The Case for the Ski Chalet All-inclusive skiing with a private twist.

There’s an alternative to the Great American Ski Vacation. Making a winter sojourn begs repeating, for good sport and good company alike. But if you’ve gone the way of the North American ski-in/ski-out luxury resort, you know how the hidden extras add up fast, as one complaint of US ski travelers is the constant nickel-and-diming. An appeal of all-inclusive trips is knowing the cost going in, but while there are ultra-luxe, all-inclusive options in other kinds of travel, that model doesn’t exist in skiing—except at staffed chalets.
It was the British who invented the ski vacation, crossing the channel to hit the slopes in the Alps. Their preference endures for sharing lavish homes with family and friends, employing chefs, massage therapists, and ski instructors through the week. More opulent models include full-size indoor pools, gyms that rival those at much larger hotels, home theaters, pool tables, hot tubs, saunas, wine cellars, heated boot rooms, and even golf simulators. But best of all, from hot tubs to the yoga studio, you have it all to yourself.
“You have more rooms than your family would in a hotel, it’s more personalized, and the staff works just for you,” said Rick Reichsfeld, president of Alpine Adventures (alpineadventures.net), America’s leading luxury ski travel specialist, which often arranges European chalet trips. “It starts right away: They pick you up at the airport, take you around town, you never have to deal with driving. But the best thing is that everyone who goes skiing is on the same schedule, and no matter how nice a hotel is, they can’t give everyone spa appointments at 3 or 4 p.m., but that’s when everyone wants them. Here you go back to your house and take turns getting massages while sitting in your hot tub drinking Champagne.” …

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