Family Ski

Antares Meribel is located in the extensive ski area of 3 Valleys which includes Meribel, Courcheval, Val Thorens and some smaller villages at lower altitude. It has a great position at 1700ft altitude and therefore generally has great ski conditions through to the end of the season. It is also located close to the Rond Point and near to a gondola station. It is comfortable and has a welcoming bar area, popular after a day on the slopes. Tea and coffee is laid out with snacks throughout the day so guests can help themselves. The hotel attracts a variety of nationalities, mainly French but because of the bilingual staff, we found no language barrier. It is a social environment and a great example was at the pool table in the bar; it was popular with youngsters who grouped together to play, irrelevant of nationality. Also in the dining room, the tables tend to be larger so that groups of people can dine together and staff often join in too. This can work well for guests who are holidaying alone as there is always someone to sit with. One of the main attractions of this village is the lovely panoramic restaurant with floor to ceiling windows extending onto a fabulous terrace overlooking the slopes. It’s a great place to soak up the spring sunshine after lunch. The food offered in the buffet restaurant was extensive and plentiful. There were several cooking stations with chefs ready to freshly prepare your salad, cook your meat to order or serve your dessert. There was also a range of hot dishes ready prepared and all delicious. It was a high standard of food served and the evening dining experience was amazing with an array of fresh seafood including oysters, mussels, crab, prawns and langoustines as well as a chocolate fountain with fruit skewers, and a variety of strawberry desserts. The attentive waiting staff were topping up glasses and clearing your plates ready to embark on the next course. With it being all inclusive, the bar drinks including cocktails are included (some premium drinks including XO brandies are chargeable) and wine is served with your meals. Soft drinks were also available as well as tea and coffee so guests can help themselves. It can work out to be good value too as the all inclusive basis not only means you don’t have to worry about paying for meals whilst you are in resort, but it also includes ski tuition (age dependent in different resorts) and your lift pass. You only pay extra for optional facilities such as the spa treatments or activities and your equipment. Skis, boards and boots are provided by the in house team which supply top brands and new gear. Antares Meribel has a gym and spa as well as an indoor/outdoor pool which was a novelty when it was snowing! This hotel did not have children’s clubs whereas others offer a range of facilities depending on age. Some are very family orientated but others attract mostly adults or families with older children. We chose to visit this one in particular because of its location and leisure facilities and we really enjoyed our time there.