but as Solmaï’s layout has two discreet halves, each with its own sitting room and dining room, there’s an extra degree of privacy. All the rooms are beautifully decorated with soft fabrics and individual details and most have their own sumptuous bathrooms, too. Some of the bedrooms have extra beds on mezzanine levels making them particularly ideal for families. Solmaï is the perfect base for a large group of friends or two extended families to enjoy.

The chalet’s versatility extends to the living rooms and dining rooms. The rooms on the ground floor are more informal and are normally used for breakfast or for watching your favourite DVD on the plasma screen. The living room and dining room on the first floor are more formal, decorated with the owner’s excellent private collection of art. It’s a fine setting for an evening dinner party. Directly outside is the large sun-trap terrace – an essential feature in the Swiss Alp’s sunniest resort.

Other facilities include two fully-equipped studies in case you need to keep in touch with the office. There’s a spacious boot room with heated boot rack where you can get ready in comfort on a snowy winter’s morning. In-chalet equipment fitting can be arranged by your chalet manager, as can lift passes, so you’ll be on the slopes in no time. There’s also a sauna and a hammam and guests may also use the exclusive spa a short distance away in the centre of the resort. The spa is the latest project of Chalet Solmaï’s owners.

The level of service is excellent, as you would expect, but Solmaï’s staff of six are predominantly local and their detailed knowledge makes your stay that extra bit special. The chef prepares breakfast and afternoon tea daily, as well a gourmet meal on six nights a week, complemented by Solmaï’s splendid wine cellar. There’s a wide choice of activities both in the resort itself, on the surrounding 200 miles of piste and on the seemingly limitless off-piste for which Verbier is famous. The chalet manager and their team are expert at arranging heli-skiing and the surrounding mountains offer the ideal setting. From spa treatments and restaurant to skidoos and paragliding, the chalet staff are focused on making all the necessary arrangements for the perfect Alpine experience.

This chalet in Verbier sleeping up to 18 guests was reviewed by Jim Whyte

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