Today, we’re chatting with Sian Fahie, General Manager of Elevation Alps, a luxury chalet rental company in Morzine, France. With a lifelong love of the mountains, Sian combines her passion for Alpine living with a commitment to creating exceptional guest experiences. We’ll discover her journey, her role, and what makes Morzine so special.

You first discovered Morzine as a child and learnt to snowboard there at the age of 11. What was it about the mountains that captured your imagination?

My stepdad spent several seasons in Morzine during the 1990s and was a really talented snowboard photographer. He took photographs for British snowboarding magazines back when the sport was becoming hugely popular, and he was determined that my sister and I would love snowboarding as much as he did.

Although, if I’m honest, it wasn’t quite love at first sight! I was 11, a rather stroppy pre-teen, and I found learning to snowboard incredibly frustrating. There were definitely a few tantrums on the mountain!

But despite all that, I remember it being the most amazing Christmas. I loved the snow, being outdoors all day and, more than anything, that feeling of being away from everyday life and spending proper quality time together as a family.

I think that’s what really captured my imagination. When you’re in the mountains, you’re completely present. There aren’t the usual distractions; you’re spending time with the people you love, and there’s this wonderful feeling of freedom.

Even at that age, I knew there was something special about it. I’ve wanted to recreate that feeling ever since, and now I’m lucky enough to call Morzine home.

You joined Elevation Alps after making the move to Morzine. How has your role evolved since you first started? What do you enjoy most about being General Manager?

I joined Elevation Alps in 2022 as Operations Manager, when we had around 35 properties in our portfolio. The company has grown considerably since then, and I’ve been really involved in helping develop the business along the way.

A big part of that has been introducing new systems, improving how we work and implementing software that makes things easier for our team and ultimately improves the experience for our guests and owners.

I became General Manager in 2025, and what I love most is being involved in all aspects of the business. No two days are ever the same, and I really enjoy that variety.

One of the most rewarding things for me is helping people in the team develop and grow. We’ve got some fantastic people working with us, and it’s lovely seeing them build confidence, take on more responsibility and really enjoy what they do.

At the end of the day, we’re all working towards the same thing: making sure our guests have an amazing holiday and that our owners’ chalets are looked after as if they were brand new.

And getting to meet people from all over the world while working in a place we all love is a pretty great bonus!

There are plenty of chalet rental companies in the Alps. Why do you think Elevation Alps stands out? How do you ensure your guests receive a truly personal experience?

I think the biggest thing is that we genuinely care about what we do. It sounds simple, but I really believe that makes all the difference.

We have a fantastic team who take a lot of pride in their work, and everyone plays an important part in making sure our guests have a brilliant experience.

Our maintenance team are incredibly proactive, headed up by Glenda. They’re always spotting little things that need attention and getting them sorted before they become bigger problems. Our housekeeping team lead by Laura, work really hard to make sure every chalet is spotless and beautifully presented for arriving guests. Then there’s our office team, who put so much care into helping people plan their holidays. Margaux is now in her third season with us, and Daisy joined six months ago but has lived in Morzine her whole life. They both bring such valuable local knowledge, enthusiasm for the mountains and genuinely enjoy helping guests make the most of their time here.

I think that’s a really important difference. When you book with us, you’re speaking to people who actually live here, know the chalets personally and love the area.

We’re not just selling you a property from a photograph. We can tell you which chalet would work best for your family, where to go for a great meal, which ski school might suit your children or what activities are worth trying.

We try to put ourselves in our guests’ shoes and think about what we’d want if it were our holiday. That personal approach runs through the whole business, and I think it’s what makes Elevation Alps special.

From choosing the right chalet to arranging all the extras, what goes into creating the best stay for your guests? Is there a particular guest experience that’s really stayed with you?

One of the things we’ve introduced is our Premium Experience, which is available with our Signature chalets. It’s designed to make a holiday as smooth and relaxing as possible, so guests can really switch off and enjoy themselves.

From the moment they book, Daisy or Margaux will be in touch to understand exactly what they’re looking for and help organise everything, whether that’s ski lessons, childcare, a private chef or something a little more adventurous.

I remember one family who had quite a few different things they wanted to arrange. They needed childcare, ski lessons for different abilities and, in particular, an instructor who would be really good with a nervous skier. Rather than just booking any instructor, we took the time to choose someone we knew would be patient and encouraging, and who could really help build that person’s confidence.

They also wanted a private chef, so we talked through their food preferences and recommended someone we felt would be a great fit for the family. We arranged some extra activities too, including dog sledding.

With the Premium Experience, guests also have daily housekeeping, so the chalet stays lovely and fresh throughout their stay. It also means they’re regularly seeing members of our team, so if they have any questions or need anything, there’s always someone to help.

I think that’s what makes the difference. It’s not necessarily about doing anything extravagant; it’s about listening to people, understanding what they want and taking care of all those little details.

We want guests to feel completely looked after, without having to spend their precious holiday time organising everything themselves.

Guests see beautiful chalets and stunning mountain scenery, but there’s a lot of work behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly. What does a typical day look like for you during the winter season?

There’s never really a typical day, which is one of the things I love about the job!

Winter is a huge team effort, and mornings are usually about making sure everything is running smoothly across all our properties.

There might be a maintenance issue that’s come in overnight, a guest who needs some extra supplies or something unexpected that needs sorting. So the first thing is communicating with the team and making sure everything is being taken care of.

Then I’ll head into the office, where we’ll look at new bookings, upcoming arrivals and any guests who need help with their holiday plans.

There’s also the housekeeping team to coordinate, making sure everyone knows their schedule for the day, has the supplies they need and feels supported. We might need to organise linen deliveries, cleaning products or any number of other little things that keep everything running.

One of the lovely things about working in Morzine is that, if everything is under control, I can sometimes sneak out at lunchtime for a couple of runs on my snowboard. There’s nothing better than getting an hour on the mountain and coming back to the office with a massive smile on my face!

The afternoons are usually spent catching up on emails, speaking with property owners, helping guests and working on the wider business.

And of course, while we’re busy looking after everyone enjoying their winter holidays, we’re also selling summer stays and planning for the next season.

So there are always quite a few plates spinning, but that’s what makes it interesting. You’re constantly thinking about what’s happening today while also looking ahead to what’s coming next.

Hospitality is very much a people business. How do you build and motivate your team to share your passion for delivering great service, especially when things get busy?

Before I joined Elevation Alps, I actually worked in housekeeping here in Morzine, and I think that’s given me a really valuable understanding of what it’s like to work in the different roles within a chalet company.

I know how physically demanding some of the jobs can be, particularly during the busy winter weeks, and I think that helps me understand where people might need extra support.

I’m also very happy to get my hands dirty. If the team needs an extra pair of hands, I’ll always muck in and help wherever I can. I think it’s important that everyone feels we’re working together rather than having lots of separate departments.

Our guests quite rightly have high expectations, and meeting those consistently takes a lot of hard work from everyone.

We also try to make sure we have fun together. Throughout the winter, we organise regular team activities, whether that’s going sledging on the Pleney or getting everyone together for a social evening.

It’s important that people feel appreciated for the work they do, especially when things get busy and everyone’s working really hard. When you’ve got a happy team who feel supported, that naturally comes through in the service they give.

And I always come back to putting ourselves in our guests’ shoes. For many people, this might be their one big family holiday of the year, something they’ve been looking forward to for months. We want to make sure it’s every bit as special as they’d hoped.

Morzine is a well-known fantastic ski destination, but it has so much to offer throughout the year. What do you love most about living here, and would you recommend visits beyond skiing?

Absolutely! I actually think summer in Morzine is just as amazing as winter, and in some ways there’s even more to do. Summer has become a huge season here, and people are often surprised by just how much the area has to offer.

You’ve got mountain biking, hiking, swimming in the lakes, paddleboarding, zip wiring, canyoning, whitewater rafting… the list goes on! There’s something for everyone, whether you want an action-packed holiday or just to relax and enjoy being in the mountains.

What I love most about living here is that you’re never bored. There’s always something to do, and every season brings something different.

Even in autumn, when things quieten down, I love jumping on my e-bike and heading off to explore. The colours are incredible, and you get to experience the mountains in a completely different way.

Spring is lovely too, and the bike park often starts opening on selected weekends from around May, so you can get back out on the trails before the main summer season begins.

I think a lot of people first discover Morzine through skiing, but once they’ve visited in summer, they realise just how special it is all year round.

It’s such an incredible place for a family holiday, and I’d absolutely encourage anyone who has only experienced Morzine in winter to come back and see it in the sunshine.

Have you noticed any changes in what guests are looking for from their mountain holidays?

Definitely. I think one of the biggest changes is that people are looking for much more flexibility and a holiday that’s tailored to them.

Traditionally, ski holidays often meant staying in a catered chalet, sometimes sharing with other guests, with set mealtimes and quite a structured week. There was often a lot of hearty mountain food, which is lovely, but it doesn’t necessarily suit everyone.

I think people now want a bit more choice. They want to decide when they eat, what they eat and how they spend their time.

They might want a private chef to come in for a couple of evenings, but then go out and enjoy some of Morzine’s fantastic restaurants on other nights. Or they might want a really relaxed morning rather than having to be at breakfast at a particular time.

That’s where Elevation Alps works really well.

Our chalets give guests the privacy and flexibility of having their own mountain home, but we can also arrange all the additional services that make it feel like a luxury holiday.

So you can have as much or as little support as you want.

We believe that’s what modern luxury is really about. It’s not necessarily having everything done for you all the time; it’s having the freedom to choose exactly how you want your holiday to be. And I think that’s a big reason why this style of chalet holiday continues to grow in popularity.

When you’re not busy running Elevation Alps, how do you spend your own time in the mountains? Do you still get snowboarding, and what would your ideal day look like?

Absolutely! I still try to snowboard as much as I possibly can. It’s the reason I fell in love with Morzine in the first place, and I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of it.

One of my favourite things to do now is splitboarding. For anyone who hasn’t heard of it, it’s basically a snowboard that splits into two skis, so you can hike uphill using special skins underneath them that give you grip on the snow. Once you reach the top, you put the skis back together to make your snowboard and then get to enjoy the ride down.

What I love about it is that you can get away from the busy pistes and explore parts of the mountains that you wouldn’t normally reach. There’s something really special about being out in the mountains, away from everyone, and hopefully finding some beautiful untouched powder.

It’s hard work getting up there, but that makes the ride down even better!

My perfect day would be heading out early with some friends, finding some lovely fresh powder, enjoying a brilliant descent and then finishing the day with a big raclette together.

I don’t think mountain life gets much better than that!

What’s next for you and Elevation Alps? Are there any exciting developments, next steps or plans for the future that you’re particularly looking forward to?

We’re always looking for ways to improve what we offer, and there are lots of exciting things happening at Elevation Alps.

We’re continuing to grow our collection of properties, but we’re quite particular about what we take on. It’s not just about having more chalets; we want to make sure we’re adding properties that we genuinely believe our guests will love staying in.

As the business grows, our team is growing too, which is really exciting. We’re always keen to hear from people who would love to come and work a season in the mountains, so if anyone reading this is thinking about it, please get in touch!

Another thing we’re really focusing on is expanding the additional experiences and services we can offer our guests.

This year, we’ve started working with local yoga instructors, beauty therapists and sports massage specialists, so guests can enjoy a bit of extra relaxation and wellbeing during their stay.

We really want to encourage people to make the most of their time in Morzine and experience more than just the skiing.

Whether that’s having a massage after a long day on the mountain, enjoying a yoga session or arranging a private chef for a special evening, we want to make it as easy as possible for guests to create their perfect holiday.

For me, it’s about continuing to grow the business while keeping that personal approach that’s so important to us. We never want to lose the feeling that we’re a local team who genuinely cares about every guest and every property we look after.

Finally, what would you say to someone considering booking their next mountain holiday?

Just book it! You really won’t regret it.

Morzine is such a magical place, and whether you’re coming for the snow, the summer activities or simply to spend some quality time with family and friends, there’s something here for everyone.

My advice would be to give us a call and have a chat. Tell us who’s coming, what you enjoy doing and what your ideal holiday looks like, and we’ll help you find the perfect chalet.

We know the properties, we know the resort, and we genuinely love helping people have the best possible experience here.

W: Elevation Alps
E: Information

Social Media

Instagram
Facebook