Swiss Twin-Centre Luxury Skiing
“These last few days in Switzerland have been more relaxing than our honeymoon!” announced my husband of seven months whilst lying in the 38°C water of the ‘warm bath’ in the Chedi Andermatt’s spa. There’s no way I could disagree – we had loved our Canadian road trip right after getting married, but it was not in the same ball park in terms of kicking back and totally de-stressing.
Getting There
We began our Swiss twin-centre luxury skiing trip by flying in to Geneva and then transferring up to resort in true Swiss fashion… starting with the iconic red trains. The views, the efficiency and the space on-board all make travelling by train a very different experience than in the UK. Our first resort was Saas Fee and this involved changing in Visp and taking the bright yellow Post bus to the resort. We weaved our way up to the entrance of Saas Fee and stood in the sunshine for the hotel’s electric taxi to pick us up. For the uninitiated, a handful of Swiss resorts are car-free (Saas Fee and Zermatt among them) and to get around, the equivalent of a covered golf buggy ferries people, luggage and supplies around the resort making for a peaceful and noticeably cleaner village centre. Read the rest of this entry »
Two days of luxury at Hotel L’Apogée Courchevel
The wonderful Hotel l’Apogée overlooks Courchevel 1850 from its unrivalled ski-in/ski-out position in the Jardin Alpin area of the resort. Part of the growing Oetker Collection group, each property is unique.
Oetker Collection promise guests will “discover a ‘passion for living’, an appreciation for culture, gastronomy and the pleasures of nature”. One of our Ski Specialists, Karen M, had the chance to experience all of this and more on her recent visit to experience the 5-star luxury at Hotel L’Apogée.
Hotel L’Apogée sits in a prime ski-in/ski-out location in Courchevel 1850
Upon arrival at Geneva airport we were met by one of Hotel L’Apogée’s pristine vehicles and headed up to the mountains. At just two and a half hours, the journey to Courchevel is more than do-able for a short break or not too far if travelling with the family for a week. Once at L’Apogée we were greeted by inviting and friendly faces of the hotel staff and led to the Bar de L’Apogée for a tasty lunch. The bar menu is great for lunch or a light dinner with everything from burgers to ‘fish of the day’ dishes. The barmen here were so attentive and talked us through the wine choice of the afternoon while we waited for our order to arrive. After an early start that morning the hearty burgers went down a treat! Read the rest of this entry »
Women to Watch at the Winter Olympics 2018
Celebrating Women in Sport
Today we’re celebrating women in winter sports, on the day Britain celebrates 100 years since women first gained the right to vote. Below you’ll find Ski Independence’s pick of women to watch at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics. Who’s your one to watch, be they a Brit or an international athlete?
Amanda Lightfoot
“Amanda Lightfoot is the only Biathlete competing for Team GB at Pyeongchang. Cross country skiing is recognised as being the most physically demanding sport, so adding shooting to the mix demands incredible fitness, stamina and recovery. She might not be a nailed-on medal hope, but I’ll be cheering her all the way!” Karen, Senior Ski Specialist
Amanda Lightfoot (source: Team GB)
>> When to watch: Saturday 10th Feb 11:15-12:45 7.5km Biathlon; Saturday 17th Feb 11:15-12:10 12.5km Biathlon Read the rest of this entry »
The Ikon Pass: Arriving in 2018/19
One Pass | 26 Ski Destinations
A brand new season pass is coming for Winter 2018/19!
**UPDATED 8 March 2018**
Exciting news for fans of skiing in the USA & Canada: the Ikon Pass is a new season pass set to go head-to-head with the Epic Pass next winter, offering skiing in 26 destinations on one lift ticket. Chief Marketing Officer of Alterra Mountain Company, Erik Forsell, said, “The Ikon Pass is a collaboration of like-minded mountain destinations across North America where incredible terrain, unique character and local traditions are celebrated.”
Ikon Pass holders will be able to access resorts including Steamboat, Winter Park, Mammoth Mountain, Tremblant, Squaw Valley, Aspen Snowmass, Jackson Hole and Big Sky, Revelstoke Mountain Resort and Ski Big 3 (Banff Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, Banff Mount Norquay) all featured Ski Independence resorts and among the best ski destinations on the planet. We have two pass types available, with discounted children’s rates on offer before 9th April 2018.
Ikon Season Pass
Adult: £627 / Teen: £502 / Child: £313
- Full season pass with completely unlimited skiing all season in 8 destinations including Steamboat, Winter Park, Copper Mountain Resort, Squaw Valley, Mammoth Mountain and Tremblant plus 7 days skiing in a huge number of other resorts including Jackson Hole, Big Sky, Deer Valley, Revelstoke Mountain Resort and Aspen Snowmass.
- Until the 9th April 2018, children’s passes are better than half price with the purchase of a full adult pass.*
Ikon Base Pass
Adult: £418 / Teen: £334 / Child: £209
- Unlimited access to 8 destinations including Winter Park, Tremblant, Copper Mountain and more, as well as 5 days at destinations including Steamboat, Mammoth Mountain, Jackson Hole, Big Sky, Killington Resort and Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Aspen Snowmass, AltaSnowbird and Ski Big 3 (Banff Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, Mount Norquay).
- Until the 9th April 2018, children’s passes are half price with the purchase of a full adult pass.*
>> Full Ikon Pass Details Available Here <<
The Ikon Pass In Numbers
- 26 destinations in 9 US states & 4 Canadian Provinces
- 63,709 skiable acres
- 3,304 trails
- 481 lifts
Ikon Pass Destinations
The Ikon Pass will rival the hugely popular Epic Pass in scope and scale for skiing across North America and our team of Ski Specialists can advise you on how to get the best out of your Ikon Pass next winter, whether you’re planning a multi-centre holiday or more than one trip in the season.
- Colorado: Steamboat, Winter Park Resort, Aspen Snowmass, Copper Mountain Resort
- California: Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain, Big Bear Mountain Resort
- Eastern USA: Killington Resort, Sunday River, Sugarloaf, Loon Mountain Resort, Snowshoe, Stratton
- Wyoming: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
- Montana: Big Sky Resort
- Utah: Deer Valley Resort, Snowbird, Alta Ski Area
- Canada: Tremblant, CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures in British Columbia, Blue Mountain, Ski Big 3 (Banff Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, Banff Mount Norquay), Revelstoke
Speak to a Ski Specialist on 0131 243 8097
*T&Cs apply to all purchases, please get in touch with us for further details.
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
Let the Ski Season Begin!
With December is just around the corner, many of our featured resorts will soon be open for winter 2017/18 as the ski season begins. And what a start to the season it promises to be!
Several resorts are already up and running and we’re itching to get out there and find our ski legs once more. We’ve sought out the most inspirational pictures and videos that we can find from around the web, so read on and get in the mood for winter!
Val Thorens
Anyone for corduroy? Open now, Val Thorens is leading the charge with simply superb conditions. 70cm has already accumulated on the lower slopes and there’s another 20cm on the way. Read the rest of this entry »
Ski Independence Highly Commended
We’re thrilled to have been awarded the accolade of Highly Commended Tour Operator by the Ski Club of Great Britain, following the results of their 2017 Consumer Survey.
Announced at the Ski Club’s autumn party on Wednesday 25th October 2017, our MD, Michael Bennett, collected the award and said, “We’re delighted to win this Ski Club of Great Britain award and it’s testament to the hard work and dedication of the team”.
Ski Independence’s overall NPS in 2017 was 75 – well above the ‘Excellent’ benchmark of 50 points or more, and considered ‘World-Class‘ (70+). Needless to say we’re over the moon with the result!
The Ski Club’s annual Consumer Research Survey collects data from a huge number of UK skiers & snowboarders every summer, gathering Net Promoter Scores (NPS) for every company surveyed. The NPS measures the willingness of clients to recommend a company’s products or services to others, acting as a mark of customer satisfaction and trust.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team of Ski Specialists for advice on where to ski this winter and to book your tailor-made ski holiday now. Call the team on 0131 243 8097 or request a tailor-made quotation online.
Monster Terrain Expansion at Panorama, BC
During a road-trip across British Columbia in Canada last winter, I had the opportunity to test myself in Taynton Bowl, Panorama’s signature high alpine terrain offering some of Canada’s most legendary inbounds adventure skiing. On the same trip I learnt a little about the terrain expansion Panorama has recently announced for winter 2017/18.
The obligatory photo at the Summit
European Ski Extras Service Better than Ever!
Hitting the slopes hassle-free in Flaine
Saved time on the first day having lift tickets!
James, Flaine, February 2017
