Sean Garnett wakes up to a snow-covered slice of heaven in Austria, staying near Oberlech, an alpine village sitting above the snowy and very pleasant town of Lech
I often have dreams so amazing and lifelike that waking up in the humdrum world of reality is a massive disappointment.
Get-togethers with long-gone family or friends, jamming with Dave Davies from The Kinks, and walking naked through the Gobi desert with… well, let’s not go there… These are among the fantasies to have occupied my nocturnal imagination.
But when I awoke in a luxury chalet with stunning views over snow-covered Austrian mountains, a 14m swimming pool, sauna, steam room, private bar, wine racks dotted around the place, chauffeurs and butlers on hand 24/7 and the best cuisine from top chefs, I was delighted to realise this was one dream I was actually living.
We were staying near Oberlech, an alpine village sitting above the town of Lech which is something of a magnet for the rich and famous (Princess Diana herself slid down these very slopes). Home for the duration of our own skiing trip was Chalet Mimi, a high-end pad that is part of pepper-collection’s stable of six chalets and a plush hotel.
It sounds strange confessing I was out of my comfort zone in a building with this sort of top-level luxury, but the only chalet I have ever stayed in was one of those on a British seaside holiday camp that is an upgrade on a caravan. It sleeps up to 14 people, and we had a choice of bedrooms, from the master suite to cosy bunk beds. The living quarters are set over four floors and also contain lounges, a locker room for skis and equipment, and an outdoor hot tub.
I didn’t think it could get any better than this, but I hadn’t reckoned with The Barn next door, pepper-collection’s newest property. We went there for a tour and dinner and I really did feel I’d been given a rare glimpse into a world occupied by people who use a Porsche for a runaround.
Food in the properties is prepared and cooked by private staff under the stewardship of head chef Toni Urban. You won’t be surprised to hear it is exquisite. And the breakfast choice was so wide I didn’t know where to start.
All this pampering and fine dining certainly prepares you for a day on the slopes. And next morning we were off to be kitted out at the Strolz sports shop in Lech before heading up the chairlift for our first ski run. The Arlberg area is for people of all abilities, from nursery slope to heliskiing. We split into two groups – beginners and intermediates. I joined the latter but having not been on skis since early 2020 I suffered a crisis of confidence as I stared down the blue run with visibility closing in.
But under the expert guidance of instructor Horst Lederer, I managed to get to the bottom, having forgotten all I learned about turns and stopping. You know, the important stuff.
After accepting I wasn’t as intermediate as I thought, I joined the beginners. It helped rebuild my shattered confidence and we were soon on the blue runs under the tutelage of instructor Bernd Eichwalder. I have nothing but admiration for people like Bernd and Horst who can turn complete novices from nervous wrecks tumbling down gentle slopes into competent skiers effortlessly tackling red runs like they’ve been skiing for years, in such a short
space of time.
Lech is one of the stops in the linked Ski Arlberg network, which covers a huge area. Ski passes are €75 a day. It’s not a cheap place – what celeb/royal hangout is? But if you can muster some extra cash for a peek into how the other half live, the skiing rewards are worth it.
Chalet Mimi and The Barn are both ski-in ski-out properties but if you fancy starting your runs elsewhere, one of the butlers will drive you to a chairlift. Talking of which, I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of having people waiting on me hand and foot, and my images of butlers have always been the Jeeves type. But Max and Clemens were nothing like that.
They oozed charm, humour and warmth and were great company. As was our host from pepper-collection, Lisa Drexel. Lech is a big enough resort and most of the nightlife is in hotels or restaurants. We didn’t experience much of this as we were being mostly catered for in the bars and dining areas of the chalets.
On our last night we were given a tour of pepper-collection’s 10-room Hotel Aurelio and its chalet. After yet another scrumptious dinner, we were taken to see the alpacas. Yes, alpacas, at a luxury hotel. These Andes animals are housed in accommodation slightly less luxurious than the £880-a-night rooms that guests enjoy.
Manager Axel Pfefferkorn, founder of pepper-collection, acquired the alpacas but almost gave up on them as they had a habit of spitting at him and others. However, with the help of a trainer, they eventually calmed down and are now part of the attraction at this charming hotel.
Sadly, all good trips come to an end. But there was time for just one more taste of the high life – a muscle-soothing massage at Chalet Mimi, using oils and products from pepper-collection’s new treatments partner Dreem Distillery. And so, as we headed back towards Innsbruck Airport in a people carrier driven by Robert Herr of Trip Companion, it all seemed like a dream again. One I doubt I’ll never wake from.
Book the holiday
- easyJet flies from Gatwick to Innsbruck starting at £32.99 one-way. easyjet.com
- pepper-collection’s ski-in/ski-out Chalet Mimi (sleeps 14) starts at £478pp a night half-board plus afternoon coffee and cake with 24/7 butler and concierge service, private chef and access to spa with indoor pool, sauna, steam bath, whirlpool, relaxation zone and massage room. Ski hire and lift passes extra. peppercollection.com
- More info at austria.info/en
