From basic to breathtaking: the evolution of the ski chalet

Energetic days on skis followed by sociable evenings swapping stories from the slopes: few holidays work as successfully for families and groups of friends as a chalet week. While the jury is out on the timing of the first chalet holidays, there’s agreement that from the 1970s and well into the 1990s, they were a uniquely British concept – and one where luxury took a back seat.

In the early days, a handful of one-man bands began launching no-frills packages that offered something “fun, but basic”, says Rupert Longsdon, Founder and Chairman of Oxford Ski. He was one of the earliest enterprising businesses to spot a gap in the market in the late 1990s for a more elevated experience. The pioneering approach of him and his contemporaries transformed chalet holidays and introduced them to a truly international audience.

“What started as fairly basic accommodation has evolved into incredible top-level homes with an endless list of add-ons: spas, saunas and hot tubs of course, but also nightclubs with DJ booths, cryotherapy chambers and professional grade cinemas,” he says. “In my time in the Alps, huge investment has taken catered chalets from places where bathrooms were shared between several bedrooms and the hot water regularly ran out, to hugely comfortable properties. The biggest chalets today are vast ‘icebergs’ with numerous service floors below ground, staffed to Downton Abbey levels. The original 1980s ‘chalet host’, fresh out of school with a one-week cooking course, has been replaced by teams of highly professional staff, many from the yachting world, operating on 24/7 rotation.”

Back in 1998, Oxford Ski’s top-end, six-bedroom catered chalets rented for £12,000 a week. Today, for the same level of chalet, that figure has tripled, Longsdon says, while for the very best homes with exceptional facilities accompanied by a full-service, luxury experience, clients can pay up to £500,000 a week.

One reason for this dramatic upscale is the way chalets are used today. Helped by a rise in remote and hybrid working and strong digital connectivity, there’s a notable trend for owners to spend extended periods in their chalets in winter – and in summer. 

“Chalets have become year-round destinations and architecturally, their structures have changed to accommodate that,” says award-winning Alpine interior designer Nicky Dobree. “Advances in technology including superior structural engineering and thermal insulation have transformed what is now possible, allowing for expansive floor to ceiling picture windows that bring the outside in and frame panoramic views. The best chalets are no longer dark log cabins to shelter in through the winter but instead, softer, lighter, more personal homes, designed for life beyond the ski season.”

A trend for longer stays is something that Marco Dionisio, Owner and Creative director of Bonjour Verbier Design Studio has seen first-hand, reflected in the attention the studio places on creating a “true sense of security, a genuine home in the mountains.” Every element of the interior should be individually designed and custom-crafted, with careful attention to acoustic insulation, technology and lighting. “A modern chalet should provide generous spaces for enjoying time with family and friends, while also allowing residents to retreat to their own space and enjoy privacy when desired,” Dionisio says. “For this reason, we place greater emphasis on hospitality, wellbeing and comfort within the residential architecture.”

Andrew Laughland, Founder of Spear’s 500-accredited architectural interior designers Laughland Jones has an extensive 30-year catalogue of over 300 projects, the majority in the Alps. While environmental concerns are rarely raised directly by his clients he says, his extensive use of reclaimed materials and natural fibres – wood, stone, linens and wools – leans heavily into sustainability.

“As new materials come available, we use them of course, but we still use the authentic materials employed 100 years ago,” Laughland says. “What has changed is how we use them. Take wood for example. The harsh gold varnished wood of the 1990s has been replaced by either solid oak, pressure treated pine or reclaimed wood from Poland or France. Oak, used well, provides a classical wooden lustre but with a contemporary feel. Lighting too is now much more of a focus and we spend considerable time getting it right, dropping ceilings perhaps to ensure light bounces off surfaces rather than being overly direct.”

Whether a chalet is newly constructed or old, authentic reclaimed timber is one of the most important design elements for Marco Dionisio too. “It creates the impression that the chalet and its rooms have existed for centuries, untouched by time,” he says. “For this reason, our design team personally selects the reclaimed wood for each project, carefully choosing the appropriate planks, textures and colour tones to fulfil the client’s vision precisely. What is no longer in demand are woods with strong yellow or orange undertones.”

Dionisio and his team regularly travel to Italy with clients to select marble, quartzite and travertine. Luxury is becoming more understated and personal, he says, with craftsmanship, privacy and enduring quality the key hallmarks, and there’s growing demand for a stronger contemporary aesthetic. “Today, chalets can certainly be more modern provided they feature exceptional furnishings and finishes,” says Dionisio. “We’re also seeing a trend among younger clients, aged 25 to 35, who are rediscovering traditional and authentic alpine values, naturally combined with a contemporary, design-led approach.”

Dobree’s trademark style combines wood and stone with lacquer, glass, plaster and metal, producing a pleasing traditional-meets-contemporary look. However, inevitably when designing in the mountains, some architectural features remain unchanged.

“Gable roofs with their overhanging eaves efficiently shed the snow, shield from weathering and provide shade in summer, essential for alpine living,” says Dobree. “Elevated balconies with wraparound terraces enable you to use outside space in winter and summer, natural stone foundations anchor the wooden structure and inside, fireplaces remain at the heart of the home. Many details in older chalets are lovely to retain, and a common mistake is to rip them out in favour of over modernising, erasing the chalet’s history, soul and regional character. I would always try to restore and re-use original materials where possible.”

What has changed significantly over the years are the facilities clients expect with their chalets. Cryotherapy chambers might still be only for the most exclusive homes, but Nicky Dobree has added dog showers in boot rooms for several clients, and wellness areas are a priority. “Most chalets I design include a pool, whether inside or out, with a moveable floor or 3 metres depth, along with sauna, steam, gym, yoga studio and massage space,” she says. “Entertainment is also key with proper cinema rooms – not just a giant screen, sports bars and nightclubs being part of the brief. Outdoor areas include hot tubs, firepits, BBQ areas and spacious decks.”

While chalets have become exponentially bigger and better, in-demand Alpine locations have remained remarkably unchanged. As its name implies, Bonjour Verbier Design Studio works predominantly in Verbier but also Crans Montana and nearby Swiss resorts. Verbier is a perennial favourite, says Longsdon.

“Higher altitude resorts are where money has been invested and it shows in the quality of chalets there,” he says. “In France, Val-d’Isère and the Three Valleys, notably Méribel and Courchevel, have always carried a premium and continue to do so. Megève too, while it is at a lower altitude, has historical prestige, and the Italian Alps are having a renaissance, especially the Dolomites.”

The rugged natural beauty of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has traditionally welcomed fewer international winter sports fans than the French Alps. Cortina d’Ampezzo is arguably Italy’s best-loved ski resort, known as the Queen of the Dolomites and shown to good effect as the co-host for the 2026 Winter Olympics.  

For Nicky Dobree’s clients, the French resorts of Val-d’Isère and Courchevel remain in high demand, helped by their strong snow-sure record: “Clients increasingly look for Alpine homes that support year-round mountain living and want homes that not only connect with nature, and all the Alps have to offer but also where they can be part of the community.”