Cœur de Megève

As names go, it’s hard to get any more straightforwardly descriptive: Cœur de Megève is indeed right in the heart of this French Alpine resort town, right on the village’s main pedestrianized shopping street — and a three-minute walk from the gondola that ferries skiers to the top of the mountain. The building is absolutely traditional, as you’d expect, given the location. But the interiors are something rather more refreshing: designer Sybille de Margerie has replaced the typical rustic knotty pine with a contemporary-luxe look that retains much of the organic charm of the region but infuses it with rich colors and a modern sensibility.

It’s a modestly sized hotel, just 39 rooms and suites, and they come in a variety of sizes, from the Cosy room up on the top floor to the spacious suites with their terraces and river views. All of them are decorated in a crisp contemporary style, with modernist furniture where you’d expect rustic, and high-tech comforts like Apple TV and Chromecast televisions. A lovely little spa features treatments by Tata Harper, and the social heart of the hotel is its bar and restaurant: Le Cœur serves three square meals a day sourced from local suppliers, and Le Meige, the cocktail bar, welcomes guests from après-ski to after dinner.