Review of Les Fermes de Marie, by Christoph Hargreaves-Allen

Almost a place of pilgrimage for jet-setters and quieter types seeking mountain peace alike, Les Fermes is a cluster of traditional Alpine buildings converted into a luxury hotel and spa, a small settlement discreetly buried in the snow in winter, where no rooms are the same but all are spacious.

The facilities

The luxury hotel's inviting corners range from a piano bar to a library lined with books, while eating possibilities sweep from the vaulted ceiling of the main restaurant, serving Savoy cuisine made from fresh local produce, to a cheese bistro for a more casual experience, to the Rotisserie, where meats are cooked in the fireplace before your very eyes. While the luxury hotel is only a few minutes' walk from the superlative shopping of Megeve, you may well decide to remain within the two-acre park that surrounds this gorgeous enclave of timber architecture, where the luxury hotel's world-famous beauty spa - a destination in itself - provides tailor-made programmes combining personal treatments and wonderful products home-made from rare Alpine herbs, many of which you can take home. The Edelweiss cream, for instance, especially will protect and hydrate your skin. But you have to get there first to try it.

The rooms

Within the luxury hotel there are 71 rooms and suites. The atmosphere of each room is intimate and homely. Colours are warm, and the fabrics add to the rustic feel of the hotel. The bathrooms are decorated with stone and wood making guests feel like they have a spa in their room. The largest suite is perfect for families as it can accommodate up to five people.