INTRODUCING NIRA MONTANA, LA THUILE
OPENED 5th December 2014
Nira Montana is the latest opening from luxury hotel group Nira Hotels and Resorts. Situated in the
picturesque town of La Thuile, at the foot of Mont Blanc, the new property is just steps from the ski
slopes and hiking trails of the Italian Alps.
Built in the style of the valley’s traditional houses, the attractive, three-storey hotel is constructed of
wood and stone, uses energy saving systems is a member of Design Hotels. Nira Montana’s 55-rooms
sell at 200 euros per night and is the only five star hotel in La Thuile.
Nira Montana can be found at the edge of the traditional village La Thuile, in the heart of the Aosta
Valley extending over 28 ski resorts and 4500km of trails. It is an ideal resort for mountain lovers
year round. Surrounded by some of Europe’s highest mountains including Monte Rosa, Gran Paradiso
and Mont Blanc.
DESTINATION: LA THUILE
The resort of La Thuile, is easily accessible, being close to the major airports of northern Italy
including Milan and Turin, as well as being under a two-hour drive from Geneva in
Switzerland. Located in the north-western part of the popular tourist region of Valle d’Aosta, La
Thuile retains an authentic mountain village feel, with beautiful views of the Alps. Activities available at
Nira Montana are extensive throughout the year. Enjoy 1200 km of downhill and cross-country slopes
in the winter or a natural playground in the summer season, where guests can trek, mountain bike or
visit the Dora River for water sports including rafting, canyoning and fishing.
This ideal location allows visitors to explore 160 km of skiing in Italy and France, being only 15 km
drive from the French border and neighbouring Courmayeur.
ROOMS AND SUITES AT NIRA MONTANA
Nira Montana offers 55 luxury rooms, including deluxe rooms and suites. Blending traditional features
with modern design, their ‘forest theme’ runs throughout the hotel. A walk-in rain shower, flat-screen
TV, iPod-docking station, Lavazza Espresso machine and free Wi-Fi is available in all rooms.
Deluxe Rooms (four connecting rooms available)
King or Queen bed (twin beds available on request) and unrestricted mountains views. Most have a
balcony or terrace and accommodate a maximum of two people.
Grande Deluxe Rooms
King or Queen bed (twin beds available) and a balcony or terrace with unrestricted mountain views.
Some have a walk-in closet or a second desk in a window niche and many feature a double sofa bed.
Accommodation is a maximum of four people.
Loft Rooms
Spread over two floors, the Loft Rooms offer 34 sqm. of space along with a King Size bed, a double
sofa bed and a balcony with high-level views of the Aosta Valley mountains. Twin beds are available
upon request. Accommodating a maximum of four people.
Junior Suites
Junior Suites feature a King Size bed and unrestricted mountain views. Most have a double sofa bed
and a balcony. Accommodating a maximum of four people.
Suites
The largest hotel rooms in La Thuile, the Suites cover 56-64 sqm. Each has a King Size bed, double
sofa bed, a comfortable seating area and mountain views. Most have a balcony and some with luggage
storage space. Maximum occupancy of four people.
RESTAURANT AND BAR
Celebrating the beauty of Italian cuisine, Stars Restaurant at Nira Montana offers traditional local
and regional dishes, using the freshest ingredients. High-quality produce is sourced to create menus
based on seasonality, while authentic specialties such as focaccia bread and Neapolitan pizza are baked
in an authentic wood fired oven.
The restaurant offers all-day dining, with a breakfast buffet and
a la carte service in the evening. The
ambiance is sophisticated yet casual, with local design influences.
The Stars Bar & Lounge features an extensive wine cellar as well as an al fresco area – perfect for an
après-ski or post-hike drink. Signature cocktails are also on offer, reflecting the crisp and natural
ambience of the surrounding mountain area with the modernity of the hotel.
The bar is a true representation of the hotel’s surrounding area, right down to the music; La Musique
du Faubourg Paris have remixed individual tracks to represent the hotel’s location. The bar is
characterised by casual and personal service to create an easy yet elegant experience at the foot of
the Mont Blanc. In between breakfast and dinner, the bar will be open as an Espresso and Juice Bar.
To ensure clientele enjoy a unique experience at the bar, the menu offers a wide range of produce
only available around Italy, representing the hotel and its surroundings.
NIRA SPA & WELLNESS
Nira Montana features extensive wellness facilities, reflecting its picturesque mountain setting and
inspired by the natural elements. The [comfort zone] Nira Spa offers a range of treatments including
bespoke programmes designed to suit guests’ specific needs.
The spacious wellness facilities consist of three treatment rooms, one beauty room plus a private spa
with double treatment room and an area for manicures and pedicures. The private spa can be booked
exclusively for an entire day; couples and small groups of friends can reserve this hideaway to enjoy a
day of relaxation and wellbeing. The Nira Spa also features a Technogym fitness centre, indoor
swimming pool with sauna, steam bath, vitarium (medium heat sauna) and Terre & Aqua (Rasul).
DESIGN
All elements of the hotel are designed to ensure complete care of the origins of the materials. The
designs are based on traditional concepts of wood lodgings and are made contemporary by the
implementation of clean lines and varied choices of materials. Wood is no longer at the forefront of
this concept; wallpaper, paint and iron have been used to bring a fresh take on traditional ski lodges.
Wallpaper with trees, warm chocolate paints and white plaster come together in a combination to
add a sense of nature and warmth to the hotel. The mixture of oak floors, white skirting boards and
iron-profiled furniture evoke natural and neutral elements. The juxtaposition of wood to iron is
overcome by the sophisticated and subtle harmony of all the elements. This balance is further
exemplified by the accessories, tree stump bed-side tables transformed by iron detailing, deer heads
in white resin and wooden curtain tie backs highlight how all details have been carefully drawn
together to create a contemporary ski lodge experience.
The spa design is also carefully constructed to ensure wellbeing of the mind and body. The spa
comprises of: swimming pool, sauna, Turkish bath, vitarium for chromotherapy and aromatherapy,
Rasul Vapour bath, massage rooms, relaxation areas, as well as sections for private use by the hotel
guests.
The heating system, connected to a central heating plant in La Thuile is the most significant part of the
hotel’s technical system. Wood biomass is used to fuel the hotel’s heating and in doing so provides a
clean current to the public power grid. Solar panels are used to provide a continuous supply of hot
water; all faucets are fitted with aerators to reduce the quantity of water used. LED lights are the
main source of light and provide greater efficiency as well as a reduction in the level of energy
consumption.
WINTER AND SUMMER ACTIVITES
Winter Activities
With 160km of uncrowded ski slopes and a range of nursery, intermediate and advanced runs, La
Thuile offers open-space skiing amid picturesque scenery. Espace San Bernardo, covering 80 pistes in
France and Italy, links the French resort of La Rosière with La Thuile. An international pass provides
access to 38 lifts carrying up to 58,000 people per hour. Skiing either side of the French and Italian
borders, in the silent presence of Mont Blanc and Rutor glacier, is a breathtaking experience.
Unusually, thanks to La Thuile’s state-of-the art lifts, skiers and snowboarders rarely encounter
queues.
Ski runs leave from an altitude of 1,450m
in La Thuile, not far from Nira Montana, and reach over
2,600m in an area known as Belvedere. Run number three is a challenging black 73% gradient piste,
dedicated to Franco Berthod, an exceptional skier and coach born in La Thuile who made downhill
skiing history. This run is approved for World Cup competitions.
Nordic skiing, heliskiing, free-riding and snow-kiting are also popular around La Thuile and there are
many opportunities for winter walks and guided snowshoe excursions.
Summer Activities
La Thuile has a pleasant summer climate that
is perfect for nature walks and mountain sports. As
the snow melts, skiers and boarders make way for mountain-bikers, walkers, rafters, canoeists and
climbers. Hotel guests are free to enjoy the natural beauty of Valle d’Aosta featuring the Grand
Paradiso National Park and the Piccolo and Grand San Bernardo Passes.
Each summer, the Cheval D’Aoste stables open for high-altitude horse riding and pony-trekking
where beginners are welcome to join ‘Baptism of the Saddle’ lessons. Those seeking a swim at
altitude can make their way up the mountain to the heated mountain-top swimming pool, while
anglers can visit Lake Verney, 2088m above sea level, in search of trout.
More extreme sports like mountain biking are popular in La Thuile with bikers reaching the top of the
mountain using the Bosco Express and Chalet Express chair lifts. The 220km of gravity defying paths
make up fifteen different free ride courses winding through the panoramic forests and pastures
between Italy and France.
If guests prefer a more relaxing option they can take in the charm of the landscape whilst playing golf
on local courses in Courmayeur, or explore and discover the well-preserved Roman monuments of
the Aosta region, only 40 minutes away from La Thuile.