Sharing the Secrets of a Successful Family Ski Holiday

Convenience is so important in unfamiliar surroundings, especially with the added challenge of keeping the youngest members of the household in check and entertained. You’re on holiday so make things as easy and as stress-free as possible. A ski-in ski-out location with the family makes life much easier rather than having to rely on a ski bus or crowded lift to get to the slopes, but it needs to be more than that if you’re looking for the best possible experience.

It’s well worth checking whether you are located on a suitable slope with access to suitable lifts for your range of abilities. If not, the logistics and your enjoyment are going to be badly compromised. You will feel very isolated when it goes wrong. To avoid this you need to prioritise those least able first as they will lose the most if they don't have easy access to terrain within their ability.

If any of you need ski school, don’t assume that a ski-in ski-out property will be where the ski lessons meet either. It’s not unusual to have to take a ski bus or even ski lifts to get to lessons from your ski-in ski-out hotel. If you’ve never skied before, that can leave you feeling stranded and what seemed like a great ski-in ski-out hotel suddenly becomes your worst nightmare when it comes to getting to the lessons.

Where’s the ski rental? Fortunately, you only really have to think about this at the beginning and end of the holiday, but it’s important as there can be time pressure to get equipment before going to lessons on the first day with many lessons starting in the morning just after breakfast. Having ski rentals available on-site is the ideal solution. If not, and that’s more normal, where do you have to go and do you have time to get the ski rentals before your lessons? Check out the distances involved and opening times in advance. If you don’t you could end up late or even missing your first lesson.

There’s nothing more miserable than having sore feet especially on a ski holiday - I speak from experience - it really hampers your enjoyment and ability to ski. Your boots should fit snuggly, but not so tight they cause pain or so loose that your foot can move around in the boot. Ski rental staff are there to help. Just like shoes, not all boots are the same fit even if they come in the same size. Spend the time you need to get a pair that fit you best. Don’t feel you have to take the first pair you’re given.

Share with another family and/or bring the grandparents to save on accommodation costs. From personal experience, this is rewarding for all. It not only saves on overall costs but can also save on childcare costs too and just having another pair of hands to help out in general can be really helpful.

Let’s face it, skiing is an expensive hobby - especially if you don’t enjoy it. Parents often share concerns as to whether their kids are going to enjoy skiing and if they don’t, what else is there to do instead. Choose a resort with plenty of non-ski activities to ensure you have some good alternatives if all does not go to plan. Swimming, dog sledding and sledging are all good options whether the skiing’s a hit or not.

You won’t be alone in wanting ski-in ski-out, ski rental on-site, ski school outside and plan B activities on hand too. The hardest part is finding the right combination of both resort and accommodation. Here are a few of my family’s favourites (in areas you may not have thought of previously) that tick all these boxes and more.

Geilo, Vestlia Resort
Located at the base of slopes and suitable for all abilities. Excellent pool, spa and indoor soft play centre. Ski rental next door, ski school meets outside plus there’s dog sledding, horse sleigh rides, treetop rope course, snowshoeing, fatbiking and more.

Myrkdalen, Myrkdalen Hotel
Located at the base of slopes and suitable for all abilities. Dine around board basis as standard with a choice of three on-site restaurants. Children's and teens' playroom. Ski rental next door and ski school meets outside. Sledging, horse sleigh rides, day trips to the fjords and even indoor skydiving at the local wind tunnel are all possible.

Norefjell, Norefjell Ski & Spa
Located mid-mountain and with ski-in ski-out suitable for all abilities. Ski rental on-site. Ski school meets outside. Excellent pool, spa, indoor climbing wall and children’s playroom. Dog sledding leaves from right outside the hotel too (as pictured above).

Kvitfjell, GudbrandsGard Hotel
Located mid-mountain and suitable for all abilities. Ski rental is next door and ski school meets outside. Full board provided (self-made packed lunch) and choice of evening dining from the main restaurant, Norwegian tapas and Pizzeria. Great indoor pool and hot tub.

Trysil, Radisson Blu Resort Trysil
Located at the base of slopes suitable for all abilities. Indoor pool and ten-pin bowling on-site. Ski rental and ski school are just a couple of hundred metres away. Dog sledding, horse sleigh rides and star gazing are all popular non-ski activities.

We’re here to help, it’s what we do and why we've been named the UK’s Best Ski Tour Operator five years in a row. We only sell destinations we’ve actually been to and experienced so we can advise you first hand and make recommendations tailored to your individual circumstances. And it’s more than just a single visit - we have destination experts, just like me, who have lived in the countries we feature.

Sometimes you don’t need to tick every single box and in doing so you can unnecessarily restrict your choices. Let us know what you really would like and we’ll best match you to what is possible and help you make the right choice so you have the most successful holiday experience.