Ski Holidays - Our Top Resorts
Chalets Alpe d'Huez, hotels Alpe d'Huez, ski holidays Alpe d'Huez
Alpe d'Huez is a fairly large modern resort, with extensive, high, sunny slopes but no real central focus. When the snow is good its extensive area has runs for all levels of skier and the longest black in the Alps, a knee shaking 16 kms. Its efficient lift system leads to very few queues and the snowmaking facilities battle to counter the effects of its South facing location. Good facilities for children, a highly rated ski school and a buzzing nightlife make this a good all round resort. It's main drawback especially during late season is the South and South West facing slopes which alternate between ice and slush across most of the area.
Chalets Chamonix, hotels in Chamonix, ski holidays in Chamonix.
The Chamonix Valley cuts deeply through Europe's highest mountains and glaciers and has long been a place of pilgrimage for those wanting steep tough terrain coupled with stunning scenery. The town itself is steeped in mountain traditions, and is home to Mont Blanc and the magnificent Aiguille du Midi. At 3,840m Chamonix has the highest ski lift in the world which accesses the famous Vallee Blanche, a 22 kms off-piste high mountain run to the base of the valley. The slopes are spread across distinct areas; Brevent, La Flegere, Les Grands Montets, Les Houches and Le Tour requiring a bus ride, or the use of a car in order to fully explore the area.
Chamonix also offers fantastic restaurants, a lively Saturday market, great apres bars and some really beautiful chalets. Chamonix has a car-free centre of town, which is full of atmosphere, with cobbled streets and squares, beautiful old buildings and a fast running river. During the day, the town squares and pavement cafes are bustling with shoppers and tourists, sipping drinks and absorbing the breathtaking scenery, at night the apres ski venues come alive as people fancy an evening out from their chalet. Chamonix has changed dramatically over the years from being considered a hard-core skiers resort where prices were reasonable to a much more upmarket town with smart shops and fantastic restaurants and great Chamonix hotels, this however does mean a marked increase in costs.
Chamonix hotels however do range from the basic to the very luxurious and many hotels in Chamonix will offer short breaks as it is a great weekend resort. The same can be said for chalets. Chamonix offers some fantastic chalet accommodation, and although there are a few budget end chalets a large percentage are of a high standard, with outdoor hot tubs to take in the spectacular scenery!
Chalets Courchevel 1650, hotels Courchevel 1650, ski holidays Courchevel 1650
Courchevel 1650 is a friendly village ski resort with excellent and convenient access to some of the best skiing in the world. Many would argue that this is le vrai Courchevel, with its year round population and atmosphere of the farming community it once was. The skiing is an intermediate paradise although in order to explore the rest of the Three Vallees, a bit more effort is required to get over the valley into Courchevel 1850's area before heading onto Meribel. Staying in Courchevel 1650 offers better value for money than its higher neighbour, and amenities are good.
Chalets Courchevel 1850, hotels Courchevel 1850, ski holidays Courchevel 1850
Courchevel 1850 is quite deservedly a world-class resort and has slopes to suit all standard of skier accessed by a very impressive lift system. This is the most extensive and varied of the whole Trois Vallees resorts with everything from long gentle greens to steep couloirs. There are some great restaurants, shopping and very good apres ski by French standards but the village itself is not particularly pretty. Snow reliability is superb all season as most of the valley faces North and the ski schools, of which there are several, are very good as is the popular Village des Enfants situated in the centre of the resort. The number of chalet beds is very limited compared to demand and there are only a few affordable hotels here so booking early is highly recommended.
Hotels Kitzbuhel, hotels in Kitzbuhel, Ski holidays Kitzbuhel
Kitzbuhel is a charming, traditional town with medieval centre that really has something of everything; stunning scenery, atmosphere and some very good skiing on large attractive varied slopes. The nightlife is vibrant and there is much to do in town for non-skiers and skiers alike and there are some elegant and expensive hotels. Kitzbuhel also has plenty of low budget guesthouse accommodation (Kitzbuhel's younger visitors will make the most of this) some affordable and pleasant 3 star hotels, but there is limited chalet accommodation. Kitzbuhel centre is traffic free and the cobbled streets and walled old town with quaint church make this a compelling place to stay. The skiing is largely suited to intermediates although there is plenty of good off-piste for experts. However, the biggest attraction of the ski area is the excellent choice of mountain restaurants that make meeting other members of your party for lunch a treat.
There is much to like about Kitzbuhel - it has enormous charm and it is pretty hard not to have a good time there especially with so many fantastic hotels in Kitzbuhel. It is very much a town rather than a village so there are 'getting about' issues, however some hotels in Kitzbuhel will have a shuttle service to as close to the centre as possible. Those looking for a quiet and quaint bit of Austrian Alpine charm might be disappointed with the urban nature of the place, but for great atmosphere and fantastic skiing, it is great!
Chalets Klosters, hotels Klosters, ski holidays Klosters
A comfortable, quiet, picturesque village with a very upmarket image and some beautiful, traditional hotels. The area provides a wide variety of skiing and plenty of off-piste terrain for experts. Intermediates are well catered for with plenty of excellent cruising runs in all five ski areas. There are some nursery slopes for beginners. Cross country trails are in abundance. One charming feature is the train which winds through the region. Enjoy a morning's skiing through trees to one of the hamlets in the valley and enjoy the wonderful mountain restaurants before taking the train back. There are a few good places for some apres ski and several good restaurants and bars. There is plenty to do off the slopes with a good sport and leisure centre with an ice rink and plenty of shopping.
Lech hotels, Hotel Lech, ski holidays Lech
Lech is a fair sized, prestigious and picturesque Alpine village with a largely intermediate piste network. For experts the off piste is the main attraction and for beginners there are lots of good, easy slopes in Lech. Hotels are the main accommodation type available and there are some truly excellent ones to choose from. Linked to St Anton and Zurs it is Austria's answer to glitz and glamour and an excellent choice for families.
Chalets Les Gets, hotels Les Gets, ski holidays Les Gets, ski holidays Portes du Soleil
This is a traditional resort with real Alpine charm that is only a short drive from Geneva airport yet links into the biggest inter linked ski area of Europe - The Portes du Soleil. The immediate ski area that links with Morzine is largely suited to beginners and intermediates and provides miles and miles of flattering cruisey runs with some goodish off-piste for the more adventurous. Les Gets is divided into two main skiing areas; the Chavannes Bowl, which has blues, reds and blacks aplenty and which also allows access to the rest of the Portes de Soleil area. The second main area is the Mont-Cheri, which will give access to some southern wide blue and red pistes and also a snowpark with jumps, rails and platforms. For time off the mountain there is an outdoor ice rink, plenty of shops, a museum and there is a free road shuttle train running through the village. The nightlife for a small, pretty resort can at times be livelier than one would imagine with a good selection of bars in the centre of the resort. Being close to Geneva, this resort makes an ideal choice for weekend skiing.
Hotels Megeve, chalet Megeve, Megeve skiing holidays
Megeve is the essence of rustic chic and was the original purpose built French resort, conceived in the 1920's as France's alternative to Switzerland's St Moritz. Although Courchevel took over as France's swankiest resort a while ago, there are still many 'beautiful people' who visit the resort and stay in the many smart hotels. Megeve's skiing is very extensive if a little fragmented, offering miles of easy pistes ideal for beginners and intermediates looking to put some mileage under their skis. Experts should look for off piste runs in order to find a challenge, or head for a day in Chamonix for some really serious terrain. The areas main problem is snow reliability as there are very few runs above 2,000m - in a bad snow year slopes tend to suffer quiet quickly despite snow making facilities. The village itself has a medieval pedestrianised centre, complete with cobbled streets, horse drawn sleighs and a fine looking church. If you are looking for a chalet, Megeve only has a few to choose from as accommodation is made up mainly of fine hotels. Megeve also has a couple of Michelin stared chefs in resort, so eating out, although is very delicious is expensive. Many of the hotels in Megeve are exceptionally stylish and welcoming and there are plenty of delightful 4 and 3 star hotels to choose from.
Holidays Meribel, Hotels Meribel, Ski Chalets Meribel
Meribel is situated in the centre of the biggest linked piste network in the world, ideal for intermediates who love covering the miles. Made up of many a ski chalet, Meribel village is purpose built but with a pleasing chalet-style architecture. There are great ski schools, lots of apres ski options and further activities to do off the slopes and away from your ski chalet. Meribel is very difficult to beat as resorts go with around 200 lifts which are generally queue free and over 600kms of piste.
An Englishman, Peter Lindsay, came across Meribel in 1938 and returned in 1946 with architect Christian Durupt. Strict guidelines were set for Meribel to retain all its Savoyarde style and as a result, all the buildings and ski chalets Meribel has today are still built with the traditional local stone, slate and wood (and none of the concrete blocks you get in some purpose built resorts). This makes the ski chalets Meribel has to offer the prettiest of the 3 valley resorts with the tree-lined runs and the afternoon sun on the Burgin side of the valley you can't beat it. The links over to both the Courchevel and Val Thorens valleys are very good and makes skiing anywhere in the 3 valleys, particularly for higher skiing at the end of the season, very accessible.
Hotels St Anton, Ski Chalets St Anton, Hotel St Anton.
This is one of the best high alpine resorts in the world and there are also plenty of ski chalets. St Anton has a vast ski area that covers the local mountains as well as those of neighbouring St Christoph, Lech and Zurs. For competent skiers and boarders with enormous stamina who are in search for non-stop action then look no further! St Anton has some of the most consistently challenging and extensive slopes in the Alps and the apres ski to match. The off-piste terrain in the bowls beneath the Valluga are a haven for powder monkeys. However, although the beginners' slopes are satisfactory there are very few confidence boosting blues & reds for the less adventurous intermediates and beginners to progress to. The easier skiing can be found on the Rendl mountain or in Lech and Zurs.
For those looking for hotels, St Anton has a great collection - from 2 star pensions to 5 star luxury hotels. St Anton also has bars that rock from mid afternoon until the early hours. Apres-ski commences in the Mooserwirt and Krazy Kanguruh on the slopes above St Anton. By 4pm tables become dancing platforms for high-spirited ski boot clad revellers celebrating a good day on the slopes. There are many great bars and clubs in town too for those that don't want to walk far back to their ski chalet. St Anton has many bars staying open until well into the early hours for those that just can't get enough. The Arlberg-well.com centre offers swimming, skating, fitness and pampering facilities for those looking for off-slope diversions.
Chalets Tignes, Ski Chalet Tignes, Ski chalets Tignes, Hotels Tignes
Tignes offers a huge area with great terrain for intermediates and experts including plenty of lift served off-piste runs, with good snow guaranteed for a very long season. There is also plenty of accommodation options in chalets and hotels. Tignes is linked to Val d'Isere and the Espace Killy, its ski area has few rivals for the attention of experts thanks to almost limitless off-piste terrain and is also home to the Grand Motte glacier offering year round skiing. However, although the ski area is extensive it is in a rather bleak treeless setting, which has many slopes liable to closure after a heavy snowfall. The resort of Tignes has done much over recent years to improve the way it looks and really is vastly improved from the cheap purpose built resort that it started out as. There are also a good selection of hotels and chalets. Tignes has moved on - the main road that used to run through Tignes Le Lac is now underground giving the resort a much more pedestrian feel; the modern hotels have been built in the chalet style and many of the older buildings have had the "alpine" face lift treatment. All three of the resorts (Val Claret, Le Lac and Lavachet) are fairly quiet at night although there are a couple of popular bars in the centre and close to the hotels. Tignes has plenty of very good ski schools to choose from offering excellent instruction, and good facilities for kids.
Chalets Val d'Isere, hotels Val d'Isere, ski holidays Val d'Isere
This resort is widely acclaimed to be one of the top resorts in the world, with one of the best snow records in Europe. Linked with neighbouring Tignes, there are over 300 kms of pistes, vast areas of off piste and skiing as high as 3,000m. Don't be misled into thinking Val d'Isere is just for experts. There are an enormous number of wide, gentle pistes and for novices the nursery slopes in the centre of town are free. Skiing begins in November and ends in May. The ski area boasts one of the most efficient lift systems in Europe and even at the busiest times of the year, queuing is hardly ever a cause for concern. Apres ski ranges from a quiet drink in the Hotel Blizzard to a 4am finish at Dicks, with everything in between!
Chalets - Val d'Isere
With over 150 catered chalets, Val d'Isere has more accommodation than any other resort in the Alps. This huge selection is collected from over 20 different holiday companies. When it comes to choosing a chalet, Val d'Isere has everything from large luxury properties offering guests a truly 1st class service with gourmet food, indoor spas, hot tubs, and state of the art entertainment systems, to good value chalets offering more budget conscious clients the opportunity to stay in and ski this wonderful resort at a price that suits them. If you're looking for a catered chalet, Val d'Isere offers all sizes (sleeping from 4 guests to over 100) so there will be the ideal property to suit any party size. Many of the chalets Val d'Isere offers are on the side of the piste offering ski-in ski-out convenience, others are situated in the resort centre and offer guests easy access to the shopping and vast array of bars, restaurants and nightclubs. As well as an easy to use 'search and sort' chalet finder we also feature a detailed resort map to show the chalet locations for you.
Hotels - Val d'Isere
Boasting over 30 hotels, Val d'Isere offers a wide range of properties from cheap and cheerful 2 star hostelries right through to some of the Alp's most luxurious 5 star hotels. If you fancy a modern hotel, Val d'Isere has plenty of properties with truly modernist decors to match, whilst others are more traditional and retain in their decor, the heritage of the Savoie region. Some hotels can only be booked on half board basis (breakfast and dinner included) but there are also many that can be booked on a Bed & Breakfast basis, allowing guests to choose from the huge selection of restaurants in Val d'Isere for their evening meal. Our website shows 18 of the 30 hotels Val d'Isere accommodates. However, as we can book any hotel Val d'Isere has to offer, simply telephone us if you wish to book one of the hotels not currently featured.
Hotels Verbier, ski chalets Verbier, ski holidays to Verbier
This is an attractive, modern resort and has plenty of traditional chalets. Verbier is without doubt one of Europe's top ski resorts and is very popular with the British. It is home to some of the most challenging skiing in the Alps. The 400kms of skiing is spread over an area collectively known as the Four Valleys and offers something for every level of skier. It is also one of Europe's best resorts for off piste. Apres ski and nightlife are as legendary as the skiing, so you can ski hard and party even harder during your stay. With a number of luxurious ski chalets, Verbier has plenty of wealthy guests each year. There are a number of lower end properties too though, both chalets and hotels. Verbier does offer something for everyone.
Zermatt hotels, accommodation Zermatt, hotels in Zermatt
This resort needs little introduction for most skiers. Dominated by the magnificent Matterhorn, it combines great skiing with an attractive, lively village, stunning scenery and plenty of fabulous hotels in Zermatt. Free of cars, the resort has an excellent reputation for apres ski with a variety of charming bars, restaurants and night spots. Skiers return year after year to enjoy the wonderful scenery and excellent skiing which covers three major ski areas including the spectacular run down to Cervinia over the Italian border.
Zermatt was first made popular by the British mountaineering fraternity of the late Eighteenth Century and like Chamonix, another popular destination of the era, the architecture of the resort owes much to that age. Many of the best and largest hotels in Zermatt were first built well over a hundred years ago so there is an overwhelming feeling of heritage and history attached to Zermatt. Hotels here are really quite stunning. However, although car free it is not a quiet rustic village such as Wengen or Saas Fee (in the neighbouring valley). Zermatt is big business and the class, glamour and smell of money hits you as soon as you step off the train (the resort can only be accessed by train from Tasch). However, those on a budget need not necessarily be put off - of the 100+ Zermatt hotels there are of course some that offer cheap accommodation. Zermatt also has many bars and restaurants that are not going to break the bank either. Zermatt though is a resort that is best appreciated when done in style. Try not to worry about the credit card bill - just soak up the atmosphere, jump in to the stylish lifestyle and enjoy.
Chalets La Rosiere, hotels La Rosiere, ski holidays La Rosiere
La Rosiere is built at an altitude of 1850m on the road which rises up from Bourg-St-Maurice towards the Col du Petit St-Bernard pass, ensuring a good snow record despite South facing slopes. The areas link with its Italian neighbour La Thuile opens up a large number of pistes suiting beginners and intermediates with no seriously challenging terrain. The resort has been built in traditional chalet style, with attractive buildings many of, which are dotted discreetly in the woods. There isn't much to the resort except accommodation and a few shops, so the atmosphere is peaceful and friendly. After dark the apres ski scene is limited to a couple of bars, although there are a reasonable choice of restaurants to sample. La Rosiere is a very good choice of resort for both beginners, intermediates and families.
Chalets La Tania, hotels La Tania, ski holidays La Tania, ski holidays Three Valleys
La Tania is a good value, small, traffic free, family-friendly resort with easy access to the Three Valleys. Just 2 lifts are needed to get to either the slopes of Meribel or Courchevel. The resort is attractive with traditional alpine style chalets set among the trees, most with good views. There are a few shops but not a great choice of restaurants or bars. Not a great resort for the expert skier, however it is quick to access the rest of the Three Valleys. There are two lovely intermediate runs back into the village and a good beginner area and lift in the village. Later in the season the run back down to the village can be a bit sketchy and you may have to take the gondola down.
La Tania was built for the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics and all the buildings have built in a traditional alpine style. Most of the accommodation is chalets but there are a few apartments and a couple of hotels. The chalets, being fairly modern are mainly of a pretty good standard and are nice and spacious.
Hotels San Cassiano, ski holidays San Cassiano
There are numerous villages resorts that constitute the huge but rather loosley inter-linked ski area of the Sella Ronda. San Cassiano (linking to the Sella Ronda via Corvara) is one of the prettier ones and is workign towards being completely car free. It also happens to give easy access to one of the best ski descents in the whole region, the 'hidden valley' run. The main gondola is a short drive from the hotels of the village centre but most places lay on a free shuttle service to and from. Well connected but somewhat slow (but some would say 'relaxing') chairlifts fan out from the top of the gondola accessing miles of easy cruising terrain with accommpanying stunningly scenic views.
