Self Catering Chalet NIKITA ideal for 2 or 3 families - good access to lifts
Ski all day in the largest resort in the world, return to our warm, spacious family home for dinner and drinks by the fire. The chalet is in the centre of a classic alpine village with friendly neighbours, lots of English speakers and lots of places to play around in the snow. The views are exceptional. 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms will easily fit 1 or 2 families or a group of up to 10 people. The kitchen is open plan and is properly equipped. The beds are soft and you can gaze at the stars at night through the skylights. classé 5* par l'office du tourisme).
Meribel is the middle valley of the justly world famous 3 valleys - 'le plus grand domaine skiable du monde' is the claim, and judging by the fact that every year we discover new pistes and lifts, this is surely the case. Not to mention the legendary off piste... This resort has everything, except big lift queues. And it is truly international, with a major British presence. So much so that the even the french part of the french ski school usually seem to speak ski English. And unlike other resorts, such as Tignes, the station is itself an attractive and genuine alpine resort, which is why it attracts so many visitors in the summer as well. Our kids go to the french ski school, and have achieved an exceptional standard of skiing here in Meribel partly because of it. We often rent a ski locker so that they don't have to carry their skis - easy to arrange in advance if necessary. Sometimes we arrive from Paris, by train, and find it very easy to do without our car as the free bus is both frequent and quick.
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Child Friendly, as we have four ourselves. Cots and playpen plus a buggy that works in the snow! Plus kids games like Kapla.
Important information
You need to know
Property # 85348
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
About the area
Les Allues
Located in Les Allues, this chalet is near a water park and in the mountains. Lac de la Rosiere and Vanoise National Park reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Aquamotion Courchevel and Skateway Forum. La Folie Douce and École de Ski Oxygène are also worth visiting. Enjoy the area's slopes with skiing, and don't miss out on the ice skating and sledging.
Moutiers (QMU-Moutiers Train Station) - 21 min drive
Grenoble (GNB-Grenoble - Isere) - 116 min drive
Restaurants
Doron Pub - 5 min drive
l'igloo - 6 min drive
O'Sullivans Den Pub - 3 min drive
Le Clos Bernard - 15 min drive
La Vache Rouge Meribel - 9 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is Self Catering Chalet NIKITA ideal for 2 or 3 families - good access to lifts pet-friendly?
No, only service animals are welcome at the property.
How much is parking at Self Catering Chalet NIKITA ideal for 2 or 3 families - good access to lifts?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Self Catering Chalet NIKITA ideal for 2 or 3 families - good access to lifts?
Check-in begins at 5:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Self Catering Chalet NIKITA ideal for 2 or 3 families - good access to lifts?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Self Catering Chalet NIKITA ideal for 2 or 3 families - good access to lifts located?
Situated in the mountains, this chalet is 0.9 mi (1.5 km) from Olympe 3 Gondola and within 3 miles (5 km) of Olympe 2 Gondola and Méribel Ski Resort. Rhodos 1 Gondola and Saulire Express 1 Gondola are also within 3 miles (5 km).
Reviews
9.6
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
We were a group of 8 (7 'children' over 25 and one 'responsible adult'), which the chalet was well able to accommodate, and had an excellent week.
Arthur C.
Stayed 8 nights in Mar 2023
Archival
10/10 Excellent
Robert B.
27 September 2011
Excellent Chalet, Excellent position
This Chalet was an excellent centre for our extended family ski holiday. Facilities were like home from home and a plentiful supply of logs for the fire gave us an evening focal point. Being just of the main road gave us all the night time quiet for a good nights sleep but with daylight gave easy access via the shuttle bus to ski runs and local facilities. Certainly top of the list for next season
Robert B.
Response from VrboOwner on 5 March 2020
Well, thank you very much for your feedback - we love the place ourselves, and it seems to give a great deal of pleasure to all our guests, so long may this continue.
Our host Alaric went above and beyond to be there when we arrived, showed us the intricacies of the home which was the coziest chalet we have stayed in yet. Fully stocked kitchen and lovely bed sheets and duvets. Plenary of seating around the fireplace with 3 large couches that fit 10 people. The location was wonderful, the bus stop right outside the door and only a few minutes drive to Meribel and Courchevel. Alaric spent the time to talk about skiing in the mountain and where to eat around the valleys. Our chalet shined bright from the cleanliness. I would highly recommend Chalet Nikita!
Lovely family experience. We enjoyed skiing in the daytime and sitting in the house at night watching the fire. We thank you very much and we will keep good memories for the future.
Inga S.
Stayed 12 nights in Dec 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 5 March 2020
A pleasure to have you at the chalet - this is the second time we have been able to welcome people from Iceland in our two French properties, and one day we hope to visit that country for ourselves...
The official USA cycle racing team came to stay for a period this summer in chalet Nikita to do some high altitude training whilst taking it a bit easy between major competitions. They made very good use of all the space in our ground floor garages, with all their equipment, and were a treat to meet . They would be most welcome to stay again sometime.
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Wanda H.
4 April 2018
Fantastic chalet and overall holiday in Meribel
We stayed at Nikita for 5 nights, with 4 full days skiing towards the end of March. Over the 4 days we were fortunate enough to ski all three valleys, with sunshine gracing the slopes for the majority of our visit. The village of Chandon (where the chalet is located) is very easy to find, and the shuttle bus runs frequently to Chaudanne or Meribel Village. We hired our equipment in Chaudanne, where we were given a 30% discount for staying at Nikita - the people at Precision Ski were very nice and helpful. Eating out on the slopes is generally expensive, but our favourite lunch spot (food quality & views) was Cave des Creux, which is located by going up to Courchevel 1850 and taking the Aguille de Fruit chairlift if I remember correctly. The Ronnie (le Rond Point) was always fun for a few Apres drinks, and you can then ski back down into Chaudanne to get home. There was a superb authentic French restaurant called La Mortagon that served raclette's, fondues and steaks located in La Raffort, which is one stop before Chandon on the shuttle bus. We had an amazing time and would certainly hope to return again. Lastly, much thanks must go to Alaric and Katia for being wonderful hosts.
Wanda H.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 5 March 2020
This is a useful update on a number of eating places, and yes we don't take a commission off the ski shops like all the other chalets, so you get a really good deal for your money via Nikita. Thank you for your highly appreciative review and look forward to seeing you again!
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Chris C.
29 March 2018
Great location- nice to be out of the condo central
We had a great week stay at Nikita. It was as described, location was good, right next to the bus line, which made for easy access to Meribel center. Being able to ski back in to the top of the road behind the village was a nice thing too. Particularly enjoyed not being in the condo/ apartment scene of the main ski centers. Good communication by the owner too- thanks Alaric
Chris C.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 5 March 2020
Hmm. I think 'Condo Central' is a clever term for what we too think is worth avoiding when skiing. Because why miss being in a traditional alpine village just because we are there to ski? Surely that's what completes the amazing experience of being up there in this snowy wonderland world? It certainly does for us, and it certainly does for many of our guests, though none have written so clearly and so well to this point as in this particular review. And the funny thing is, we come across lots of skiers who end up spending far more time getting to the lifts, even though they are in condo central, because they have to leg it quite a lot, whereas our guests just hop on the shuttle which takes them directly there.
Having said all this, we were lucky with this group because they were very patient about one of our three showers, which had got damaged a bit, meaning that the shower takers on that floor had to be a little careful where they directed the water. They were very understanding about it, and didn't let this get in the way of their week at all, so thanks again for that very nice review guys, and if you had given us four instead of five stars, we would have understood completely...
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Francis P.
11 March 2018
Perfect place for alpine stay
We stayed at Chalet Nikita in Meribel and thoroughly enjoyed our visit there. The chalet is spacious, well laid out and had everything we needed – and more. It has a very home-like feel and was an excellent place to relax after a day’s skiing. Good access to the pistes and great to be able to ski back at the end of the day. What added to the pleasure of our holiday was the location. The chalet is on a pretty street in a beautiful community of small streets and houses. We have stayed at many resort-style properties over the years and really enjoyed the contrast of being in a “real home.” We have no hesitation in recommending Chalet Nikita to anyone looking for a break in a charming alpine setting.
Francis P.
Response from VrboOwner on 5 March 2020
Dr Pring Mill, thank you for taking the time to write this review. The reason our chalet is like a 'real home' as you say, is that we use it a lot ourselves, and spend a good period of time there in the summer as well. Which is why the kitchen is much better equipped than normal (guests appreciate and comment on this frequently) - so often when we rent other places abroad we find that there is the minimum of cutlery and kitchen pots and cooking cutlery. The location is great too, and the very friendly village atmosphere is much nicer than the ski station anonymity, with its large roads and commerce. We have made many good friends outside our chalet at the shuttle bus stop...
Verified
8/10 Good
James B.
8 February 2018
Very large comfortable house with 10 minute ride on ski bus to the lift
Our experience at Chalet Nikita was great. Four friends from the US and I from Germany booked the house based on prior reviews and we were not disappointed. Each of us had our own room with plenty of space. The ski bus picked us up 15 ft from the house and it was a 10 min ride to the lift. We had never been skiing in Europe and were amazed at the number of lifts, vertical ascent, and on/ off piste skiing. An added bonus is the ability to park the car at the house and the washing machine and dishwasher.
James B.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2018
Archival
8/10 Good
Pascal P.
26 January 2017
3 days at Chalet Nikita
Very well located chalet: it is quite during the night, while an easy ride (by car or by bus) to the center of the resort and the ski lifts.
Very confortable, with a great living room, a well equiped kitchen and 4 nice bedrooms.
All good !
Pascal P.
Archival
8/10 Good
Barnaby M.
29 March 2016
Clean and comfortable chalet with good access to bus to get to meribel proper
Was easy to get to as we hired our own car and drove from Geneva. In a very small village with no shops so would be worthwhile having a car as made it much easier getting bread int he morning etc. Property was clean and comfortable and as we were a mixed group with one small child worked very well. Was easy to get hold of the owner and replied to any queries very promptly. Overall great property and we had a very enjoyable time.
Barnaby M.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2016
Archival
10/10 Excellent
Tony B.
1 July 2012
A great ski chalet
We stayed in chalet Nikita this last season, and unlike our last time, when we stayed in a hotel, we got to stay in a real alpine village, with old people and children, old barns and narrow alleys up between old chalets with the smell of wood smoke, and a real sense of being a community - the locals say hello, and are very willing to answer any questions [particularly if you have a couple of words of French to start the conversation!]. There was a quick and free bus that ran frequently up to the Meribel lifts. The piste was great, and we could ski back to the chalet. The bus ran late into the evening so we had no trouble going to town for food and drink. The chalet itself was great.The seven of us were very comfortable with 2 unused bedrooms. The showers and bathrooms were modern, the kitchen small but very efficient, and the sitting room a real gem - lots of cosy seats, eclectic decor, and a beautiful wood burning fireplace. Alaric, the owner, is a great character. We wished we had been able to stay longer. We'll be back.
Tony B.
Archival
10/10 Excellent
Alan P.
28 February 2012
Nikita at half term
We chose Nikita for its rustic charm, village location and bed space for our group which consisted of two beginners, two pedestrians in their late seventies, two all mountain skiers and two piste cruisers. The chalet was easy to find and we were able to park right outside. The chalet was as described in the advertisement with plenty of crockery and bedding and everything we required for a comfortable stay. The best part of the chalet was the living area which was the perfect place to relax and swap stories of our day on the piste with a bottle of wine and a log fire.
The ski bus stopped conveniently right outside which was a bonus. We had great snow and were able to ski back each evening. This was great but the way back does include a red piste and the first time I missed the turn off for Chandon, which is a short off piste section.
We were there at half term and our beginners did have quite a queue some evenings for the bus back down but the bus runs often and on time.
Our non-skiers found plenty to do and thoroughly enjoyed the marked foot paths and trails and enjoyed the free bus and gondala trips up the mountains.
Alan P.
Response from VrboOwner on 5 March 2020
We are happy to have such a detailed and positive review from a recent group of guests. And they are right to say that the week they were there, which was the busiest in the season, the free shuttle can be a bit crowded, though we have a clever way round that detailed in the chalet info booklet. And I would like to add that we have just been staying in another persons chalet in the same area, and are now especially proud of ours as it is so very much better supplied in the kitchen and elsewhere, and far far better in its location and character, so we realise now that Nikita really is a cut above the rest. It is also a good deal for the rental we charge...
Archival
10/10 Excellent
Eva G.
25 March 2010
Chalet with character, history, and heart.
We stayed in this old world mountain village just down the Meribel Valley from the ski area. Our home for the stay was the Chalet Nikita, a renovated old house made comfortable without any loss of charm. It sits in the village of Chandon, a small gathering of ancient buildings on the hillside looking up at Meribel Village and down at Les Allues.
It was the ideal place for our group. We are a family of four, with several adult friends joining us. We took the upstairs bedroom where we watched the stars out the skylight windows over our head, and the girls took the very small bedroom with bunks and a skylight window of their own. This still left room downstairs for a couple and three of my husband’s ski buddies.
The center floor is the living space, with a large living area where we could all gather and big, informal dining room table to share our meals. The kitchen is small but well thought out, and very user-friendly. The floors are heated, so our toes were warm as we made coffee each morning.
We were delighted to not need to carry our ski equipment much, as a bus stop is immediately outside. The garage downstairs is warm, so our boots, helmets and even our gloves stayed there with our skis. There is also a workbench where my husband and his ski buddies tuned and waxed skis.
The owner was always responsive and very helpful, as was his local contact. We are on an extended trip beyond our stay at the ski area and had some extra logistics. As a result, we were a bit high maintenance, and both Alaric and Luke were always gracious.
Negatives were the main stairs are shaded, so they get a little icy. Older people or those who can’t walk well might want to enter through the downstairs bedroom using the deck stairs facing the street. Having the bus stop next door not only means not carrying your skis, but also more street noise than we expected in a small village. And, as with all older buildings, the bathrooms were a bit small.
Overall, our stay was everything we had hoped, and the Chalet Nikita was a big part of this. We would absolutely stay there again, and recommend it to others who are looking for a ski home that has character, history, and heart.
Eva G.
Response from VrboOwner on 5 March 2020
It is always a pleasure to get such enthusiastic feedback, and especially so from N Americans, who have such a high standard and expectations. But I should just mention one point that may puzzle some readers here: the 'stairs' that are referred to are actually the outside steps up to the back door, and I have inserted in the guest info book the advice to take some of the large amount of road salt especially provided from the communal oven right by the steps to use on the ice - it works very well indeed, and no shovelling required. And I guess if you sleep late, you might catch the sound of enthusiastic skiers chatting outside whilst waiting for the free bus, so that is just one of those things.... but at least the seat for them is further away.
Interesting to see how many of our guests are amazed and delighted by the chance to watch the night sky in all its pristine glory (clean air and no light pollution) as they lie in bed. Just as we do ourselves - 6 years, and we never tire of gazing up at the night sky whilst in bed here in the chalet.
Archival
10/10 Excellent
14 February 2010
Great location and good facilities
We found this chalet rather randomly while searching for places in France and were very pleased to have chosen it. While there is little available in the village, the Ski bus stop is right outside and it's not far to Meribel itself.
The Chalet was excellent, with a good layout and ideal for families or groups. The log fire was a real draw in the evenings and very relaxing. The kitchen was well presented and the whole place was very clean with everything we needed to hand. 3 Bathrooms made it much easier getting ready to hit the slopes early and we would definitely consider staying here again.
Response from VrboOwner on 5 March 2020
It's true there is no boulangerie or bar in the village itself, although these are not far off, but the main thing is how friendly the people are here - many of them live here all year round, and are really happy about welcoming people to their village - one of the many reasons we chose Chandon.... and the village is very well known for its beauty and original alpine barns, ancient cross, communal bread oven, and meeting area, all just by our chalet. Yet our access to the slopes is rather better than in many of the places around the central station itself!
About the host
Hosted by Alaric and Katia
Family with four young children, all of us keen skiers, always ready to discover the new lifts and pistes that seem to come up pretty much every season here. Found out that this place is really quite amazing in the summer too... flowers and butterflies everywhere, and loads of activities.
Why they chose this property
We bought this chalet as it was ideal for our young family, with their need for a place without cars and noise, so that they could play happily outside in the snow, and yet have good for access to the ski school - the free bus gets them up and down with ease, and they come back for lunch before going back up again. Then we found out more: the ski back to the village is great fun and rather special, and the people here are very friendly and interesting. Being in the centre of the village means we see everybody going past, which is really nice, and there is a great view from our balconies of the mountain landscapes around us.
What makes this property unique
1) Excellent access to the station above us, and we can and do do it all without a car. 2) Authentic alpine village feel with wood smoke smells and beautiful old barns, and friendly people. 3) Chalet itself has a great feel about it, and my wife has really made it into a well equipped home. 4) Garage area with chairs and space for skis and boots and changing area too. 5) Free shuttle bus stops 5 seconds walk away from us. 6) Cosy and pleasing interior, with plenty of showers... and a really well equipped kitchen by the way!