The Arula Chalets review: a glimpse into an Alpine wellness utopia
I’m sitting cross-legged on the chalet decking, following the movements of the yoga teacher in front of me and gazing at the mountain face currently bathed in early morning sunlight just behind her, and I’m thinking ‘how lucky am I to be here?’ followed quickly by ‘and how on earth do I go back to a 9-5 after this?’.
I'd been invited to stay at Chalet 2, one of two super luxurious lodges that make up The Arula Chalets, which sit side by side on Lech’s scenic mountain range. With well-curated interiors and hidden features even James Bond would envy, my only fear now is that all that luxury and beauty has probably ruined all subsequent chalet stays for me.
How do you pass the time in off-season?
It’s a universally known truth that the Alps are home to world-class ski ranges, but having never visited the mountains without snow before I was curious to see how tourists spend their time when not strapped to two planks. Rest assured, with a mountain range on the doorstep, activities are not hard to come by, just hard to choose between. Wild swimming, hiking, foraging, yoga, and e-biking were all on the cards, so the day's toughest decision was knowing which order to do them in.
Have a go e-biking
I’ll be the first to admit I’m much more comfortable donning a pair of running shoes than I am buckling up a cycling helmet, but with an elevation gain of 555m through neighbouring Dalaas before we’d be stopping for lunch, I was all too happy to swap my running shoes for an electric bike. The bikes (heavy though they were) made scaling the mountains a breeze meaning I spent most of the ride utterly captivated by the majesty of the Lech’s mountain range, complete with roaming cattle and babbling rivers. I felt as though I’d entered The Sound of Music: the hills truly were alive with the sound of cow bells. With Autumn being off-season for Lech, the streets, roads, and mountain paths were as quiet as they get which made it seem like we were getting a private tour of Dalaas.
Go foraging for herbs
Slowing the pace down slightly, we embarked on a gentle foraging hike looking for St John’s Wart and other natural herbs to create teas and tinctures later that day. Born and raised in London, it’s easy to forget how the earth can sustain us and the bounty it can provide in favour of the quick and easy grab-and-go lifestyle. It was a breath of fresh air (quite literally) to pick, pluck, trim, and brew fresh herbs into sweet teas, and then see those same herbs scattered over our dinner later than evening - a true taste of seed-to-table dining.
Get a natural boost wild swimming
Surprisingly, my favourite part of the trip was an al fresco dip in a freezing cold lake. During a gentle group hike up Lech Zurs we stumbled upon Lake Monzabonsee nestled between two peaks. Sun shining and hardly a soul around, a few of us submerged ourselves in the icy water and, despite being known as an avid hater of the cold, I loved it. I may have only lasted a few minutes but my body felt truly alive and if wild swimming is ever on offer again, I'd jump right in without hesitation.
Enjoy a yoga session
Yoga wasn’t just an activity during our stay in Lech, but a ritual. As much of a habit as brushing your teeth, yoga was on offer both morning and night and was usually taken beside the pool meaning I entered my zen whilst listening to the lyrical water sounds, it was giving ASMR. The best session of all however, was the morning Vin Yasa practice hosted on the decking which looks out to the opposing cliff face. Watching the sunrise while doing a mountain pose is a bucket list item I never knew needed ticking off but am glad I was able to.
Explore Lech
In a bid for a more easy-going afternoon, we were chauffeured (no surprise these luxury chalets come with a private chauffeur service), down to Lech to explore the village. If the chalets alone weren’t enough to bring you to this slice of Alpine paradise, Lech certainly should be. A town so perfectly manicured and well kept it seems straight out of a movie set, it’s a joy simply to mosy about and window shop. And mosy I did. Although I wasn’t about to fork out thousands for a new designer jacket, a bag of Austrian chocolates may have ended up coming home with me…
Try some snow sports
If you are lucky enough to visit in the snowy seasons then there’s no better place to stay than Arula. The chalets are ski-in ski-out and have their own boot rooms with heated lockers. You can even get a boot fitting in the chalet as they partner with local ski shops, and with 305kms of ski runs on offer, Lech is the perfect place to break in a stylish new bit of kit.
Sounds exhausting! What about downtime?
Hiking, biking, and swimming can be quite demanding, and nothing sounded better than a long afternoon lazing by the pool or sweating in the sauna. I was jaw-slackened as we toured the Arula Chalets' spa; think three different types of sauna, a family-sized steam room and a bubbling hot tub. It was truly second to none. In the name of journalism, it was only right I tested all services on offer, so may have spent the best part of an hour hopping from one sauna to the other, and finishing with a well-deserved doze on a water bed in front of a Himalayan salt wall (tough work but someone’s got to do it).
There was even a ‘hay room’ - a small room with walls made of compact hay which creates a strong aroma to transport you to simpler times spent tending to livestock in the mountains - can it get any more Austrian than that? The spa services aren’t complete without a visit to one of the resident therapists - tight shoulders, niggling back pain, or just in need of a bit of R&R, they will take the very best care of your aches and pains.
Gym buffs need not fret either as both chalets come with private gyms equipped with all the necessary equipment to get a sweat on. A keen runner myself, I was thankful to be able to get a couple of kilometres under my belt on their curved treadmill because, between you and me, there was no way I was going to be tying up my laces for a 5k in the Alps (elevation training anyone?)
Although The Arula Chalets is a wellness utopia, it doesn’t mean they don’t know how to host a party. Wine cellar? Check. Shuffleboard? Check. Casino and pool table? Check. It’s the perfect recipe for a let-your-hair-down-and-dance-like-no-one-is-watching type of evening, something I can very much get behind. Even if there are kids about, I’m sure it wouldn’t take much effort to encourage them into the cinema room (complete with popcorn machine, of course) or private ice rink to enjoy a well-deserved and much-needed kid-free evening.
And what about the food?
While we all may *know* that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, sometimes in practice, it can be hard to pay merit to that belief. The Arula Chalets, however, take this motto as gospel. The daily breakfast spread had all bases covered, from fresh yoghurts, bircher muesli and chia seed pudding cups, to pastries, breads, and a wide variety of fruits and granolas, and that’s not forgetting eggs however you’d like, ginger shots upon request, and fresh pressed juices that varied daily. Suddenly the saying ‘breakfast fit for a king’ made sense and my meal-prepped yoghurt bowl for mornings in the office the following week felt a little sad in comparison.
Lunch and afternoon snacks were also not to be missed, with their poke bowl being a particular standout (the kind of good that meant silence descended upon the table, interrupted solely by the only appropriate responses of mms and ‘I need this recipe!’), and 4pm sugar cravings always curbed with their strudels and banana bread.
Dinner, however, was in a different league. You might think that at 1,450m elevation, the ingredients needed for fine dining would be hard to come by, but for the Arula Chalets, no mountain is too high - quite literally. Whilst gazing out of the vast French windows, we enjoyed a six-course menu to rival any top restaurant in London. We were lucky enough to indulge in homemade bread, gyozas, celeriac ‘duck’, all followed by white chocolate ice cream and washed down with some of the finest wines.
If fine dining isn’t your bag (hey, I’m a firm believer in comfort food, and sometimes beans on toast is exactly what you need), the chefs can cater to any preference or dietary requirement. We also indulged in classical family-style Austrian cuisine, as well as healthy sharing platters like spiralised veggies and nutrient-dense salads, so whilst I was putting my body through its paces, the chefs were making sure my gut health and nutrition were taken care of too.
Need a full eight hours?
With swimming, hiking, and biking all on the agenda, it’s important to get a good night’s sleep, and I’m positive the beds at the Arula Chalets are what Goldilocks was really looking for: soft quilted duvets and stacks of feather pillows. It doesn’t come much better.
With remote-controlled lighting and blinds, Bluetooth speakers in every room, and toilet seats that lift as you approach them, I just *felt* rich. Doubtless, the best part of any room in the chalets is the view. With my current view in my London flat facing a busy train station, I’d give up a lot to wake up to cowbells and sunshine skimming the mountain tops again.
The verdict
For those who can afford it, a trip to the Arula Chalets will stay with you far longer than the days you’ve booked for. A truly unforgettable haven where your needs are met before you’ve even realised them, and the natural beauty that surrounds you leaves you awe-struck every morning. The attention to detail is second to none, yes in the stylised interiors and feng shui, but also in the staff who memorise everything down to the type of water you like to drink (still or sparkling, ma’am?).
Ideal for companies looking to entertain clients, big family affairs or a celebration with friends, book yourself in to experience a week of health and wellness, with a side of indulgence and opulence. Chalet 1 caters up to 22 guests, whereas Chalet 2 capacity sits at just 8. However, both chalets can be hired by one party and are joined by a secret doorway behind a bookcase and a dark tunnel in the basement… all very 007.
Go there
Arula Chalet 2 starts from €7,900 (£6,573) per night based on eight guests sharing, inclusive of private chefs, menu consultation, daily breakfast, afternoon tea, dinner, all hot and soft drinks, airport transfers, chauffeur service within Lech and 24/7 concierge and butler service.
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