Cheval Blanc, Courchevel, France

Some 450 miles east of Château Cheval Blanc, the Saint-Émilion producer of one of France’s most celebrated wines, is Bernard Arnault’s other Cheval Blanc. Arnault, chairman of LVMH and France’s richest citizen, opened the latter property—a 34-room ski-in/ski-out chalet—in 2006 as his mountaintop palace, a winter retreat in his favorite childhood ski town of Courchevel. Though the chalet operates as a hotel, its design and services mimic those of a billionaire’s private residence. Doormen welcome you to an intimate reception area and lobby, where details are not showy but exhibit fine tailoring and materials (including a variety of natural woods and rock that change textures throughout the hotel). No space is too big or too small; every spot to sit, sleep, swim, or stand is comfortable and well appointed. Each guest room and suite looks onto the mountains and has a balcony or a terrace, as well as a sitting area, a hammam shower, and a full-size closet. At Le 1947 Restaurant, named for Château Cheval Blanc’s legendary 1947 vintage, the cellar, rest assured, holds a selection of Bordeaux’s best.