Make Unforgettable Memories on a Luxury Ski holiday

 

A luxury ski holiday is a wonderful way to enjoy quality time among close friends and family, with the promise of spectacular scenery, comfortable surroundings, delicious cuisine and of course outdoor adventure on the snowy Alpine slopes. But there’s a great deal to consider when organizing a truly special escape to the Alps, from resort choice and chalet location to travel plans, alternative activity requirements and childcare.

With that in mind, we’re highlighting a selection of the key elements that come together to make the luxury ski chalet experience truly special, with a strong tilt toward families in the Alps, and advice to consider before you begin your research.

Which resort to choose

Resort choice is perhaps the most important decision when planning a luxury ski holiday. For parents with young children to consider, priorities include hassle-free access to gentle nursery slopes, excellent ski school tuition, and a wide selection of non-ski activities in case bad weather closes in.

There’s a wide range of ski resorts across Europe ideally suited to meeting these criteria, but destinations such as the French resort of Morzine stand out from the rest. For example, the green and blue pistes atop the Pleney plateau in Morzine are amongst some of the finest in the Alps for young learners. There’s a caterpillar track for youngsters too, and real scope for gentle progression. The beautiful alpine resorts of Val d’Isère, Les Gets and Courchevel also offer a fine selection of luxury chalets and hotels with expansive childcare arrangements, making parents’ lives even easier.
 

Beautiful views over the welcoming alpine resort of Morzine in France
 

The Austrian resort of St Anton also works well for families – these days more than ever – with the development of the Nasserein slopes and a spectacular selection of beautiful luxury chalets to choose from. Here, you’ll find gentle learner slopes and high quality tuition – top priorities for parents on the snow.

Travel options to consider

Whether you select a luxury ski holiday with flights and transfers included, or you reserve an independent property with the freedom to organise transportation separately, the method of travel you opt for has a big impact on your holiday. The vast majority of the finest luxury chalets in the Alps include airport transfers as a part of their ski holiday offerings, allowing guests to arrive and start their holiday in seamless fashion.

Ski access

We find swift access to the ski lifts is a high priority for many of our clients in the luxury ski holiday market, and of course piste-side properties are in demand. But with exclusive chauffeur services on hand, you don’t necessarily need to be piste-side in order to enjoy easy access to the slopes.

Things can be a little different for families with youngsters in tow though, and the last thing parents need is a long walk to the lifts. Skiing takes up a lot of energy at the best of times, but even more so for a child making his or her first tracks in the snow. Popular resort choices for parents with a priority of easy ski access and a broad range of learner-friendly terrain include Méribel, Val d’Isère, Cervinia and Valmorel. Each of these alpine destinations is home to an exclusive selection of beautiful high-end ski holiday accommodation options with transportation, gourmet dining, welcoming and comfortable accommodation, lift passes and ski school included, offering the ultimate in high-altitude adventure and convenience in the Alps.

Non-ski activities

Away from the groomed slopes, there’s a broad selection of Alpine destinations with superb infrastructures in place to keep guests amused and entertained in case bad weather closes in. A high number of luxury ski chalets offer private facilities such as games rooms or cinemas, where groups of friends and families can while away enjoyable hours in each other’s company. Outside the confines of the chalet, facilities such as bowling alleys, ice skating rinks and sports centres with swimming pools and climbing walls offer further opportunity for non-ski entertainment.

Ski schools and tuition

Good quality tuition is a key factor in ensuring a ski holiday goes with a swing – with young learners often nervous about taking to the snow for the first time. Some of the finest ski schools in the industry operate out of iconic resorts such as Val d’Isère, Méribel, Courchevel, Zermatt and Verbier, where instructors seemingly invariably have two or three languages under their belts, alongside endless patience and an ability to connect on the snow with skiers and snowboarders of all ages and abilities.

Ski schools such as Snow Systems, Parallel Lines, Oxygène, Evolution 2, and The Development Centre all operate across resorts in the Portes du Soleil, the Espace Killy and the Three Valleys and cover a vast range of different ski resorts. You’ll find lessons tailored to specific requirements such as complete beginners or improvers, and specialist clinics for advanced skiers or snowboarders keen to progress in specific fields, such as moguls, back-country or freestyle.
 

Meribel is home to luxury hotels with a fine range of in-house childcare services
 

Childcare

There’s a wide range of resorts across Europe which offer luxury ski properties managed by family-friendly operators, with in-house nannies, entertaining childcare programmes and of course professional standards of care available – offering parents complete peace of mind.

Nurseries welcome infants from just a few months of age, and for older children, child-carers organise a whole host of engaging activities both within the chalet and outside, among the snowy slopes. Snowman-building and tobogganing are wonderful ways for youngsters to burn off the last of the day’s energy after the lifts and gondolas have closed, and snow-shoeing or dog-sledding offer opportunities to escape into the alpine wilderness among friends and family.

Alternatively, parents in search of childcare programmes in their resort of choice can opt for external nanny services, where a nanny from an in-resort childcare company will attend your chalet. You can expect high standards of care provided by nannies with UK or equivalent qualifications in the vast majority of these companies, and examples include Merinannies, Jelly and Ice Cream, Petit Verbier and Jack Frost.

Timing your booking

The winter 2019/20 ski season is on sale, and keen skiers and snowboarders in the luxury holiday market can now snap up their first choice chalets in the most beautiful Alpine destinations. The school holiday dates of Christmas and New Year, half term and Easter see luxury ski chalets in high demand, as groups of families and friends narrow down their accommodation options in their ideal ski resorts of choice. Booking ahead ensures you make no compromise on your ski holiday requirements, and can enjoy the widest selection of luxury ski chalets in the resorts of most interest.

For more help and advice in planning and booking your luxury ski escape to the Alps, we’re on hand to help. You can call 0203 0800 231 or reach us through our online chat facility.