Flaine, France
Hôtel Totem - Friendly Hotel & Spa | Pied des Pistes
Brutalist ski lodge
Flaine, France
Renovated
2015
Price
$$
Rated for
Design Heritage LocalOutside the door
The house
Friendly HotelsBrutalist ski lodge
This 1970s concrete hotel swaps alpine chalet tropes for easy communal living and immediate access to the pistes.
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Marcel Breuer concrete architecture framed by tubular steel chairs and street-art murals.
Notable
Preserved 1971 brutalist architecture with an original poured-concrete fireplace in Flaine Forum.
Listed
Ski-in convenience in Flaine Forum with Savoyard buffets facing Jean Dubuffet sculptures.
What they say
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
A crisp modernity and sense of fun defines the communal areas, with arcade games, neon signage, and big sofas by the Breuer-brutalist fireplace.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
The car-free Forum sits right outside, where skiers glide thirty seconds to reach the Grandes Platières gondola.
1 of 6
The rooms
Bold street-art murals cover the white bedroom walls, and wardrobes come fronted in black-and-white cowhide.
Hot tub and saunas
An outdoor hot tub steams on the concrete terrace facing the Grand Massif peaks, and two saunas sit inside.
The spa and gym
Treatment rooms use Pure Altitude botanical skincare, and the gym lines its treadmills against windows overlooking snowy pines.
Restaurant
Friendly Kitchen & Bar
A raw concrete bar serves craft cocktails and regional dishes, beside wide windows looking out at the ski slopes.
How it began
Arts patrons Eric and Sylvie Boissonnas spent an oil fortune building the resort, determined to bring avant-garde culture to the skiing public.
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.