St Moritz

Leo Trippi’s Top Five Luxury Chalets in St Moritz

15 June 2020 by European Snowsport

A leading authority on luxury ski chalet rentals, Leo Trippi provides bespoke mountain holidays in destinations across the Alps and beyond. With a Swiss heritage dating back to 1882 and winner of the ‘World’s Best Ski Travel Agent’ at the World Ski Awards for six consecutive years, Leo Trippi are more than qualified to advise you on the best luxury chalets available to rent in St. Moritz.

Named after our co-founder’s great-grandfather, Leo Trippi, who ran some of the most iconic hotels in the Engadin, we have strong destination knowledge and deep-rooted contacts in the St. Moritz region. Handpicked by our specialist team, we offer an extensive portfolio of luxury ski chalets with a range of services, from full service with a private chef and butler to bed & breakfast and self-catered with daily housekeeping. We also offer a full concierge service, booking transfers, restaurants, ski lessons, as well as organising more unique requests, so all you need to worry about is enjoying your holiday.
Whether you are looking for an incredible spa, view or location, our luxury chalets in St. Moritz are sure to fulfil your needs.

Chesa el Toula

Just a two-minute drive from the nearest ski lift, Chesa el Toula is an ultra-exclusive hideaway in the Suvretta area of St. Moritz. Built by the owner’s grandfather, this exquisite property was completely renovated to include designer furnishings and one-off pieces from around the world whilst preserving its traditional Engadin features.
With ample living space, six bedrooms, a cosy cinema room, bar with pool table and a stunning spa area with indoor pool, Chesa el Toula is ideal for families and groups of friends looking for a property to keep all ages entertained. Chesa el Toula can be taken on a fully-serviced or self-catered basis. Both types of service include a chalet manager and use of a Heritage Land Rover Defender within St. Moritz.

Chesa Lumpaz

Situated next to Badrutt’s Palace, Chesa Lumpaz has one of the best locations in St. Moritz with easy access to the main shopping street and the slopes. With 900m2 of living space, this spacious property offers five double bedrooms plus staff accommodation. The interior is sophisticated yet cosy, with a large open plan living area on the top floor. Ideal for unwinding after a day in snowy St. Moritz is the wellness area on the ground floor, complete with Jacuzzi, steam room sauna and massage room.

Chesa Lumpaz comes fully serviced with a chalet host and private chef, so you won’t need to lift a finger during your stay.

Apartment Lakeside

For incredible views, look no further than Apartment Lakeside. Sliding glass doors from the open plan living area provides access to an enchanting terrace with sun loungers, al fresco dining spot and breathtaking views of Lake St. Moritz. Where better to watch some of the famous events such as White Turf and Snow Polo that take place on the frozen lake in winter?
Sleeping six guests, this modern three-bed apartment has a beautiful grand piano in the living room, a central Bose sound system and exquisite suites with lakeside views and marble bathrooms. Again, the apartment is offered fully serviced – all the more time to enjoy the views!

Chesa Musi

Ideal for large groups, Chesa Musi is tucked away in the Suvretta area of St. Moritz, just a minute’s drive from the chairlift and a five-minute drive from the centre. Across eight bedrooms, Musi is able to accommodate up to 20 guests. Spectacular mountain views can be seen from the light and spacious open plan living area and many of the bedroom suites. There’s also no shortage of entertainment on offer here; the chalet has its own squash court (which can be turned into a gym or games room) and indoor swimming pool.
Fully serviced, Chesa Musi comes with two hosts, a private chef and housekeeper for the duration of your stay.

Chesa Corvatsch

At the foot of the Corvatsch ski area, Chesa Corvatsch is just steps away from the gondola and it is possible to ski back to the door at the end of the day. Located in Surlej, a picturesque town by Lake Silvaplana, St. Moritz is just a seven-minute drive away. Warm and welcoming, we love the interior’s African flair which blends seamlessly with the traditional Alpine features. There’s also a fantastic wellness area with a swimming pool, sauna and small gym.
The chalet sleeps 12 adults and 8 children and comes with a host, private chef and additional live-in host who is on hand to organise anything you might require.

Whether you are looking for an incredible spa, view or location, our luxury chalets in St. Moritz are sure to fulfil your needs.

Breaking News: There’s LOADS of Snow in the Alps!

14 December 2017 by Chloe Hardy

Early Season Snow in the Alps!

Let’s be honest, snow in the Alps has been few and far between for the past few years. We weren’t heading into this winter with high hopes of a great season, but Mother Nature has proved us wrong! Over the weekend the Alps were hit by a mega snow storm which saw some resorts getting up to 80cm in one night. What’s more, it’s been snowing ever since and powdery conditions are set to continue.

Snow in Verbier — They couldn’t clear the snow fast enough in Verbier!

Here at European Snowsport HQ in Verbier, we were walking the streets in knee-deep snow and skiing even deeper powder. The clear up mission is still underway, with truck-loads of snow being transported out of the village to keep the roads clear. Nendaz saw similar conditions, with cars being totally buried and incredible snow conditions for our formation weeks across the Four Vallées.

Snow in Chamonix — The roads and the skies clearing in Chamonix. Photo: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

Chamonix also received a massive dump, which resulted in traffic chaos and many of the ski lifts being closed for a good few days. Thankfully now everything is back up and running!

Snow in Zermatt — The Zermatt Glacier looking lovely – we couldn’t resist a picture with the Matterhorn in the background!

Zermatt and St. Moritz have both seen their fair share of snow as well. Both resorts have been graced with some sunny intervals so everyone can enjoy the amazing conditions and stunning views.

Snow in Nendaz — Car or snowdrift? Nendaz got a healthy dump as well.

Just Remember…

Although all this snow in the Alps is amazing, if you’re looking forward to skiing some powder soon it’s important to remember to take precautions. Lots of snow means an increased avalanche risk so make sure you’re being careful when you head out! We offer off-piste ski lessons in all all ES resorts; our highly-qualified instructors know the mountains like the backs of their hands and will teach you to ski powder safely, without compromising on fun!

Snow in St. Moritz — St. Moritz enjoying their unique champagne snow climate!

European Snowsport Ski School in Verbier

Chamonix Ski School Location :: European Snowsport

130 Rue de l'Église, 74310

74310 Les Houches

France

Phone: +41277716222
Email: info@europeansnowsport.com

European Snowsport Ski School in Verbier

European Snowsport
Rue de Médran,

1936 Bagnes

Switzerland

Phone: +41 27 771 6222
Fax: +41277716221
Email: info@europeansnowsport.com

Nendaz Ski School Location

Chemin des Cibles 17

1997 Haute Nendaz, Valais

Switzerland

Phone: +41 27 565 3233
Email: nendaz@europeansnowsport.com

Zermatt Ski School Location

Bahnhofstrasse 19

3920 Zermatt

Switzerland

Phone: +41279676787
Secondary phone: +41277716222
Email: zermatt@europeansnowsport.com

Get the Low-down on St. Moritz

9 October 2017 by European Snowsport

St.Moritz has earned a reputation as one of the most exclusive ski resorts in Switzerland, but what’s it got that other Swiss resorts don’t? What exactly puts it a cut above? We caught up with Alina Zaiceva, Head of Marketing and Communication at our ES St. Moritz partner shool, Ski Cool. Alina is originally from Latvia but has worked and lived in Switzerland for six years. She also speaks loads of languages: Russian, Latvian, English, French, Italian and German, as well as a little bit of Norwegian and Ukrainian. So combined with her marketing role, it’s safe to say she knows her way around St. Moritz like the back of her hand! Here are her top tips for visiting this Swiss paradise.

Hi Alina! What exactly does your job as Head of Marketing and Communication involve?

I am responsible for all marketing, communications and sales within St. Moritz. I take care of selling our services, promoting them on local and international markets, developing the business, looking for new selling and promotional channels, managing the relationship with our business partners such as ES, Murtaroel Restaurant, Bvlgari, Swiss Helicopter, local hotels and more. I am also responsible for all website management, social media and concierge services, as well as HR and PR. It’s a very diverse position!

European Snowsport St. Moritz — St. Moritz is renowned for its beautiful lakes. Image: Kulm Media / St. Moritz Tourisme

Tell us a bit about your partnership with ES:

We have happily worked with ES for many seasons! We are happy to deliver ski and snowboard lessons to ES guests who are visiting St. Moritz and looking for a professional delivery of snow sport services. It is always a pleasure to work with very efficient, fast, professional and fun team at ES. We can always rely on our collaboration and always are happy to talk about it. Laura and Julian are doing great job managing so many employees and providing service on a very high level.

What kind of skiing can people expect in St. Moritz?

St. Moritz has a big diversity of ski pistes and off-piste areas. One of our main luxuries is… LAKES! They are beautiful to look at when you ski, it’s beautiful to be on them when they are frozen and experience all the activities they have to offer. The ‘champagne climate’ on the pistes of the Engadine Valley, which brings around around 320 days per year of sun, makes every day unique and unforgettable.

We deliver lessons on Corviglia, Corvatsch and Diavolezza mountains – each and every one of them has something special and extraordinary. There are pistes for all levels – beginners, intermediates and advanced, but the majority of them are intermediate. Guests can also have fun at the Snowparks in Corviglia and Corvatsch and experience amazing off-piste skiing when there are suitable conditions. Corvatsch has huge Snowpark and holds many freestyle ski and snowboard competitions every year, it’s one of the most favourable places for snowboarders.

Cross-country skiing is also very popular in Engadine valley, we have many kilometres of cross country slopes and many of them pass through the frozen lakes.

And what can people expect from a ski lesson with Ski Cool?

Professionalism, Swiss punctuality, a lot of fun, strong client commitment, personalised service, service on demand and concierge service. You’ll want to come back again and have more ski or snowboard lessons with us!

What would you say are some of the best things to do in St. Moritz outside of skiing?

Bobsleigh rides [St. Moritz is home to the legendary Cresta Run], helicopter sightseeing flights with Swiss Helicopter, watching Snow Polo on the frozen lakes. You can also watch horse races on the lakes, they’re known as ‘White Turf‘ races. Then there’s toboggan experiences, Muottas Muragl visits [one of St. Moritz’s many peaks, with stunning panoramas, a white-knuckle toboggan trail, snow shoe walks and a first-class hotel], ice skating, curling and of course shopping and food trying. Spa experiences in St. Moritz’s hotels and spa centres are always a must!

What do you think is St. Moritz’s best-kept secret?

The secret has to remain a secret! But… there are many of them. Some of them are… the champagne climate and the beautiful mountains, Corviglia and Corvatsch; the luxury and sophisticated atmosphere with its easiness and laid-backness; night skiing on Corvatsch every Friday night; the Gourmet Festival; cross-country skiing; helicopter sightseeing tours above the valley and many many more.

And finally, what advice would you give to someone looking to book their first winter holiday to St. Moritz?

Spend as much time as you can exploring the ski pistes! Go up very early and see how the sun rises above the beautiful Swiss Alps!

Well, if you hadn’t wanted to go to St. Moritz before, we hope you definitely want to go now! Frozen lakes, bobsleighing, snow polo?! St. Moritz is definitely a cut above in terms of après ski activities! If you’re looking to ski or snowboard in St. Moritz this winter, get in touch! We’d love to sort you out with some private lessons and help you make the most of your time on the slopes.

How to Plan an Awesome Ski Holiday

25 September 2017 by John Pettersen

Planning a holiday sometimes feels like a chore itself worthy of a holiday, and a ski holiday may, for some, feel like too much of a logistical challenge to overcome. Fear not, in this write-up it has been broken down into logical segments. How to plan a ski holiday is often a hotly contested subject, as everyone has their own organisational preferences. Here, we’ve broken it down to the bare bones to help you get off to a strong start.

FINDING THE RIGHT SKI RESORT

First off, you want to figure out which ski destination suits your holiday type best. Often, when you plan a ski holiday, picking a resort is the hardest part. Are you up for hard, challenging ski terrain or are mellow slopes your thing? Do you prefer a picturesque village or is a modern slope-side ski in / ski out apartment complex more practical? Is it important that the resort is child-friendly?

Many of these ski resort attributes are combinable, but sometimes you simply have to choose one or the other.

How to plan a ski holiday — The Aguille du Midi in ES resort, Chamonix, takes you up Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps.

There are over 1100 ski resorts (counting all small towns and big resorts) in the mountain range known as “The Alps” so you have an abundance of choices. The mountain range stretches from the southern part of France, through Switzerland, south of Germany, north of Italy, west / south of Austria and even partly into Slovenia.

A useful resource to narrow things down is a website called skiresort.info. It contains a complete collection of all the ski resorts worldwide and you can search for resorts based on your preferences. But if you know you definitely want lessons with ES, get the low-down on our four resorts here.

ACCOMMODATION

Use the ski resort’s official website or your preferred source of accommodation reservations. You will find anything from two-star private bed & breakfasts to the most luxurious hotel or chalet you can imagine. Study the map of the resort to understand the location in relation to the ski lifts or other significant places. Some resorts have organised complimentary shuttle busses to ease getting to and from the ski lifts.

Your choice of accommodation may also have some sort of ski and ski boot storage for you to use, typically a heated room in the basement. Others will provide storage at the bottom of the ski lifts.

WHERE TO FLY?

Once you’ve found your ski resort it’s time to look into flight arrangements. Depending on your departure destination and choice of resort you will typically fly into one of the following airports:

Switzerland: Geneva, Zurich

France: Geneva or Grenoble

Germany: Munich

Austria: Salzburg, Innsbruck or Zurich

Italy: Torino or Geneva

In addition, a few airlines operate on a limited flight frequency to some of the smaller airports closer to the resorts (i.e. Chambery or Sion) during high season. If their schedule fits your travel dates they’re definitely worth checking out.

AIRPORT TRANSFERS

As you know by now, the Alps is a rather big area so getting from the airport to resort may take some time. Travel times generally range from one to four hours, depending on your choice of transport.

Four main types of transport are usually available:

TRAIN

Some resorts (like Verbier, Zermatt and St. Moritz) have excellent connection by train (you can even board the train at the airport) whilst other are more dependent on road vehicles.

SHARED TRANSPORT (minibus- to coach-sized depending on demand)

Shared transport is most often an affordable solution. You can expect a little waiting whilst they gather up all arriving clients form different flights, but they are good at coordinating to avoid too much waiting.

PRIVATE TRANSPORT

Private transport is of course ‘all for you’ and is a smooth and effective way to travel. It may sound expensive, but if you are a small group of three to eight people it’s worth comparing prices and sharing the cost.

RENTED CAR

If you are staying at the same resort all through your holiday, a rented car tends to be an unnecessary, expensive solution. Especially since some resorts, like Zermatt, are car-free.

These are the four ‘main’ types of transport. On top of that you can of course rent a helicopter at the airport and have it fly you to resort…!

THINGS TO CONSIDER

Be aware of extra cost for bringing ski bags or excess luggage. Low-cost airlines are really stringent on weight limits, whilst others offer free ski carriage.
If you are happy with your ski boots, bring them with you, but consider renting skis in resort. You will have the benefit of a great selection, plus you can try various models depending on the snow conditions.
Bring some cash in local currency! There are still quite a lot of places on the mountain that only accept cash payment. There are of course plenty of ATMs, but it can be one of those things easily forgotten the morning before skiing.
Look for savings when purchasing ski passes online in advance.
Have a two euro coin handy at the airport for luggage trolleys.
Make a packing list of all the things you think you will need. Then leave 40% of it at home!
Use a duffel bag (or similar) when travelling. It is a lot smoother to pack your gear and also easy storable in a small hotel room.
Book ski lessons. Ski instructors are, in addition to their profession, also highly knowledgeable about the resort in general.

Leo Trippi’s Top Five Luxury Chalets in St Moritz

Chesa el Toula

Chesa Lumpaz

Apartment Lakeside

Chesa Musi

Chesa Corvatsch