Austria

In the Austrian Alps the ski regions Obergurgl and Hochgurgl in the Tyrol Ötz Valley and Obertauern in Salzburger Land are very popular with around 160 operating days for each season. An additional feature of these ski regions are the extensive Après-Ski-offers like for example in Sölden so there is a lot to do away from the slopes which ensures one has great time. In Carinthia on the Mölltaler Gletscher one is able to enjoy winter fun all year round. Here in the sunny south of Carinthia you can ski on the more than 50 kilometers prepared slopes that meet the highest standards.

Further ski regions in Austria:

Obergurgl
Hochgurgl
Obertauern
Mölltaler Gletscher
Europasportregion Kaprun-Zell am See
Saalbach-Hinterglemm
Hintertuxer Gletscher
Ötztalarena Sölden
Ischgl
Hippach-Mayrhofen
Sportregion Schladming-Ramsau-Dachstein
Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis
Silvretta Nova
Kitzbühel
 

Germany

The ski regions in the German Alps are not only attractive because of the comparable short journey times. Around Germany’s highest mountain the Zugspitze one is able to find already at the beginning of December excellent piste conditions. The Terrain Park on the Zugspitze is an absolute eldorado for free ski and snowboard enthusiasts. Your holiday domicile you can easily find in Garmisch-Partenkirchen as there is an extensive selection of holiday houses and apartments. From Garmisch-Partenkirchen it is very convenient to reach the Zugspitzplatt with the Bavarian Zugspitzbahn. Should one want to go even higher than this then one is able to take the glacier rail and in no time one can access the glacier ski region. Alternatively it is possible to go to the popular ski region Garmisch Classic which is also in the vicinity of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. This ensures a very varied winter sport vacation and one can try out different ski runs.

Further ski regions in the Bavarian Alps:

Zugspitze
Garmisch Classic
Jenner im Berchtesgadener Land
Oberstdorf – Kleinwalsertal
Ski- and snowboard paradise Oberstaufen
Lenggries/Brauneck

Switzerland

In the Swiss Alps the very cosy furnished chalets entice ski holiday makers. The ski region Zermatt offers with snow sure ski areas ideal conditions for families as well as ski enthusiasts. Deep snow skiers and piste professionals will find perfect conditions in Verbier/Quatre Vallées one of the largest ski regions of Europe. Due to the advantageous microclimate and the specific altitude it is regarded as a sure bet for snow. The mountain village Verbier is the ideal place to set up camp in the ski region Quatre Vallées. Nendaz is particularly renowned for being family friendly and the small ones can try out the pleasures of skiing. An excellent infrastructure with ski kindergartens and nurseries ensure that the ski vacation will be a delightful experience for all of the family.

Further ski regions in Switzerland:

Zermatt
Verbier/quatre Vellées
Nendaz
Saas Fee
Saas Grund
Crans Montana – Aminona
Engelberg-Titlis
Silvretta-Arena
Adelboden-Lenk
Davos

Italy

The Dolomites in South Tyrol lure with their family friendly pistes. Beginners and children make their first attempts of skiing on the rolling slopes whilst more experienced skiers may dare to ski on the black pistes that can be found in abundance in the demanding ski region Kronplatz. Here snowboarders will find two attractive snow parks that provide individual dares. Equally challenging are the valley runs where one has to negotiate an altitude difference of 1.100 metres.

Ski regions in South Tyrol:

Kronplatz
Alta Badia
Plose Brixen
Meran 2000
Ortler Skiarena
Reschenpass

France

Probably unrivalled in regards to reliability for snow is the French region Les Trois Vallées with on average 170 operating days each year. Here more than 80 percent of the ski slopes are at an altitude of more than 1.800 metres. From the highest ski station in Europe Val Thorens (height of 2.300 metres) you can access one of the best prepared ski regions that offer an average snow depth of 10 metres. Equally good snow conditions can be found in Val d’Isere/Tignes with its more than 300 kilometres of ski runs.

Ski regions in France:

Les Trois Vallées
Val d'Isere/Tignes
Les deux Alpes
Chamonix Mont-Blanc

Norway, Czech Republic and USA

Why not spend your winter vacation in Scandinavia? Hemsedal is Norway’s premier ski region and does not only attract visitors from the country itself. One also comes across tourists from Germany though the numbers are not that high. Over an area of 40 kilometres one is able to indulge in winter sport. The ski region is around three hours away from Oslo by car and regarded as one of the best in Scandinavia.
In the Czech Giant Mountains lies the ski region Spindlermühle/Spindleruv Mlýn that entices skiers with snow reliability from October to Mai. With around 25 kilometres of slopes the area is actually small but offers high standards in respect to the quality of the slopes. Another advantage of spending a ski vacation in the Czech Republic is the low price level. This can be seen in relation to the rental prices and the living costs in the country.
Should you want to have a special experience on your winter vacation then one may consider flying to Colorado and the Rocky Mountains. The exchange rate for the US Dollar is presently good and the flights are relatively cheap. Why don’t you spend a holiday in glamorous Aspen? Here you may see some stars whilst skiing on the slopes. There are though other winter sport locations in Colorado worth a visit. The snow conditions are absolutely perfect. After an active day you can relax in your holiday property and enjoy the cosy surroundings.

Six tips when booking a ski hut: 

1. Plan with those going with you when you want to go on your winter break. The time around New Year is very popular and prior booking is recommended to avoid disappointment and date problems. A quite helpful tool to coordinate dates and the travel destination is the online calendar on www.doodle.com. Here one can also exchange ideas in respect to the possible destination.

2. Around public holidays the property owners state certain days of arrival and departure. The usual minimum rental period is seven, ten or 14 days. Please look at the offer for further details. In the coming season the arrival dates over Christmas and New Years Eve are the 19th and 26th of December 2009. Those who want to commence on their ski vacation in the New Year will particularly in January find less crowded slopes and cheaper prices. Also one should consider pre-booking for the period around carnival and the winter vacations in February as there is usually quite a high demand in this period. The most popular arrival dates are the 30th of January as well as the 6th and 13th of February 2010.

3. Should you seek an accommodation that is directly next to a slope then atraveo will provide you with the perfect platform. The distance to the next ski slope will be displayed directly in the result list exactly as in the respective offer description. Some may even have a downhill skiing starting point in front of the hut. The offer description on atraveo also provides you with a practical overview of the localities and the position of the huts and chalets.

4. In the case you may not only have skiers in your group then it is advisable to choose a hut with a central location. Whilst skiers enjoy themselves on the ski run the other travellers can explore the vicinity, go on a hike through the snow or experience a horse sleigh ride.

5. Some Christmas travellers have the question whether the booked accommodation has a Christmas tree. We will be glad to find this out for you. In many cases there is not one though the property owner will know where one can be bought. So you will only need to take your Christmas decorations and tree stand with you. So there is nothing stopping you from having a great Christmas!

6. When selecting your holiday accommodation you should pay close attention to the details of the offer and this particularly to the arrival options. Some of the huts are located in such places that they can’t be reached by car. Here one should pack so that one is able to carry the luggage a few kilometres. In many cases the property owner will help with the transport, provide a sleigh or organizes transportation with the mountain railway. In any case you should always have tyre chains with you!