Top 7: The best ski destinations in Europe for party vibes, beginners, and everything else
Missing the mountains, want to get back on the piste before the ice melts or determined to finally learn to ski before the season ends? We round up the best late season snow breaks and the best ski destinations in Europe
BEST FOR PARTY VIBES
SNOWBOMBING – 8-13 April, Mayrhofen, Austria
When it comes to cool ski breaks, they don’t get hipper than a trip to electronic music festival extraordinaire Snowbombing. The bash, Europe’s biggest snow and music festival, is celebrating its 24th anniversary this year, and as ever, returns to the beautiful Tyrolean town of Mayrhofen.
With its the perfect mix of mountain-based fun and luxury combined with killer beats, it’s the ultimate winter getaway for dance music fans who are also fond of winter sports or just being amongst the majesty of the snow capped Austrian Alps. The week-long festival bill is also bursting with the biggest names in club music, with this year’s line up including Fatboy Slim, Bicep, DJ Yoda, Joy Orbison as well as DJ sets from Confidence Man, Dub Pistols and Rudimental.
Things to know:
Outside of the music and skiing (you can also learn to ski and snowboard here), Snowbombing features daily apres-ski parties, yoga sessions and comedy shows, plus activities such as the Snolympic games, chairlift speed dating, or you can take hikes, ebike rides, climb or even paraglide in the surrounding mountains.
Join the glamorous party people by staying at some of the resort’s luxury hotels, most with breathtaking views, featuring some of the most sumptuous spas in Austria, such as the sophisticated Sporthotel Manni with its rooftop pool, or the more traditional luxury of the Sylvansa Hotel with its own high end spa.
Mayrhofen also has around 30 eateries serving up all kinds of cuisines, from Tyrolean alpine favourites like wienerschnitzel, graukaspfandl, cheese soup, spaetzle noodles and wurst, to pasta and Spanish tapas. Obviously, you don’t want to miss out on sweet treats like apple strudel and kaiserschmarrn while you’re here too. And don’t miss pizza with views to die for at Penken Panorahma.
Don’t forget to pack:
Your Goldbergh salopettes, Dope ski jacket and Moncler sunnies. And a costume. As is almost mandatory at festivals now, attendees will be encouraged to don fancy dress – the SB24 theme is “Decades: A Journey Through Time.” Maybe stash a box of electrolytes (just in case of a teeeeeny bit of dehydration).
BEST FOR FAMILIES. . .
Le Coucou, Miribel
Successful ski holidays with kids take planning – and the perfect location to make it all work. Meribel’s Le Coucou is an old hand at family friendly breaks, offering the keys to a relaxing holiday for every age group in the French Trois Vallees ski area. Ski in, ski out and in-hotel fittings reduce the potential for trailing kids complaining about their boots, while the gorgeous Petit VIP Kids’ Club takes the pressure off parents, leaving them time to unwind at fine dining restaurants and the Tata Harper spa (two pools. Older teens will relish the ability to meet up together in an area that’s all their own over table tennis, karaoke or creative workshops at the Teens Lab. And if everyone fancies a little break from skiing, Coucou’s concierge can conjure up a myriad other snowy activities, from dog or pony sledding for tinies, to snowmobiles, snow yoga, hot air ballooning or paragliding for adventurous teens and parents.
Things to know
Meribel is a gateway to the world’s largest ski area and a wealth of on and off-piste stretches from 1100m up to 2950m in the Tarentaise valley alone. And with snow ‘guaranteed’ between December and April due to the destination’s geography and altitude you won’t have to hunt for perfect conditions. The powdery slopes are enough of delight by day, but guests can also experience the thrill of skiing down floodlit slopes in the moonlight on Wednesday in the surrounding ski areas. Little ones get their own chance to speed under the stars with night sledding on the green run of Little Himalaya in Meribel Mottaret on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
Don’t forget to pack
Handling the weather is key to ensuring comfy kids, so plan for both cold and the sun. Merino wool base layers from Swedish brand Polarn O Pyret will regulate their temperatures, keeping them toasty while they enjoy the snow – while Little Skiers Sun Protection dual sunscreen and lip balm (littleskiers.co.uk), with a handy attachment cord, ensures they’re fully protected from UV.
BEST FOR SKI AND SPA . . . .
Grand Hotel Bellevue Gstaad
At the end of a long day skiing, steam baths and massages are surely the most civilised apres ski. So make sure your slopes come with a side of serenity – and for that the 100-year-old Grand Hotel Bellevue Gstaadin the Swiss canton of Bern ticks all the boxes. The old-school glamour of this Grand Hotel, fully renovated in 2013, sets the tone for some serious indulgence.
There’s a touch of the widescreen about its 48 rooms, offset by formal gardens and a sushi bar, decadent fondue at Le Petit Chalet and 1930s Art Deco-style bar for post-piste Pisco Sours. But it’s Le Grand Spa that is the highlight, melting shoulder knots away in 3000sqm of Alpine wellness with eight saunas and hammams, indoor and outdoor pools and a full complement of treatments. Take things even further on tailored wellness retreats that aim to improve sleep, fitness or weight loss, with additional services such as blood analysis and dermatological analysis.
Things to know
Beloved of the Royal Family and Hollywood stars, many of whom own chalets here, Gstaad has been twinkling in the limelight since it opened its first run in 1905. On the border of France and Switzerland, the village is not short on A-list sheen, with traffic-free streets, designer boutiques rather than souvenir shops and 200km of manicured slopes. Guaranteed snow all year-round is a big draw here at Glacier 3000, where high altitudes are matched by high ambitions; a 15-minute cable car takes you from valley floor to 3000m altitudes and the world’s first suspension footbridge spanning two summits outside the cable car station – while panoramic views of Alpine icons such as the Eiger, Jungfrau and the Matterhorn roll off into the distance.
Le Grand Spa that is the highlight, melting shoulder knots away in 3000sqm of Alpine wellness with eight saunas and hammams, indoor and outdoor pools and a full complement of treatments
Don’t forget to pack
More than one swimming costume or bikini is a must, as the chances are you’ll be spending your downtime by the pools. Think Melissa Odabash or Leslie Amon for sunlounger and sauna two-pieces and Bond-Eye or Arket for more substantial, yet equally chic, length swimming costumes that won’t be out of place among the jet set.
BEST FOR QUIET LUXURY. . .
Severin*s, Lech, Austria
On the outskirts of the Austrian Alpine resort of Lech, boutique hotel Severin*s is a snow globe of discreet elegance. A retreat for the glamorous, moneyed and celebrity guests that winter here it has just nine suites and one private residence, blending traditional wooden Alpine charm with Italian furnishings, sleek tech and contemporary art. Fine dining and a spa elevates the ski holiday to even greater heights. Explore the pistes by day – by night enjoy fine wines by open fires or on private balconies overlooking twinkling panoramas of the wider ski area of Lech am Arberg, which encompasses the villages of Zürs, St. Christoph and St. Anton. The luxe, understated mountain vibe is far from the traffic jam slopes and brash apres ski of other parts of the Alps. Here, hidden away in style on the edge of things, you don’t have to move mountains to find perfect peace.
Things to know
A wealth of well-groomed, largely intermediate slopes nearby matches the hotel’s generous, relaxed profile. For more adrenaline though, Lech offers heli-skiing, the only area in Austria to do so – and the chance to touch the top of the world on summits such as Mehlsack and Schneetäli-Orgelscharte. Non-skiiers can also enjoy the sugar powder peaks at their own level, taking snowshoe hikes and sleigh rides through ancient pine forests.
A lively local restaurant scene across tiny Tyrolean stone villages with onion domed churches includes exciting pop ups throughout the season. Don’t miss traditional Austrian fondue, a hearty bowl of broth rather than stringy melted cheese though, guaranteed to warm you up. And listen out – the hills are alive with the sound of music in 2024, when the tenth edition of the Tanzcafe Alberg Music Festival takes place across the entire Alberg for the first time.
Don’t forget to pack
Up your ski gear game – Lech is no place for mismatched salopettes. Brands from Dior to Erin Snow offer jackets and trousers that stand up to the elements and the style council. All-in-one ski suits are also making a retro comeback with streamlined silhouettes such as those by Cordova..
www.severins-lech.at/en/
BEST FOR CHALET LIVING…
Chalet La Fenice, Cervinia, Italy
If you went to heaven and it turned out to be a ski chalet, then it would probably look and feel just like La Fenice, the luxury ski chalet in the Italian Alps currently on sale at Savills for an eye-watering €24m (£21m) but available to rent through Leo Trippi.
La Fenice has everything you’d expect from a billionaire’s dream home. It has its own helipad, private cinema, hammam steam room, plus atrium with a Swarovski chandelier – all spread out over six floors (there is an elevator). The rooms also have floor-to-ceiling views of the mesmerising Matterhorn – the iconic shark’s-fin-like peak which is possibly the most recognisable lump of rock in the world.
Fourteen people can sleep here in seven en-suite bedrooms, making it perfect for families, high level retreats or the best end of season party. With 13,000 sq foot of property, there’s enough space at La Fenice to get lost in.
Things to know
From the moment you enter La Fenice walking directly <underneath> the indoor 10m swimming pool, you know it’s special. In fact, the basement itself was created after a hole was blasted in the side of a mountain with dynamite.
Elsewhere, there’s a gym, private cinema, ski room, games room (equipped with Etrusco pool table, Oculus headset and F1/flight simulators) and a wine cellar that would make any sommelier blush. A fleet of staff (including private chef, chalet manager and chauffeur) are available to cater to your every whim, whether it’s indulgent massages, whisking you around in La Fenice’s own Land Rover or simply filling up the outdoor Jacuzzi with more bubbles (if there in the spring or summer, watch out for the inquisitive marmots who pop up to say ciao).
Tempting as it is to stay indoors, the skiing in this region is incredible. The Valley d’Aosta is home to Italy’s most snow-certain climate, with skiing usually on the cards for around nine months a year. There’s a blue run directly outside La Fenice, from where it’s possible to reach Europe’s highest slopes (some has high as 12,740ft/ 3,840m). La Fenice – Italian for ‘the phoenix’ – also boasts its own skidoo for guests to play with the powder outside. Meanwhile, a quick cable car ride across the border to Cervinia will take you over to Zermatt.
What to pack
Cashmere basics for evening chalet lounging – take a look at Johnstons of Elgin or N. Peal. And some smart PJs – check out Desmond & Dempsey. But don’t worry too much if you forget anything – La Fenice can help out with pretty much anything.
Read more from our list of the best ski destinations Europe below
BEST FOR… BEGINNERS
Six Senses Residences Courchevel 1850
The French ski resort of Courchevel might have a reputation for being a playground for the super-rich, but its superlative ski schools and nursery slopes make it the perfect place to learn to ski. Nowhere is this more apparent than in high-altitude village Courchevel 1850 where the magic carpet lifts (think conveyer belts that whisk you up and down the slope) and speed-freak-deterring barriers of its Jardin Alpin beginners’ area will make even the most trepidatious ski virgin feel at ease. Best of all, there’s plenty of blue and green runs (aka the easiest) should you feel like testing those new-found ski skills and letting your adrenaline truly rip.
Things to know
Make no mistakes, learning to ski is tough: spending all day scudding down a slope is liable to leave you with sore shins, tender thighs and a new-found familiarity with your anterior cruciate ligaments. That’s why some proper five-star pampering is paramount.
Enter the Six Senses Residences Courchevel, with its bouji boot room (heated so you can get changed in warmth), a ski concierge (on-hand to answer novice-related ski questions) and all the muscle-soothing massages, sauna and outdoor hot tub action you could wish for. The rooms – either self-contained duplex penthouses or apartments – all come with swoon-worthy views of surrounding saw-toothed mountains.
Courchevel is also famed for its ultra-efficient ski lifts (unsurprising given many of them are sponsored by Prada and Chanel), which not only frees up more hours on the slopes, but also gives you more time to sample the après-ski. This is where Courchevel shines as incandescently as the snow on its Alpine peaks, with eight Michelin-star restaurants, innumerable bars and designer boutiques where you could spy a minor royal or Beckham (the family holidayed here last winter).
Don’t forget to pack: Your rented skiwear (just in case you don’t take to it). Try Hurr Collective, Ecoski or Selfridges Rental. And a BIG tube of Deep Heat (you’ll be discovering muscles you never knew you had).
BEST NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
The Como Alpina, Dolomites
The Italian Dolomites offers some of the most scenic skiing in Europe (not for nothing did Swiss architect Le Corbusier describe the pink-hued crags and peaks as “the most beautiful construction in the world”), as well as the largest ski area in the world: the Dolomiti Superski with its 1,200km of slopes, 450 ski lifts and 12 ski resorts.
There’s a real buzz around the Italian Tyrol right now (the Winter Olympics are also coming to nearby Cortina d’Ampezzo in two years’ time), helped by the arrival of a slick new, wellness-oriented hotel: the Como Alpina Dolomites.
Things to know
The Como Alpina Dolomites is owned by Singapore’s Como brand, which is famous for its spas, something that’s reflected in the hotel’s massages, saunas and Nasa-designed Space Curl 3D machine (which helps stretch the back). More intriguing are its Tyrolean-leaning treatments such as hay baths (inspired by farmers who would rest their weary muscles in freshly-mown grass), goat milk wraps and scrubs made from local pine-tree needles. There’s also a 22m pool with an <al fresco> area where guests can swim amid falling snow.
The Como Alpina Dolomites is a ski-in, ski-out resort, meaning guests can shuffle onto the slopes mere seconds after leaving their room. The downhill skiing and snowboarding in the local Val Gardena is predictably superb, but thrill-seekers may wish to experience the local <sci alpinismo> (an adrenaline-spiking mix of skiing and mountaineering).
The nearby town of Ortisei looks like the kind of place where Pinocchio and Gepetto might hang out, and is a ski (or bus ride) away from Como Alpina Dolomites, offering a sophisticated spritz-supping <la dolce piste-a> world apart from the Jägermeister-shots and singalong hell of many Alpine après-ski.
Val Gardena is also studded with cute <rifugios>: wooden huts laden with hot chocolate, snacks and immaculate coffee (this is Italy, after all). Pick of the bunch is Gostner Schwaige, with its hay soup (more hay!) and its allegedly aphrodisiac homemade schnapps.
What to pack: Your German phrasebook/ A German Duolingo subscription. Until World War I, Austria owned this part of Dolomites and today three-quarters of the population speaks German (along with local Romance language Ladin). And treat yourself to some spa/leisure wear: Mr Porter / Net a Porter are great one stop shops.
comohotels.com