No. 14 Verbier | The Modern Cad Guide to Verbier

"The World's Greatest Chalet"

It is difficult to convey quite how incredible this chalet is – In the Snow Magazine it is described as "the World’s Greatest Chalet" – and I am struggling to disagree…

Décor - Clean modern lines throughout with plenty of fur throws and immaculate chrome - all bedrooms are 5-star standard and appointed beautifully with en-suite bathrooms fit for a downhill champion.

Amenities - the In-house chalet drivers will take you (and your skis where required) practically anywhere in the Verbier area at any time of day or night - no matter what state you are in.

The 10m indoor pool and jacuzzi gets less attention than the outdoor (and much larger hot-tub, which seats 14 quite comfortably - trust me, we tried (to paraphrase the age old ‘joke’: ‘What do you have if you put 14 lawyers in a hot-tub? Not enough hair-dryers’ - substitute hairdryers for champagne and you would be badly wrong - we simply couldn’t make them run out). There is even a third private hot-tub on the balcony of the master suite which affords excellent cork-popping target-practice opportunities, aiming down at the cavorting masses in the ‘public’ hot-tub.

The cinema room affords a fur-lined refuge from the relentless pressure to luxuriate in 5 star comfort and party until ... well you leave, actually - Given there are always at least 2 staff on hand day and night (should you require a lift to/from a nightclub or a 5am feast of Spag Bol with Cosmo chasers) you will be hard pushed to find an excuse not to party pretty much constantly – just book your blood transfusion for your return (the chalet will probably do it for you).

Should you require more extensive pampering the spa offers the usual array of treatments including deep tissue massage for those seriously hitting the slopes (literally or metaphorically).

Staff - Speaking of staff (I think I was?), they are simply superb - no public school gap yah slackers or university dropouts - every single one is kind, considerate, knowledgeable and brilliant at their jobs:

‘Fancy a Martini now you’ve taken your boots off? No problem, Sir’ - so far so good

‘I noticed you popping off for a quiet moment so I thought you could do with this Espressotini, Jaan” - so far so unbelievably well anticipated

Food:

The Head Chef at No.14, James Duckworth is a genius and takes great pride in preparing exceptional meals for the avid skier and gourmand alike. He is flanked by 2 more superb chefs, so the staff are never short-handed and offer you the choice of cooking to your specifications or taking complete charge so you need only sit back and marvel at the delicious cuisine they present to you.

Breakfast -a mix of continental options (freshly pressed juices, yoghurts, pastries and cereals -chia seed and raspberry Posset, anyone?) plus a myriad of cooked breakfast options(from beans on toast to eggs Benedict or a full English breakfast) and practically any type of fresh coffee you can think of (which if you have anything like the kind of stays I have there, you will very much need).

Lunch will usually be on the slopes, which the staff will happily book for you and once you return there will be a freshly-baked delight of some sort to recarb yourself before hitting the hot-tub.

Afternoon Tea – returning from the slopes, there is little as welcoming as a smile, a cup of tea or coffee and a sweet or savory delicacy – apart from possibly an espresso-Toni – you have carousing to do after all and you need something to power you up and into the hottub.

Supper is a set menu, paired with excellent wines and champagnes with perhaps one night off a week for the kitchen staff, when you’ll have to fend for yourself in downtown Verbier. You will come down to delicious canapés and be indulged in whatever style of dining suits your party – Traditional fine dining, bistro style or Asian-inspired sharing plates.

Booze - All drinks served are brand name with no generic labels –

Premier fizz in the hot-tub? No problem.

Absolut Martini before dinner? Of course.

Another bottle of Bordeaux with your 2am game of Cards Against Humanity? Why not?

(Remember to pack the more capacious of your livers).

Atmosphere - Highly dependent on your crowd, but given the staff all sign confidentiality agreements as standard, you can not only be assured of legally binding discretion, but also the fact that there is probably nothing the staff haven’t seen before – 2am dining table luge might have been a step too far, but even the ensuing dozen glasses shattering didn’t appear to phase our hosts in the slightest…

Quick Update for 2020 - delighted that on our recent visit, I only managed to stagger to bed at 8:30am (and was STILL not the last person to go to bed...) - a quick Bucks Fizz for Breakfast from the totally unphased staff and I was set up for the day - after a quick nap...

Conclusion – Simply fabulous – I can’t imagine a better base for alpine adventures.

Contact: 01608 674217, info@no14verbier.com

Address: Rue de la Velle 14, 1936 Bagnes, Switzerland

Website: https://www.no14verbier.com/

Social Media: Facebook

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