Along with the excitement of ski lifts opening in Val Thorens for the first time since March 2020, there’s also the thrill of a brand-new hotel to tempt people back to the French Alps this year.

Named after Marielle Goitschel, a French skier who was the winner of several world championship and Olympic gold medals and considered the best female skier of her day, she was also one of the founders of Val Thorens, which celebrates its 50th birthday next winter.

As well as being instrumental in the history of the resort — at 2,300 metres, the highest ski village in Europe — she also set up accommodation where families could stay and learn to ski, now the site of Hotel Marielle.

Today, the four-star hotel is chic and stylish while also retaining its original family ambiance; several family suites have built-in bunkbeds with cosy curtains plus there’s a children’s playroom just off the bar.

Much of the décor has a retro, art deco feel with plenty of grey and dark blue fabrics, wooden headboards with built-in lights, and rectangular tiles in the bathrooms, while the distinctive red and black ‘M’ logo discreetly decorates stationery, menus and cute retro postcards, along with the wall outside.

Exterior of Hotel Marielle, Val Thorens

With one of the best locations in the resort, the hotel is right on the pistes and within easy reach of the town centre, but enjoys a calmer setting as you’re not right in the heart of things.

The emphasis inside is on comfort too. The 83 rooms and suites have large beds which can be arranged as doubles or twins, kettles (which are far from a given in Alpine hotels), robes and slippers.

They’re gently lit, with no overhead central light — while the set-up is pleasingly straightforward to operate (again, not a given in hotels), it’s a little too dark at night, and I found myself using my phone torch to look for things in the open shelves. The sliding doors on to the balcony mean the room is lovely and light during the day though.

Bathrooms are a good size with full-sized Nuxe toiletries and a shower and/or bath, and plenty of storage room underneath the basin as well.

Its M restaurant has a large sunny terrace which serves a decent buffet breakfast with both hot and cold items, including a real honeycomb you could help yourself from. Dinner is similarly a buffet with a deli counter feel, featuring salad starters, pasta and fish, while at lunchtime there’s a short, a la carte menu available.

The bar is calm and cosy with its own indoor Japanese cherry tree; open all day and well into evening, there’s a drinks station in reception too where you can help yourself to tea, coffee and bottled water whenever you feel like it.

The ski shop attached to the hotel (you can even go in your slippers) has its own priority line for hotel guests, and there’s a functional but smart boot room with heated boot holders and an exit directly onto the piste.

Sauna in the spa at Hotel Marielle

After a long day skiing, the huge 32 square metre sauna in the Nuxe Spa has a glass window overlooking the pistes, plus you’ll find a steam room, relaxation room and a wide range of therapies available in its four treatment rooms.

There’s no extra charge for using the spa for hotel guests and unless you want a treatment, no booking is necessary.

Service was friendly and staff were always willing to help — it was sometimes a little slow, but in their opening week, this can be forgiven.

With piste access, comfortable rooms and a quiet location in a very busy resort, I’d happily stay again.

Rates

Double rooms cost from around £150 per night B&B. hotelmarielle.com

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