Inside the hottest ski chalet in Los Angeles

Beach or mountains? If you’re in Los Angeles, despite the traffic, you can do both year-round. And with winter approaching, anyone desperately seeking snow could drive up to Big Bear or Lake Arrowhead for ski or après-ski time.

But for those who don’t want to drive far and still want the après-ski experience, you don’t have to leave LA at all—but rather just go to Century City.

Open since 1966, the Fairmont Century Plaza hosts 400 guest rooms and 85 suites, all with private terraces.

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts has been very proactive in building up its portfolio of exceptional and seasonal experiences for guests looking for something a bit extra beyond whatever the local sights can offer. And case in point: the Fairmont Century Plaza has opened a ski chalet in the middle of Los Angeles, albeit without the snow, slopes, and skiing but all the coziness of a warm mountain cabin.

The Swiss Chalet’s take on this beloved Swiss tradition is melting pot of emmental and gruyere cheese with and white wine, intended to be shared with family, friends, and community.

Returning for its second year, the Swiss Chalet Après-Ski dining experience features a special menu with the kind of wintertime cocktails and Alpine dishes you might find in the Alps, such as Glühwein (mulled wine), apple cider, cassoulet (a rich stew), butternut squash soup, braised beef cheeks, and piping hot pots of cheese or chocolate fondue.

According to Fairmont, the first chocolate variation of fondue is said to have originated in New York in 1964.

Featuring cozy décor and all of the holiday-themed tidings of an idyllic winter getaway, parties with a minimum of two but up to eight guests can dine while seated in one of the beautifully built wood chalets. Parties can also reserve a full buyout of the chalet for 30 people.

Guests are virtually transported to the Alps with hearty Alpine favorites and delightful winter cocktails in these beautifully built wood chalets.

Seatings are $105 per person, and guests can cancel up to 24 hours in advance with no penalty. (But they’ll have to pay full price if they cancel within 24 hours of the original reservation time.) And for nights that are actually on the cooler side in temperature, there are outdoor fire pits and heat lamps available.

Now open through December 31, the Swiss Chalet Après-Ski opens nightly at 5 p.m.

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