It's all whlte lf you're f lrrnly ln the black IhenyouTe staying at the chalet ownedby Chrissie Rucke4 founder of The White Company, the only reds andblues you'll ftndwillbe out on the mountain. Lisa Grainger is dazzled

t started as a mischievous aprds- atmosphere, sweetened with music ski game: to see how manylVhite from a Bose system and moist air Company candles we could from a humidifier. What it doesn't spot from a sitting position, on have is a sauna or a pool, but then, vast cream sofas by a blazing Rucker says, the whole family is hre, without movingbr spilhnf "ski-mad and games-mad, so when our champagne (when you're in we're not outside, we're by the a penthouse costing 826,000 a week, fire. playing anything from the Hat l what else would one ddnk?). Game to Britain's Got Talent. If we g From my pole position, with views want to swim, the Vereina Hotel has & into the hall, I could count 19. If fantastic steam, sauna, relaxation # I'd been allowed to hobble on my and swim areas. Alternatively, A aching thighs into the second living their masseuses come to us," 6 room, the big open-plan kitchen, Unlike other expensive ski resorts -E- the prettyAlpine Swiss Stiibli and 25miles such as Courchevil andVaI d'Isdre. p up the stairs into the mezzanine which athact big party-goers and 6 snug and libpry. the total would high-spendingRussians,Klosters < have risen to 53. And that was when he drqpp€d me off after a hai a name foibeing quiet and E before I'd entered the six bedrooms. day's skiing. "l have seen some very discreet - hence its attractiveness to g In most chalets this might seem nice chalets in Klosters," he said, stars and royals. "At one time it was p absurd, but at Haus Alpina - the citing the Bear, Maldeghem and known as'Hollywood on the Rocks' E Klosters home of Chrissie Rucker, Eugenia (the latter a favourite of the because of the number of American fi founder of The White Company - it Duke of York) as among the best of stars who came here," says James A seems perfectly nafural to have the seven luxury chalets available to Palmer-Tomkinson, who counts g candles dotted everywhere, wafting rent in the village (mosfly through the British royal familyamong the 3 the scents of white lavender British chalet managerXenia Mason, clients of his bespoke ski company t and pine over the white faux-fur who has skied and lived here much PI Ski, and whose father. uncles and fi cushions, the white roses and of her life). "But this is big, no, for "grandfatherskied at Klosters. q peonies, the white towels, and the a penthouse? And very nice that In the Chesa Grischuna hotel F white silk throws. Here, the perfect every bathroom has a bath." alone, guests have included Greta 2 pale interiors leave you in no But then the penthouse was built Garbo,-, fr doubt as to who the owners are. specifically as a ski-home for the and Deborah Kem. "The big stars ?t When Rucker and her husband couple and their four children - and still come," he says, "but these days ! NickWheeler, the owner of Charles a long hot bath, Rucker says, is her youvnu hardlyherdlvsee see them becausehecarrse theythev E Tynvhitt shirts, bought the duplex daily guilty pleasure "with a big stay in private chalets, and many penthouse in 2011, it had 1'ust three glass of wine, followed by a snuggle go off piste. If they do go out, locals Those who stay at ilII bedrooms - and (gasp!) coloured in bed with a good magazine". understand that what happens in Hans Alplna, maln in< walls. With the help of interior The couple's master suite, at the Klosters stays in Klosters." picturc and above, yor designer Nicky Dobree, they top of the four-storey building, is For those in search of long pistes enter a tnonodrrume as transformed it into what must be made to indulge guilty pleasures: and challenging off-piste skiing, world rvhere the servlce slc the most comfortable contemporary its bed. covered in super-crisp the resort has few rivals. In the ls subllme. Top skhrs be six-bedroom residence in Klosters - white linen and quilted silk; its mountains above Klosters and €n oylns the vlew kir all, of course, decorated in the most egg-shaped bath, Iined with bottles are six ski areas, with 199 frlorn the Parceiln tasteful whites and greys,with of Rucker's own White Lavender miles of irrns and 58 lifls; ifycrll'- ' "" r''"-+1f'rarr-t t lil, details in wood, stone and chrome. body products; its white leather- tal

) ues zled

musrc st air lesn't t then, yis o when te re Hat .If we rtel has & ation # Y'o,'= o I resolts 1 t'Isdre. p and S ,sters ndE 1 )ness to g eitwas p Rocks' 5 rerican fi ames ?. nts 9 rg the i npany ! cles and r.5 5 rtel F lreta 2 SOn ui ST IS ; se days : they rany , locals and then take the train back, a tlip Rather charmingly, on its lcguli.u visitors thc,[ onc chair lilt is rs in included in the ski pass. Even if intermediate slopes the resort cal-led The Prince olWt'lq.s. you're only an intermediate skier, still has some of its old-lashioned It is certainly low-key. Snuf ing , pistes as I am, there are several long red T-bars, invented here and used through thc village. we spot ntta ing' j world where the service slopes - and the Madrisa area has by such adventurcrs as SirArthur single luxury lashion boutique. bu\ he I is suHime. Top: skhrc beginners' slopes, a children's Conan Doyle, followed in 1903 by a Co-op. a jewellcls and a couple \ rd I enioyinSthevhw kindergarten and, Rucker adds, visitors on the first organised Rritish ol Alpine gift shops rrmong the \ 199 from the Parsenn "a fantastic ski school, Mardens. rvintcl spolts trrrvcl tlip. Sincc tlrcn, oltl-lashioned. chalet-style boutique you \ rvhich rny <.hildren havt: alicnclcrl it has llccorttt: a Iirvourile of IJritons Iu,ltels. lhe most unusual sights are car all the way tluough. Itrey're now in search of quiet, quaint village a woman taking both a baby and a rle to i such good racers it's hard for life, fromVictoria Beckham to the small horse for a morning walk - lublis, their geriatric mum to keep up." British Royal family, who are such and a "taxi" comprising a horse and ;:::**f il,:,ij:il *i_ "l'lr rf ;: ,I..,- , t.. t'::'; j.::jj*,;

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Klosters, above' where an interi ;lii,l::, ii": h*, pharmacies stock the L : .; )i.: Swiss ; t' .r.'r.i best lotions and potions hol F:',.r for tired legs, and herbal cht remedies for dry skin. lcan't hal resist going into Helios old (0041 81 422 16U; allt 'I 1 Bahnhofstrasse). ba: lget a lot of lovely things qr( from the interiors shop ev( PineCone (420 2B5O; 1 6 sul Bahnhofstrasse), such as bo' 'i.,{ii. the moose cushions in the bedrooms. Ho ffifB For lunch, the Berghaus (41 Alpenrtisli (422 1357; alpenroesli-klosters.ch) is ho great fun - particularlY on klc a white-out day - because ar you can get a taxi uP to it, for have a fondue, then toboggan in, back down the mountain, ch which the children love. an

Davos, its incongruous fires (e car1. Rucker, who ltgs'f,een skiing trees, which, when it's snowing, is tornn of gold. lnterConLinental admits in the area llogl$eats. saYs the like Narnia". egg-shaped in the wintrY and se villase's autGnUiity is what draws F-rom the slopes, with leading hotel shimmcring baths r as hers. "What we like Swiss skier Monica Dicht and Marco silver sunlight. Itls so chocolate-box fami'[eJ6uch canapl there isn't a'scene' as such: Niggli as my guides, I get to see nrettv that it's almost l

[- T39

Klosters, above, wlrere an ir*eriors shop, a spa ard a hotel with its own bowling alley tklr all the boxes for Ghrissie Rucker' below

Klosters Swiss pharmacies stock the The Chesa Grischuna really snowy you can There's an ice-skating the home run to just its great best lotions and potions holel(4222222; book a sleigh to get rink a few minutes'walk from Madrisa, for pretty for tired legs, and herbal chesagrischuna.ch) "+ 4F' oui there. from our house (41O 2131; local food and views; .' . ;9"i best ski guides sportzentrum-klosters.ch) Weisf luGipfel (4 17 6U4; remedies for dry skin. I can't has a lovely little t -.:1l1r+r The :, luhgipf el. resist going into Helios old-fashioned bowling .{ work for Absolute which also has a wonderful restaurant-weissf - good ch), the hiqhest restaurant in (0041 81 4221684: alley in the .g; . Powder spa so for an " (absolute- you're the area, for its 360-degree 1 1 Bahnhofstrasse). basement, so is -1 afternoon when lget a lot of lovely things great for an powder.ch) not on the slopes. views and f illing meals; (417 from the interiors shop evening of and we've used For lunch on the and Weisflujoch 6611; years. mountains, we have several wf.i.ch), for the best salads PineCone (420 2850; 1 6 supper and them for grilled Bahnhofstrasse), such as bowling. We love favourites. AlteShwendi and meats. the moose cushions in The Andrist (4'10 (332 1 324; alteschwendi.ch) The Bad Semeus Hotel (254 the bedrooms. Hohwald 2080 andrist- is the best spot for coffee on 32OO; badserneus.ch) is For lunch, the Berghaus (422 sport.ch) for a sunny day, because it has one of the oldest hotel spas Alpenriisli (422 1357; 3045; ski-hire, as an enormous sun deck with in the whole of ; alpenroesli-klosters.ch) is hoehwald- they're really views of qorgeous tree-lined it is very Victorian and great fun - particularly on klosters.ch) is friendly. runs. For lunch, we like old-fashioned but iis waters healing. The a white-out day - because a romantic spot Or try Fondu Stubli-Shifer @17 are incredibly (4 1 O 27 21 you can get a taxi up to it, for supper. lt's Gotschna-Sport 6690; myfonduestuebli. Vereina Hotel ; has f have a fondue, then toboggan in an old Alpine (422 1197) ch) for fondue and raclette; hotelvereina.ch) antastic back down the mountain, chalet in Monbiel, for off-piste and Schlappin-Erika (422 steam, sauna, relaxation which the children love. and when it's touring equipment 1 l 17; schlappin.ch), on and swim areas, too. rgruous fires (and the candles, which Tracey flaws. The views are not the prettiest ii)i Haus Alpina (020 8735 3815; haus- lontinental admits took her at least 10 minutes), in Kkrsters (overlooking other new alpina-klosters.com) costs f 26,000 for 1 people price e wintry and set out tea and cake. Big bubble buildings), the property has no 2 for seven nights. The hocolate-box baths are followed by light-as-air spa, and its bootroom and includes dedicated staff for six days, itsch. canap6s and cocktails by the fire, underground entrance, right beside champagne reception, breakfast, tea, the sollly r rttl j,ir,;i,: and then a delicious tbur-course a supermarket, lack charm. \Alhat canap6s and dinner, daily housekeeping plus pickups drop-offs at ski lifts in the ,rus Alpina, Read our comprehensive dinner, served on a long table you do get instead are the kinds of and Rover Defender. Swiss a long day guides to ski resorts constructed trom a reclaimed beam, things you could never experience chalet's Land (0845 offers up to re greeted worldwide, including under a chandelier comprising the at a five-star hotel: privacy, staff 601 0956; swiss.com) -time staII, Klosters, at telegraph. interwoven antlers of several deer. who are solely at your beck arld call, 86 flights per week to from London, lraccy Gill. co.uk/travel/ Although its interiors couldn't be and a taste of Chrissie Rucker's Birmingham and Manchester; fares start lights, lit the snowandski more pelfect, Haus Alpina has its gloriously cosy, candlelit wolld. at [ 1 30 return, with one bag and skis.