March is here! I feel like March is a bit of a nothing month for travel in Europe, unless you’re into mountain/skiing type getaways. Which maybe you are. I’ve never skied in my life, we don’t exactly have snow where I’m from, but I hear it’s acceptable to go to the mountains purely for the après-ski experience. 🙂
Most destinations in March are grey and miserable which means I mostly want to stay at home tucked away in my cozy bed. But I do think March is probably the perfect time for a luxury weekend or resort getaway. A cozy weekend away from home.
I’m thinking the kind of place where you can treat yourself at the spa or put on your dressing gown and fluffy slippers and curl up with a good book/Netflix and then indulge in some five star room service.
Or am I wrong on this?
I’ve picked out a few mountainous weekend and spa getaways which I think are perfect for this time of the year. I’ve also included some Easter hotel deals where you can get 20% off for a short time and the deal includes daily breakfast and a complimentary welcome drink.
Tirol, Austria
I visited Austria’s Tirol region one summer a few years back and it was stunning! All that fresh air and greenery and of course the mountains were just incredible. I imagine it’s 10x better in the snow.
There are loads and loads of resorts in this part of Austria. I stayed at a couple of different places. One was really nice but had a full on plastic surgery clinic which I though was kinda weird! Nothing like that goes on at Hotel Zhero though. This place is modern and sleek yet with cushy, comfy rooms. There’s an indoor pool, massage rooms, sauna and of course plenty of skiing nearby.
Stepantsminda, Georgia
Full disclosure: I have never been to Georgia. But it is very, very high on my bucket list. Just look at the photos from the Rooms Hotel Kazbegi in northern Georgia. Those mountains! Wow, I would love to go. It might seem unusual to stay in a fancy resort in this part of the world but Georgia is growing quickly as a tourist destination. This is quite the dream location and hotel for €114 euros per night.
Aosta Valley, Italy
Northern Italy is another leading destination for mountain resorts with a popular après-ski scene. This site gives a thorough explanation of the different ski areas in Italy but basically you’d be looking at South Tyrol which has German influences or the Aosta Valley where the French culture is more prominent. The good news is you have 80% chance of blue skies this side of the Alps.
Again, you have plenty of boutique resort hotels in this part of the world but I recommend Nira Montana in the Aosta Valley for its spa and views of Mont Blanc. Read the reviews if you need convincing of how awesome this place is.
Verbier, Switzerland
Aside from a short stay in Zurich all of my trips to Switzerland have been just passing through. It’s disappointing because it’s such a breathtakingly beautiful place but it’s usually out of my reach price-wise. But for a couple of days in the mountains I’d totally splurge on a luxury weekend and honestly, €245 per night isn’t outrageously expensive for Switzerland.
Verbier is one of the finest ski regions in Switzerland and always has been. It has boutique shops, great restaurants and it’s famous for its après-ski nightlife. The Hotel Nevai is pretty spectacular for the price.
Dijon, France
While not a relaxing mountain retreat, Dijon is a heavenly gourmet destination and another option for cold and grey March.
I’ve written a little about Dijon’s foodie scene here but you don’t have to listen to me, it’s world-renowned for its cuisine and listed as one of France’s official cities of gastronomy.
The Vertigo Hotel is located right in the centre so you needn’t stray too far in the cold for an incredible meal or you can order room service from their unusual glass jar cuisine (!). The hotel has a cool spa and fitness centre, electric car and bikes for free and best of all there’s a projection room where you can watch movies.
Of little consequence to most, but important to me, there’s the added bonus of my dream sofa from Ligne Roset (the curvy red sofa) in the lounge area. 🙂
Check the T&Cs before booking to make sure you’re getting the Easter deal if available.
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stepantsminda is seriously insanely gorgeous. i went in april in 2013 and was blown away. it is really hard to get to in april though as the georgia military hwy (one of the most dangerous roads in the world!) is covered in snow or flooded from melting snow. i dream about going back there! if you have the chance to get there soon, i highly suggest you do! just geogia in general is something special.
i think im going to make it a point to explore more of france this year. i don’t like paris and ive only been to strasbourg aside from paris. there is so much more to see- and maybe ill start in dijon 🙂
Yeah I was thinking about how to get there as it’s obviously quite far from Tbilisi. It does look insane. I desperately want to go. Flights from Budapest are around €200 so it’s not crazy expensive. I’d want to go for a month though!
France is different. It’s quiet and pretty and unadventurous but lovely. 🙂
While we are enjoying Australia, we do miss Europe! We may be back later this (your) fall or autumn as you say. 😉 I have a Polish friend who’s doing some hiking through Georgia soon. Can’t wait to hear her feedback as it’s one country that’s definitely on our travel list!
Hiking there would be incredible I reckon and I’m not even into hiking. 🙂 I will be back in Oz soon, to Perth but will try to get to Melbs as well. 🙂
One of my life goals is to travel to all the European cities after which food products are named. Dijon is definitely on that list 🙂
Haha, that’s a brilliant idea 😀