Rebecca Taylor, Author at A Luxury Travel Blog : A Luxury Travel Blog

Top 5 resorts for glacier skiing

By Rebecca Taylor on Nov 14, 2017 in Austria, Europe, France, Leisure Travel, Regions, Speciality Travel, Switzerland, Western Europe

Over the last few ski seasons, in the Alps, the snow down at lower altitudes has started showing up later than expected. Is this a natural cycle, or is climate change the culprit? That’s a debate for another day. Thankfully the snow always shows up but it’s squeeky bum time for anyone who booked the

Top 5 mountain restaurants in Zermatt

By Rebecca Taylor on Oct 18, 2017 in Europe, Food and Drink, Going Out, Italy, Regions, Restaurants, Switzerland, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe

While any form of exercise can burn calories, there are special benefits to skiing. One reason is the effort your body goes through to stay balanced. Which is a roundabout way of saying, tuck in, you’ve earned it. It’s more than likely that you’ll want to refuel in the middle of the day and you’re

Valdisere a firm favourite for early skiing

Top 5 high altitude resorts in the Alps for early skiing

By Rebecca Taylor on Oct 16, 2017 in Austria, Europe, France, Leisure Travel, Regions, Speciality Travel, Switzerland, Western Europe

I feel the same as you, it’s been a disappointing summer, and now your thoughts are turned to the white stuff, the mountains, the buzz, that magical feeling of just standing on a mountain and looking down, surrounded by the white stuff, snow… lots of lovely snow. You’re torn, you want to enjoy the view

Top 8 village restaurants in Zermatt

By Rebecca Taylor on Aug 19, 2017 in Europe, Food and Drink, Going Out, Regions, Restaurants, Switzerland, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe

There are a plethora of restaurants in Zermatt village, some so-so, some so fabulous. I’ve been visiting Zermatt for years and I love food so you could call me an expert. So, without further ado, here are my top 8 superb eateries to get your taste buds tingling. Ferdinand Ferdinand is a new Swiss restaurant

An iconic swiss mountain hut near verbier

Top 5 mountain refuge huts (with a touch of luxury)

By Rebecca Taylor on Jul 29, 2017 in Accommodation, Adventure Travel, Europe, France, Regions, Speciality Travel, Switzerland, Western Europe

I’ll confess right off the bat that the above is a pretty misleading headline. I’ve not stayed in too many refuges and none at all outside of the Alps. Maybe the the title should be ‘5 places I’ve been very grateful for when I’ve been walking all day and in need of some sustenance and

A must for your bucket list: The Glacier Express

By Rebecca Taylor on Jun 16, 2017 in Europe, Rail Travel, Regions, Speciality Travel, Switzerland, Western Europe

Never has the old adage, It’s better to travel, than to arrive, been more apt. As beautiful as the resorts of St Moritz and Zermatt are, the journey that links these two Swiss jewels, The Glacier Express, surely proves beyond doubt that it’s the journey, not the destination. The Glacier Express is an eight hour

Tour de France 2017 - the best place to stay in the Alps

By Rebecca Taylor on May 14, 2017 in Europe, Events, France, Regions, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe

Here’s my idea of heaven, two weeks in Chamonix, in the summer, with my bike and with the Tour de France for company. This year’s edition of the Tour de France pays two visits to the Alps, July 8th & 9th, after which the race then departs for the Dordogne, to return on the 19th

View across the main tent Zermmat unplugged

Zermatt Unplugged - the best festival in the Alps

By Rebecca Taylor on Apr 15, 2017 in Europe, Events, Regions, Switzerland, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe

There are some awesome places on this beautiful planet that lend themselves perfectly to music events, the Montreux Jazz Festival is a case in point, stretched out on the shore of Lac Leman, the setting greatly enhances the music on offer. Cafe Del Mar, in Ibiza is another venue that springs to mind. Not strictly

Top 5 delicious après ski drinks... cheers!

By Rebecca Taylor on Mar 26, 2017 in Food and Drink, Travel Miscellany

Après ski, those magical hours when a day to remember on the slopes comes to a close and morphs into an evening of inebriation, suitably complimented by the social activities and entertainment that follows. You have waited all year for the afternoon to roll into the evening when you can indulge in your favourite après ski drink. It’s

Top 5 European ski chalets with private pools

By Rebecca Taylor on Feb 28, 2017 in Accommodation, Europe, France, Regions, Switzerland, Vacation Rentals, Western Europe

They say love and marriage goes together like a horse and carriage; by the same token so do the mountains along with luxurious accommodation. A hotel is fine for many but there’s something extra special about being spoiled rotten in your home from home. Luxury chalets have certainly come a long way in terms of

Top 5 mountain ski restaurants in the Alps

By Rebecca Taylor on Jan 15, 2017 in Europe, Food and Drink, France, Going Out, Restaurants, Switzerland, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe

One of the joys of skiing is the pit stop for lunch. You perhaps caught the first lifts, have already put in a few hours and you’ve worked up a raging appetite. Your thoughts are starting to turn towards a good feed and a chance to refuel for the afternoon session on the slopes. Mountain

Snow - your luxury ski holiday depends on it

By Rebecca Taylor on Nov 20, 2016 in Europe, Leisure Travel, Regions, Speciality Travel, Western Europe

Where would we be without snow, all togged up and nowhere to ski, empty resorts in the winter and without the white stuff we can add another species to the ever growing list of extinctions, the snowman. Too sad. That scenario isn’t going to happen this year it seems. As the ski resorts around Europe gear

The most expensive chalet in the Alps

By Rebecca Taylor on Oct 15, 2016 in Accommodation, Europe, Real Estate, Regions, Switzerland, Vacation Rentals, Western Europe

I’ve come across some wonderful interiors in my time, indeed part of my remit is to find luxurious chalets for discerning guests, so I’m always ready to be blown away when I enter a ski chalet. Some are absolute wolves in sheep’s clothing and you could never guess on entering what wonders you are about

Road to the table - why is it Michelin-starred?

By Rebecca Taylor on Sep 14, 2016 in Food and Drink, France, Going Out, Regions, Restaurants, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe

On the face of it, they are strange bedfellows, tyres and exquisite fine dining. Granted, I’ve had my share of steaks that could have easily doubled as a tyre, such was the toughness and near impossible chew-ability but leaving that aside I reckon there must be quite a few millennials who are unaware of the

Zermatt's top 4 apres ski bars

By Rebecca Taylor on Aug 17, 2016 in Bars, Europe, Going Out, Regions, Switzerland, Western Europe

A perfect day’s skiing should include a spot of apres-ski. After an exhilarating day on the mountain many feel the need to celebrate their efforts by letting their hair down and slaking their thirst with a cheeky beer or three, hence the popularity of apres-ski. Zermatt has many fine apres-ski bars where you can do

Top 3 luxe chalets in Chamonix with private pools for Summer

By Rebecca Taylor on Jul 13, 2016 in Accommodation, Europe, France, Regions, Vacation Rentals, Western Europe

There’s something special about the mountains in the Summer months, it’s a world away from the Winter wonderland of the ski season. The Winter months are dominated by the white of the snow that coats everything it falls on, like icing on a cake. The snow melts and reveals the lush greens of the Alpine

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