Hôtel Aman Le Mélézin

From the outside, Aman Le Mélézin follows the lines of a French château and keeps one foot in tradition. Step inside, and the register changes: in the rooms, the rich cedar walls and ceilings are about the only reminder of the archetypal Alpine hotel.

Everything else follows the spare, high-minimalist look associated with Aman resorts, and the MICHELIN Guide describes the atmosphere as contemporary, classic and quiet. The Guide has awarded the hotel Two MICHELIN Keys, its rating for an exceptional stay.

Courchevel is really several resorts, each named for its elevation, and 1850 is the highest of them. Between them, the hotel's Chambres, Suites and Apartments look out across the mountains, the Bellecôte Piste and the village, and the slopes themselves are just a few metres away.

The hotel lists Lyon Saint Exupéry and Geneva as its arrival airports, each about two and a half hours away by road, and puts the flight to Geneva at about an hour and a half from London or eight hours and forty minutes from New York. Helicopters can land at Courchevel Altiport, a few minutes' drive from the hotel, and the team can assist with private charter reservations.

By rail, the TGV from Paris reaches Moûtiers-Salins in about four and a half hours, and the station is a 45-minute drive from the hotel. Once in Courchevel, the hotel's shuttle runs within the 1850 area from 07:00 to 01:00.

Chambre Village offers 38 square metres, with a bedroom and a living room separated by double doors; the living room looks over the slopes and Courchevel 1850. Chambre Nord has a king-size bed or twin beds, a bathroom with twin vanities and a separate shower and toilet, while the Petite Chambre has a bathroom with a large shower.

The ten Chambre Ski Piste rooms measure 42 to 44 square metres, each with a king-size bed or twin beds and a balcony that catches the sunshine over the Bellecôte Piste. They also have a large dressing room and a bathroom with twin vanities, a bathtub and a separate shower and toilet, along with a sound system, safe, mini-bar and Nespresso machine.

The two Chambre Ski Piste with Hot Tub rooms share the same size and bed options but swap the balcony for a large private terrace with a Norwegian hot tub overlooking the Bellecôte Piste. Inside, the large dressing area and the bathroom, with twin vanities, bathtub and separate shower and toilet, match those of the Chambre Ski Piste. The Suite Ski Piste with Hot Tub also has a private outdoor Norwegian hot tub facing the same piste.

Suite La Vanoise, the hotel's second-largest suite at 75 square metres, looks out on the Vanoise and the piste. It has a private living room with fireplace, a king-size bed, a daybed, a large dressing room and a south-facing balcony. Besides the main bathroom, with twin vanities and a bathtub, a guest shower room with toilet sits in the entrance area.

Akari is the hotel's Japanese restaurant. Stays are on a half-board basis, with breakfast every day plus lunch or dinner, and the options extend beyond the hotel to selected partner restaurants in Courchevel. The restaurants also welcome non-residents, subject to availability.

From February to April, weather permitting, Yakiniku serves lunch only on the outdoor terrace, blending Japanese culinary tradition with a refined grill experience: guests cook premium cuts over glowing embers at their table. Service runs from 12:00 to 14:45; non-residents are welcome, and reservations are recommended.

For the season, the hotel also offers a Japanese teatime and matcha tea ceremony every afternoon, with a wide variety of teas and pastries. On Wednesdays at 18:00, the resident mixologist leads a cocktail masterclass covering three signature cocktails and one mocktail, with the recipes shared afterwards. In the rooms, refreshments and soft drinks come with the stay.

Guests have the use of both wellness floors as part of their stay. Five treatment rooms, including two double suites and a Thai massage suite, serve an extensive spa menu that includes Aman Signature treatments. For recovery after skiing, the Après-Ski Foot Massage combines dry brushing, deep-tissue techniques, cold stones and gentle stretching.

Besides the treatment rooms, there are a traditional Turkish hammam, a wooden sauna and a cold plunge pool, together with a heated 14-metre indoor lap pool and two Jacuzzis. There is also a fitness studio, while an expansive yoga studio with TRX equipment overlooks a tranquil Japanese garden. Morning wellness classes are scheduled daily.

The two-bedroom Family Apartment, designed for families travelling with children, covers 67 square metres and connects a spacious master bedroom with a smaller twin room; the master bedroom can take an additional single bed or cot, bringing occupancy to five guests. South- and west-facing balconies look across the ski slopes and village. The master bedroom has a spacious dressing room and a bathroom with bath, shower and twin vanities, and the twin room has its own shower, vanity and toilet.

Selected Chambres and Suites also connect into larger configurations for family stays, and children aged 2 to 18 can use a dedicated Kids' Zone. For skiers, the Ski Room comes with a ski-valet service.