Who's Going
Former-Byblos regulars unaware of new ownership
Reason to Stay
Bar, Lounge, Ski-In/Ski-out, Historic Hotel
Hotel Type
Ski Resort
We almost can't imagine Courchevel without the Byblos, but alas the 2008/09 season arrived and with it a new name for the former-hotspot. Located in a residential neighborhood of Courchevel 1850, the hotel's name translates to "Palace of Snow" and looks much as it did when the Byblos left. Like occupying a well-known restaurant by a totally different name, the space is a landmark of the past with it quirky Alpine-chic décor that just looks tacky without all the fur-trimmed skiers and techno-bass emanating from Les Caves nightclub. Visitors arrive to big brown box with glass balconies and frumpy curtains that have long since lost their luster. Reception is contained in a knotty wood-paneled lobby with indoor/outdoor carpeting and bronze-wrapped columns upholding wood-truss ceilings. Although the hotel insists it's no longer a haven for the 2am party scene, much of the infrastructure of the Byblos remains intact including the cozy main bar with its tulip barstools and domed ceiling as well as the outdoor après-ski lounge with its piano bar and champagne booths. Sure there's no champagne flowing or even a French starlet to dance on the tabletops, but hopefully the space will morph into something bigger and better even if it's not in this ski year as we reminisce of the loss of Byblos.
The Room
Maybe we were just drunk as we checked-into our Byblos suite a few years back, marveling at the cozy décor and sleek packaging that made you feel like a family guest flown-in to party. But today we’re sober and thoroughly unimpressed with the hotel scab that’s developed over our beloved Byblos. With scratch marks and posters placed over every Byblos logo and memory, guests walk the halls like après-ski ghosts looking for anything to remind them of the glory days. A freshly oiled door opens to a wood-paneled guest room with well-worn beige carpeting and embroidered curtains hangng from their last stitch. Gold-leaf furnishings are still everywhere from a regal-looking tufted headboard to ornate oil paintings depicting various French country scenes. TVs have been upgraded to flatscreens as well as a room service menu that include kid-friendly staples like burgers and fries instead of magnums of Moet and Dom as before. While we remember feeling under whelmed in the bathrooms, we don’t recall the porcelain tile floors or low-grade towels that seem to contrast the Etro bath products. On average, rates are down by about 20% since the name change but still not worth what you get from this shell of a hotel that was once the legendary Byblos.
Preferred Room
Junior Suite
Special Features
Oversize Guest Rooms, Ski-In/Ski-Out, Hip Clientele
Amenities
Restaurant, Spa, Terrace, Lounge, Hip Clientele, Historic Location
