Reviewed by Dylan Clements, Founder of Clements Travel
An intimate, 28-room Japanese-inspired sanctuary directly on Courchevel 1850's Bellecôte Piste. Perfect for travelers seeking total privacy, low room density, and seamless ski-valet service over a high-energy lobby scene.
Aman Le Mélézin is a small ski-in/ski-out Aman hotel in Courchevel 1850, sitting directly on the Bellecôte Piste with access into Les Trois Vallées. I stayed here towards the end of the ski season in March in a Chambre Ski Piste, and for me the biggest advantages were the direct ski access, excellent Ski Room, very low room count and south-facing piste views.
There are just 28 Chambres, Suites and Apartments, so Le Mélézin feels much smaller and calmer than many luxury hotels in Courchevel. Inside, there is a noticeable Japanese influence, with warm timber, darker colors, green upholstery and smaller lounge spaces rather than one enormous social lobby. It is not one of Courchevel's newest hotels, and you can see that in places, but it has a clear identity and doesn't feel as though it has been redesigned simply to follow the latest Alpine hotel trend.
Aman Le Mélézin Virtuoso Benefits
Clements Travel can book eligible stays at Aman Le Mélézin with Virtuoso benefits, which include at no extra cost:
- Daily breakfast for two guests
- Hotel credit during the stay
- Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Early check-in, subject to availability
- Late check-out, subject to availability
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Additional hotel recognition through Virtuoso
There are no booking fees, and you pay the hotel directly.
For me, the Chambre Ski Piste is one of the categories I would look at first. The south-facing Bellecôte view added more to my stay than moving up purely for extra room size would have. I would only pay more for one of the hot-tub categories if I knew I was going to use it regularly, and I would check the exact terrace position first because privacy varies.
Aman also includes quite a lot within the stay. The current inclusions are half board, access to the indoor pool, Jacuzzis, sauna, hammam and cold plunge, the Kids' Zone, morning wellness classes, Ski Room access with ski-valet service, a Courchevel 1850 shuttle from 7am to 1am and in-room refreshments and non-alcoholic beverages.
Getting from Geneva Airport to Aman Le Mélézin
For most international guests, Geneva Airport is one of the easiest gateways to Courchevel. Aman gives the drive from either Geneva or Lyon at around two and a half hours. In winter, I would allow roughly 2.5 to 3 hours from Geneva, particularly around the main weekend changeovers when mountain traffic can build quickly.
For a private transfer, I would budget around €400 to €500 each way for the vehicle. It is worth including that when comparing the overall cost of a ski trip rather than treating the airport transfer as an afterthought.
Once you arrive, you do not really need a car. The hotel shuttle covers Courchevel 1850, which means we could ski directly from the hotel during the day and still go into the center for restaurants, shopping or drinks in the evening. I liked that balance. I would not come to Courchevel and eat every meal inside one hotel.
First Impressions of Aman Le Mélézin
The hotel feels quiet almost immediately after you arrive. The entrance and lobby are fairly understated for Courchevel 1850, and inside there is a lot of warm timber, darker colors and smaller sitting areas rather than one huge lobby full of people.
The Japanese influence is obvious without feeling themed. You notice it in the timberwork, furniture, geometric details and restrained interiors, and it continues through the bedrooms, restaurant and spa.
The Century-Old Bonsai
The large bonsai is one of the first things you notice. It sits right in the middle of all the oak and geometric ceiling detailing, and visually it explains the Japanese side of the hotel better than a paragraph of design language could. Centered Bonsai in a Warm Wood …
The tree is around a century old, and what surprised me was learning what happens when the winter season finishes. It is transported to Paris for the summer, where it can be cared for before returning to Courchevel for the following ski season.
Given its size and age, moving it up and down from Courchevel each year must be quite an operation. It is also a good example of how seasonal Le Mélézin is. Winter ends, the hotel closes, the bonsai heads to Paris and some of the team move to other Aman hotels until the next season begins.
A Note on Photography and Privacy
This review has slightly fewer photographs of the public areas than some of my other hotel reviews. Le Mélézin is a very small hotel and I was conscious of not photographing people while they were relaxing.
There was also a particularly high-profile guest staying at the hotel at the same time, which made me even more careful about where I pointed a camera. Where necessary, I have used official hotel imagery alongside my own photographs rather than intruding on other guests.
Despite that guest being there, everything carried on normally. There was no fuss around it and privacy was handled very discreetly.
The Bar and Lounges at Aman Le Mélézin
The public areas work well with the size of the hotel. Instead of one enormous lobby, there are several smaller places to sit, read, play chess or have a drink after skiing. The main lounge has a lot of oak, olive-green sofas and chairs, turned timber furniture and a chess table near the windows. Large windows and doors look towards the snow, so although there is a lot of timber, the room doesn't feel dark. Elegant Lodge Lounge with Chess…
I liked this part of the hotel more than I expected. It feels more like a series of sitting rooms than a formal hotel lobby, which makes far more sense when there are only 28 accommodations.
The bar is also quite compact. There are a handful of stools directly at the counter, with the bottles built into backlit timber cabinetry and additional seating flowing into the surrounding lounge. Modern Rustic Hotel Bar Lounge
This is somewhere I would have a drink before dinner or after coming back from the mountain. I would not choose Le Mélézin because I wanted one of Courchevel's major bar scenes.
My Chambre Ski Piste at Aman Le Mélézin
I stayed in a Chambre Ski Piste, and this is the category I would book again.
These rooms are approximately 42 to 44 sqm / 452 to 472 sq ft, with a south-facing balcony overlooking the Bellecôte Piste. Aman currently lists them with king or twin beds, a large dressing area and a bathroom with twin vanities, soaking tub and separate shower.
The room did not feel enormous, but I was hardly in it during the day. What I wanted on a ski trip was somewhere warm and comfortable, plenty of storage, a good bathroom and a view that reminded me why I was in Courchevel.
I also liked having plenty of usable surfaces. Ski hotel rooms can descend into chaos quite quickly once gloves, goggles, chargers, hats and everything else start appearing. Although this was not a huge bedroom, it was easy to live in.
There are newer hotels in Courchevel where every chair, wall and bathroom follows the latest Alpine interiors trend. Le Mélézin feels more settled than that. Some people will prefer a brand-new look, and some
Is the Chambre Ski Piste Worth It?
Yes. I would choose the Chambre Ski Piste again. The view is the reason.
The balcony is fairly compact, with space for a chair and small table rather than being a huge outdoor living area. What you are paying for is the position. Bellecôte is directly below, with pine forest immediately opposite and the mountains beyond. You can sit outside and watch people skiing past rather than looking at a distant strip of snow several buildings away.
When I am comparing ski-hotel room categories for a client, I would generally prioritize this over gaining more internal space unless the guest specifically wants a separate living room. You are in Courchevel to ski. I would rather wake up and look directly onto the piste than have a considerably larger room facing a less interesting direction.
Storage, Coffee Station, Minibar and Ammenities
The Chambre Ski Piste also worked well from a practical point of view. Skiing produces an extraordinary amount of stuff, so storage becomes more important here than it would be during a three-night city stay.
The refreshment setup was better than the standard hotel coffee machine with a couple of capsules beside it. There was a Nespresso machine, Dammann Frères tea, individual snacks and nougat, with coffee, tea, cutlery and other supplies arranged inside fitted drawers. Luxury Hotel Coffee and Tea Sta…
The minibar was similarly organized, with Evian, sparkling water, Coca-Cola, Orangina and other non-alcoholic drinks together with fruit snacks and bars.
These sound like small details, but I use room refreshments far more at a ski hotel than I would on a city trip because you are constantly coming back thirsty, cold or wanting something quickly before heading out again. Non-alcoholic minibar refreshments are currently included with the stay.
The Bathroom
The bathroom was larger than I expected from the overall room size and felt closer to a combined dressing and bathing area than a conventional hotel bathroom.
There is a long mirrored vanity, a deep bath, plenty of timber, a heated towel rail and a window looking directly towards the snow outside.
The separate shower is particularly good. It is large, finished in dark charcoal stone and has a ceiling-mounted rainfall shower, handheld shower and a full-width built-in bench. Luxury Charcoal Walk-In Shower
After skiing, this is exactly the bathroom layout I want. You can come back, get out of all the ski gear and have enough room to move around rather than everything ending up piled on top of one small vanity.
Should You Book a Chambre Ski Piste with Hot Tub?
I would only pay extra for the hot-tub category if I knew I was going to use it regularly.
Aman also offers Chambre Ski Piste with Hot Tub rooms. They are the same 42 to 44 sqm internally, but add a larger south-facing terrace and an outdoor Norwegian hot tub overlooking Bellecôte. There is also a 61 sqm Suite Ski Piste with Hot Tub.
They look excellent in photographs, but there is one thing I would want a client to know before paying more: the terraces are not as private as you might assume.
That becomes easier to understand once you see how close the Chambre Ski Piste balconies are to the ski run. Bellecôte being directly outside is one of the hotel's biggest advantages, but it also means some of the outdoor areas are exposed to the piste and surrounding rooms.
If I knew I would come back every afternoon and sit in the hot tub looking at the snow, I would consider it. If I expected to be skiing, in the spa, at lunch or out for dinner most of the time, I would probably take the regular Chambre Ski Piste.
Other Rooms and Suites at Aman Le Mélézin
Despite having only 28 accommodations, there is a good range of categories. The Petite Chambre is 22 sqm, the Chambre Nord 29 sqm, the Chambre Village 38 sqm and the Chambre Ski Piste 42 to 44 sqm. The suites then move up to the 61 sqm Suite Ski Piste, 75 sqm Suite La Vanoise and 93 sqm Suite Le Mélézin, while the Family Apartment is 67 sqm with two bedrooms.
The Petite Chambre is one I would generally consider for a solo traveler or children connecting to another room rather than a couple wanting a longer ski stay. Aman itself positions it for single occupancy or two children.
For a couple primarily coming to ski, I still think the Chambre Ski Piste sits in a very good place within the range. If I were staying longer and expected to spend more time inside, one of the 61 sqm or larger suites would become more interesting.
The Aman Le Mélézin Ski Room
The Ski Room is one of the best parts of the hotel.
This is not a basement with a few metal lockers. The room is set up around a long padded bench with individual storage underneath, mirrors along the walls and helmets and accessories displayed almost like a ski boutique.
More importantly, the service is hands-on. In my photograph I am sitting on the bench while a member of the team is fitting my boots. Another guest is doing the same further along. That tells the story better than saying the hotel has "ski valet."
It can sound a little over the top until you have skied for several consecutive days. Ski boots are not fun, and once somebody is getting them ready and helping you into them every morning, you quickly get used to it.
For families, it becomes even more useful because you are not simultaneously dealing with your own equipment and several children's boots, helmets and skis.
Is Aman Le Mélézin Really Ski-In/Ski-Out?
Yes. This is genuine ski-in/ski-out.
There is a fairly generous interpretation of ski-in/ski-out at some mountain hotels. You arrive and discover there is still a walk, a road crossing or a short hotel transfer between the property and the skiing.
Le Mélézin sits directly on the Bellecôte Piste. You get ready downstairs, leave the Ski Room and are on the snow. At the end of the day you ski back, hand over the equipment and go upstairs. Aman also gives direct access into Les Trois Vallées from the property.
Direct access to the slopes is one of the best reasons to choose Le Mélézin. Photo by Dylan Clements / Clements Travel.
Aman's current fact sheet puts the center of Courchevel 1850 at around 200 meters away, so you are not trading piste access for complete isolation either.
For me, that location is probably the most valuable part of the stay.
Skiing Courchevel and Les Trois Vallées
Aman gives direct access into Les Trois Vallées, with around 600 kilometers of pistes across the wider area.
I am not someone who needs to be on the first lift and ski continuously until everything closes. One of the reasons I like Courchevel is that you can combine skiing with long lunches, good restaurants and quite a lot of people-watching.
We had some fantastic clear days during the stay, the type where the sky is intensely blue and you can see across the mountains for what feels like miles.
Having Bellecôte directly outside makes the hotel a very easy home base. You can spend the day moving around the wider ski area and then finish by skiing back to the property rather than ending the day arranging transport.
Courchevel Beyond Skiing
Courchevel 1850 is not a place where I would stay inside my hotel for every meal.
There are excellent mountain restaurants, other hotels worth visiting, bars, shops and plenty happening around the center. The hotel shuttle makes it easy to use the resort rather than treating Aman as the entire trip.
On a clear day, the lunch scene can be the complete opposite of Le Mélézin's quiet public areas. The terraces around Courchevel are packed with people still in ski clothes, bottles of wine on the tables and mountains rising directly behind them. Sunny Alpine Terrace Dining
That is part of why I did not need Le Mélézin itself to be busy at night. You can have all of that during the day and then ski back to a hotel with 28 accommodations and very little noise.
Dining at Aman Le Mélézin
The Japanese influence becomes much more obvious when it comes to food. Aman now operates Akari alongside Yakiniku on the outdoor terrace, so Japanese cooking continues to be a major part of the dining identity.
During my stay I had the salmon sushi lunch set. It came with five pieces of salmon nigiri, salmon rolls, miso soup and several small vegetable accompaniments. The photograph shows a much more substantial lunch than a few pieces of sushi on an oversized plate.
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The salmon sushi set was €85 when I stayed. The tuna version was also €85, vegetarian sushi €80, salmon and tuna donburi €82 and the 15-piece sashimi set €90. Hot bento options included chicken katsu and teriyaki salmon at €75.
There was also a separate snack menu with a mix of Japanese dishes and more familiar ski-hotel food. Edamame was €13, new-style nigiri €35, black cod wraps €35 and a Wagyu mini burger €15. A regular beef burger was €48 and a chicken club sandwich €40. These were prices during my stay, so I would use them as a guide to the level of pricing rather than a current menu. Elegant Japanese Fusion Menu Pa…
The Japanese lunch menu during my stay. Photo by Dylan Clements / Clements Travel.
The Restaurant at Aman Le Mélézin
The restaurant is one of the clearest examples of the Japanese influence in the hotel. The room has a large geometric lattice ceiling, warm timber cabinetry, coral-colored upholstery, Japanese-style landscape artwork and small bonsai-style plants on the tables.
I like that it feels appropriately sized for the hotel. You do not walk into a giant dining room built to pull in hundreds of outside diners. It still feels connected to a small 28-key property.
The coral-colored seating also helps. Without it, there would be an enormous amount of brown timber in the room.
I would not eat every dinner here during a longer stay. Courchevel has too many restaurants to ignore, but there are nights when you have skied all day, had a long lunch and have no interest in putting on another outfit and going anywhere. That is when having this downstairs works very well.
Dining on the Terrace
When the weather works, there is also outdoor dining beside the skiing. Aman now uses the terrace for its Yakiniku concept, with premium cuts cooked tableside over embers.
The terrace is also a useful reminder of exactly where the hotel sits. You are not looking at the ski slopes somewhere across the valley. They are directly beside you.
I would happily have lunch here on a sunny day rather than turning every lunch into a full expedition to another mountain restaurant.
Half Board and Dining Around Courchevel
Half board is included in current stays and covers daily breakfast plus lunch or dinner at Aman Le Mélézin and selected partner restaurants in Courchevel.
That is worth considering when comparing rates because Courchevel dining is expensive. It also makes the hotel less restrictive than half board can sometimes sound. You are not necessarily tied to eating in the same dining room every evening.
I would still make key restaurant reservations before arriving, particularly during Christmas, New Year and February. Courchevel is not where I would arrive during peak season and decide at 6pm where I wanted dinner.
Aman Le Mélézin Spa and Pool
I took one day off skiing and spent part of it in the spa. That was when I really appreciated how quiet the hotel can become during the daytime. Most guests were out on the mountain and I virtually had the pool area to myself.
The pool has a very restrained Aman look, with large cream columns, timber-slatted ceilings, low lighting and loungers around the perimeter. Snow-covered trees are visible through the windows, so it still feels connected to where you are rather than like an underground city-hotel spa.
The wellness area is more substantial than you might expect from a hotel this small. Two full floors are dedicated to wellness, with five treatment rooms, a traditional hammam, wooden sauna, cold plunge, fitness studio, yoga studio with TRX equipment, two Jacuzzis and a 14-meter indoor lap pool.
I fall closer to the first group. When I used it during the day, hardly anybody else was there. I would rather have a 14-meter pool virtually to myself than a huge spa complex filled with people.
Massage and Wellness
I do not generally spend much time having hotel massages because I would usually rather be outside doing something.
Aman is one of my exceptions.
Across the Aman properties I have stayed at, I have consistently had very good massage treatments, and Le Mélézin was no different. After several days skiing, it was also one of the few times when having a massage felt like part of the trip rather than taking time away from it.
The spa specifically offers treatments aimed at preparing for and recovering from mountain activity, including après-ski recovery treatments, which makes far more sense here than a generic spa menu copied from a beach resort.
There is also a full fitness studio and yoga room. I did not spend much time in the gym because skiing was enough exercise for me.
Is Aman Le Mélézin Good for Families?
Yes. It is more family-friendly than the quiet Aman atmosphere might initially suggest.
The hotel currently has a Kids' Zone for ages 2 to 18, and the 67 sqm Family Apartment connects a larger master bedroom with a twin room. Selected other categories can also connect.
The Ski Room would also make a big difference with children. You are not trying to organize several sets of boots, skis and helmets and then load everyone into a vehicle each morning. Once everybody is ready, the piste is outside.
Service at Aman Le Mélézin
Service was excellent during my stay.
The Ski Room was particularly good, the restaurant team were attentive, housekeeping worked quietly and efficiently, and I never had the feeling that staff were hovering around looking for ways to perform service for the sake of it.
Staff Moving Between Le Mélézin and Amanzoe
One detail I found interesting was learning what some of the team do once Courchevel's season finishes.
A number of staff move from Aman Le Mélézin in winter to Amanzoe in Greece for summer.
That means they may be seasonal to this particular hotel, but they are not necessarily new to Aman every winter. They already understand how the brand works and then move between seasonal properties.
I think that helps. Seasonal ski hotels can sometimes feel like an entirely new operation at the start of each winter. Le Mélézin did not feel like that during my stay.
Is Aman Le Mélézin Too Quiet?
For some travelers, yes.
There are only 28 accommodations and the bar is relatively small. If your idea of Courchevel is a packed hotel bar, loud music and people coming and going until late, there are other hotels I would recommend first.
That does not mean you need to have a quiet trip.
You are staying in Courchevel 1850. Go out. Have drinks somewhere else, have dinner in town, spend the day at busy mountain restaurants and then come back here. The transfer service between Aman and other hotels, bars and the ski fields is excellent, frequent and reliable.That is how I would use the hotel.
Is Aman Le Mélézin Worth the Price?
It can be if you value ski access, privacy and service more than sheer room size or having the newest hotel.
If you compare only square meters, you can find larger rooms for the money. For me, the value was in how easy everything became.
I did not need to think about getting to the mountain. I did not need to carry skis through the village. Somebody helped with the boots. I could ski home. I could use the shuttle at night. If I took a day away from skiing, there was a very good spa downstairs. Those conveniences add up over a week.
Which Room Would I Book at Aman Le Mélézin?
I would book the Chambre Ski Piste again. I would choose the south-facing Bellecôte position over extra internal space unless I specifically wanted a separate living room.
If the hot-tub category were only a modest jump in rate and I knew I would use it, I would consider it. But I would want the exact room position checked first because the terrace privacy varies.
For families I would look at connecting rooms or the Family Apartment. For a longer stay where I expected to spend more time inside, the 61 sqm Suite Ski Piste or one of the larger suites would start to make more sense.
What I Would Do Differently Next Time
Very little. I would book roughly the same room position and I would still choose the piste view. I would ski most days but deliberately leave one afternoon for the spa rather than trying to spend every possible hour on the mountain.
I would eat Japanese food at the hotel again, but I would make more dinner reservations around Courchevel in advance and lock in the mountain restaurants I particularly wanted before arriving. The main ski weeks are not the time to leave every restaurant decision until the same day.
Would I Stay at Aman Le Mélézin Again?
Yes. What I liked most was not one dramatic feature. It was how the different parts fitted together.
There are only 28 accommodations. The hotel is directly on Bellecôte. The Ski Room is excellent. The spa is large enough to be useful but rarely felt busy. The Japanese influence gives the interiors and dining a personality of their own, and the shuttle means you can still use Courchevel properly rather than feeling isolated.
The criticisms are fairly easy to understand. Le Mélézin isn't new, some of the rooms are not huge, the spa is more intimate than enormous and the hotel itself is quiet.
For the wrong guest, those could all be negatives.
For me, most of them were part of why I liked it.
I would rather have a cozy 42 to 44 sqm room overlooking the piste than a much larger room with no interesting view. I would rather have the 14-meter pool almost to myself than a giant spa filled with people. And I would rather go into Courchevel when I want a social scene and return somewhere calmer afterwards.
If you want Aman service, genuine ski-in/ski-out access and a smaller, quieter base in Courchevel 1850, I think Le Mélézin is one of the more interesting hotels in the resort.
Booking Aman Le Mélézin with Virtuoso Benefits
Clements Travel can book Aman Le Mélézin with eligible Virtuoso benefits, normally using the same qualifying hotel rates available directly.
There are no booking fees. You pay Aman directly through the hotel's secure payment process, and we never see or store your card details.
Where we can help at Le Mélézin is with the details that are difficult to understand from a booking engine. Is the piste view worth paying for? Will you use the hot tub? How exposed is the terrace? Do you need a larger suite or would I spend the money elsewhere? Which rooms connect for children?
Once the reservation is confirmed, our Guest Experience team handles the post-booking side of the stay, including room preferences, transfers, restaurant requests, ski arrangements, celebrations, arrival information and upgrade follow-up.
If you are considering Aman Le Mélézin in Courchevel 1850, send us your dates and we can check the current rate, Virtuoso benefits and room categories and tell you which option I would choose.
Contact us to get a complimentary quote for Aman Le Mélézin.
About the Reviewer
Dylan Clements is the founder of Clements Travel and has worked as a luxury travel advisor for more than 20 years, visiting around 80 countries. He stayed personally at Aman Le Mélézin in Courchevel 1850 and photographed the hotel during his stay.
