Does a Whistler-Vancouver Ski Holiday Still Live up to the Hype?

North America’s largest ski area, Whistler in British Columbia, Canada offers over 8,000 acres of fun, and that’s before you factor in the vast area of unmarked backcountry. Whether you’re relatively new to skiing (like me), or you’ve spent a lifetime on the slopes (Claire), there is a huge amount of terrain to keep you happy. Open from November through to May, the resort is an early and late season favourite with incredible snow conditions all season long. An ‘average’ season for Whistler is a great season by most other resorts’ standards so you can be sure you’ll find quality snow whenever you go.

We visited in mid-April, with a day and a half on the slopes over the course of a weekend. Keeping a watchful eye on the snow forecasts up to our arrival, the chance of precipitation increased the closer to Friday we got, and on Saturday we woke to mountains blanketed in 19cms of beautiful, beautiful powder. First day on the mountain, bluebird skies, atmosphere buzzing; all day long, we could hear spontaneous whoops and yelps from behind the trees and bouncing around the bowls. In an instant, I realised: this is what Whistler’s about, and why our customers return year after year.

Skiing or boarding on both mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb is a breeze. Connected by the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, you’ve got instant access to rolling cruisers, thrilling off-piste descents, steep bowls, breath taking glade runs and top-to-bottom blues. The longest and highest free span lift in the world is an experience in its own right, providing incomparable views of snow covered peaks. In just 11 minutes you can easily switch mountains so you don’t have to choose one mountain in the morning and stick there all day. We nipped easily across both sides of Fitzsimmons Creek over the weekend and got a flavour of just a fraction of the 200 skiable runs. Non-skiers can buy pedestrian passes for the gondola too so they can meet the skiers on the mountain for lunch and ride across the Peak 2 Peak.

We stayed in two of our most popular Whistler hotels. The 5* Hilton Whistler has this year been inducted into the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame. Combining luxury with a great central location, and boasting the largest rooms in Whistler, many of them with kitchen facilities, the Hilton is just a few steps from the lifts, ski school and Whistler Village. Our room was incredibly spacious and beautifully furnished; it was easy to see how the hotels’ huge range of facilities including an outdoor pool and indoor whirlpool  makes it such a popular choice for customers with families.

Renowned for its impeccable service and facilities, the 5*+ Four Seasons Resort & Residences Whistler sets the standard for luxury accommodation in Whistler. It wasn't just the stylish interior design and relaxed mountain spirit that we rated so highly, but the little touches that really make this a five star experience - things like being handed a miniature sun cream pouch as you leave the hotel in the morning, or a warming mug of hot chocolate when you head back in from the smiling ski concierge. If you really want to indulge just that little bit more book in for a massage in the hotel's spa. The 50 minute Swedish Relaxation was the best we'd ever experienced.

We only offer accommodation we’ve personally seen or stayed at. It’s this first-hand knowledge of the hotels and resort that saves you time and money. The accommodation in Whistler is not just fantastic quality but also represents amazing value for money when compared with similar properties elsewhere in North America.

In addition to the world class skiing and snowboarding, every winter activity you could ever dream of is available right outside your door. There really is SO much to do in Whistler! With that in mind, it’s the perfect resort for groups with non-skiers, offering a huge choice of activities including snowmobiling, ice skating, ziplining, Nordic cross-country skiing and sleigh rides. Speed junkies can head straight to Whistler Sliding Centre to try bobsleigh or skeleton on the 2010 Olympic track. For something a little more relaxing, enjoy the tranquillity of the forest dog sledding with Canadian Wilderness Adventures, or chill out in the Scandinave Spa, Whistler’s Nordic-inspired ‘oasis of calm’, set in tranquil spruce and cedar forests.

Head for heights? Fly above Whistler’s ancient forest over Fitzsimmons Creek and between Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains with Ziptrek Ecotours on a series of cables, suspension bridges and observation platforms. Our two experienced guides gave our small group of six participants a safety briefing, clear instructions and (for me!) lots of gentle encouragement to leap off platforms in harnesses attached to a wire across magnificent valleys. I must admit my nerves were tested during the three hour outdoor adventure but I was chuffed to have completed it. Needless to say, I wasn't brave or nimble enough to try the upside-down position of the final run of the day and left that to the seasoned pros.

When you book most activities with us, you don’t need to confirm in advance which day you would like to do them. You will be provided with a provisional date and if you wish to change it, simply contact the activity provider once you’ve arrived in resort to check availability and book the date and time that suits you best.

In some resorts, when the skiing’s over so is the fun, but not in Whistler – and accessing it couldn’t be any easier. The resort’s lively pedestrian hub Whistler Village is located at the base of Whistler Mountain, where you’ll find the paved Village Stroll. It’s here that you’ll mingle with the locals, eat out in over 100 restaurants or just sit back, relax and people watch on a sun-drenched terrace.

For a retail fix, Whistler Village is packed with over 200 shops, including plenty of sportswear retailers: Helly Hansen, North Face, Salomon and Lululemon all have stores in resort. Time your trip towards late season to shop in the end-of-season sales, just remember to leave space in your luggage! If you’re on a self-catering ski holiday, Whistler Village has two well-stocked supermarkets, there is a convenience store at Blackcomb base and a large supermarket at Creekside.

The après-ski and nightlife is varied enough to rival the best European resorts; from firm favourites GLC, Merlin’s and Dusty’s at the bases of Whistler, Blackcomb and Creekside, to clubs with bustling dance floors and cosy lounges with roaring fires. Popular après spots include Cinnamon Bear Sports Bar underneath the Hilton hotel, locals’ favourite the Crystal Lounge and of course the patio frenzy of the Longhorn Bar & Saloon. Whatever your evening preferences, you’ll find a way to unwind after a day’s skiing.

Restaurants range from good, honest North American fare to some of the most celebrated fine dining in Canada. If you visit over Christmas, New Year and Easter we highly recommend making reservations, but everywhere does take-out and most restaurants deliver.

For refuelling on the mountain, the Roundhouse Lodge offers quick but hearty food with healthy options too, including made-to-order wraps (the smoked turkey and cranberry is particularly good). In the village, Splitz Grill has been serving Whistler’s best burgers since 1997. There’s also no shortage of quality international restaurants: Sushi Village is well known for super-fresh sashimi washed down with their famous sake margaritas; next door, the Mexican Corner is an atmospheric spot for delicious tortillas and enchiladas, best accompanied by a Corona with fresh lime.

For fine dining with artisan flair, Araxi locally source ingredients from nearby Pemberton Valley Farms and serve the freshest seafood straight from the Pacific Ocean. And it almost goes without saying that Canadian prime beef will – and must - make its way onto your plate. The Side Cut Modern Steak + Bar (in the Four Seasons) uses an infrared grill which heats up to 1800 degrees for the most succulent, evenly cooked meat.

If you’ve never been to Whistler before,or aren't sure where to eat a Tasting Tour is a great way to get your bearings and to meet people. Labelled as a ‘progressive multi-course dinner’ in one fun evening you’ll eat a different course in up to five of Whistler’s award-winning restaurants on a guided walking tour. We taste-tested the Finer Things Dinner Tour  (from £53pp, optional wine pairing from £18pp) which includes visiting a 15,000 bottle wine cellar where we learned how to saber a champagne bottle.

Our guides Leeanne and Kristie had incredibly animated story-telling skills and heaps of insider knowledge. We bonded very quickly with fellow guests with a fun poker-style game themed around the evening over five courses of incredible food and wine. If you can fit it in at the start of your week and you’ll finish the evening armed with a list of the best things to do, places to go and a group of new friends too. We can't recommend this experience highly enough.

The city of Vancouver, often voted the most desirable place in the world to live, sits on the edge of the Pacific Ocean against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains. Its compact centre is a modern melting-pot of cultures but the mountains and float-planes still make it feel like a frontier town. It is both hip and happening yet relaxed and manageable enough to explore in just 24 hours or more.

Its diverse and distinctive districts, including Downtown, Yaletown and Gas Town, are all easily accessed by the efficient bus, Sky Train, metro and sea-bus network.  The journey to Vancouver City was a seamless 25 minutes from the airport on the Sky Train. If that wasn’t easy enough, the stop for our Downtown hotel, the 5* Four Seasons Vancouver, is in the lower ground floor of the mall which the hotel is built on.

The Yew Seafood + Bar is the hotel’s restaurant; very relaxed and informal but with an elegant menu. We dined at lunchtime (Salmon Tacos followed by Lobster Caesar) and it was buzzing with city executives and out-of-towners like us. We could easily have spent an entire day in the Four Seasons fitness centre. It’s where you’ll find the city's only resort-style indoor-outdoor heated pool, a stylish rooftop terrace with gazebo beds and loungers and inside a modern gym. As guests of the hotel we could use the facility at our leisure and enjoy complimentary tea, coffee, fresh fruit and newspapers whilst there.

We peeled ourselves out for a morning's shopping on nearby Robson Street, filled with boutiques and on-trend shops. In the afternoon we took a rainbow-coloured water taxi to Granville Island, a vibrant artistic community where industrial warehouses have been converted into a public market, creative studios and quirky retailers. Our final morning was spent in the ancient forest of Stanley Park, home to Canada’s largest aquarium and an impressive collection of First Nations totem poles. You can hire bikes to explore this expanse of green space (bigger than New York’s Central Park) or as we did, enjoy a leisurely guided tour on a horse-drawn carriage.

Did these two destinations still live up to their reputation? During the seven nights we visited Whistler and Vancouver we packed in a LOT, but that being said, we really did just scratch the surface of everything to offer. After my first trip - and I'm certain not my last - Whistler and Vancouver really DO live up to the hype.