Chilly Powder

Spread across three
chalets within walking distance of one another, the hub of the Chilly Powder
complex is the Au Coin de Feu building, a modern wooden chalet that looks like
an ideal place to get warm after a day on the slopes. The interiors are cozy
and inviting, with hardwood ceilings and floors, leather armchairs, throw rugs,
and all manner of Alpine decor ranging from kitschy to quaint throughout the
library/billiard room, lounge, restaurant, and bar. There is an outdoor terrace
as well for warmer months, and a decent amount of greenery and lawns
surrounding the property in the summer. Guests should keep in mind that this
hotel draws families and noise levels can reflect that throughout the property,
so while couples are welcome here, too, they shouldn’t necessarily expect a
romantic, quiet retreat.

In the Les Prodains area
just outside of Morzine, this hotel has an almost secluded feeling in the
middle of the Portes du Soleil ski area in the French Alps. The bars,
microbreweries, shops, and restaurants in lively little Morzine town are a
five-minute drive from the hotel, though the free bus included with lift
tickets runs the same route, and the stop is directly across the street from
the hotel. Portes du Soleil comprises 13 ski areas that span the
Swiss-French border, and the cable car to the Avoriaz slopes (which end
directly behind Au Coin de Feu) is a five-minute walk from the hotel. There are
a few restaurants within walking distance of the chalets along the road into
Morzine for guests who don’t want to make the trek into town. Geneva International
Airport is an hour and 20 minutes away by car, while Chamonix and Mont Blanc
are an hour and 10 minutes in the opposite direction.

With an array of room
sizes and themes available across the Chilly Powder complex, groups and
families of all sizes will find a charming space to call their own amid the
towering French Alps. All rooms have cozy, chalet-style accents, like built-in
oak cabinets, closets, and headboards, which match the country-craft furniture.
Tan carpeted floors add a soft touch to the mostly neutral spaces that are
accented by needlepoint pillows, rustic paintings, and even a bit of kitsch, like
the captain’s wheel and jacket that adorn the walls in the Life Preserver Room. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, MP3 sound systems, desks, and safes, as well as
either outdoor patios or balconies, many with views of the surrounding
mountains. Each room also has a clean en-suite bathroom with tan tiles and
either walk-in showers or bathtub/shower combos with rustic finishes like
wood-bordered mirrors and antique-style fixtures, while some bathrooms include
luxury Molton Brown bath products. Rooms like The Pine have multiple levels and
sleeping spaces, making them perfect for families, while freestanding
multi-room chalets are also available for larger families and groups. Guests
should keep in mind that rooms must be booked for a minimum of four nights, unless it is a last minute booking.

This hotel has a lot to
love for being such a small-scale operation. The main draw at Chilly Powder is
its family-friendly bent, including the on-site daycare facility staffed by
professional nannies, though there are fees attached to these services and they
must be booked in advance. Additionally, the hotel offers its own Chilly Powder
Ski School, and older children have access to the hotel’s supervised kids’
club, which has video game consoles, ping-pong, and all manner of games and
activities (again, bookings must be made in advance for the ski school). The
on-site restaurant serves excellent breakfasts and dinners from locally sourced
produce and the chef will also make special menus available for vegetarian
guests. Children’s meals are served earlier in the day than the adult dinner,
and the hotel also offers afternoon tea and snack service. Guests should keep
in mind that dinner is not served every night of the week and they should check
with the hotel as to which night is its “off” night. Additionally, childcare
must be arranged separately on Saturdays as the daycare center is not staffed then.
The hotel’s other adult-friendly features include a bar, an outdoor hot tub, and
an on-site sauna and a spa room that offers a wide array of massage and spa
treatment services. Airport transfers from Geneva International are available
and though the hotel does not have a ski shop on-site it can arrange equipment
rentals for a fee. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property and laundry services
are also available.