Cheval Blanc vs Les Airelles in Courchevel: Which Palace to Book

Courchevel 1850 holds the densest collection of palace hotels in the Alps, and two stand at the very top: Cheval Blanc and Les Airelles. Both are ski-in, ski-out, both are flawless, and both will give you one of the great winter stays in the world. But they could hardly be more different in spirit, and which you choose comes down to the kind of luxury you love.

Cheval Blanc Courchevel is LVMH's founding Maison, and it is luxury in a minor key: a discreet, design-forward chalet-hotel at the foot of the slopes, with a Dior spa carved into the mountainside and the three-Michelin-starred Le 1947, one of the smallest three-star rooms in the world. Everything here is understated and exacting, the kind of place that rewards travellers who prize design, quiet and serious dining over spectacle. It is a favourite of couples and of those who could stay anywhere and choose restraint.

Les Airelles is the opposite, and gloriously so: a ski-in, ski-out fairytale of turrets, fireplaces and a level of pampering that makes the slopes feel almost incidental. It is maximalist, theatrical and deeply festive, with some of the best children's facilities in the Alps, which makes it the finest choice in Courchevel for families and for anyone who wants their mountain holiday to feel like a storybook. Where Cheval Blanc whispers, Les Airelles enchants.

Choose Cheval Blanc for understated design, deep quiet and a once-in-a-lifetime dinner at Le 1947. Choose Les Airelles for enchantment, festivity and families. Either way, we book it at the published rate with preferred-partner VIP benefits at no extra cost, and our guide to booking Cheval Blanc and guide to booking Airelles go deeper on each.