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Our Top Tips for an Unforgettable European Escape
With a huge selection of resorts to choose from, you’ll find everything in Europe from chocolate box villages to purpose-built havens of convenience, all with some of the world’s most beautiful scenery thrown in for good measure. Narrowing down the choice can sometimes seem a daunting prospect, but read on for our selection of hand-picked properties and top tips to ensure you have an unforgettable European escape.
Hotel des Dromonts, Avoriaz
Image: V. Dupé – Avoriaz Tourisme
What’s new in Europe this year
Despite the hot summer weather, we can’t help but look forward to the upcoming winter season. The addition of several new and exciting properties to our European programme has us daydreaming about being back in the mountains. Whether you’re looking for the ultimate luxury retreat in exclusive Megève, a stylish hotel in family-friendly Avoriaz or spacious apartments in popular Val d’Isère, these brand new properties have got you covered.
We’ve put together our pick of the best hotels and residences opening in time to book for this winter.
Lefay Resort & SPA Dolomiti, Pinzolo
Set against the stunning backdrop of the Italian Dolomites, the brand new 5-star Lefay Resort & SPA Dolomiti offers fantastic accommodation with truly breathtaking views. The Resort enjoys an ideal location, just 350m from the ski lifts and a 10-minute walk from the centre of Pinzolo, a traditional Italian village oozing charm and authenticity. Among the exceptional facilities on offer are two restaurants, a lounge bar, reading room and 5000m² spa featuring indoor and outdoor swimming pools and no fewer than 9 saunas– perfect for soothing tired muscles after a day exploring the extensive Campiglio Dolomiti di Brenta ski area!
- Unrivalled spa facilities
- Charming village nearby
- Stunning scenery
Read the rest of this entry »
Making the Most of Whistler
Whistler is one of the most impressive ski resorts on the planet. It has an incredible snow record: Last season saw over 9.5m of fresh powder and 80 snow days. Combine this with amazing skiing in Whistler Blackcomb’s huge ski area, world class accommodation, and fantastic restaurants throughout the village – and you’re already halfway to the ski holiday of a lifetime.
View of the Peak to Peak from Blackcomb – Image: Mike Crane
To help you get the most out of your Whistler ski holiday, The team at Ski Independence have put together a few of our top tips to getting you on your way, both on and off the slopes. Read the rest of this entry »
48 Hours in Vancouver: The Ultimate Stopover
Vancouver is a city of bright lights nestled among some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the world -If you’re thinking of travelling to Whistler for your next ski holiday, we highly recommend spending a day or two in Vancouver before heading home. The Ski Independence team have put together a guide with all their favourite places to eat and things to do in Vancouver.
Top 7 Reasons to Ski BC Interior
The BC Interior ski resorts include Big White, SilverStar, and Sun Peaks. Each of these mountain resorts are unique in their own right, however all share the same great lightweight floaty powder and family friendly features in resort.
Our team of Ski Specialists have tried and tested all of these resorts, and together we’ve created a shortlist of a few of our favourite features.
Silver Star Mountain Resort – Credit: Destination BC/Andrew Strain
Top 5 Stops on the Icefields Parkway
The Icefields Parkway stretches over 144 miles (232 km) from Lake Louise to Jasper. The road is ever changing and you will find yourself glued to the window of your car as the views take your breath away. The scheduled drive time according to google maps is just over three hours, however it will most likely will take you longer with various stops to take in the incredible views. There are view-points dotted along the route, so you safely can pull in to admire the views and take photos. It’s likely there will be wildlife sighting opportunities too, so remember to keep a look out!
Our top 5 stop-off points on the Icefields Parkway are:
Athabasca Glacier
Our Top 5 Places to Instagram in Alberta
Alberta is filled with picturesque viewpoints and photogenic vantage points. A few members of the Ski Independence team were away on a fam trip to Alberta a few weeks ago and visited a few of these amazing places. Magda has given us a shortlist of her top 5 places that’ll look great on any Instagram feed.
#1 Sky Bistro on top of Sulphur Mountain
Credit: Brewster
Alberta’s Top 10 Restaurants: Hotspots & Hidden Gems
Alberta is full of hotspots and hidden gems that offer good food and have that all important welcoming & warm atmosphere. The Ski Independence team have spent many hours in the Canadian Rockies, and between us we’ve compiled a guide to our favourite restaurants. Perfect after a day in the mountains working up an appetite.
Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria – Jasper
Famoso imports its ovens and key ingredients from Naples, & Campania in a bid to serve the best Pizza outside of Italy. The restaurant has a fun & lively atmosphere – perfect for relaxing after a long day on the slopes. From Pizzas to Pasta, there’s something for all at this restaurant. This family friendly restaurant has a great reputation with locals and regular visitors alike, and we can see why.
In Pictures: Amazing Start to the Winter Season
Thought it would never end? After the snowstorm to end all snowstorms, the weather in the French Alps has calmed – a little – and the sun is even making an appearance in some resorts. What an amazing start to the winter!
The Swiss Alps are still in the middle of yet another blizzard and 100cm will fall in Saas Fee today alone!
If you haven’t booked a holiday yet for this winter, now is the time!
A break in the storm in Val Thorens, 5th January 2018
France
Opening Hours – Christmas and New Year 2017/18
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the whole team at Ski Independence. If you need to contact us please call 0131 243 8097 and below you’ll find details of our festive opening hours.
Festive Opening Hours 2017/18
- Saturday 23 December: 9am – 4pm
- Sunday 24 December, Christmas Eve: Closed
- Monday 25 December, Christmas Day: Closed
- Tuesday 26 December, Boxing Day: Closed
- Wed 27, Thur 28, Fri 29 December: 9am – 5.30pm
- Saturday 30 December: 9am – 4pm
- Sunday 31 December, New Year’s Eve: Closed
- Monday 1 January, New Year’s Day: Closed
- Tuesday 2 January: 9am – 5.30pm
- We then revert to normal winter hours: Monday – Thursday: 09:00 – 18:30 | Friday: 09:00 – 17:30 | Saturday: 09:00 – 16:00 | Sunday: Closed
Image Nicolas Ansourian, Megève Tourisme
