Hg2 : The Hedonist

A Hedonist’s guide to…

Monte Rosa

Wunder Bar
Groups of skiers congregate at Wunder Bar to talk about their day on the slopes; join them beside the hearth with a tipple or three.
Weissmatten
While it may not be connected to the main lift system, Weissmatten still provides seasoned skiers with exciting runs; they're even better when the snow is thick.
Walser Museum & Ecomuseum
Culture vultures should head to the Walser Museum and Walser Ecomuseum, which provide an insight into the history surrounding Monte Rosa.
Vineria an baker wi
Vineria an baker wi: a delightful, refined wine bar on Alagna's high street, offering an extensive wine list in sophisticated surroundings, it attracts a stylish set of skiers indeed.
Tre Alberi Liberi
If you're looking for a quaint bed and breakfast, call off the search; Tre Alberi Liberi offers both with five guestrooms and the kind of breakfasts that will ensure you're full of energy for the day ahead.
Tako Ski Rental
Tako Ski Rental does what it says on the tin and rents super-stylish ski equipment to a chic clientele of slope surfers; the store also offers free overnight storage.
Snow-ga
Snow-ga is a new concept that involves practising yoga mid-mountain. Perfect for the highly-strung.
Romantik Hotel Jolanda Sport
There's so many fabulous spa facilities at the Romantik Hotel Jolanda Sport it's hard to know where to start; guaranteed to ease the stresses and strains of even the most highly-strung skier.
Ristorante Unione
Ristorante Unione is a quintessential mountain restaurant; cosy interiors, traditional food and family-run, this is one of Monte Rosa's must-eats.
Rifugio Mantova
When refurbishments have finished Rifugio Mantova will offer stunning views at 3,488-metres and legendary hot chocolate.
Rifugio Belvedere
Rifugio Belvedere is an upscale eatery offering innnovative Italian fare with flare.
Relais des Glaciers
If you're looking for value for money, then Relais des Glaciers is the stay for you with the kind of amenities expected of a four-star stay and rooms that are chic and oh-so comfortable.
Pressmel
Pressmel is the in-house restaurant at Hotel Cristallo; formal but fabulous, it offers upscale dining in glamorous surroundings. The adjoining bar is a sexy spot for pre- or post-dinner cocktailing.
Pre-Saint-Didier Thermal Baths
More of a complex than a spa as such, the Pré-Saint-Didier Thermal Baths offer more fabulous facilities and treatments than anywhere else on Monte Rosa.
Paul Verlaine
Paul Verlaine is a popular place for locals and mountain guides to unwind after a hard day on the slopes; if it's good enough for them it's certainly good enough for you, so check it out.
Passo Zube
Skiers may need to climb to reach Passo Zube, but by God it's worth it; a 1,700-metre vertical ascent awaits at the top. Those who dare win, as they say.
Paragliding
Need a new perspective on things? Try a spot of paragliding, which will enable you to get a bird's-eye-view of the slopes and beyond.
Olen
Olen offers a wide, open piste that would please even the most hardcore adrenaline junkies.
NordKapp
What NordKapp lacks in physical size it certainly makes up for in glowing reputation; arguably one of the best places to refuel in Monte Rosa, the gourmet menu attracts discerning diners from far and wide.
Must-Have Stylish Ski Kit 2012/13
Mont Nery
Housed inside hotel Villa Fridau, Mont Nery has mountain dining all wrapped up with traditional stone and wood interiors and a menu of locally-sourced regional fare.
Malfatta and Punta Vittoria
If you're looking for steep slopes, call off the search; Malfatta and Punta Vittoria offer some of the steepest in Monte Rosa, and require supreme skill to safely navigate them.
Lyshaus
With river views and traditional Alpine-inspired rooms, the Lyshaus is one of Monte Rosa's most accommodating stays; an in-house restaurant finishes things off nicely.
Lo Retsingnon
Forget Starbucks and other identikit coffee chains; at Lo Retsingnon you'll find real coffee and cakes for the discerning connoisseur.
La Balma
La Balma meanders through some of the most picturesque scenery in Alagna, but that's not to say it's any way slow-paced.
Jolanda
While the routes at Jolanda may not be the trickiest in Monte Rosa, they are by no means boring; use these when bad weather prohibits you from being more daring.
Il Cristallo
Il Cristallo
Size isn't everything, and that's certainly the case at the small but perfectly formed Driade Beauty Spa; set inside the chic Cristallo Hotel, its treatment menu is one of the best in Monte Rosa.
Ice-climbing
Fearless adrenaline junkies use whatever means necessary to climb sheer, shiny walls of ice; only the brave need apply.
Hotellerie de Mascognaz
Hotellerie de Mascognaz is located in one of Monte Rosa's most historic villages, and this chalet is in keeping with its surroundings with traditional décor that has more than a hint of mountain style about it.
Hotel Villa Anna Maria
Proving once and for all that size doesn't matter, the restaurant at Hotel Villa Anna Maria is a pint-sized establishment that serves lipsmackingly good local fare; an exquisite wine list wraps things up nicely.
Hotel Dufour
Run by one of Monte Rosa's most renowned ski guides, Hotel Dufour is popular with guided groups looking for a suitably stylish place to catch forty winks.
Hotel Breithorn
Arguably the most luxurious hotel in Monte Rosa, The Breithorn has style and substance in equal measures; traditional Alpine interiors abound inside, while it's just a snowball's throw from the lifts.
Heli-skiing
Frantze Le Rascard
Frantze Le Rascard offers an authentic Alpine experience in the historic hamlet of Frantze.
Extreme Sport
Super-sleek and sexy, Extreme Sport - The Renting Philosophy is a thoroughly modern store that offers more ski and mountaineering equipment than you could ever possibly use in one lifetime.
Echo Travel
Despite being based in the UK, Echo Travel certainly knows its stuff when it comes to Monte Rosa; together with locally-based Alpine Guides, it single-handedly proves that knowledge is power.
Diur und Dom
Split into two sections, Diur und Dom offers both formal and casual dining under the same roof; Italian classics and a fit-to-bursting wine menu make this a perennial favourite.
Chiara Sport
While the extensive range of equipment and accessories on offer at Chiara Sport is impressive to say the least, it is the store's knowledgeable staff that make this place a must-visit.
Castore Lounge Bar
Castore Lounge Bar is one of Monte Rosa's more contemporary bars, with chic interiors and a funky music policy that has the mountain's trendiest movers and shakers dancing 'til the small hours.

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