Les Suites du Nevada ★★★★★

After the hotel’s irresistible breakfast buffet of viennoiserie, fresh fruit juices and regional honey you’ll be ready for anything, which is just as well because Tignes is one of the highest resorts in the Alps meaning that it gets plenty of great quality snow. Together with Val d’Isère, it forms l’Espace Killy with over 300 km of pistes and two glaciers. It offers a whole range of activities, everything from Alpine skiing to helicopter rides. The hotel is right in the heart of the very trendy area of ​​Tignes Val Claret at 2,100 metres altitude, which means you have a great choice of bars, restaurants and nightclubs, although there is more than enough in Les Suites du Nevada without your ever having to cross the threshold.

The hotel is modern yet retains elements of the traditional with its wood and stone exterior. The opulent atmosphere inside combined with the discreet yet warm reception from the staff means I really looked forward to returning after a day spent on l’Espace Killy. Catherine Bouvier is passionate about interior design and has worked her magic to great effect, and she’s even opened a small boutique in the hotel specialising in mountain crafts and interiors. There are 31 rustic chic rooms which blend contemporary style with tradition. There is a lot of exposed wood and the decor uses a palette of soft neutrals. The rooms are artfully lit and filled with luxurious furnishings. Our living area was complete with flat screen TV, DVD player and we had our own private balcony. The bathroom could not have been more luxurious with its rainfall shower and Jacuzzi bath.

One of the many pleasure to be had in the hotel is afternoon tea in the Whitney lounge bar. Sink down into a comfortable sofa and take your time over a hot drink, listening to the crackling fire in the fireplace. Or, if you prefer to relax in the Spa in an afternoon then be sure to come down to the Whitney for an aperitif before dinner and admire René Broissand’s all-metal fireplace … while you’re there it would be rude not to partake of some appetisers to get you in the mood for dinner.

For me there can be no place more relaxing than a Spa, particularly this one which is an oasis of calm with its stone walls and wooden ceiling. The poolside recliners add a modern feel and are further evidence of the level of attention to detail that makes this hotel so special. Relax tired muscles in the heat of the sauna or steam room, or just wallow in the Jacuzzi. There’s a treatment room too where you can indulge in a massage or beauty treatment. Try the soin corps lift alps: a snow crystal exfoliation followed by a cassis and cranberry mask, smoothing and firming.

You may already have sampled the talents of Chef Jean Michel Bouvier if you stopped at restaurant "Le Panoramic" for lunch. At more than three thousand metres at the top of the Grande Motte glacier it’s one of the highest restaurants in Europe and enjoys panoramic 360 degrees view of the mountains. If you have then you’ll be looking forward to dinner, if you haven’t, then you’re in for a treat. He revives Savoyard cuisine with a touch of inventiveness. "La Table en Montagne" serves simple and generous food like foie gras, artichoke heart and green bean terrine, followed by a Savoyard hamburger and homemade chips. Dishes are set down in the middle of the table, and the meat carved in front of you. Come desert, you’re left to cut your own – generous - slice of gâteau de savoie; just like the hotel it’s a delectable slice of luxury.