Reward after a hard day on the slopes comes in many forms: champagne served by ice-skating waiters, bars made out of ice and snow, the chance to sip cocktails alongside royals and Hollywood A-listers. Apres-ski in all its heady luxury is a staple of any decent ski retreat, with alcohol flowing and live music playing as the sun sets over chairlifts and mountain peaks. Whether you're looking for celebrity razzle dazzle, spectacular views, or just a fine cigar, here are five of the finest apres-ski bars in the world designed to suit your every need:
Chesa Bar, Klosters, Switzerland
For 50 years, the resort of Klosters in Switzerland has been a firm favourite of stars of the stage and screen, along with the British royal family, who are known to descend on the town's Chesa Bar with regularity.
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If you're looking for understated luxury – complete with a live pianist – look no further than the rustic chalet vibe of Chesa, which serves world-famous cocktails well into the early hours of the morning. Described by The Guardian as "cosy Swiss hospitality at its best", it's the perfect antidote to a late-evening blizzard. And you never know who you might bump into...
White Lounge, Mayrhofen, Austria
In perhaps the most ambitious pursuit of the ultimate apres-ski experience, the team at the White Lounge in Mayrhofen demolish and rebuild their entire hotel/bar complex every single year. But this isn't your typical hotel/bar – the White Lounge is constructed entirely out of ice and snow.
This giant igloo complex features spectacular views from its terrace at the back, and comes complete with a dance floor and ice-skating waiters for a gloriously surreal experience.
The Oasis, Aspen, US
Blink and you'll miss it; only at the weekend, and only from February onwards, the Oasis Bar is a unique mobile champagne bar from the makers of Veuve Clicquot.
Pulled around Aspen, Colorado by a snowcat, the Oasis pops up in different spots of the resort, offering exquisite views and a rugged, open-air feel to go with your bottle of the legendary champagne.
In an interview with the Financial Times, manager Simon Chen accurately mused: "There are few things more indulgent than champagne and caviar. We just improved it a little by adding a stunning location on top of Aspen Mountain."
Churchill Klub, Courchevel 1850, France
With two ultra-sleek bars based in the same hotel, it was almost a dead heat between Le 1856 and Churchill Klub, part of the newly-rebranded 'Le K2 Altitude Hotel' – formerly Kilimandjaro – in Courchevel 1850.
But with its no-expense-spared efforts to bring guests the finer things in life, the Churchill Klub has the edge. This cosy, brand-new hangout offers visitors a distinctly sophisticated atmosphere in which customers can sink into wingback chairs and enjoy the rarest of brandies and the world's finest cigars. Winston himself couldn't have asked for more.
King's Club, St. Moritz, Switzerland
We're heading back to the rugged landscape of Switzerland for our final choice, which doesn't get more high profile than this. King's Club is one of the most exclusive spots in one of the world's most luxurious ski resorts. As the Daily Telegraph says:"the DJs are ever-changing and often world famous, as are the guests."
But this isn't your average alpine apres-ski club. With its enticingly vague request that you 'dress to impress', you're far more likely to hear the elegant tapping of stilettos than the awkward clunk of ski boots in this, Switzerland's oldest nightclub.
An exquisite wooden dance floor, flowing champagne and – most importantly – no official closing time, all give credence to King's Club's claim that this is "Clubbing at the highest level."
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