Megève
3 fairytale Apline hotels, longevity spas, memorable mountain meals & a new obsession with génépi
It has been a life-long dream of mine to ski in Europe. I grew up skiing in Utah + Colorado with my family. My mom was an avid skier and even lead charters throughout North America (pre-kids). My Dad, on the other hand, decided he didn’t care for the sport after a few wipeouts on the bunny runs and learning how much schlepping was involved (can’t say I blame him).
Between the smelly ski rental shop, wearing 14 layers of clothing and alternating between the sweats / still being cold, avoiding death ± 5 times in a day, carrying your gear up/down stairs, not to mention trying to pee while wearing a onesie, etc…. it’s true, you've really gotta love it.
But all of that said, my recent experience in Megève was nothing short of magical. We were practically living in a snow globe for 6 days.
I had the honor and privilege of traveling with two pros — my best friend Jessie Leventhal, a Fora X luxury travel advisor with impeccable hospitality taste, and Monica Mendal, the internet’s travel journalist crush, known for finding the world’s most special, character-filled properties — both true experts in discovering memorable stays that pair intimacy with world-class service.
Another bestie, Samantha Osio, and I got to reap some pretty spectacular plus 1 benefits, and I’ll be sharing our perfect itinerary below :
hotels
01: SAINT GEORGES
If arriving to Megeve was like stepping into a snow globe, walking into Hotel Saint Georges was like entering a Wes Anderson movie set. Recently redesigned by Luke Edward Hall, the team did an excellent job at preserving the chalet’s original character while celebrating the spirit of Megève and breathing fresh life into the space. It was quirky and playful. We all adored it.
My favorite stay out of the 3 properties. It felt like our own private chalet, but with all the luxury comforts of a 5-star hotel. Two words: breakfast buffet. Tucked into a tiny alcove, with a perfect view of the snow-capped mountains, equipped with omelette + crêpe bar, absolutely no detail was missed. Each morning, we’d order cappuccinos and take a (couple) lap(s) at the BB. My favorite part was that each chef made the omelettes a bit differently — like a flat pancake, folded in half, or my personal favorite, softly set and swaddled, tucked neatly, with a silky finish. It was the ultimate treat ending our days in the outdoor jacuzzi, as the snow kept falling around us <3.
The last stop on our hotel circuit. Another 5-star chalet-property, located in the heart of Megève’s village. We were here for just one night, but made sure not to miss their incredible longevity spa.
restaurants
01: Le Piaf - food was far better than we were expecting. turns into a fun napkin twirling dance-on-tables vibe (sans bottle sparklers)…
02: Trappeur - inside hotel saint georges. we loved our dinner here. highlight was the thin crepe-like apple tart for dessert — divine!
03: Chalet Lupo - hearty Italian dishes at the top of the mountain. Brodo never hit so hard.
04: sous le Freddys - undoubtedly my favorite food experience of the trip. maybe not our best meal, but the journey to get there, the ambience, the charm, the hospitality, the authenticity oozing out of every crevice… no notes.
05: Le Vieux — I think I personally reached peak consumption of cheese / potatoes / bread at this point and sort of blacked out. Soon after, we were all resurrected by génépi and pretended it was Sam’s birthday, which is always funnier than it should be.
06: Refuge — tucked away at the very end of the road. serving rustic classics with a twist. Loved the gyoza spinach salad with a truffle yuzu dressing (copied this on my menu the following week). Still dreaming of the puff pastry on the beef Wellington.
other highlights
- wearing my dad’s 40+ yr old sweater (he told me the last time he wore it he had hair lol). They weren’t lying when they said wool sweaters really last a lifetime.
- nuisette - perfect nightie in every season. but she really had her moment in the snowy Apls.
La fin!
xo,
b&b
Love that postcard pic ☃️