Ultima-Collection: The luxury of French and Swiss Alps chalets

The Ultima-Collection Megéve and Crans-Montana is the epitome of luxury and wealth, and exceeded all expectations.

Ahead of my trip to the Swiss and French Alps, I decided not to look up the resorts we would be visiting - I wanted it to be a surprise, and a surprise is certainly was.

Having touched down in the Swiss city of Geneva following a brief flight from Gatwick, we were greeted by our driver and staff members from the Ultima-Collection, who escorted us to our first stop, Ultima Megéve.

Just across the border into France, we drove for around an hour, taking in stunning views of Mont Blanc en route.

The driver took the winding roads up the mountains to our first chalet - located in the small ski resort village of Megéve - where more staff awaited our arrival with smiling faces and champagne.

Ultima Megéve instantly has a homely feel - while it is spacious and beyond any accommodation I'd ever experienced, it had a welcoming atmosphere, allowing you to really make yourself at home.

It also screamed sophistication, with one-of-a-kind pieces of art, which were all completely bespoke - but could be made to order for a fee, if you found yourself becoming attached.

As we explored the downstairs, a light buffet style lunch of bagels, fruit and pastries awaited us - ahead of our full tour of the two chalet resort.

First we headed down the stairs to explore our bedrooms for the night, each with its own en suite and view of the snow-topped mountains.

The property boasts nine bedrooms in total - with facilities to sleep up to 18 across all 1,500 square metres - as well as a wine cellar, cinema, spa, arcade games room and its own private nightclub, all of which we took full advantage of following a gourmet three-course meal where your wine glass was never left empty!

After a dance at the on-site nightclub, I delved into the comfort of the king-size bed in my luxury suite.

Opening the curtains in the morning to the view of the mountains, followed by a breakfast fit for kings, set me up for another day of travelling.

Next we would be staying at the larger, but no less lavish, Ultima Crans-Montana - located back over the border into the Swiss Alps.

After driving for around two hours, we were warmly greeted by a team of friendly staff once again.

This place had much more a hotel feel - the staff outnumbered guests!

Our bags were delivered to our rooms while we took a stroll along in the snow over the moutains, stopping at the top for some rosé and snacks.

Staff told us of her they pride themselves on providing anything you could ask for.

The property consists of two private chalets again - the first containing eight master bedrooms and two children's sleepover suites, perfect for big family getaways.

It also has a cigar lounge, yoga studio, cinema and heated outdoor pool.

The second, a further six master bedrooms, has a library and an outdoor hot tub. Both properties have access to the on-site spa, where we were treated to a morning yoga session, full body massage, and fully access to the hammam, sauna, and snow shower.

Ultima confirmed that it will be opening three new properties in 2020: Geneva, Courchevel and Corfu, on top of the properties in Gstaad and Crans-Montana in Switzerland and Megéve in France.

Signature services across the brand include concierge, private chef, housekeeping, helicoptor transfers, drivers, spa therapists, aethetic services, personal trainers, ski school and customised comforts.

Michala Chatel, head of sales and marketing, said: "At the Ultima Collection we truly appreciate the value of our guests' time, so we are constantly striving to make this count for more.

"We do this by offering guests the opportunity to tailor their stay with experiences such as personalised spa treatments and gourmet dining options, organised by our concierge allowing guests to simply unwind and enjoy.

"In order to create a relaxing environment that feels like a home away from home, we worked with artisans to design made-to-measure furniture, ensuring our beautiful chalets and villas have a personalised style."