The secret to finding the perfect ski resort

Whether you're after charm, luxury or endless turns, picking the perfect resort can be a daunting task – let our experts help

ski resort guide 2023 2024
From the most relaxing resorts to the most boisterous, discover the world's best ski resorts

Whether it’s the variety of France, the charm of Austria, the glamour of Switzerland or the giant mountains of North America, finding the right ski resort can be a daunting task. 

With the first snowfall of the winter having arrived and resorts beginning to open for the season, now’s the time to start planning your trip to the slopes. No matter if you’re a seasoned pro or if you’ve never been on a snow sports holiday before, choosing the right resort can help you find the best snow, value and slopes.

From the most relaxing resorts to the most boisterous, The Telegraph’s experts have picked the best to meet the needs of every type of skier and snowboarder – here’s how to find your perfect resort this winter.

How do I choose the right country?

Why France?

More British skiers and snowboarders choose to head to France for their ski holiday than anywhere else. The reason is inescapable: the French Alps offer the best variety of resorts in any country in the world. Destinations range from the high altitude and purpose-built like Val Thorens and Les Arcs, with massive and varied ski areas attached, to lesser-known farming villages with a traditional French feel and tree-lined slopes like Les Carroz.

val thorens
Val Thorens is one of the first resorts to open in the Alps each winter

Visitors may find their euros go further in bars and restaurants in Austria and Italy, but staying in lesser-known resorts, or lower villages that still link to a big name area such as Les Trois Vallées – the world’s biggest ski area – can help with the budget. The variety of accommodation on offer is also unrivalled with a mix of self-catering in apartment residences, catered chalets (albeit fewer than previously) and hotels, available with most UK tour operators. 

Find the best ski resorts in France in our guide here.

Why Austria?

If staying in a picturesque resort with a warm welcome is high priority, Austria will generally come up trumps. Many resorts have grown up around traditional farming villages and offer cosy hospitality and foot-stomping but friendly après.

st anton
They ski as hard as they party in St Anton Credit: Patrick BÃtz/TVB St. Anton am Arlberg

As for the skiing, while Austria may not have as many giant ski areas of France, its villages are backed up by some heavyweight lift systems and modern snowmaking facilities – but don’t worry about the mileage you’ll be able to cover linked ski areas such as the Arlberg, which includes popular resorts such as St Anton and Lech, and Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn have piste maps that will satisfy even the most hungry of mile munchers. 

Find the best ski resorts in Austria in our guide here.

Why Switzerland?

France and Austria both have their particular strengths, but in many respects Switzerland is hard to beat. It has an unfair share of the most dramatic mountain scenery including the Matterhorn peak in Zermatt, and ditto the most captivating traffic-free old mountain villages, the best mountain restaurants, and some of the most impressive ski runs.

zermatt
Switzerland is home to some of the most beautiful towns in Europe Credit: Getty

Sadly, with the poor exchange rates of recent years, Switzerland has also become very expensive. Even in the cheapest Swiss resorts you are likely to be paying more than in the average resort in the Eurozone countries of AustriaFrance and Italy. But if you’ve got the budget you can enjoy world-class skiing and five-star service in resorts that prove ever-popular with the world’s skiing elite. 

Find the best ski resorts in Switzerland in our guide here.

Why Italy?

If low prices, good food, and fabulous ambience are important, then Italy is the place. As a destination, it’s much more laid back than its rivals in FranceSwitzerland and Austria, with the holiday emphasis on fun and relaxation rather than sporting excellence. As a result, the enjoyment factor is all the higher. Families with young children are welcomed even in the chicest hotels and restaurants, in resorts such as Courmayeur and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

alta badia
Skiing in Italy is both crowd-free and charming Credit: Alex Moling

Italy is also blessed with a number of giant ski areas. For beautiful scenery and a variety of terrain, the central core of the Dolomites is unbeatable. This area is also home to the famous Sella Ronda – a circular network of lifts and pistes around the Gruppo del Sella, a majestic limestone massif, taking in a host of resorts.

Find the best ski resorts in Italy in our guide here.

Why Eastern Europe?

Relatively unheard-of by most British skier and snowboarders the resorts in Eastern European countries such as Slovenia, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Romania offering a budget-friendly alternative to the traditional Alpine ski holiday. Resorts such as Bansko and Kranjska Gora regularly come out on top of surveys for best-value resorts and are a popular choice for young families or beginners wanting to ease themselves into snow sports without breaking the bank.

bansko
Resorts in Eastern Europe are popular because of their low prices

While snowmaking facilities and high altitudes in some resorts are a big pull the infrastructure and size of ski areas might not suit experts looking for an alternative to the massive mileage on offer in France, for example. Accommodation is often budget-friendly set in attractive villages where lively après and cheap food and drink bills come as standard. 

Find the best ski resorts in Eastern Europe in our guide here.

Why North America?

Compared to making the short hop to the Alps, few Britons venture across the Pond to the slopes of North America in Canada and the USA, but nearly all who do relish the experience and think it well worth the considerable travelling time and additional expense. The attractions include frequent dumps of snow on quiet – often deserted – mountains that boast immaculate piste grooming operations, efficient lift systems and few queues.

whistler
Skiing in North American offers a different experience to those used to the Alps Credit: Mike Crane/Tourism Whistler

The resort villages have high-quality accommodation and high standards of service and courtesy. For those who enjoy powder, there’s another huge attraction – the knowledge you can safely play in it without paying for a guide or carrying avalanche safety equipment, because everything within the boundary is patrolled and avalanche-safe.

Find the best ski resorts in the USA in our guide here.

Find the best ski resorts in Canada in our guide here.

What if I want to go somewhere off the beaten track?

If all that’s not enough and your keen to escape civilisation and beat the crowds on your next trip there are a number of ski resorts most people have probably never heard of

rusutsu
Japan is top of every skier's bucket list

From Southern Hemisphere turns in Chile and expert lines in Alaska to family-friendly convenience and snow-sure slopes in Norway and Sweden and the famous powder fields of Japan – if you look hard enough there’s a ski resort at almost every turn on the map.

Find out more about skiing in Norway here.

Find out more about skiing in Sweden here.

Find out more about skiing in Andorra here.

Find out more about skiing in Japan here.

Find more of the best off-the-beaten-track ski resorts here.

Where do I find out more?

Once you’ve worked out your shortlist, or even better found your perfect match, our directory of the world’s best resorts will help you iron out the details, with recommendations on where to stay, the best routes to take on the mountain, the hottest après bars and how to get there, our experts have done all the research so you don’t have to.

obertauern family
From beginners to experts, families to foodies, our resort guides have advice for every type of skier

How do I know the resort will suit my ability?

All our resort round-ups break each country down into categories to help you find the perfect match, but if you need a little more inspiration check out our pick of the best resorts for beginnersintermediates and experts. If you’re looking for something in particular, whether it be terrain parksbig ski areas or powder. Most important for many skiers is also the guarantee of snow.

What if I’m looking for more than just great skiing?

While the time you spend on the slopes is an essential part to your ski holiday it’s comforting to know you’re heading to a resort where you’ll feel at home. Whether it’s ways to keep the kids entertained, the glamour of luxury resorts like St Moritz, the gourmet delights of the likes of Courmayeur, the chocolate-box nature of the world’s most charming resort or the thrills of the best resorts of après, we’ve narrowed down top resorts to provide useful guides to suit every type of skier and snowboarder.

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