Posts Tagged ‘Andermatt’
Ski + City Breaks in Europe
Make the most of your holiday time with our definitive guide to the best European cities for a short break – before or after a stay in the mountains.
Whether you want to take advantage of cheaper weekday flights, or you just fancy a bit of culture and shopping to enhance your ski holiday, Ski Independence can easily add on a night or two in a city destination.
Here are 7 great cities that work well combined with a ski holiday – with some recommendations of where to stay and what to see while you’re there.
1. Verona – The City of Love
Top Picks for Skiers and Non-Skiers Alike
It goes without saying that here at Ski Independence we are incredibly passionate about winter sports. However, we understand that a trip to the mountains is about so much more than just skiing or snowboarding. A number of our regular clients don’t clip into skis at all and instead prefer to relax, breathe in the clean air and simply experience being in one of our featured resorts for the pure joy of the mountains. With this in mind we’ve selected our favourite properties that will work well for skiers and non-skiers alike – ideal if your other half doesn’t quite share your love for skiing!
Hotel Mont Blanc, Chamonix
Chamonix offers so much more than just skiing. It’s a fantastic town to visit with an excellent choice of restaurants, bars and visitor attractions as well as spectacular mountain views. The town itself is charming and historic and it’s perfectly pleasant simply strolling through the streets.
Read the rest of this entry »10 Ski Bucket List Experiences in Europe
The last couple of years have taught us just how important travel is for the soul. We all need a break from the everyday. The delight in being somewhere new, admiring spectacular scenery, sampling new food and exploring different terrain on your skis shouldn’t be underestimated.
With this is mind, we’ve put together a bucket list of top ski experiences in our European programme.
1. Marvel at the Mighty Matterhorn (Zermatt, Switzerland)
You’ve seen photos of this iconic mountain but have you seen it in the flesh? It really is as spectacular as it looks. Zermatt is a picture perfect resort and works well for skiers and non-skiers alike. The best views are from the top of the Gornergrat mountain railway at 3100m.
Read the rest of this entry »Getting the Most From Your Epic Pass
The multi-resort ski lift ticket is big business these days, but does it make sense for you to purchase one? Let’s look at what’s on offer and how you can get the best value out of an Epic Pass…
What is an Epic Pass?
The Epic Pass was born in 2008 as a way to use one season ticket for resorts under the ownership of Vail Resorts. What started then with 5 resorts in Colorado, plus 1 in California, has now become a network of 37 North American resorts plus 20+ international friends.
Read the rest of this entry »Europe’s Hidden Skiing Gems
Our Ski Specialist Adam has put together a guide to our European Ski Gems, which all offer genuine and immersive winter experiences.
If you’re looking for somewhere different to experience this Winter, why not visit one of our hidden ski gems in Europe. Think crackling fires, friendly locals, great cuisine & quiet pistes.
San Cassiano
Nestled amid the spectacular and dramatic scenery of the Dolomites, San Cassiano is truly a hidden gem.
The well-tended, sun-facing slopes at the Alta Badia ski area contribute to making this an unforgettable outdoor experience, at the foot of the Dolomites. Image: Alto Adige Martketing/Alex Filz
Ski Holidays 2019 with Ski Independence
Best Ski Holidays in 2019
The 2018/19 winter season is upon us, so what better time to let us plan your 2019 ski holiday?
As the UK’s leading tailor-made ski specialist, our experienced team will take the time to fine-tune every element of your ski holiday, from flights and accommodation to ski schools and restaurant reservations. Choose from hand-picked ski destinations around the world and make 2019 your best year on the slopes yet. We’ve carefully chosen an outstanding mix of world-class ski resorts to appeal to British skiers in:
- France: home to some of the most extensive ski areas in the world, it’s no surprise that France is Europe’s number one ski destination.
- Canada: superb skiing, an enviable snow record, staggering scenery and ski resorts with something for everyone.
- The USA: uncrowded slopes, amazing powder snow, first-class lodging and unparalleled customer service, wherever you ski.
- Switzerland: Switzerland exudes charm and our clients love the laid-back yet refined atmosphere of our featured resorts.
- Austria: excellent hospitality, a warm and friendly welcome, lively après-ski and luxurious spa centres.
- Italy: extensive terrain, good snow records, fabulous food & drink and some of the most stunning scenery in Europe
- Japan: Japan’s outstanding success as a ski destination can be summed up in one simple word – snow. You really have to ski it to believe it!
“The booking of our ski holiday for 2019 was handled very efficiently by the Ski Independence staff and we look forward to our winter break. The staff were very friendly, welcoming and obviously knew their ski centres!” Steven, November 2018.
La Clusaz (image: David Machet)
Featured Ski Destinations for 2019
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 »
Snow Photos: 19 January 2017
Snow Photos – our latest selection
Snowfall in Europe has been massive in the last couple of weeks which is great news for anyone either in the Alps now or going there soon. Snow-forecast.com’s latest snow overview reads, “if you’re going to France this week, you couldn’t have timed it any better.”
Over in North America, there has been as much as FIVE METERS falling at Heavenly Lake Tahoe since the start of the year and more snow is expected to across the mountains throughout the week, including Colorado’s Vail, Beaver Creek and Breckenridge; Utah’s Park City Mountain (which has received 226cm in January); and the Lake Tahoe’s Heavenly Mountain Resort (500cm in January alone!).
Here’s our round-up of the best recent snow photos from our featured resorts:
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”13″ gal_title=”Snow Photos 19 January”]
Finally, this great video has been doing the rounds on social media – massive amounts of snow in Flaine! Read the rest of this entry »
Insider’s Guide to The Chedi Andermatt
In December, I was lucky enough to stay at the Chedi Andermatt and have to say I was utterly blown away by this hotel. What an amazing experience it was! For our clients who want the very best money can buy, this hotel ticks all the boxes.
The Chedi Andermatt
