Le Hameau du Kashmir Hotel

Le Hameau du Kashmir is located at the entrance to Val Thorens with direct access to the slopes, and enjoys panoramic views.  It has an attractive white and wood-panelled exterior with deep eaves sitting at various different levels on the hillside. Positioned as it is, it catches the sun’s rays and the welcoming feel continues inside with the friendly staff. It has a spa, two restaurants, underground parking, a children’s club and even a ski shop for equipment rental and boot fittings so there’s nothing to hold you back from hitting the slopes once you’ve filled up from the gourmet breakfast buffet...

There are 600 km of pistes of The Three Valleys, one of the largest ski areas in the world. Val Thorens is one of the oldest ski resorts in France and has 140 km of pistes of its own at the head of the Belleville Valley. Surrounded by a horseshoe of peaks, weather and landscape can combine to make it both sublime and savage. The resort has a cool, sporty vibe and you can do everything from tobogganing and mountain-biking on snow, to paragliding and ice-diving. So whether you are a black-run adrenaline junkie seeking new thrills or a beginner like me you’re guaranteed never to have a dull moment.

Back from the slopes, the hotel’s bar is welcoming with its combination of soft neutrals and rich colours;  low seating and plenty of cushions make it the perfect place to warm up with a hot chocolate or unwind with a cocktail. If you really just want to flop down on your comfortable bed, then head up to your room and put the kettle on. Our accommodation comprised two spacious bedrooms and a little living room with a place to eat and relax. You even have a ski locker and boot dryer. Wood-panelling features, along with exposed stone, and plum, ochre and fuchsia splashes add warmth. Patterned cushions, wall-hangings and intricate lights give an exotic touch and the effect is cosiness with a modern twist.  You have a flat screen TV in the living room and bedroom, as well as a DVD player, and that’s if you can tear yourself away from the stunning mountain views from your balcony. The bathroom is well equipped so there’s no need to pack slippers, robe or even pool towels.

A spell in the traditional sauna, or infra-red sauna (warmed with stones that mimic the sun’s heat) is perfect for relaxing over-worked muscles, while a few lengths of the indoor swimming pool with its large windows will clear the mind. Treat yourself to a massage or a beauty treatment with products from the Nohem range. Enjoy a sports massage to ease away tension after a long day on the slopes, or a body treatment like the Ritual Esprit d’Afrique with Moroccan Argan oil.

All that’s left for you to do in the evening is to make a choice between the two restaurants in the hotel. In the Yack steakhouse meat-lovers will enjoy cuts of French Charolais, Salers, Limousin and Black Angus in an elegant setting of soft neutrals and tactile fabrics. Meanwhile in the Karmin Restaurant you can savour local dishes and French wines surrounded by the colours and style of the Himalayan region of Kashmir.