Winter’s here which can only mean the presence of snow and the chance to book a ski holiday … there are myriad options on offer so follow our How to book a ski holiday guide, to get the best deal for you.
Figuring out the best place to go skiing can be pretty daunting when you start considering different resorts and their attributes. Start at the beginning and work out what is important to you. Are you travelling as a couple, a group or as a family? Do you look for variety and extent of slopes or are you quite happy to get to know a smaller resort more intimately? Is a short resort transfer a must or is a longer transfer worth the journey? Is ski-in, ski-out a deal breaker or is it more about what the resort has to offer in terms of après-ski and non-ski activities?
Whatever factors influence the all-important decision making process the following advice will help you on your way.
How to book a budget ski holiday
Skiing will never be a truly budget holiday but with some careful planning you can do a lot to bring the cost down. For starters, don’t choose a big name resort, it pays to pick a smaller resort where accommodation and in-resort prices will be cheaper.
In the Austrian Tirol (above) you can stay small in Kirchberg and ski large in the whole Kitzbühler Alps region, with access to more than 1000km of slopes in the big name ski areas. It also pays to choose your accommodation carefully, the best way to keep costs down is by opting for a self-catering apartment and dining in on most nights.
If you need a holiday away from cooking then choose a catered chalet but look out for all-inclusive offers. If you are flexible with dates then make your budget work harder and don’t travel on the most popular dates. Try some of the main operators and ski travel agents like Inghams, Crystal Ski, Directski and Iglu. Departures in mid-January or from mid-March will offer some of the best prices this season.
Smart skiers are taking the low road to the Alps this winter to help cut the costs of their annual ski holidays. A week’s ski holiday at 3* Club Hotel Verseau in Brides les Bains starts from just £299 per person. Club Hotel Verseau is located in an elevated position, just a 5 minute walk into the town of Brides les Bains with stunning views beyond and up to the snowy Vanoise massif mountain range.
www.skiweeks.com Italy offers great value holidays. Livigno has snow-sure conditions and a solid five-month ski period from December-May due to a cool dry climate, with great powder in March/April. Add in the mix that it has tax-free status and an extensive array of shopping, bars, pubs, restaurant and live music venues and the result is very high-quality ski holidays at exceptionally reasonably prices. This winter visitors to Livigno can purchase an extra-special “HOTEL + SKIPASS” combo from only 170 Euros. This price per person is based on a double room for a stay of four nights in a hotel, with B&B arrangement. Half and full-board options are also available.
How to self-design a ski holiday
Booking a skiing holiday independently has never been so easy with daily flights into some many of the main ski hubs such as Innsbruck or Geneva. For accommodation, it is worth looking at the regional and local tourist board websites as they often have special accommodation deals with added value, which can include the cost of ski passes, resort cards with free access to public facilities and some even include airport transfers.
A seven night Super Ski Weeks holiday to the Wilder Kaiser (above) in a B&B starts from €346 per person, including a six-day ski pass.
Most of the tour operators offer more restricted weekly departures but booking independently means you can opt for a shorter stay too. In France head to smaller resorts to benefit from small queues, a friendly atmosphere and cheaper costs in resort.
Pierre and Vacances offer accommodation only for those wanting to drive to the Alps. Woodland runs are plentiful in Serre Chevalier – unlike the towering resorts of Les Arcs, Tignes and Val Thorens the resort has runs under the tree line.
As well as making for exciting skiing whizzing past trees and putting in quick turns they also provide better visibility when the weather takes a turn. The Residence L’Alpaga is in the heart of the resort, close to lifts and the village amenities. Apartments have balconies or terraces and were recently renovated. Apartments range in size from studio apartments sleeping four up to two to three bedroom apartments for up to eight people. Prices start at £427 for a studio apartment sleeping four.
It’s worth remembering if you book your own flights and accommodation, you will not have the extra security of booking through an ABTA bonded and ATOL protected tour operator.
How to book an adventure ski holiday
Whether you are a seasoned skier and head to your favourite resort year after year, or are someone who likes to try a different resort each season, there is bound to be one big ski adventure on your bucket list.
Some of the most inspiring winter adventures are available through bespoke tour operators, such as tailor-made ski specialist Ski Safari. There are so many winning combinations, from a ten-night Åre and the Arctic adventure, taking you up to the world’s northernmost ski destination, Riksgränsen or for something a bit different mixing ski and sun on a twin-centre with Whistler and Hawaii, Aspen and Barbados or San Diego and Heavenly.
Alternatively some of the most popular ski safari’s are Canada’s Powder Highway, taking in the resorts of Kicking Horse, Revelstoke, Lake Louise and Banff. In the States one of the most popular ones is exploring Utah’s skiing terrain followed by a road trip through Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park before finishing off in Las Vegas.
How to book a luxury ski holiday
If you are in a position to go all out on a luxury skiing holiday then there’s plenty to choose from.
When booking a luxury skiing holiday it really doesn’t pay to play the waiting game. The earlier you book the better, with June, July and August being the prime months to get the bigger luxury offerings, especially if you are planning a trip to North America.
Many airlines run flights sales until the end of August, which makes sense to save on flight upgrades. Accommodation providers offer early savings of up to 70 per cent, including free nights, room upgrades and free breakfasts as well as discounts on extras like lift passes and ski rentals. And of course the other reason to book early is availability and making sure you get the holiday you want at the best possible price.
A top-notch operator with chalets in the French, Swiss (Verbier, above) and Austrian Alps is VIP SKI and this year you can opt for the VIP SKI Platinum Service, with added indulgences such as valet parking in the UK, private chef and personal menu plans and as well as an in-resort chauffeur and much more
Best resort for families
A one-size-fits-all approach to family skiing is never going to work as different resorts suit the various stages of family life. For under-fives look for resorts with full childcare options as well as ski school, for under-tens non-ski activities like tobogganing and ice-skating are always a hit. Families with under-15s should look for resorts with extended child ages for lift passes and ski hire, like in Obergurgl.
Some resorts like Livigno in Italy have children-ski-free weeks too.
Best resort for budget
Austria is one of the most affordable places to ski this season, and not just for holiday packages but in-resort prices are low too. The SkiWelt is the largest ski area in Austria and you can still get a hearty Gulasch soup for €4 and a half litre of beer for €3. In France, La Plagne (above) is a good choice and Pierre & Vacances have a number of self-catered apartments where even Christmas prices are below £300 per person for seven nights at the Residence Plagne Lauze.
Best resort to see celebs
The ski slopes are simply another place for celebrities to be seen, Courchevel in France, Verbier in Switzerland, Ischgl in Austria, Snowmass in the States and Whistler in Canada are some of the most popular celeb hangouts. Verbier is to play host to the first W Hotel in the mountains which is so celeb hangout. The Jungfrau region has announced rock legends Deep Purple as the headline act of SnowpenAir, Switzerland’s biggest winter music event. Due to be held on 5th and 6th April 5 and 6 2014, this event in Kleine Scheidegg can only be reached by a journey up the beautiful mountain railway. Tickets cost 110 CHF and the combi-ticket includes the return train ride from Interlaken Ost to Kleine Scheidegg (2nd class). For more details and to purchase tickets visit www.jungfrau.ch/snowpenair
Best resort if you want more space
This summer saw Big Sky finally take ownership of Moonlight Basin, making it the USA’s single largest ski resort and the second largest in North America. It is much lesser known to the UK market but the resort has huge intermediate terrain, an enviable annual snow fall and as there are no major cities nearby means there is no scrum from the city skiers heading for the fresh lines at the weekend. Ten nights with Ski Safari starts from £1585 pp with flights and transfers. Another option is Sugarloaf and Sunday River, two of the largest ski areas in New England and available together on one lift pass. Sugarloaf is one of the quietest, biggest and most varied ski areas east of the Rockies and makes a fantastic twin-centre option with sister resort, Sunday River. Ski Safari has a 10 night package, staying 5 nights at the 4* Grand Summit and 5 nights at the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel on room only, starts from only £1015 per person, based on two people sharing and including flights and car hire.
Best resort for foodies
Kitzbühel has the highest concentration of gourmet restaurants in the whole of the Austrian Tirol region, including the Relais & Châteaux Hotel Rosengarten in Kirchberg which was awarded 4 toques and 19 points by the 2014 Gault Millau guide. Alta Badia, set within the stunning Dolomites in Italy, has four Michelin stars shared between three restaurants serving local ingredients with the highest standard of cooking. Slope Food sees this Michelin starred food spread over 14 mountain huts with each hut serving a dish created by a chef from the area and beyond but keeping with a common style of utilising local produce and techniques. The wine and slope food ranges in price from €12 for a Michelin star treat including a glass of wine from South Tyrol and new for this year there is the possibility to buy a card for €30 that includes three appetisers in three different huts of choice and is on offer throughout the winter season.
