Nestled in one of the most prestigious ski resorts in the world is The Lodge – a luxury retreat ensconced in the scenic Swiss Alps and personally hand-picked by Sir Richard Branson himself...
Lead Image: The Lodge/ Matt Livey
In fact, the business mogul regularly holidays here with his family, as can be seen by the array of family snaps displayed around the chalet. Which is probably one of the reasons why The Lodge has everything you could possibly need, and more.
A heated boot room to hang your soggy ski gear? Tick. Roaring fires to take the chill from your bones? Tick.
READ MORE: ESCAPE LONDON: GO LEAF PEEPING & NORTHERN LIGHTS GAZING IN FINNISH LAPLAND
A spa featuring an indoor heated pool, jacuzzi, sauna and treatment rooms to ease those aching muscles? Tick.
An extensive wine collection for you to savour? Tick.
An in-house team on hand 24/7 to cater to your every whim? Tick. And that’s just the start of it.
Even though The Lodge is designed to take care of your every need, there’s one rule that guests must abide by when staying here, and that’s to treat it like a home away from home.
There are no set schedules here and the little details are taken care of so you can indulge in all the luxuries that surround you.
What that looks like is down to you. Personally, I prioritised curling up by the fire in my master suite with a good book and a large glass of something red from the extensive wine collection before sinking into the giant bathtub to watch the snow fall through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
My companions had different ideas as to what their perfect stay looked like.
After the short ski back from the main Medran lift station, just 250m away, we’d shuffle into the heated boot room to decamp our soggy ski gear. Collapsing into the luxurious sofas around the fireplace in the open plan living area shortly thereafter, we were handed glasses of champagne to welcome us back home.
While I took the lift up to my top floor suite for a private pamper session, others descended to the spa for a swim and sauna session or a massage from the in-house therapist.
From my balcony, I could see some of the group were making full use of their scenic surroundings by submerging themselves in the steamy outdoor hot tub surrounded by snow – simply sublime.
However we spent our time at The Lodge, we’d convene around the outstretched, elegant dining table to share a meal prepared by one of the in-house Michelin-trained chefs.
Every meal was a delectable delight and made with locally sourced, in-season ingredients and with sustainability in mind. Each course was presented with an explanation of its origins too.
Just like home, if you have friends in town you can invite them over for a dinner party; the glass-fronted open plan living space and wrap-around terrace being the perfect place to entertain.
If, like us, you like to keep the après ski going, then you’ll delight in the party room found in the basement of The Lodge.
Should you wish to sing karaoke until the early hours under a glittering disco ball, then you’ve come to the right place. If you fancy a games night with a pool table that turns into ping pong – also the right place.
Or maybe you just want to sit back and relax on a humongous wrap-around sofa and watch endless movies on a 50” screen. Nothing is out of the question here.
True to Virgin style, the team inject fun at every opportunity, from the themed rubber ducks to the tongue-in-cheek giant Toblerone by your bed and the secret doorway hidden behind a bookcase - there’s always something to bring out your inner child.
The Lodge has the unique ability to just make you smile, which may well be down to the dedicated staff that will go out of their way to make sure you have everything your heart desires while somehow making it feel more like a friend has done you a thoughtful turn. And this is the exact beauty of the place – that you’ll arrive as a guest but will leave as friends.
The Lodge is generally booked for exclusive use for seven nights for groups of up to 18 in the winter, on select dates, guests can book an individual room for shorter stays.
For more information, visit virginlimitededition.com
READ MORE:
WALL STREET HOTEL: OLD SCHOOL GRANDEUR & CONTEMPORARY ELEGANCE
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here