Posts Tagged ‘Verbier’
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 »Top Tips for a Successful New Year Ski Holiday
Celebrations in Morzine
Along with the partying, eating copious amounts of food and celebrating in the streets, one of the most integral elements of a New Year ski holiday is snow. The start of the year is generally a great time to ski in Europe, however snow cover in late December and early January can vary from resort to resort, so why not pick our brains for information on the most snow-sure destinations?
Our knowledgeable reservations team will be more than happy to talk through your requirements and point you in the right direction. So whether you’re looking for wild après, the ultimate in-resort dining or high altitude slopes, we’ll do our best to make sure you bring in 2019 in style.
La Folie Douce on the slopes of Val Thorens
Here are just a few of our picks for high-altitude early-season skiing in Europe:
Verbier, Switzerland
The highest slopes sit at 3,300m, ensuring snowy mountains throughout the season.
Tignes, France
Great piste-grooming and high altitude make Tignes a dependable New Year resort!
Val Thorens, France
The village sits at 2,300m, making it the highest resort in the Alps and a snow-sure destination.
Our Top Tips
1. Once you’ve decided where to go, make the most of the mountain by letting us organise your instructor. Whether its group or private lessons, we can help!
2. Book your lift pass before you travel. With the majority of our French resorts, we can send your hands-free cards out with your travel documentation to ensure you’re not waiting to get on the slopes. Read the rest of this entry »
8 Unique Ski Experiences to Try This Winter
Great alternatives to your usual après-ski
Dancing in your ski boots, soaking in the outdoor hot tub, indulging in hot chocolate & freshly baked treats, sipping cold beers on a sunny terrace – all highly recommended after a day on the mountain! Après-ski is a ski holiday must, but the range of unique activities and alternative ski experiences on offer is now bigger and better than ever, so whether you’re looking for an alternative to traditional après-ski or for a different way to spend your day on the slopes, check out our pick of the latest and greatest in unique ski experiences.
1. Sample the Dolomites’ finest cuisine on a Gourmet Ski Safari
Alta Badia is the place to be for anyone who loves eating and drinking as much as they love skiing! This is thanks to its Sciare con Gusto programme (roughly translated as “skiing with flavour”) which is a series of events throughout the season combining passion for winter sports with delicious cuisine. With the stunning scenery of the Dolomites and unrivalled local hospitality, this is simply not to be missed.
Gourmet Ski Safari (image: Alta Badia Tourism)
Ski from one mountain hut to another, sampling a different dish designed by top Michelin-starred chefs in each one, as part of the Gourmet Ski Safari; this year’s theme was childhood favourites so traditional dishes executed to perfection were the order of the day. Book a place on a Sommelier on the Slopes event if you want to taste some of the best local wines in the company of a ski guide and local wine expert. Just remember you need to ski down the mountain at the end of the day! If you like to be first up on the slopes you can also enjoy breakfast on the slopes at the Las Vegas Lodge – take a snow cat up the mountain and sample the best local products from the Alto Adige region. To top it all off, you’ll be on the slopes before the lifts have even opened!
Catherine, Senior Ski Product Support
>> We recommend: the fabulous 5-star Hotel Rosa Alpina in San Cassiano, just a 5 minute drive from the Alta Badia ski area.
2. Get closer to the locals in Jackson Hole
Top 5 Short Break Tips
Short breaks or ski weekends are becoming more and more popular so we thought we’d put together our top 5 short break tips for skiers.
1. Be flexible; To get the best price and the best availability have a bit of flexibility in your dates. We can book from many local airports in the UK but the prices tend to rise from Thursday to Sunday (as does accommodation cost sometimes) so if you’re looking for the best price then mid-week might suit best.
Kempinski – St. Moritz
2. Avoid school holidays; There are very few hotels or apartments that will accept short stays over the Christmas / New Year holidays or the February holidays (that stretch in to March on mainland Europe) so keeping clear of these dates will give most flexibility. Read the rest of this entry »
Ski Independence Top 5 European Luxury Ski Hotels
Peak Of Chic – Luxury Ski Hotels
Ski Independence are proud to offer some of the worlds most exclusive luxury ski hotels and chalets. This list is comprised of our top 5 European picks for this season.
Hotel W, Verbier
Verbier has long been renowned as a place of luxury, but the addition of the Hotel W has taken standards to dizzying new heights. Arriving at Verbier’s only 5-star ski-in Hotel, the W’s attentive staff provide an unrivalled welcome with their ‘Whatever/Whenever’ service, which does exactly as the name implies.
Hotel W, AROLA Restaurant
Brand New Swiss Alps Ski Train
No longer are the French resorts the only place in the Alps easily accessible by train.
If in the past you’ve been put off travelling to the Swiss Alps by train due to the horrible prospect of lugging your skis across Paris to change trains, then things are about to change. A new Swiss train service has been introduced, The Swiss Alps Ski Train, which leaves London St Pancras (with a stop in Ashford) every Saturday during the winter season. After a short and easy change in Lille you are on your way to some of the best ski resorts in the world.
Arrive in Switzerland in style and comfort
New Year, New Snow
Having witnessed one of the snowiest Decembers on record across the Alps; picture perfect conditions over the Christmas week, and a short lived spell of mild weather for New Year, the Alps are now getting ready for the first dump of 2012…and it’s another big one! With some European resorts already reporting more snow to date this winter than the whole of last season, the Alps are now enjoying some of the best snow conditions in the world. Below is a quick round up on where to find the best snow conditions. Read the rest of this entry »
Snow, sun and fun in the Swiss Alps
I’ve blogged about the delights of rail travel in Switzerland here before… so the opportunity for Cathy and I to take a 4 day trip to the Swiss Alps, travelling entirely by public transport sounded like a great way to test exactly how easy it is. Now let me begin by saying that I’m not a train geek, but it’s such an easy way to travel and what could be better than sitting in comfort watching the Swiss Alps roll past your window.
Our journey began early. Turns out it was the beginning of the school half term holidays and Edinburgh Airport was busier than I’ve ever seen it.. a queue is bad any time, but at 6am it seems so much worse so it was a relief to arrive into Geneva Airport. By 10.45 we were on our train, just 20 minutes after landing! Read the rest of this entry »
