Le Kaya is a stylish 4-star chalet-hotel nestled at 1850m in Les Menuires, part of the famed 3 Vallées ski domain. With its blend of contemporary design and traditional Savoyard touches (slate, stone, and lots of aged timber beams), Le Kaya offers immediate Alpine charm – but it’s the hotel’s progressive sustainability efforts that truly set it apart in a high-altitude resort. As part of the pioneering Temmos hotel group (noted as the Alps’ first carbon-neutral hotel collection), Le Kaya has implemented a robust carbon reduction and offset program. The building itself was constructed with energy conservation in mind: excellent insulation, triple-glazed windows that trap solar warmth, and south-facing architecture that maximizes natural heat and light. Thanks to these measures, and the abundant mountain sun, the hotel’s heating demand is much lower and large panoramic windows can be enjoyed without heat loss. For what energy is needed, Le Kaya sources 100% green electricity (the hotel’s supplier provides certified hydro and wind power). Heating is supplemented by an efficient district biomass system – Les Menuires has a wood-pellet heating plant that the hotel taps into, cutting reliance on fuel oil. The result is a significant cut in CO₂ emissions. To address its remaining carbon footprint (from things like transportation of goods and guests), Le Kaya participates in a reforestation program in the French Alps, planting trees to offset carbon and restore local forests – aligning with the region’s goal of ski areas reaching net zero by 2037. In practical terms, guests will notice many small green choices: no disposable plastic bottles (each guest receives a reusable bottle and there are filtered water stations); an on-site ski shop that offers ski gear made from recycled materials; bath amenities in bulk dispensers; and optional housekeeping to save water and detergent (with a charitable donation made for each day a guest forgoes room cleaning). The hotel’s restaurants – a panoramic terrace eatery for lunch and Le K for dinner – showcase local Savoyard gastronomy with a sustainable twist. They prioritize regional suppliers, serving cheeses from Tarentaise valley farms, free-range meats from nearby Maurienne, and veggies and herbs grown in Rhône-Alpes when possible. Leftover breads and pastries are donated to a local farm for animal feed, and the hotel has eliminated buffet-style service (to reduce food waste) in favor of à la carte breakfasts featuring organic eggs, fair-trade coffee, and homemade jams. Getting around is also green: Le Kaya offers a free shuttle in electric vehicles around the resort and has a partnership with a transfer company that uses electric vans for pickups from Moutiers train station, encouraging guests to take the train instead of driving. As a ski-in/ski-out property on the slopes, it even educates skiers on taking eco-friendly actions – like using reusable pocket warmers and avoiding single-use plastics on the mountain (they’ll lend stainless steel flasks for hot drinks to go). After a day on the snow, guests unwind in an indoor pool and spa area that’s heated by recovered energy from the hotel’s boilers, and chlorine use is minimized via UV filtration. Hôtel Le Kaya’s ethos is encapsulated in its cozy yet bright atmosphere – lots of daylight, fresh mountain air, and the feeling of an upscale “base camp” for nature lovers. It proves that even at 1850m altitude, luxury hospitality can stride towards sustainability – and that you can enjoy the finer things (a crackling fire, a sumptuous Savoy fondue, a soak in the hammam) with peace of mind that the beautiful environment around you is being respected and preserved for future generations of skiers.