luxury self catering - an oxymoron?

[mulranno]

I have just bought a ski chalet for our use in summer and the occasional ski week in winter in the French Alps...45 mins drive from Grenoble and 8 hr drive from Calais. We want to rent it out for the ski season and it will be renovated to a very high standard (the Scott Dunn website is my inspiration and style bench mark)...although it will be a compact 4 bed 2 bath detached self catering chalet. However as it will not be a catered chalet I am wondering if this concept will work ie luxury self catering or do people who choose to self cater when skiing squish into basic flats? Are there any companies that do this already? Also we are in negotiations with the highly regarded chalet across the road to provide some services eg deliver freshly baked bread and cakes, drop off chef prepared meals as required...get the shopping in etc......

I don't think the self catering part is the problem when it comes to Luxury.

What most people will want is all the extras available in situ. Sky, dvd, wireless, flatscreen tvs, towels, robes, cosmetics, REALLY well equipped kitchen - not just dishwasher etc...but also good knives, cutlery, juicers, coffee machines, kettle, garlic crusher, wine cooler bucket, drinks fridge, drinks mats and champagne glasses. logs for the fire....the list goes on and on.

And of course a good supermarket nearby and a shopping in advance service.

Thanks MotN thats really very helpful...if you or anyone else want to "go on and on" with the list please feel do to help out this novice landlord who does not want to be found lacking with her guests!!

I like s-c personally and wish there were more places where you could look after yourself when skiing that weren't vile apartments.

What you're suggesting sounds great. I'd also do a welcome basket - basics with a bottle of wine and a few regional specialities would go down a treat. Good toiletries and a cleaner wouldn't go amiss either

Oh yes a daily maid service is a must for many people.

CD or MP3 Player, clothes dryer, hairdryers in all bedrooms, shaving mirrors, good quality pillows and bedlinen, plus children's dvd's, baby cots/high chairs/safety gates if you want to attract families.

Wifi (so you can MumsNet!).

Somewhere warm to dry boots - doesn't have to be a posh boot warmer as, for example, we don't put our boots onto them due to the moulded liners, but somewhere you can put them so they are not still cold and wet (we have been to one chalet where there was just a simple heated metal shelf that did the job beautifully).

Shower with decent pressure and at least one bath.