You have worked long and hard and you have saved up for a great holiday. You may want to consider a ski holiday. You will be so energetically entertained, you will have no time to stress about everyday issues at home.
The first decision you will need to make is in which part of the world you would like to ski and what sort of ski experience you are looking for. Snow skiing in our 21st century global village can be done on every continent on earth perhaps surprisingly even including Australia.
There is skiing in places as different as Kathmandu and Lesotho. If you choose the traditional Alpine ski experience you then have to decide on whether it will be
- Italy
- Switzerland
- Austria
- France
All being well versed in providing all-inclusive ski holidays.
So try on some stylish purpose designed gear and plan your holiday.
Before you head straight for the slopes
The next choices will be around what accommodation you will require and what your choice will include. From self-catering to 5 star.
You could opt for what at first seems an inexpensive option where you stay in a Bed and Breakfast establishment.
There are a lot to choose from. This can have some great advantages such as meeting locals and getting a feel for the country itself, but here you get exactly what it says. A bed to sleep in and breakfast before you leave in the morning.
You will need to carefully consider what other costs you will incur, these being:
- Transport
- Ski passes
- Hire of equipment
- Ski lessons
- Catering for all other meals
- Plus many hidden costs that you will need to be aware of
Why choose a hotel?
There are some stunning hotels in the region, some with a long history, some quite quaint and romantic and some very modern indeed. These places will pander to your every physical need as far as comfort goes. You will have room service and all meals are catered for.
Most hotels offer “Full Board” which means 3 meals a day. Breakfast will include juice and coffee, but any other drinks and snacks are for the patrons own account. Some hotels offer spas, tours of the area, shopping and a whole lot of other offerings which are unrelated to skiing. Great of course if you want variety and you are looking for some retail therapy.
You will need to remember to inquire how far the hotel is from the ski slopes and what transport is available to get to the best snow. This will be at an additional cost.
All hotels in the area will have a lot of information about what the surrounding places have to offer and what is available, plus no doubt they have very helpful friendly staff all of whom will be fluent in English, you will however need to do a lot of you own reading around which slopes you will visit and you will need to cover all sorts of other details in your research.
What will a ski hotel booking include?
While your personal comfort and enjoyment is the most important thing considered by hotel staff, hotel bookings will not include
- Ski pass which you will need to purchase,
- Equipment hire, you will need to find out exactly what you need
- Ski-lessons very important, particularly if this is your first time.
You will need to ensure that it will not be necessary that full board should be catered for you in a hospital. Although there are some top class local hospitals, this could really spoil your holiday. You may however want to consider choosing to take out some insurance for total protection which Club Med for example offers at a reasonable additional cost.
All-inclusive ski packages
All-inclusive ski holidays can be recommended particularly if this is your first stab at the slopes. Here you can be assured that everything is included. Specialized resorts like Club Med who have had many years of experience in the business of hospitality have covered all the bases for you.
Once you have booked and paid for your holiday there is nothing further you will need to consider with the possible exception of your visits to some of the most exclusive shops in the world which you will find in the vicinity.
The advantage of the all-inclusive deal is that you do not have to continually reach into your pocket, something we find so stressful about every-day life, one goes on holiday to escape these everyday stresses.
You can expect:
- A bedroom with complete bathroom
- Ski pass
- Equipment hire
- Ski Lessons – taught by some of the most qualified instructors in the field.
- All meals included, that is breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Plus any drinks which you feel you need, either with your meal or during the course of the day. These are part of the total package. Meals are top quality, there is variety and all tastes are provided for
As skiing is an activity which is physically demanding you will probably find you get quite thirsty and hungry. So it is good to know that snacks and drinks are covered in an all-inclusive deal.
The great thing about choosing the all-inclusive system is that there are no surprise expenses which could put a dampener on a great holiday. It is reassuring to know that the people running the package deals have years of experience in the business, so you will be in capable hands, Your comfort and safety is part of the deal.
Aprez Ski
If you have decided that a European ski holiday is for you, here are a few more things to note. The currency in these countries is the Euro. Please ensure you have the correct information as far as visas go, the requirements change from tie to time A reputable travel agent will also have much experience and advice to offer.
So with all the choices having advantages, you will want to decide which is best suited for you, B&B, Full board or the All-inclusive option. Have fun planning, Enjoy the trip, let it not be a “trip up” and stay safe.