This time of year is always the most exciting; the temperature drops, the first snow falls, the lifts open and restaurants and businesses come out of autumn hibernation. Place Centrale changes its roundabout design for a magnificent Christmas tree, and the famous Christmas lights start going up around resort. Most importantly for us, our incredible winter team arrive very soon. Many are returners, eager to be back in the resort, seeing what is new in Verbier this year and doing the jobs they love. Others are new, a little nervous but still excited to experience their first winter here, and it’s that blend of team that is a joy for us as a company. Six months in the planning, we will be our biggest team ever this year, with hosts, chefs, drivers and management all arriving imminently, ready to welcome you come mid-December.
We also begin Winter 23/24 with 2 incredible new chalets joining the Ski Verbier Exclusive family taking us to 19 chalets. This means extra pre-season preparations, which have been underway for months. The chefs will soon be completing their sampling of the local produce and finalising their winter menus, the drivers will be getting to know the roads (and where all the shortcuts are) and the hosts will be opening up the chalets for the first winter guests. Fortunately, we have lots of returning staff to show the new recruits the ropes. We have tasted a wide range of wines to pair with your private chef’s menus (a job we take very seriously) and have added some new little touches for the season to make your holiday with us even more special.
No stone has been left unturned in the run up to the season, from providing you with a new flavour of Spacemask for your relaxation, upgrading our Christmas decorations to adorn your chalet, replacing vehicles for your comfort and safety, as well as purchasing new uniform for our staff to ensure they look smart and feel comfortable in quality clothing. We have also set up a new partnership with First Luggage which gives you the option to have your luggage transported from door to door, making your journey more efficient and relaxing from the moment you leave home. As for chalet updates, guests staying in Chalet Sorojasa will enjoy fresh new bathrooms and those staying in Chalet Rock will have the comfort of a refurbished living space and bedroom as well as a new hot tub to luxuriate in after a day out on the mountain.
For the regular visitors among you, you may notice there have been some restaurant changes too. La Nonna is being transformed into a new Italian called Intenso, while the slope side restaurant Carlesburg will become L’Inkontro – an Italian characterised by the flavours and warmth of the south. Lastly, we look forward to the opening of Boca, a new Mexican eatery which replaces Pergola. Plenty of new dining options for you to try out during your stay!
The Ski Verbier Exclusive team will have some all-important ski time with instructors from our partners at Performance Verbier to refresh their knowledge of the ski area while getting their ski legs and confidence back, something that continues throughout the winter – both on and off piste, including avalanche safety sessions. It all helps to build that unique Ski Verbier Exclusive team spirit that binds them for the ski season ahead and leads to many lifetime friendships – and sometimes even marriages and babies!
So as the restaurants and bars organise their opening nights, and snowploughs become a regular feature on the roads once again, the wait is almost over. Very soon, ten luxurious vans will be on the road, the chalets will have their fires on and the chefs have got their kitchens ready. All that’s left now is for you to arrive…
