We are planning to go ski in Europe at the end of December 2008. As this is our first ski holiday, we obviously want to make sure that we make the right decisions when it comes to making a choice of resort. Some of our friends (who are intermediate skiers) are joining us and we will be about 12 people going. They have left the beginner (me!) to do all the research. I have made a shortlist of what’s important etc as suggested by this (wonderful!)website, but get very confused as my list becomes bigger and bigger, leaving me right where I started off.
 
As we are going in December, a snow sure resort is a good place to start. Tignes, Val de Isere, Val Thorens, Cervinia and Saas-Fee come to mind. We do not have any other crucial criteria, but a place offering ice driving would be a bonus!
 
I would love some advice on how to go about choosing your first ski resort and maybe some comments on the above mentioned ski resorts.
 
Thanks for your help!

hi,
hope you are well,i think its a bit sneaky they have left the newbee to book the holiday…chickens,
 
for skiing at the end of december i would look at resorts with of its skiing above 1850 metres and up to and over 3000metres and with slopes predominately facing north,northeast also if the resort has a glacier then this is always a good inicator of a reliable snow record.
 
All the resorts you have mentioned are good reliable plces to ski (although the weather cannot be 100% reliable anywhere)another factor will be the type of accommadation ,if you are interested in a couple of self catering apartments or one large self catering apartment some resorts are better to accommadate this,with Tignes,les arcs 1600,1800,1950,2000,some places in Val D’isere,Val Thorens offering varied self catering options.
 
For catered options at the time of year you are planning to go you will be paying a premium and would need to think about booking up early,although for excellent catered chalet accommadation Ski Miquel is hard to beat,and all thier chefs are fully qualified.In the tour operators section of this site and book there are many companies listed,also in the ads section in the Daily Mail Ski & Snowboard Magazine there are many privately owned and rn chalets and apartments to rent.
 
As for the ice driving part the only resorts i know that offer this are Livigno,Serre Chevalliere and Chamonix with Tignes being a possability.
 
I hope some of this is of help to you and wish you all the best for your trip.
jon.

If it`s your 1st time the most important thing is that you soak up the atmosphere of a winter holiday. It`s fine to choose a high French resort but what happens if you don`t take to skiing? It might not be convenient for driving but I would suggest you choose a good old fashioned traditional Austrian ( or Swiss ) resort. There`s too many to mention but there are plenty with altitude, and more to the point there is lots more to do off the slopes both during the day and evening. Trust me there is a lot more to a skiing holiday than skiing and you should go out there and take it all in. Don`t be bullied into a resort by your intermediate friends that has "millions" of miles of piste - you won`t see it if it`s your first year, you will be busy picking yourself up off the floor and having a great laugh at everybody else doing the same in your school !! Enjoy

hi again ,i agree with scully about soaking up the alpine atmosphere,on a beautifull,sunny,cold & crisp clear day with fresh snow there is not a better place to be in the world than the alps,and as scully says there are many chocolate box villages and resorts in Austria and switzerland that make it even more magical(also i think that austrian ski schools have an excellent track record for customer satisfaction).
all the best and enjoy yourself
jon.

Nicci, What friends you have. They know a little about skiing then dump the organisation of the trip onto the first timer. Don’t they know where they want to go? Make sure they pay their share of the costs quickly and up front. We have all been stung in the past by (former) friends who say yes they are coming; then at the last minute pull out.
 
Anyway, my advice would be a little different from the previous contributers. As it is your first trip make sure the skiing is convenient and readily available. The pretty villages can wait until later. I made that mistake on my first ski trip and went to Kitzbuel, lots of of walking and busses and so so skiing. It was only later that I discovered tha skiing does not have to be like that; you can just walk out of your door, put you skis on and be off. Find somewhere where there is a short walk to the ski school and the first lift. Ski busses are not a pleasant experience and is very fustrating when heading for your lesson for the bus not to turn up (it happened to me in Salbach).
 
Your short list looks like a good short list, but as other contributors have said you may end up paying for an expensive lift pass you will only use part of. So if you go to Tignes(very good this year in December) buy only the local lift pass not the Espace Killy one.
 
Other resorts you may like to add to your short list are: Les Arcs, Alpe d’Huez and Serre Chevalier (just a short note of caution: a few years back we went to Serre Chevalier in Early Jan and there was no snow at all - we were bussed to other resorts in the vicinity). Serre Chevalier offers ice driving in buggies and Flaine also offers ice driving. My son and I had a great time over new year in Tignes on skidoos. Ok not quite ice driving, but my son did see 75kmph on the speedo.
 
The otehr advice is to approach a specialist travel agent, such as snow line, and see what they can come up with.
 
And a final word of caution, skiing is highy addictive. This one trip may only cost a few hundred pound, but you will have to pay it once, twice, or three times a year for the rest of your life. Be warned!

Hi Nicci, as you can see everybody has different priorities when it comes to choosing a resort. I don`t agree with John but that doesn`t mean he`s wrong. To me catching a bus (or taxi) to the lifts in Kitzbuhel is no big deal because you are in one of the best medieval towns in the alps with all its facilities and traditions. Doorstep skiing can come later when you have worked out your true priorities for a holiday.
You will get lots of advice but only you will have an idea of your expectations for your forthcoming trip. I would suggest you go where YOU want to go and where you can do the things YOU want to do. Remember skiing holidays aren`t cheap when you weigh up all the costs. You will never find your perfect resort because each country and resort do things differently. The fun is trying them out and then trying to improve on them from year to year to suit your requirements from a resort. I end my case !!!!

Hi there, thanks so much to JonG, scully and john for your advice. It really is much appreciated!
 
First, I must defend my poor friends, who have left me to do the planning. The friends who are intermediate have not been to Europe to ski before (USA and Australia mainly) and I am a very keen "researcher" when it comes to holiday destinations, so that is why I got the job! I am very happy to do all the research and that is why I turned to the experts… you guys (and girls!)
 
After reading some of the other posts, I now understand that I should look further than just the skiing, as there might be snow, but if there are storms or wind etc and the ski lifts are closed, there must be other things to do as well!
 
My short list hasn’t changed (yet), but I will have to make a decision soon and chat to the group going. I am currentlt looking at accomodation choices, but some of them have not yet fixed their pricing for the upcoming ski season.
 
Thanks again for everyone’s help.

As you are planning to go in December, be aware that resorts such as Cervinia can be very bleak and cold if the weather closes in - and there’s not much tree-skiing or anything to do off the slopes.
 
I agree with John in part - convenience is always helpful as a beginner: you’ll probably find the skiing day very tiring at first and the last thing you’ll want to do is carry all that gear any distance back to your accommodation etc. My first skiing holiday was to Bulgaria and I remember crashing out every night after dinner…
 
So do take a look at Alpe d’Huez and Les Arcs if you fancy France. Flaine would also be worth a look - you could even stay at one of the better-looking villages eg: Les Carroz.
 
But I also agree with the others on choosing somewhere that has other stuff to do if you don’t get on with the skiing. The Austrian resorts are great - but they are low.
 
How about somewhere like Selva Val Gardena - Italian Dolomites? Our beginner got on well there, the intermediates loved it, the scenery is something not to be missed and their snowmaking is the best you’ll find anywhere…and it’s good off-the-slopes.
 

Thanks for the advice Wendy, really appreaciate it. It’s amazing how many different things one has to take into consideration when planning a ski holiday! Hoping I get better with it in the years to come!
 
What is your advice on Saas-Fee, when I looked at all the factors 1. Snow Surity, 2. Beginners and 3 Convenience, Saas Fee came out best. (on the website)
 
Anyone who has been there and have any advice? Thanks for everyone’s help!

Saas Fee is a lovely resort - typically Swiss, traffic-free and relatively convenient (you can use an electric taxi to get about; but otherwise there can be some shortish walks to reach the lifts - depending on where you stay). And there are plenty of other things to do when you are not skiing.
 
Its position, high in the mountains and with a glacier, means that it’s generally snow-sure. And it’s very good for beginners, with wide nursery slopes just above the village. You would be able to use the gondolas to meet friends for lunch higher on the mountain too.
 
So yes, it should meet all your main requirements.
 
The minus points though: limited in extent - but your intermediates may not mind that, and they could always do a ski-away day to Zermatt etc, or try Saas Grund across the valley.
 
And because it is in a bowl surrounded by steep 4,000ft mountains, it can be quite bleak, shady and cold early season. Again, this may not worry you too much if you wrap up well with lots of thermal layers.
 
Hope that helps.
 

Hi Nicci,
 
I’ve been to four of your shortlisted resorts. I would save Tignes and Val D’Isere until you’re a better skier yourself. The slopes are internationally acclaimed and you may feel a bit ‘on the outside looking in’ as a beginner.
 
Cervinia has a good mix of beginners and intermediate skiing, but I agree with an earlier respondant that Cervinia can be very windy and bleak. Perhaps more significant for you and your non-European visitors, it is a purpose built resort with absolutely nothing there and nothing near it: so it’s skiing, skiing, skiing for that holiday.
 
As you’ve already shortlisted it yourself I would recommend Saas Fee. My wife and I were there this Christmas. I confirm everything that the previous respondant said about it. We stayed in the Hotel Bristol which was small, quiet and suited us fine. Where ever you stay I would recommend that end of the village as it is right on the nursery slopes. These are separated so you’re not competing with everyone else coming down the mountain. They are also long so if you’re a bit nervous about going higher up the mountain you could still get a lot of skiing done just on them. Unfortunately I was ill for part of the week but there was enough around the village to keep me amused. There’s also a lift and hill entirely given over to walkers: handy if you need a mid week break from skiing.
 
By the way, always have a pair of googles in your pocket. Hopefully you’ll wear sunglasses all the time but if it suddenly starts snowing or if the wind really gets up you can’t ski (or walk) in glasses.

I would have said Tignes or val, but if its your first holiday you could go somewhere like St foy, which is a hidden gem.Its not over-crowded like many resorts, and great for itermediate skiers and plenty of off-piste. A good company and the only one i have experience with is premiere neige but i know there are a few others.