Our Katie shares her top tips for planning a luxury ski holiday
It's getting to that point where we're all debating whether or not it's too early to turn our heating on. It's starting to get dark at around 7ish and we're all gazing at our coat collection wondering if some retail therapy is in need before the cold air really hits. It's not all doom and gloom though, because it's prime time to get a skiing trip booked in. Pristine weather across the snowy pistes and majestic mountains, copious amounts of fondue (and red wine) and hot toddies galore - what more you could you ask for?!
What some of you might not know is that our Katie is in fact a resident ski expert. Having worked in luxury chalets at some of the world's most glorious ski resorts, she sure knows her stuff. We've picked her brains to find out what her top tips are for the perfect ski holiday.
Book early
I can't say this enough, but starting to plan your trip with as much notice as possible is essential. Great resorts attract a lot of return skiers and to secure the best accommodation and flight times etc, you need to make sure your trip is booked well ahead of time.
Avoid school holidays
Ok, so this might seem an obvious statement to make and we realise for many of our family-centric clients, this is unavoidable but you can get some incredible steals if you can avoid booking your ski holiday outside of school holiday season. Less queuing, quieter slopes and long leisurely lunches without having to wrestle the crowds.
Decide where you want to stay
Work out which accommodation is most suitable for your trip. Chalets are a brilliant option for groups, hotels are great for couples or small groups and apartments are great if you want complete flexibility. There are different price points, service offerings and locations for all three so knowing what you want out of your ski trip is essential.
Some of my favourite places are St Anton, Austria, Banff, Canada, and Les Gets in France – all very different and loved for many different reasons. Do you want ski in, ski out, or would you prefer to be in the centre of the resort. Do you want high altitude for guaranteed snow, or are some of your group happy to sit in a spa all day if the snow isn’t what it should be?
What's the ability of your group?
Pick a resort and location that works for the skiing ability of the people you're going skiing with. Just because you might be able to navigate a black run like Franz Klammer, doesn't mean little Johnny can!
The worst thing you can do is pick a ski resort without some kind of advice, especially if you have never skied before.
Get the ski gear
Going skiing means there's lots of packing you need to go with. Make sure you have ALL the necessary gear before you head off. Think stylish and warm and be prepared for any type of weather. Layers will become your new best friend!
I still say that my favourite place in the world is sitting on a terrace in a mountainside restaurant drinking rose wine in the sunshine and looking on in awe at the magnificence of the mountains. For me there is no place more inspiring.
If you are looking at booking your ski holiday this winter, please speak to us. We will spend some time getting to know what you want from the trip rather than packing you off to a resort that someone once mentioned had good skiing.
Skiing can provide some of the most fun, memorable experiences of a lifetime – let us make sure you are in the right place at the right time for this to happen - get in touch with us at info@thisisdna.co.uk or call us on 02071934180 and we can create an itinerary just for you.
SKIING IS IN OUR DNA
