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Having only been on skiing holidays with my father – an excellent skier but not one for the luxury trappings that accompany it – I discovered there was a great deal about the ski holiday I had been missing out on. Such was my experience at the four star Nira Alpina resort, a comfortable lodge and gastronomic haven, beloved by skiers and ski widows alike. Accessible via a picturesque train journey from Zurich, the lodge situated above the sleepy village of Silvaplana and is a ten-minute journey from St Moritz itself.
For seasoned skiers, it offers access to the famous Corvatsch Mountain via a cable car just outside the hotel (which offers 17 red runs and 12 kilometres of black piste) while a funicular will take you to the Corviglia area. But for real dare devils, there is also a special NirAdrenaline in the Alps package, which includes heli-skiing and a turn down the infamous Cresta bobsleigh run. And when it comes to humble beginners such as yours truly, there are several nursery slopes and blue runs (although admittedly not as many as other European resorts) to find your ski legs – with plenty of fantastic mountain restaurants where you can thaw out over a bowl of traditional Grison barley soup.
Bistro terrace
St Moritz itself is said to have in the realms of 350km of slopes of varied terrain, together with a reputation for fantastic off-piste skiing. It is said to be where the fashionable ski holiday originated among the British elite in 1864 and has the oldest Tourism Board in Switzerland. Famous winter sports competitions take place here throughout the year, such as the famous Engadin Ski Marathon as well as the aforementioned Cresta run. It also hosted the Alpine Ski World Championships in 2003, and was the only place in Switzerland to have hosted the Winter Olympics (1928 and 1948). It is also famous for its unique winter sports on the frozen lake by the town of by St Moritz Dorf, with horse racing, cricket, polo matches and even kite running taking place on the ice.
Over at the Nira Alpina, the traditional cosy ski lodge elements (fleece-draped chairs, roaring fireplaces) are combined with minimal soft wooden furnishings and high fashion prints of mainly half-naked supermodels lining the walls. There are also spectacular mountain views out of the panoramic windows in each of the spacious guests rooms, which are even more incredible when viewed from the large Junior Suites on the top floor. Each room also comes with a terrace or balcony to sit outside, take in the fresh air and contemplate what wonderful things you must have done in a previous life to end up here.
Nira Lounge
The atmosphere is relaxed (as one would expect in a hotel whose walls are decorated with bare-breasted vixens) yet the high luxury element in terms of service, furnishings and food never lets up.
Ah yes, the food. I still find myself dreaming about the fondue from the hotel’s neighbouring Pichalain apres-ski hut, a delightful half-lit cabin that seats just 16 people. If you’re fatigued after long day on the slopes (or in my case, the designer boutiques of StMoritz Dorf) their decadent fondue is the perfect reward. To the uninitiated, it consists of Swiss cheese, schnapps and white wine, which when eaten on dipped bread is pure manna from heaven. Lit by candlelight with fleece seat coverings, it’s cosy to the extreme, with a jovial Swiss atmosphere (which several shots of schnapps later, was increased considerably.)
If cheese isn’t your first choice – fret not, as the hotel’s Trattoria boasts a delicious range of Italian food. There is also a bakery where one can indulge in handmade chocolates, pastries and other sweet treats. And on the top floor lies the Stars restaurant, offering an interesting mix of pan-Asian cuisine, together with the same scenic views as the guest rooms through its bay windows. Breakfast also takes place at Stars, where you can admire the morning-lit mountain terrain, as you fuel up with a buffet of cured meats, cheeses, fruit and eggs together with home-made museli.
Young skier
Non-skiers can relax in the hotel’s spa (whose mixed nude saunas are not for the faint hearted), work up an appetite in the gym or wander the fashionable town of St Moritz Dorf with its many shops and historical monuments, and where the great and the good go to see and be seen.
In the evenings, guests can unwind at Stars’ neighbouring bar, and sip a Martini in the Snow by the glass-sided fireplace. One also has to admire the bar’s makeshift fridge (basically a window outside which bottles of spirits are shoved into the snow). And you’ll need a bit of Dutch courage if you want to join in the popular night skiing, which takes place along the longest artificially lit ski slope of the Swiss Alps.
Otherwise, those less adventurous can enjoy a sports massage at the spa (included in the NirAdrenaline in the Alps package). Mine involved a combination of soothing essential oils and a muscular Swiss masseur who took no prisoners. There wasn’t a knot that went unacknowledged, nor a tense limb not pummelled into submission (one has to admire that Germanic approach to thoroughness at times).
Corvatsch Room
On the last day our group took a horse carriage ride through the snow-capped Swiss countryside, whilst bundled in blankets: the perfect picturesque ending to a heavenly weekend. Although my unwillingness to ski remains unshaken – thanks in no small part to a fist-sized bruise from when I actually did brave the slopes – I certainly hope to return to the Nira Alpina – just expect to see me holding a cocktail as opposed to ski poles …
by Viola Levy
The NirAll-Inclusive ski package (including ski passes and ski rental, together with transportation around the St Moritz region) starts at £,1131 based on a double occupancy for three nights.
The NirAdrenaline in the Alps package is £5500 based on a double occupancy for seven nights.
For more information and bookings, visit: Nira Alpina or contact: info@niraalpina.com Tel: +41 81 838 69 69
Nira Alpina, Via dal Corvatsch 76, CH-7513 Silvaplana, Switzerland
Outside