Bansko in Bulgaria is the cheapest family ski resort this season, according to a TripAdvisor cost comparison survey.
A week on the slopes, including hotel, ski passes, ski hire, ski lessons and evening meals and drinks for a family of four will set you back £1,631 in Bansko, a third of the price of Austria’s St. Anton, which costs £5,026.
Bansko, in southwestern Bulgaria at the foot of the Pirin Mountains, offers travellers a choice of almost 100 hotels, 400 holiday rentals, 70 restaurants and more than 20 attractions.
TripAdvisor’s TripIndex Ski 2014, an annual report compares the cost of a ski break in 42 key ski destinations in Europe. This year, the study takes into account the cost of one week’s hotel accommodation, ski lessons, ski passes, basic ski hire for a week and a week’s evening meals and drinks for a family of four this ski season (December 15, 2014 to April 15, 2015).
Affordable vs. Blow the budget
While Bansko is the best value destination, this year, Andorra is the most affordable country, laying claim to four destinations in the Top 10 best value list. Switzerland emerges as the costliest country, home to four of the ten most expensive resorts.
When it comes to hotel prices across the popular ski destinations, St. Anton, Austria has the most expensive average rate for a week’s stay, coming in at £3,424. For the price of a week in a hotel in St. Anton, a family of four can have almost five weeks in a Sierra Nevada hotel in Spain (£725 a week).
Those looking for great value for children should head to Oberstdorf in Germany – it has the cheapest weekly lift passes for children – costing £114. For adults, the best value destination for a weekly lift pass is Courchevel, France, coming in at £144. Bansko offers the best value ski hire for kids – the average cost of a week’s basic package for skis, boots and poles will set a family back just £63, while at £95, Ordino Arcalis, Andorra is cheapest for the adults ski hire.
Work hard, play hard on the slopes
The best value ski lesson for the whole family is in Formigal, Spain, with a lesson for two adults and two children costing £40 in total. The most expensive ski lessons for adults and children are in Flims Laax Falera, Switzerland where a lesson for two adults and two children is £322 in total – nearly eight times more than in Formigal.
Bansko is also revealed as the cheapest place to grab a bite to eat and an après-ski drink, with dinner for four over seven days costing £101, compared with £639 in Saas Fee, Switzerland.
A daily beer for two over the course of a week comes in at £18 in Bankso while soft drinks for the kids will set you back £14. At the other end of the scale, it’s Saas Fee again where you’ll find the most expensive drinks as beers for a week net out at £66 and soft drinks £50.
James Kay, TripAdvisor spokesperson, said: “Skiing can be an expensive holiday, especially for a family of four, but the TripAdvisor TripIndex Ski shows that by carefully choosing the resort, costs can be dramatically reduced. This year, Eastern European destinations and Andorra are where families will find the best value for money.”
See TripAdvisor Bansko) and the TripAdvisor Travel Forums
Top 10 cheapest family ski resorts (all costs for a family of four for a week):
| Destination | Hotel | Ski Hire | Ski Pass | Ski Lesson | Dinner | Beer | Soft Drink | Total | |
| 1 | Bansko, Bulgaria | £748 | £163 | £442 | £143 | £102 | £19 | £14 | £1,631 |
| 2 | Sierra Nevada, Spain | £726 | £181 | £604 | £100 | £269 | £26 | £25 | £1,930 |
| 3 | Sochi, Russia | £1,195 | £283 | £429 | £100 | £145 | £31 | £22 | £2,205 |
| 4 | Berchtesgaden, Germany | £1,435 | £240 | £385 | £118 | £226 | £41 | £32 | £2,476 |
| 5 | Ordino Arcalis, Andorra | £1,421 | £182 | £505 | £72 | £280 | £22 | £22 | £2,504 |
| 6 | Arinsal, Andorra | £1,404 | £214 | £505 | £72 | £289 | £25 | £23 | £2,532 |
| 7 | Formigal, Spain | £1,300 | £207 | £551 | £41 | £398 | £25 | £24 | £2,547 |
| 8 | Serre Chevalier, France | £1,210 | £193 | £688 | £106 | £313 | £38 | £33 | £2,580 |
| 9 | Soldeu, Andorra | £1,409 | £197 | £612 | £83 | £311 | £29 | £30 | £2,672 |
| 10 | Pas de la Casa, Andorra | £1,594 | £185 | £612 | None available* | £232 | £30 | £27 | £2,680 |
Top 10 most expensive family ski resorts (all costs are for a family of four for a week):
| Destination | Hotel | Ski Hire | Ski Pass | Ski Lesson | Dinner | Beer | Soft Drink | Total | |
| 1 | St. Anton, Austria | £3,425 | £308 | £628 | £239 | £334 | £49 | £42 | £5,026 |
| 2 | St. Moritz, Switzerland | £2,826 | £341 | £644 | £255 | £640 | £61 | £45 | £4,811 |
| 3 | Val D’Isere, France | £2,832 | £299 | £750 | £189 | £449 | £42 | £44 | £4,606 |
| 4 | Zermatt, Switzerland | £2,626 | £353 | £755 | £223 | £500 | £66 | £49 | £4,572 |
| 5 | Val Thorens, France | £3,006 | £211 | £659 | £127 | £472 | £50 | £39 | £4,565 |
| 6 | Flims Laax Falera, Switzerland | £2,239 | £297 | £918 | £322 | £626 | £54 | £43 | £4,500 |
| 7 | Ischgl, Austria | £2,883 | £326 | £636 | £208 | £294 | £38 | £40 | £4,427 |
| 8 | Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy | £2,949 | £219 | £643 | £164 | £320 | £39 | £35 | £4,367 |
| 9 | Verbier, Switzerland | £2,271 | £395 | £706 | £278 | £487 | £46 | £43 | £4,226 |
| 10 | Tignes, France | £2,624 | £211 | £750 | £101 | £280 | £41 | £33 | £4,040 |
