Karaoke Cabin (Wham! 'Last Christmas' Video Location)

In the winter of 1984, the pop duo Wham! travelled to the Swiss ski resort of Saas-Fee to film the video for Last Christmas. George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, together with a group of friends, were filmed in a chalet and on the snowy slopes, and the result became one of the most replayed Christmas videos ever made. Saas-Fee, a car-free village surrounded by 4,000-metre peaks, provided the snowy setting, and four decades later the village still celebrates the connection.

The Karaoke Cabin is one of the ways it does so. A small booth at the entrance of the village lets visitors sing along to Wham! hits, including the song itself, in the cold and snow. It is playful and a bit silly, and it is meant to be: the cabin is a photo stop and a chance to join in the fun, and it often draws groups of friends and families on their way into the village. It forms part of the Wham! Walk, a themed trail that links locations connected with the video. The trail uses a digital guide on a phone, with augmented reality features that bring scenes from the video into the real landscape, so that visitors can compare the village today with the film.

Saas-Fee is a good setting for this kind of attraction. The village has no cars in the centre, and visitors walk along snowy lanes lined with wooden chalets, with the glaciers and peaks of the Mischabel range rising above. The air is crisp, and winter evenings have a festive feel, especially in December. The anniversary programme added to the winter season, but the cabin is a lighthearted extra rather than the main reason to visit. Check the current status and opening times with the local tourist office, because seasonal attractions like this can change from year to year.

After singing a few verses, visitors can explore other sights of the resort, such as the Metro Alpin underground funicular, the Allalin area and the glacier views. Saas-Fee has a long record as a ski resort with snow reliable even in early winter.

Fans of 1980s pop and families with children will enjoy the cabin most. Bring warm clothes, and be ready to laugh at your own singing.