An insider’s guide to planning the perfect ski holiday

Born and raised in the Netherlands, I was lucky that my parents introduced me to skiing. That it would later not only become one of my passions, but also turned out to become a foundation for my company. I don’t think anyone could have thought of it.

I have traveled to the Alps countless times for business or leisure purposes. And that’s why I thought it would be nice to create a kind of guide that you can or should take into account when booking a perfect winter sports holiday. I’ve broken them down by topic below:

Ski resort and ski schools/guides

For beginners, it’s important to find places with enough terrain to ski at your level so you can explore. Think of it like going on a ski safari: you want to cover an area as large as possible in optimal conditions for you.

Search for the slope map on the website of the ski area to see which colors/levels the slopes generally have and how many kilometers of slopes there are.

It is also useful to look at the height of the ski area and the time in which you would like to go on holiday. Of course, nowadays there are many possibilities to ensure that it is always possible to ski, but it remains the case that a lower area is less sure of snow than a higher area with sometimes even a glacier included. Especially if you go very early in the season or a little later. If you go a little later, the weather can be a lot warmer.

And then the ski schools (because ski lessons are very important) and guides. We Dutchies are quick to think that coming down unscathed can be called ’skiing‘, but that is not the case. You can even call it dangerous! It is best to make sure you have someone who is fluent in your language. Otherwise a lot can be lost when translating. Fortunately, the Dutch-speaking teachers are often present in the Alps. For the advanced, many areas also offer opportunities to go off-piste with a guide, to push your limits and seek out the most special places.

Transportation

The place you choose in the previous topic also has a link with the way of travelling. Of course you are the most flexible by car and you can get everywhere, but the car journey often takes the most time. The plane is then another option. Although it is generally faster (if no snow storms or other severe weather conditions are involved), you will still need to arrange an additional means of transport upon arrival at the airport to the accommodation. And of course it is handy to have an accommodation that is within walking distance of a ski lift or bus connection to the ski lift. The train has similar conditions, only with the Nightjet you can also book a bed in the train so that you can travel to the snow at night and wake up in the mountains. Of course you can also travel to the Alps with an organized bus trip if everything else is not for you.

Accommodation

Are you booking a good deal through a tour operator, including a ski pass? Or do you book directly with an accommodation yourself?

The experience of skiing may seem daunting, but it can actually be quite indulgent. Gone are the days of breathlessly lugging ski boots, skis, poles and clothing that left you feeling isolated and bloated. When you come off the slopes at the end of the day, ready to take off all that ski gear, a good hotel can already have a drink and a snack ready. Even someone to take off your ski boots. To top it all off, your ski boots are now kept warm even overnight, so that your feet will happily re-enter the ski area the next morning.

That is one extreme, but the other extreme such as winter camping and everything in between is a possibility. I have tried everything but a winter camping. You will almost always find the lovely wooden interiors, sometimes a bit older, sometimes in a new modern style. But hey, that’s part of the mountains.

It is important to know what your budget is, what you want to do with food (eating out, cooking at home or something at the accommodation) and how much luxury you ask. An accommodation that is a bit further from the village is always a lot cheaper than one in the village street. And a week in the high season is always more expensive than a week outside, cliché. Besides the big hotels, try the small guest houses where a family puts all their heart and soul into taking care of your visit. Or rent a house with care. On the plus side, in all the accommodations I’ve stayed in so far I’ve never had a bad breakfast!

Après-ski bars and restaurants

Après-ski and delicious dining options are the keys to a fun-filled skiing holiday. After a day of skiing, nothing beats entering a place with party music and wine (or beer). Sometimes, the dinner reservation has to be moved up a bit, because there is still some dancing to be done. And then a good dinner will go in, because Après-ski is also a sport 😉.

If you have not booked dinner at the hotel, there are countless possibilities in the Alps to be pampered with delicious food. To get you excited, most restaurants also cater for all kinds of dietary requirements, showing their appetite to please. And after a hard day of skiing, the full plates of specialties from the Alps are very welcome! Bon Apetit!

What to wear

Going down a ski slope in your fashionable ski outfit is part of the fun. The underpinning is essential, as are all the other layers to keep you warm. A combination of ski jacket and pants or a one-piece suit can look stylish everywhere. The most important thing is that you bring enough. You can dress yourself in different layers at all times. You can adapt to the temperature and you can exchange wet garments for dry ones when necessary. Don’t forget your gloves (or mittens), ski goggles and helmet!

 

Ciao Ciao 😊