by Hotel Post, Alpbach, Austria
One of the most picturesque villages in Tirol, Alpbach is not a great place for an après ski scene, but a great choice for a restorative mountain break thanks to its classic wooden chalet hotels, traditional stube restaurants and quiet bars. . Next to the perfectly groomed pistes accessed by the Wiedersbergerhorn gondola, there are easy snowshoe trails, a 7km toboggan run and torch hikes. Mountain huts are located in the Alpbachtal-Wildschönau valley, serving käsespätzle (Tirolean macaroni cheese) and spiced gluhwein. Stay at the Post, a nice, family hotel in the heart of the village – and the best value in town.
Doubles from £138 B&B; hotel-post.co.at
Les Grands Montets Hotel & Spa, Argentière, France
Like other major ski resorts, Chamonix can get overrun in winter, but stay 10 minutes down the road in Argentière and you combine easy access to the Grands Montets ski runs and snowfields, with a relaxing place to stay. The village is the birthplace of some of France’s most famous guides, with gorgeous mapped winter walks from the village, offering stunning views of Mont Blanc, and easy access to Switzerland and Italy via the Mont Blanc tunnel. Stay at Les Grands Montets for a mix of vintage style, soothing spa treatments and cozy rooms with a classic Savoyard feel.
Doubles from £146 B&B; hotel-grands-montets.com
Mineral Lodge, Sainte Foy, France
Deep in the Tarentaise valley, Sainte Foy is surrounded by some of the best ski touring country in the Alps, with long lasting powder and wide green and blue ranges making it a great choice for beginners. Non-scalers are well catered for with dog sledding, ice climbing and forest swimming, as well as the opportunity to tackle a piste on a mountain kart, or swoop over the slopes on a tandem paraglide. Mineral Lodge, a few minutes from the village, has five sleek bedrooms and communal lounge and dining areas filled with statement furniture, set against walls of brushed steel and glass.
Doubles from £189 B&B, minerallodge.fr
The Moss, Obergurgl, Austria
Tucked away at the end of the long Oetztal valley – meaning no through traffic – Obergurgl is a peaceful, relaxing resort with an easy bus link to neighboring Hochgurgl and a great selection of cruising blue pistes and more challenging reds. Walkers and nature lovers should drop in Exhibition Hohe Mut Alm on the Oetztal glacier, its flora and fauna and the effects of climate change, and non-skiers can walk, snowshoe or swim into the Aqua Dome in nearby Soelden, a thermal spa with outdoor hot pools. The Moss is a newly renovated hotel with a contemporary feel and clean design, and a brand new wellness area with an indoor pool, sauna and steam room.
Doubles from £138 B&B; themoss.at
Hotel Meleze, Grimentz, Switzerland
Located in the Val d’Anniviers, Grimentz is a stunningly beautiful village, full of mazot (traditional stone and timber farmhouses) and flower-covered chalets, with lift access to excellent off-piste and touring terrain. A lattice of winter hiking trails lead out of the village, as well as tobogganing and cross-country ski runs, perfect for working up an appetite for hearty Valais cuisine and the town’s unique glacier wine, aged 10-15 years in barrels larch wood and called the “Sherry” of Valais. Stay at the Hotel Meleze, a traditional chalet with five cozy bedrooms, and a restaurant specializing in traditional Jubilee fondue with spiced meat.
Doubles from £162 B&B; hotel-meleze.ch
Mountain Lodge, Les Crosets, Switzerland
At 1,700m, Les Crosets has an impressive pocket-sized snow record, but doesn’t draw the crowds that flock to the rest of Porte du Soleil, making it easy to access the 600km of linked pistes, before he returns to the village for a while. a peaceful evening. Snowboarders love the Superpark, with all kinds of jumps and half-pipes and quarter-pipes, while non-skiers can explore the 40km of hiking trails. The Mountain Lodge is a family-friendly boutique hotel with a spa, cinema and classy chic rooms.
A week from £1,095pp half board, mountain-lodge.co.uk
Hotel Romantic Jolanda Sport, Gressoney la Trinité, Italy
Cobbled streets with historic wooden houses, a bunch of small shops and traditional restaurants make this village in the Aosta valley that rare thing – a peaceful backwater with access to a great ski area, in this case the 80km Monte Rosa circuit. There is also excellent cross-country skiing, as well as a chance to experience the region’s Walser history (a German race that settled in the area in the middle ages) with a small museum and an 18th-century house. Stay at the Jolanda Sport Hotel, with cozy wood-paneled bedrooms, a wellness area with saunas, steam room and hamam, and a rustic restaurant with good veggie and vegan options.
Doubles from £102 B&B; hoteljolandasport.com
Jagdschloss Resort, Kühtai, Austria
At 2,020m, quiet Kühtai is one of Austria’s highest resorts, making it a bet for heavy snow, often until the end of April. It is relatively undiscovered by the British market, and is also perfect for a few days of classic Alpine scenery, snowshoe hikes and sleigh rides, with lunch on the terrace at the Dorfstadl Kühtaier offering panoramic mountain views and hearty Tirolean classics. Wienerschnitzel and gröstl (fried potatoes and bacon topped with a fried egg). The Jagdschloss Resort combines contemporary style with Tirolean touches, expertly mixed cocktails in the chic Schloss bar, traditional raclette nights and comfortable rooms from wood-panelled attics to modern family rooms and self-catering studios.
Doubles from £120 B&B; jagdschloss-onad.at
Hotel Alpenhof, Filzmoos, Salzburgerland, Austria
With a good selection of easy runs, elementary and intermediate skiers will love Filzmoos, as well as fans of Austria’s chocolate box charm. Strict building restrictions mean that the village has avoided any high-rise developments or sprawling hotels. Even during the school holidays the lifts are relatively quiet and the pistes uncrowded, making it a great family option, with horse sleigh rides and ice skating available for those who don’t want to ski. The choice of skiing is at the Happy Filzmoos, the slick new Alpin Bar 87, or the more traditional Happy’s Umbrella Bar. The Alpenhof is a traditional Tirolean hotel with a well-equipped wellness area, offering herbal massages, themed saunas and an indoor/outdoor pool.
Doubles from £112 B&B; filzmoos.at
Frut Mountain Resort, Melchsee-Frutt, Switzerland
Almost unknown to non-Swiss skiers, Melchsee-Frutt is a pleasant little resort with a traffic-free center located on the shores of Lake Melchsee. There are two small ski areas on either side, Balmeregghorn and Erzegg, and beautiful winter hiking trails and cross-country ski tracks leading to the nearby village of Stöckalp. Frutt Mountain Resort sits above the village at 1,900m, accessible only by cable car, offering a delicate sense of escape. Once there, everything you need is available – three restaurants, (including Italian and a steakhouse), the Mountain Lodge Spa with a panoramic sauna and an in-house kids’ club.
Doubles from £240 B&B; fruitmountainresort.com.
