Reviewed: Hotel La Marmotte in Les Gets

More than simply a ski resort, Les Gets lives and breathes the alpine lifestyle all year round. Nestled between Lake Geneva and Mont-Blanc, this culturally rich Savoyard village sets a spectacular scene for a dream winter getaway, first stop: Hotel La Marmotte.

Owned and run by the Mirigay family since 1947, this traditional 4-star chalet hotel set in the heart of Les Gets warmly welcomes anyone passing through its doors. With 48 guest rooms and 7 recently added suites providing ample space for families of any size, comfort takes precedence. The design and décor of each room and suite is unique, some boasting living rooms with fireplaces. The cozy factor is ever present within the hotel. In 2012, next-door chalet La Tapiaz was opened, offering another 8 rooms featuring natural wood elements, bringing the outside in.

Just below La Tapiaz, luxurious Séréni-Cîmes Spa provides the perfect respite from a day on the slopes. Before taking a dip in the pool and jacuzzi, relax both mind and body with one of many treatments including hydrotherapy, massage or reflexology. The kids can happily wile away the time in the game room.

How’s the skiing? With dozens of blue and red runs, and several black slopes for the pros, Les Gets offers something for every level of skier and snowboarder. Catch a chairlift from just outside La Marmotte and let the alpine adventures begin! What’s more, Les Gets is an accredited “Famille Plus Montagne” resort making it that much more child friendly. Lift options too, for those who prefer to walk.

There’s little more utopian than lunching atop the very mountains that you’re in the midst of conquering. Set upon La Turche slope, La Marmotte’s high altitude La Païka restaurant serves traditional mountain fare including meat and fish grilled on an open wood fire. Following a homemade dessert, inhale the snowy scenery from the sunny terrace before zipping back down the slopes.

Classic mountain dishes are also served at La Marmotte’s bistro La Biskatcha. With another three restaurants to choose from, each offering a varied menu, you’ll never be at a loss for where to dine, without needing to leave the hotel. For a decadent fondue, raclette or potato matouille accompanied by a roaring fire and paired with a local wine from the Savoie region, settle in at restaurant La Pivotte. Book a table at La Piste Noir for refined dining, where the chef will enliven your taste buds with dish after dish of seasonal produce cooked to perfection. After dinner stop by Cosy bar for a night cap.

Take a break from an afternoon of sport to discover the Mechanical Music Museum, a collection of over 550 mechanical instruments set within one of the oldest buildings in Les Gets. Each of the five rooms presents a different music theme, notes of which will be revealed during a guided tour. The history of orchestral instruments will come alive before your eyes and ears.

After a trip to La Marmotte in Les Gets you’ll understand why this village mountain’s soul is so well preserved, and how deeply rooted the Mirigay family is to their land.