W A blend of the urban

The W Verbier delivers on its promise of “ski-in ski-out” holidays, with skiers arriving at its doors in a spray of snow. This is a very different type of W to the ones for which this fast-growing chain, now present on every continent, is known. There is no glass and steel tower here in Verbier but four large chalets authentically encased in wood to ensure they blend in harmoniously with the Bagnes countryside. The Médran cable car is a short walk away, which is handy if you want to see the sun come up over Mont-Fort.
Behind the Alpine façade, the ambience is resolutely urban and trendy, echoing the W vibe and that of the resort as a whole, which has become something of a hub for the jet set. Transformation is the concept here, the idea being to create “a contemporary Swiss experience” backed up by innovative design and New York vibrancy. In the ultra-trendy Living Room bar, which doubles up as the lobby, you can toast  your arrival as you check in amid fluffy cushions, a green stag and a pink rabbit! And in the morning, lounge music provides the backdrop to breakfast.
The hotel’s 123 rooms and suites boast many touches that underscore its luxurious comfort and international design: an alcove with red upholstered walls; a glass-encased fireplace between the bed and bathroom (which comes complete with an XXL shower and bathtub); translucent pendant-shaped lights; and a balcony with trunk stools. Take a seat there snuggled up in a thick red blanket bearing the Swiss white cross and soak up the mountain views at your leisure.
The largest hotel in the resort, the 5-star W has much more to offer however, not least at the Kitchen, a restaurant that reinvents Swiss cuisine and where an illuminated bottle wall forms part of the décor along with clusters of copper-accented lights. Alternatively, there is the Eat-Hola tapas bar run by Catalan non-conformist Sergi Arola, a would-be rock musician turned two Michelin star chef, or the bunker-style Carve Sushi Bar, with interiors as black as ink. As if that were not enough, the W also has 800 square metres of spa, complete with sauna, hammam and indoor/outdoor swimming pool; plexiglass bubble chairs for sipping cocktails on and admiring the scenery; and ever-essential après-ski at the Off Piste bar.

www.wverbier.com