Catboy 2020
Google
The best of European Hospitality. Jean and Dadou Mayer established HSB to be in the nature of an Alpine ski lodge, and it is wonderful. You are not visitors or guests, you become family. My first visit was when I was 19 years old, and the brothers ran from the kitchen to ski school line up with Ernie Blake (founder of Taos) because they not only ran the hotel, cooked meals, but they were superb ski instructors, too. Jean is the good looking one but Dadou was the wild man on skis. (just teasing them) I returned with my daughter and realized it was on the 50th anniversary of my original visit. Can you believe they did not remember me! Well, I was not so impressive at 19. We enjoyed hot toddies after skiing in a blizzard one day and then stayed for dinner the next. Breast of Canard a'la Orange. Very French. Meals are served family style at long tables, everyone sharing. The Hotel is located at the base of the ski runs, and you literally ski in for lunch and out to the lift for afternoon runs. The ski resort has very modern equipment and changed a lot from the 1960's but it still offers some of the best powder skiing in the world, with runs for all levels of skier, not just the hard core outbacker. I see they closed last year due to pandemic, but they should be re-opening this year. I hope so and I wish the very best for Jean and Dadou, so that many more people can enjoy their hospitality and become a part of the St. Bernard family. A stay there will infect you with their love of the mountains and the activities to do on it year round, plus they feed you really well!!!!