ValThorensGuide.co.uk

An independent guide to Val Thorens

Val Thorens hotels

The hotels in Val Thorens include four 5-stars - the Fitz Roy, Altapura, Koh-i-Nor, and Pashmina. The 4-stars are the Hotel Val Thorens, Hotel 3 Vallées, and Fahrenheit 7. The Val Chavière and Sherpa are well-run, friendly 3-stars. If you prefer a club hotel, owned and run by a tour operator, options include the Tango and the Club Med Sensations. Read about Val Thorens hotels here.

5 star |  4 star | 3 star | Club hotels | Comments

Val Thorens hotels: location map

Val Thorens hotels: 5 star

There are four 5-star hotels: the long-established Fitz Roy, the Altapura, new in 2011-12, the Koh-i-Nor, new in 2013-14, and the Pashmina, new in 2015-16.

Val Thorens hotels: Fitz Roy

  

Right at the centre of the resort, the Fitz Roy is in a great location, in place Caron. For many years, it was Val Thorens' only 4-star. Over summer 2013, it was refurbished by new owners, a company called Les Hotels d'en Haut. It is now a 5-star.

The Fitz Roy's 'comfort' rooms are modestly sized, although you can opt for a more spacious bedroom ('priviledge') at an extra cost. The hotel also has suites. The new decor is in subdued colours, with quite a lot of brown.  

The Fitz Roy has excellent facilities, including a small swimming pool in the spa area, a bar with an open fire, and a fine, if rather formal, restaurant. Since the improvements in summer 2013, there's a ski shop within the hotel. Another new development is a library near reception (a lounge with book shelves). Guests have direct access from the ski room onto the snow.

Even if you're not staying at the Fitz Roy, you can treat yourself to lunch on the terrace, or dinner in the restaurant. 

Val Thorens hotels: Altapura

 

The Altapura was opened in December 2011 by the Sibuet hotels group, and calls itself the highest ski palace in Europe. The hotel's website says, 'As a connoisseur of a certain way of life and appreciative of beautiful things, you will fall under the spell of this 5-star hotel.' It is spacious, and aims for a 'Nordic-chic' atmosphere. It meets the latest environmental standards, and features solar panels on the outside. Also for environmental reasons, there are no balconies. The 88 bedrooms are modern and stylish. 

It has a terrace, bar, and bar/brasserie (Les Enfants Terribles). As well as the brasserie, there are two more restaurants, Le Deux.Mille.Trois and La Laiterie (which serves the Savoyarde specialities). 

Altapura lounge bar area, photo by Di Orio

At the Altapura, there's an extensive (1000m2) spa area, with an 'igloo' space, and an indoor/outdoor pool. If you take the Plein Sud chairlift, you can see the Altapura's guests splashing around in the outdoor pool. 

Altapura with Inghams

You can book the Altapura with Inghams.

Altapura video

This is the hotels video, which gives you an idea of what it looks like in the bedrooms, lounges and restaurants:

Altapura minibus

The Altapura has a minibus for transporting guests around the resort. It is no doubt a useful service for hotel guests, but it's important that the Altapura minibus drivers don't go too fast, and show patience and respect to people walking around resort.

Val Thorens hotels: Koh-i Nor

New in the 2013-14 ski season, the Koh-i-Nor is a 5-star hotel, which also has luxury apartments. It's at the top of the resort, just above the Tango and the Hotel Sherpa. It won 'best ski hotel in France' 2015 at the World Ski Awards.

The hotel is designed to be light inside. Koh-i Nor's website says, 'From the time you set foot in the hotel, you'll notice the natural light everywhere, thanks to the imposing, diamond-shaped glass structure. Koh-i Nor will immediately make you feel full of light, energy, and fullness.'

Koh-i Nor has 63 rooms and suites, two restaurants, two pools in an 800m2 spa area, and a lounge bar. The Michelin-starred chef is Eric Sansom.

Val Thorens hotels: Pashmina

The Pashmina was new 5 star hotel in 2015-16, in place Péclet, and bordering the slalom stadium. 

It was built by the Gorini family, who have been in Val Thorens since 1972, and already own and run the Hotel 3 Valleys and the Chalet de la Marine (an excellent mountain restaurant). Their new hotel is luxurious, uses local materials, and is built to high environmental standards. It has 42 bedrooms, plus a number of 'cosy homes' and apartments, as well as a 400m2 spa complex.

There are two restaurants (les Explorateurs and le Base Camp), and a bar.

 

There are now two igloo-pods on the roof. It's a form of luxury camping, and you can spend the night in an igloo-pod with a view of the mountains and the stars, but still with home comforts such as a wood-burning stove and a Nordic bath (like half a wine barrel, and using water heated by the wood-burning stove).

Inside an igloo-pod at the Altapura

Val Thorens hotels: 4 star

There are four 4-star hotels in Val Thorens: the Hotel Val Thorens which, like the Fitz Roy, is owned by Hotels d'en Haut; the Hotel 3 Vallées, which upgraded from 3 to 4 stars for winter 2014/15; the Hotel du Kashmir, was added to the existing Hameau du Kashmir apartments; and, new in 2016/17, Fahrenheit 7, formerly the Hotel Mercure, and completely renovated inside in summer 2016. There's also the '4 tridents' Club Med Sensations, which opened 2014/15 (see club hotels, below).

Val Thorens hotels: le Val Thorens

The Hotel le Val Thorens was probably Val Thorens's top 3-star hotel. In summer 2012, there was an extensive refurbishment, and it re-opened for winter 2012-13 as a 4-star. The big addition to the hotel was a spa and swimming pool. Read more about the Hotel le Val Thorens.

Val Thorens hotels: 3 Vallées

The Trois Vallées is a small hotel, in a good location, with excellent food and friendly service. Read more about the Hotel des Trois Vallées.

Val Thorens hotels: Hameau du Kashmir

A four-star hotel has been added to the luxury Hameau du Kashmir complex.

Val Thorens hotels: Fahrenheit 7

The successor to the Hotel Mercure, Fahrenheit 7 emerged from a complete interior renovation of the building in summer 2016. The name comes from the perfect temperature for the formation of a snowflake (7F or -13.89C). The hotel's website is distinctive, and may be to your taste, or not.

Val Thorens hotels: 3 star

Val Thorens hotels: le Sherpa

Le Sherpa is a cosy hotel run by the Chamberot family. The comfortable rooms are classed as single, economic double, tradition, panorama (with a better view), family or family panorama, and junior suite. The bar, with an open fire, is one of the nicest things about this hotel. The food is excellent. There's a cosmic sauna (outside by the terrace), sauna, hammam, and jacuzzi, plus a beauty centre offering massages and beauty treatments. Definitely recommended.

Cosmic sauna, by C. Cattin (OT Val Thorens)

Hotel Sherpa with Inghams

You can book the Hotel Sherpa with Inghams.

Val Thorens hotels: le Val Chavière

Le Val Chavière is another family-run hotel, which is very popular, and gets many repeat visitors. It doesn't have too many airs and graces, but all the rooms are south or south east facing, with a view of the mountains, and TV, telephone, and safe. Some rooms can take a third bed, but there isn't all that much space, so this arrangement is usually for 2 adults and a child, or 3 children. It offers good set menus, with Savoyarde specialities (cheese or meat fondue) on a Thursday. Breakfast is a buffet affair. There's a bar with friendly service, and direct access from the ski room to the slopes.

Hotel Val Chaviere with Inghams

You can book the Hotel Val Chaviere with Inghams.

Val Thorens hotels: le Portillo

Le Portillo (named after a ski resort in Chile) is in a good location for shops and bars, and for access to the slopes. It has 15 good-sized hotel rooms plus 4 suites, with TV, wifi, bathroom with bath, separate WC, and balcony. It is good value. There's a sauna and steam room. In the past, the service has been slightly eccentric. (The Portillo also has apartments).

Hotel Portillo with Inghams

You can book the Hotel Portillo with Inghams.

Val Thorens hotels: Alberta Hotel

Formerly la Marmotte, this hotel has now been taken over by the family who own Café Face West, and renamed Alberta Hotel. It is certain to be well-run and comfortable. I'm not sure of the star rating.

Val Thorens hotels: club hotels

Val Thorens hotels: Tango

Owned and run by the Scandinvian tour operator, Langley Travel (part of the TUI group, which also owns Crystal), the Tango is a club hotel. 

The hotel has 59 rooms, with individual, contemporary decor, and TV. The Tango's bar and restaurant are open to non-residents. The bar has been popular for many years with holidaymakers and season workers, for its lively but relaxed, friendly atmosphere. (Wifi in the bar and restaurant).

A stay at Tango can be booked through Crystal.

Val Thorens hotels: Club Med Sensations

Club Med Sensations in Val Thorens opened in the 2014/15 winter season. It is rated 4 tridents (the Club Med equivalent of 4 stars), and has space for almost 800 guests. It is all-inclusive - accommodation, meals, drinks, entertainment, and ski lessons are all included in the price of the holiday. 

Val Thorens hotels: other club hotels

There is also a UCPA (a sort of French youth hostel), and Club Hotel MMV Les Neiges. Swedish tour operator Nortlander have a hotel in the rue du Soleil, called the Bel Horizon.

MMV took over the old Club Med building in 2014/15, for their MMV Les Arolles club hotel, which is aimed squarely at families, with children's clubs part of the package.

Club Hotel MMV Les Arolles with Inghams

You can book Club Hotel MMV Les Arolles with Inghams.

Val Thorens hotels: comments

Leave a comment about a hotel you've stayed in.

Chalets in Val Thorens

Chalet holidays remain a firm favourite with people looking for accommodation in Val Thorens. Tour operators in Val Thorens include Skiworld, Inghams and Crystal/Thomson. Their chalets are usually 8-12 person apartments in résidences like Balcons, Altitude, Chalet 2400, Chalet des Neiges, and Montagnettes, rather than free-standing buildings. One exception is Chalet Catherine/Olivier, run by Ski Total. 

Self-catering in Val Thorens

Self-catering apartments in Val Thorens are available in professionally run tourist résidences (covered in our apartments page), through estate agents, and direct from private owners. 

Apartments

Our apartments page has information about every résidence in Val Thorens, with photos and descriptions, and a location map.