Pashmina Le Refuge: the newest hot spot in snowy Val Thorens

The newest five-star hotel in Val Thorens, in the French Alps, the Pashmina opened in December after three years of construction. The owners have been hoteliers in Val Thorens since the first skiers arrived here in the 1970s, and were keen to move away from the rabbit hutch architecture featured in many older French alpine hotels. Larger than your average ski lodgings, most of the Pashmina's sumptuously furnished rooms are 36 square metres (and have spectacular mountain views). The décor focuses on the region's mountain heritage; shower rooms, for instance, feature wall-to-wall images of skiers tackling dramatic local slopes. The hotel also offers two- and three-bedroom family suites with kitchens in which a hotel chef will prepare your meals, along with the unique Igloo Pod - a converted polar research tent, erected at the side of the hotel, complete with cosy double bed (below), wood-burning stove and huge views so you can fall asleep under the stars.

At 2,300 metres, Val Thorens is the highest and most snow-sure of the resorts that make up the Three Valleys, the world's biggest ski area. It has some 600km of pistes along with world-class off-piste skiing.

Everyone from well-heeled young guns eager to take on the challenges of Val Thorens' extensive slopes to families keen to sample a range of activities, including Europe's longest toboggan run and highest zip line. Access to the slopes couldn't be easier since the Pashmina is ski in/ski out.

The Pashmina Spa by L'Occitane offers a wide range of massage treatments and there's a swimming pool, indoor and outdoor jacuzzis, a sauna, a hammam and a fitness room.