Seeing 2011 in

Before work starts in earnest tomorrow, let's look at where some of the wealthy and powerful are spending the New Year break.

The Chancellor, George Osborne, is in Switzerland. At Klosters apparently, tho' his office said Davos, where the annual World Economic Forum is held. Of the two I prefer Davos - but there's not a lot in it, the two resorts are only 10km apart and share the same ski slopes.

The Royals prefer Klosters. This gorgeous shot above  is of Klosters at night, (thanks to the skisafari.com site who will tailor-make skiing hols for you, if you'd like to join the royals and George.)

Davos was immortalised in literature in Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain, and its dry, pollen free air has attracted a lot of health research institutes, who have settled there.

If you need a hotel in Davos, George when last there stayed at the Fluela Hotel, pictured R. It's a traditional 5-star, been going since 1868 and the same family still own it. They say no more than 130 guests and no less thant 90 staff to care for them -  and it's opposite the train station. Crackling log fires and a pianist in the bar - and it greatly endears itself to me because it allows pets.  No charge for the animals, but their food is extra - come on, now, you can't have everything.  I think Mr Osborne shows a lot of taste in having picked this hotel to stay in on an earlier visit.

And where is Mr Roman Abramovich?  Doing something quiet and low key for the New Year,  I expect.  But perhaps not.  Next post coming up.