It was my first time in a ski resort in Val Thorens. Located in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie, French Alps, it is the highest ski resort in Europe, at 7,546 feet high. We arrived in the evening, having traveled on the train from Paris to Mutiers train station where the hotel shuttle bus picked us up.
The Koh-I Nor takes its name from the 105.6 carat diamond on the British crown. In Persian it means ”mountain of light”. Perched on a hilltop, the resort has an impressive diamond-shaped glass exterior. As you approach, you enter a glass elevator to ascend into the reception area where the lovely staff were there to welcome us. The lobby is very atmospheric, with a live piano player and people having drinks in the lounge bar. I chose to sit in the suspended egg chair as my spot for the night.
Our room was more like a modern apartment, set across two floors with a bedroom upstairs, and a lounge and bathroom (with heated floors) downstairs. The set up makes you feel like you are at home and the bed is one of the best beds I have ever slept in. After a blissful night's sleep we were up to watch the spectacular sunrise from the balcony, watching the sky turn blue and orange as it appeared from the behind the mountains. Good morning Val Thorens!
The slopes are located next to the hotel, and the fabulous outdoor terrace is the perfect spot to enjoy another coffee in the morning with a blanket wrapped around you as you watch the adventurous skiers glide past across the snowy mountains. After relaxing on the terrace, I decided to up the ante. The spa is stunning, flooded in natural light that soothes the skin, relaxes the muscles and detoxes the body. Two pools, fitness center, sauna, hammam, Jacuzzi, experience showers, salt wall and ice fountain are all part of the spa's bells and whistles. There are four treatment rooms for massages and beauty therapies. I treated myself to a head and shoulder massage, a necessity for someone who works a lot at the computer!
There are three restaurants, the gourmet Le Diamant Noir for fine dining; Le Cave, headed by Michelin starred chef Eric Samson, presenting local specialties made of carefully selected regional products; and L’Atelier d’Eric, an international restaurant that offers a set menu of five dishes and an exceptional buffet breakfast. Champagne is an option at breakfast should you want a bit of Dutch courage before hitting the slopes. The Koh I Nor is your hotel if you are looking to ski in, ski out and spa. Now I understand why ski and spa is such a heavenly combo!
