Refuge de la Traye Hotel

Méribel, France

For altitude enthusiasts, a ‘refuge’ conjures up images of cold, damp frat-style dorm rooms and sweaty sleeping bags. Refuge de la Traye is anything but. Established in 1982, it recently emerged, phoenix-like, from a multimillion-euro renovation that has left it radiant in lamb’s wool, forest green and raw wood. Its location, at 1,650m on the Plateau de la Traye, with views across the Méribel Valley toward Courchevel, remains as dazzling as ever. And, more importantly, as well located for access to Mont Vallon, the highest skiable point in the area (with twice-daily shuttles to Le Villard, from where you can pick up a bubble lift to Méribel). Big fireplaces create an ambience of cosseting calm which continues in the spa, where antler candelabras throw flickering light over an Iyashi Dome and milk bath. Chef Marco Meloni looks both to his Italian roots and the Savoyard countryside for inspiration, with mountain musts such as tartiflette alongside playful pairings like mango and scallop salad. The refuge sleeps 19 across seven bedrooms and a separate chalet.

Words by Gregor Rankin. Doubles from £493. slh.com