Choosing the right ski resort is crucial for a good ski holiday. If you find the perfect place for you and your group to stay and ski, you'll quickly become more popular than Hansi Hinterseer at the senior festival on Langeland. Conversely, with an unfortunate booking, you risk spending half your ski holiday carrying skis up and down steep slopes - both before and after a long day on poorly prepared ski slopes.
Booking a ski holiday can also seem like a colossal task. There seem to be endless ski resorts to choose from just in Europe, and in addition, there are a host of other choices and priorities to be made in connection with planning your ski holiday: Some ski resorts are good for beginners, while others have terrain and corresponding levels that are best suited for experienced skiers. Some ski resorts are almost more lively after the lifts close, equipped with wild après-ski bars and discos, while other areas focus almost exclusively on the optimal ski and snowboard facilities available early in the day. Are you skiing alone or with others? Will ski school be necessary? Are off-piste opportunities in the area crucial?
You need to be careful in your choice of area and facilities when planning a ski holiday, and in this guide, you will therefore get a good introduction to some of the considerations you should make before booking a ski holiday and heading to the mountains.
What time of year should you go on a ski holiday?
Perhaps the most important factor in planning your ski holiday, the timing, may already be determined and dictated by when you and your travel group can get time off from work or school. If you are flexible when it comes to travel time, there are several things worth keeping in mind when deciding when in the ski season to go:- December (and especially early December) offers cheap ski trips, as almost all ski resorts offer discounted lift tickets and cheap accommodation options. However, the low prices are due to the imminent risk of poor snow, which comes with a trip to the mountains early in the season. If you go on a ski holiday in December, it might be a good idea to head to high altitudes, as the chances of good snow at high-altitude ski resorts are generally greater.
- January is a good time to go on a ski holiday if you appreciate both good space and good snow on the slopes. There are no public holidays at the beginning of the year, so few have time to go on a ski holiday. Therefore, prices in January are affordable, while the month usually offers good snow in most areas. On the other hand, you should be prepared for cold weather and short days if you choose to go skiing as one of the first things in the new year.
- February is peak season, and this is therefore probably the busiest month at ski resorts. This also means that you usually have to pay a little more to go on a ski holiday in February, but besides many other skiers on the slopes, you are also guaranteed good snow in most areas.
- March offers warmer weather and longer days, which, in addition to creating the perfect conditions for a good après-ski, unfortunately also results in a slight loss in snow quality. March is therefore the perfect month to go on a ski holiday if you want sun on your nose, beer on the table, and can live with a bit of slush on the slopes.
- April offers, like December, the possibility of a cheaper ski holiday, but just like early in the season, there is a risk of poor snow. If you go on a ski holiday in April, it can again pay off to look for ski resorts that are high in the mountains.
How skilled is your travel group at skiing?
If you are as green on skis as the slope you will be skiing on, it is worth checking whether the ski resort you have in mind has the necessary facilities for a good start on skis. Are there enough green slopes? Is there an offer of a ski school in the area? There are many new things to learn when you strap skis under your feet for the first time, and a good tip is therefore to find a resort near a green slope with a "flat escalator" instead of a ski lift, so the challenges associated with getting in and out of a ski lift can wait - at least until you have the basic skills in place.
On the other hand, small, flat ski resorts quickly become boring for experienced skiers. Therefore, consider finding an area with a ski park, good off-piste, and plenty of well-prepared red and black slopes if you and your travel group are skilled in the noble art of flying at high speed down a snow-covered mountain with boards under your feet.
Most ski resorts indicate the number of green, blue, red, and black slopes online. Compare them and discuss with your travel group which area best suits your level. Fortunately, some ski resorts offer a good mix of the four types of slopes, and these are particularly suitable for groups going on a ski holiday together, even if they do not necessarily have the same level and ambitions on the slopes.
It is also worth keeping in mind that long, flat stretches of blue and green slopes are just as good for beginners on skis as they are challenging for snowboarders, who, without ski poles, do not have the same opportunity to push themselves forward when it is not going downhill.
What is your budget?
Anyone who has tried to get hungry or thirsty on a mountain in the French Alps knows that a portion of fries and a beer in the middle of the slope comes at a price that may necessitate a restructuring of one's mortgage. It is, of course, never cheap to transport potatoes, frying oil, and beer to the top of a mountain (who came up with that crazy idea in the first place?), but both the prices of food and accommodation can vary greatly depending on where you ski. The lift prices in an area are usually a good indication of the place's prices (and popularity), and it is therefore a good idea to compare these when choosing where to go for a ski holiday. Interested in going on a ski holiday on a budget? Read our list of the best, cheap ski resorts.
For better or worse, skiing is an equipment sport, and although there is, of course, nothing that beats the feeling of being the one in the group with the coolest ski gear, it can quickly become an expensive pleasure. Were you aware, for example, that in some ways it is cheaper to wear a Rolex watch than it is to buy new ski equipment?
Fortunately, there is a lot of money to be saved if you choose to invest in a pair of used skis - both compared to new skis and in relation to the rental price. In doubt when it comes to buying used skis? Read our good advice here, or check out our large selection of skis right here!
What should happen after the lifts close?
If your perfect day on skis ends with going straight back to the hotel or cabin and relaxing before another day on the slopes after you've slept, this section may not be so relevant for you.
If you head to the mountains with children (in tow), or if your travel group includes people who do not intend to ski, it might be a good idea to check what entertainment options the area offers that are not related to skiing. Most ski resorts take advantage of the weather and snow in the area: Sledding, tobogganing, and ice skating are just a few of the winter activities you might be lucky enough to find at the ski resort if you have chosen wisely.
For some, it can be difficult to say "ski" without first saying "après." If you belong to this group of the population, it is, of course, a necessity to investigate the town where you will be staying and sleeping more closely before you end up booking a 6-day stay in a town that is as dead as my grandmother's sex life... Some ski resorts are almost more lively after the lifts have closed, some are characterized by coziness, good atmosphere, live music, and authentic pubs, and some are, well, dead. Determine what you are looking for and book your ski holiday accordingly.
It is, of course, also worth checking the shopping options in the area if you plan to cook your own meals on your ski holiday, just as it is a good idea to find out which restaurants are nearby if this is not the case.
Are you taking the kids on a ski holiday?
Find out in advance if there are childcare options in the area if you plan to "park" the kids while you race down the mountain at a speed that is not child-friendly. If the kids are going out on the slopes for the first time, a ski school might be a good idea, but not all areas have a ski school for children, and it is not offered in Danish or English everywhere. In other words, booking a ski holiday can generally be a slightly different task if you are bringing children. Check out our 10 tips for the perfect first ski holiday with the family if you are in doubt!
