Overview
Positioned right on Méribel’s slopes, ski-in ski-out Le Coucou is a colourful, contemporary take on a classic Alpine chalet, where plaid and reindeer prints have been swapped out for terracotta walls, teddy-shaped chairs and lots of strokeable sheepskin courtesy of interiors mastermind Pierre Yovanovitch. It’s all about the valley views: windows showcase the slopes at every turn, and you can enjoy them up close out on the restaurant terrace or braving the outdoor part of the pool. There’s a Beefbar outpost, an Italian restaurant serving hearty, truffle-filled suppers, and a super-cosy bar with yet more peak-filled panos.
Highlights:
Ski in, ski out
Super spa
Valley views
Smith extra
Tapas to share and a glass of champagne each
In the know
Also need to know:
In the unlikely event that you’re not getting enough exercise on the slopes, personal trainers are on hand to help.The hotel’s communal areas are wheelchair-accessible and there are some specially adapted rooms.
Packing tips:
This one’s pretty straightforward: moon boots, salopettes and sunglasses, with some stylish après wear thrown in to keep up with the Coucou crowd. Le Coucou has a handy ski room – where you can get kitted out with skis and ski boots – with a boutique section for anything you may have forgotten.
Dress code:
It’s casual, but you might want to switch out of your ski boots (unless they’re Fendi).
Mr and Mrs Smith reviews
Every hotel featured is visited personally by members of our team, given the Smith seal of approval, and then anonymously reviewed. As soon as our reviewers have returned from this ski-in, ski-out hotel in France and unpacked their ski boots and salopettes, a full account of their mountain break will be with you. In the meantime, to whet your wanderlust, here's a quick peek inside Le Coucou in Méribel…
The founder of hotel group Maisons Pariente may be more famous as the person behind beloved French brand Naf-Naf, but these days he’s more into hotels. With the help of his stylish daughters, he has created Le Coucou, Méribel’s hottest new opening for the 2019 season (the family are also in charge of Provence’s Crillon le Brave and Lou Pinet in St Tropez, so you can expect yet another hotel hit). Chef Riccardo Giraudi has been enlisted to man the kitchens, opening up another Beefbar, currently clamoured over everywhere from Paris to Dubai. You’ll be able to soothe ski-boot-fatigued legs with a Tata Harper spa treatment, or swim outside in the fresh mountain air. The giant chalet is at the top of the resort’s ski station, so you can ski out and straight back in again (where strapping staff will be waiting to unbuckle you out of your boots). And, though it may look perfectly Alpine from the exterior, there’s not a plaid rug or stag head in sight, thanks to star designer Pierre Yovanovitch's irreverent interiors.
Accommodation details
Address:
464 Route du Belvédère, Méribel, 73550, Les Allues, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Les Allues
France
Location:
0.6 mi / 1.0 km from city centre
General facilities
- Spa
- Valet parking
- Exercise gym
- On-Site parking
- Internet services
- Restaurant
- Pool
- Lounges/bars
- Room service
Dining information
Restaurant:
Riccardo Giraudi has brought his bovine Beefbar concept, popular everywhere from Mykonos to Monaco, to Méribel. Expect hearty cuts of meat, with Italian and French influences, for lunch and dinner (with plenty of vegetarian offerings, too); and some legendary mashed potato that has a ratio we can definitely get down with: half butter, half potato. There’s also Bianca Neve, also designed by interiors guru Pierre Yovanovitch, which serves a breakfast buffet for pre-piste calorie stockpiling, with more to come at the end of the day, courtesy of shared antipasti, charcuterie plates, pizzas and fresh pasta, more often that not loaded with truffle shavings. Those staying on a half-board basis get €100 to use in the two restaurants and bar (and towards room service) an adult, each day.
Top Table:
Go for a table out on the valley-facing terrace or warming up by the fireplace.
Last Orders:
Bianca Neve's breakfast hours are 7am to 10am; it opens for dinner between 6pm and 11pm. Beefbar is open for lunch from noon until 2pm; and dinner from 6pm until 11pm.
Room Service:
A selection of dishes are available to order in-room.
Hotel Bar:
The peak-cosy Bar is the perfect place to warm up after a day out in the snow. Settle in to watch the skiers still going, with a glass of French or Italian wine, or choose from a superb selection of spirits. Afternoon tea (starring a pancake trolley that's wheeled over to your table, and a line-up of gâteaux taking over the bar counter) is served here from 4pm to 5.30pm.
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