Wed 18 June, 2014 W HOTELS UP HIGH: W VERBIER   Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Sponsored Email It's the age-old question. Where can you go short haul for some R&R, beautiful scenery, good food and a bit of buzz? There are some go-tos: Ibiza for the seaside, Paris for the city – and now with W Hotels Worldwide's first alpine escape, W Verbier, we've got a mountain escape, with a bit of zhuzh. Only 1 hour and 45 minutes from London, this hilltop destination is fast becoming an escape for those in the know. Après bars have turned to sundowner hotspots; pistes into hiking and biking trails, the vineyards have defrosted, and there's even a beach – the summer season is in full swing. And with W Verbier's Insider, Monica Varela Lopes (a self-proclaimed Swiss native for 14 years) on hand with her tips, latest happenings and concierge services, it's time to go up high. Read on for her Verbier hit list and recommendations. YOGA   Really want to come here and leave in a different state of mind? Then book in for 'rebel' NY yogi Tara Stiles' 3 day program. Taking place in July, August and September, these mini breaks are more retreat than bootcamp as along with high-altitude yoga, there are also helicopter tours, picnics and hangover cure tips to combat the inevitable. UJ says: this is our kind of fitness. The first retreat is from 4-6 July. Contact W Verbier directly for details and to book. RESTAURANTS   A weekend getaway here is all about balance, so eating well is a top priority! Breakfast isn't the easiest to find in town, but options include the Popeye Eggs Benny at Offshore or pastries from The Croquignole bakery. Should you fancy a late-night pain au chocolate, ask the W Insider where to go. For lunch, it has to be Le Rouge at the base of the slope; bag a terrace table, and let the people watching commence! For dinner, the La Marlenaz restaurant offers an amazing experience – you need a quad to get there – while for cuisine it has to be the Arola Restaurant at W Verbier. The menu is light and fresh, with a nod to Spanish and local fare. For something more traditional, it's got to be Chez Dany for fondue, accompanied by glacier sunsets. THE BEACH AT PLACE BLANCHE   Now it's time to drink! Trading the sun for sand, the Place Blanche will be W Verbier's summertime Alpine beach. With a resident DJ, live music, special guests, weekly Sunday BBQs and outdoor movie nights, this is guests' home away from home. Try a Before it Gets Serious cocktail: sweet, strong and spicy. UJ says: we were sold with the name. AWAY® SPA   Recover from the beach and hit the spa. With an indoor/outdoor WET® pool and an extensive menu of different treatments, you're sure to get re-energized. Book in for the AWAY massage, the spa's signature treatment and one that's perfect for stressed-out city dwellers. MIX   Time to get into the summer Alpine spirit! Jay Castelli W Verbier's Resident DJ has compiled an exclusive 45 minute house mix that takes you from the beach to the Alp tops and everywhere in between. Press play and enjoy! FITNESS   Back on the balance. Of course, there's the hotel gym with trainers available, but you're in the Alps. From paragliding and rock climbing to mountain biking and golf, if you want to try something new or just get outside and be active, this is the place. Get an e-bike and let it do the uphill work for you, then enjoy the downhill adrenaline rush. UJ's top tip: hold on and wear a helmet! LOCAL TASTES   Winner of the 2013 Swiss Vineyard Award, the Provins Valais vineyard needs to be on the must-do list. Once you're there, be sure to try the Petit Arvine from Antoine and Christophe Bétrisey de St-Léonard Valais, which won the best wine category in 2012. Or, you can learn how to make truffles (we know?), or see how they make cheese at a local fromagerie. Tell the W Insider what you're after and they'll point you in the right direction. UJ SWISS FESTIVAL PICK   Brainchild of Danny Whittle and Mark Netto (ex-Pacha Ibiza and Booom!), the Isle of Dreams is a major new festival from IBZ Entertainment. Taking place in Basel from 8-10 August, there's all the usual Ibiza suspects in attendance (Pete Tong, Kaz James, Jamie Jones), with Cocoon, Sankeys and Paradise stages. We say book in for the festival and then transfer to Verbier to relax. See how balanced we are? FOLLOW W VERBIER! LIKE SHARE FORWARD PREVIOUS EDITION © 2014 Urban Junkies. All rights reserved. Reproductions of any portion of this website only with our express permission. Urban Junkies is a free daily mailer. All listings and features are editorial: We do not receive any payment from venues, artists or promoters. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of information listed but we cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions.