Ski
Catered chalets, ski-in ski-out hotels and family resorts in the Alps, Andorra and North America, and Christmas trips to Lapland.
Photo by Maarten Duineveld on Unsplash
- Season
- December to April in Europe; late November to April in North America
- Typical length
- 7 nights, with some shorter breaks
- Included
- Flights, transfers and your chalet or hotel; lift pass, hire and lessons can be added
- Best booked
- Spring or summer before, especially for February half term
A ski holiday is a week of mountain air, sunny lunches on a terrace and evenings by the fire, whether you're on the slopes from first lift to last or have never put on a pair of skis.
The resort makes the holiday. Some suit beginners with gentle slopes right by the village; some have hundreds of kilometres of linked runs for keen skiers; some are best for families, with ski schools and childcare close to the door. Altitude, transfer time and whether you want a lively village or a quiet one all matter.
We start with your group: who skis, who boards, who's a beginner, who's coming for the views and the food. Then we match the resort and the chalet or hotel, and book the flights, transfers, lift passes, hire and lessons so it's ready when you arrive.
Ways to ski
Where you stay shapes the week as much as the slopes. These are the main choices, and a winter trip to Lapland too.
-
Photo by Aydin Hassan on Unsplash Catered chalets
A chalet host cooks breakfast, afternoon tea and a three-course dinner, usually with wine, on most nights of the week. You can book a whole chalet for your group or share one with others.
-
Photo by Ostbacher Stern on Unsplash Hotels and ski-in ski-out
From family-run Austrian hotels to five-star spa hotels, many on half board. Ski-in ski-out hotels sit right on the slopes, so you can clip in at the door.
-
Photo by Patrick Robert Doyle on Unsplash Self-catered apartments
Your own kitchen and the freedom to eat where you like, often in purpose-built French resorts close to the lifts. A good choice for families and for value.
-
Photo by Maxwell Ingham on Unsplash Family ski holidays
Ski school for children, ski kindergartens and nurseries for the youngest, and chalets and hotels with childcare and early children's suppers.
-
Photo by Regard Vrai IDF on Unsplash Lapland and winter breaks
Husky and reindeer sleigh rides, snowmobiles, the chance of the northern lights and, in December, a visit to Father Christmas.
On the mountain
Lift passes, hire and lessons
A lift pass can cover one resort or a whole linked area, so there's no point paying for terrain you won't use. Skis, boards, boots and helmets can be hired in resort, fitted on your first day. Group ski school usually runs in the mornings, and places fill quickly at half term. We book all three before you travel, so there's no queueing on the first morning.
Choosing the resort
Higher resorts tend to have more reliable snow early and late in the season. Transfers range from about an hour from the airport to three hours or more. Traditional villages have charm and après-ski; purpose-built resorts often have the lifts right outside. We weigh these up with you, ability by ability.
Off the slopes
Long lunches in mountain restaurants, après-ski in the bars at the foot of the runs, fondue, spas and pools, sledging, snowshoeing and winter walks. Plenty of people on a ski holiday don't ski at all, and the right resort makes sure they have a good week too.
Where to ski
From the big French ski areas to Austrian villages, North American powder and Christmas in the Arctic. These are the favourites, and their seasons.
-
December to April
Photo by Daniele Buso on Unsplash France
Some of the biggest linked areas in the world, such as the Three Valleys (Courchevel, Méribel, Val Thorens), Paradiski and Val d'Isère with Tignes, plus Chamonix under Mont Blanc.
-
December to April
Photo by Oskar Kadaksoo on Unsplash Austria
Traditional villages with famous après-ski, from St Anton and Ischgl to Kitzbühel, Mayrhofen and high, snow-sure Obergurgl.
-
December to April
Photo by Victor He on Unsplash Switzerland
Zermatt under the Matterhorn, Verbier, St Moritz, and car-free Wengen with the Eiger above it, most of them reached by train.
-
December to April
Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash Italy
The Dolomites and the Sella Ronda circuit, Cervinia beneath the Matterhorn, Livigno, and Sauze d'Oulx on the Milky Way, with long lunches on sunny terraces.
-
December to April
Photo by Kira Laktionov on Unsplash Andorra
Soldeu and Pas de la Casa in Grandvalira, and Arinsal in Pal Arinsal, popular for first weeks, around three hours from Barcelona or Toulouse.
-
Late November to April
Photo by Benjamin Hayward on Unsplash Canada
Whistler Blackcomb, Banff and Lake Louise in the Rockies, and Big White, with dry powder and tree skiing.
-
Late November to April
Photo by Kevin Bree on Unsplash The USA
Colorado's Vail, Breckenridge and Aspen, Park City in Utah, with high altitude, wide runs and light, dry snow.
-
December, and January to March
Photo by Studio Pizza on Unsplash Lapland
Christmas trips in December to Finnish and Swedish Lapland, then January to March for snow, husky safaris and the northern lights.
How we help
- The right resort
- Matched to every ability in your group, from nursery slopes by the door to big linked areas.
- The week sorted
- Flights, transfers, lift passes, hire and ski school booked before you go.
- School holidays
- February half term, Christmas and Easter are the busiest weeks, so we book early for the best chalets and lessons.
- Insurance and kit
- A reminder to take winter sports cover, and what to pack and what to hire.
- Protected
- ABTA protected, and ATOL protected when your ski holiday includes flights.
Questions about ski
When is the best time to ski?
December can be quieter, with snow less certain in lower resorts. Christmas, New Year and February half term are the busiest weeks. January is often cold with good snow and fewer people. March brings longer, sunnier days, and April is spring skiing, best in higher resorts.
I've never skied. Where should I go?
Somewhere with gentle beginner slopes close to the village and a good ski school, and not too long a transfer. Andorra and many Austrian and Italian resorts are popular for a first week. A few lessons with an instructor make all the difference.
From what age can children ski?
Many ski schools take children into group lessons from about four, and ski kindergartens and nurseries look after younger ones. Ages and places vary by resort, so it's worth booking early.
Should we choose a chalet or a hotel?
A catered chalet is sociable, with your meals and wine taken care of and your group under one roof. A hotel gives you more facilities, like a pool or spa, and more choice of when and where to eat.
How long is the transfer?
From about an hour to three hours or more, depending on the resort and the airport. We'll tell you before you choose.
Do I need my own skis or boots?
No, you can hire everything in resort, including helmets. Some people bring their own boots for comfort.
What insurance do I need?
A policy with winter sports cover, which should include mountain rescue, medical costs and piste closure. Off-piste skiing is only covered if the policy says so.
What do we wear in Lapland?
Most Lapland Christmas trips lend you a thermal suit, boots and gloves to wear over your own warm layers. Temperatures can drop well below freezing, so thermals, a hat and good socks are essential.
Where should we take you?
Tell the team what you have in mind and we'll come back with ideas, usually the same day. The team reads every request.
- 01WhereA place, a few ideas, or a hotel you love
- 02WhenA month or exact dates, and how flexible you are
- 03FlightsWhich airport suits you, or none at all
- 04WhoEveryone going, with children's ages
- 05SpendA rough idea for the whole trip
- 06The detailsBoard, hotel rating, facilities, the kind of place
Photos by Maarten Duineveld, Aydin Hassan, Ostbacher Stern, Patrick Robert Doyle, Maxwell Ingham, Regard Vrai IDF, Maël BALLAND, Secret Travel Guide secret-travel.guide, Barney Goodman, Daniele Buso, Oskar Kadaksoo, Victor He, Marek Piwnicki, Kira Laktionov, Benjamin Hayward, Kevin Bree and Studio Pizza on Unsplash.