It’s no secret that last season’s snowfall was less than ideal. In many areas of the Alps, the incredible amount of snow this year is in astonishing contrast to what was, by all accounts, a disappointing 2016/17 season. However, many snow-hungry ski fans, ourselves included, would not let this deter us, heading out to the mountains regardless. In our case, we booked a late-season getaway in Les Gets, a resort in the fantastic Les Portes du Soleil region that we had not visited before.
It turned out to be a brilliant decision, with beautiful weather allowing us to make the most of some surprisingly good snow conditions as well as enjoy the lovely traditional town and the great hotel in which we were staying.
Les Marmotte hotel is a lovely slope fronting hotel and spa, with rooms to die for. Between four adults, we had a beautiful apartment with a cosy, open fire, big TV, gorgeous bathrooms – the works! After a long day’s skiing, it was the perfect place to relax and unwind, with quirky yet cosy decor and a lovely friendly feel.
In terms of service, we couldn’t have asked for more. We turned up at midnight, hungry after a long journey and slightly worried as we had seen on our way through the town that most of the restaurants were very much shut. It was at this point that the Marmot really came into its own, as room service delivered an amazing platter of bread, cold meats and cheeses. It was absolutely delicious and went down a real treat on four hungry stomachs!
The Marmotte also has a great bar for an aprés-ski drink or two as well as a spa which is really superb. With a beautiful infinity pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and a wide selection of spa treatments, it’s the perfect place to soak those aching muscles and relax after a day on the slopes.
In terms of convenience, it’s is probably one of the best hotels we’ve stayed in. The hotel is right by the pistes, facing the slopes and had a ski hire shop virtually underneath – next door was the ski hire shop. You can ski directly back to the hotel and just across the road is the main lift out of Les Gets, which leads straight into the awesome Portes du Soleil ski area.
If you’ve never skied Les Portes du Soleil, what on earth are you waiting for?! It’s one of our favourites here at InTheSnow – a huge area with a great mix of pistes, lots of off piste options and a fantastic array of mountain restaurants.
Considering that the snow record across the season had not been great and the fact that while we were there, temperatures hit an incredible high of 25 degrees, the snow conditions held up a lot better than expected, especially in the higher areas. You could tell that the resort teams were doing their utmost to keep the area skiable. Last season it was too little snow, this season too much! Someone give these guys a break!
All in all, we had quite a surprisingly good 3 days skiing in Les Gets, much better than we had expected when considering a late March getaway on one of the warmest seasons in recent years.
There was a great amount of skiing on offer. Unsurprisingly there was nothing too challenging and of course no off piste or powder thrills but this is something we were expecting given that we had chosen late March as our desired time of travel. However, for two 40-something couples to have a nice weekend away, with picturesque tree-lined skiing, some great cafes and restaurants, a beautiful traditional town, and a wonderful hotel, Les Gets really did tick all the boxes.
It’s a really friendly little town, where you feel immediately at home. It has everything you might need from a ski resort, but without the clinical feel of some of the larger resorts. It’s small centre makes it the perfect destination for families or friends after a relaxing getaway in a picture postcard location.
Indeed, we got more than enough skiing in to warrant some fantastic guilt-free meals both on and off the mountain. In the Les Copuaex restaurant, we experienced some incredible steak dishes, while Les Notes Gourmandes with genuinely the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. Add to this their amazing salads and croque monsieurs/madames, it really is a stunning little eatery, which we would highly recommend.
The Marmotte hotel itself also boasts four restaurants and two bars, perfect for those days when we just didn’t want to brave the elements and would rather stay warm and cosy within the hotel.
All in all, if you’re looking for a late season getaway where you can rely on fantastic resort teams, brilliant service and some of the best food in the mountains, we would hugely recommend Les Gets and Les Marmottes Hotel.
