Restaurants, bars and a cigar room all under one roof: that is what sets Le Kaïla apart in Méribel, and it is why I recommend this five-star hotel so readily. The whole food concept comes from the Michelin-starred chef Laurent Azoulay. At his starred restaurant, L'Ekrin, the cooking of Provence meets that of Savoie. He grew up on Provençal home cooking and has made Savoie his region by adoption. In the morning, a generous breakfast buffet is laid out.
If you would like something more relaxed, I would book Brasserie Le 80, right at the foot of the slopes. It works for lunch before a ski session or for dinner in a lively mood, with reinvented classics, friendly après-ski and festive evenings. Bar du Kaïla is arranged around a large fireplace, with a chic but easy-going decor. The head bartender designs original cocktails made to measure and keeps a selection of exceptional spirits. Any hour suits it, from lunch or tea after skiing to an aperitif in the evening.
Later in the evening, I would steer you to the Kuba Lounge, a cosy cigar room with patinated leather seating, where the barmen suggest spirits or digestifs to accompany the cigars. Prefer to stay in? Room service delivers the chef's creations to your room, whether for breakfast, lunch or a romantic dinner with a view of the mountains. And in the centre of the resort, La Chaudanne pairs an elegant bar lounge with the feel of an English pub, open from the first coffee of the day through après-ski and into the night.
