Best family ski holidays and when to book?

[CruCru]

We've just had our first family ski holiday in Morzine. Where would you recommend that we try next?

This time next year, DS will be 4.5 and DD will be 2.5. We put DS into ski kindergarten and had a nanny for DD this time, which worked well.

[superking]

Snowfocus (chalet la sonnaille) in chatel, we went with them last year and going back again next month. Fab and flexible childcare, great food and drink, excellent ski guiding, lovely hosts... Perfect family ski holiday. Think they are a mumsnet best, they were last year anyway.

[CruCru]

Ah wicked, will check them out.

[Schulte]

Austria every time. Check out the Kinderhotel chain - they are amazing, with creche in the hotel, kids ski school included and often right outside the front door, spa/pool for the grown-ups etc. They do get booked up quickly though. We always book a year in advance.

The other thing I like about Austria is that ski schools and ski kindergartens provide childcare from 9.00 or 9.30 till at least 3pm, or even 4pm. Including lunch, and for ages from 2 years onwards. DD2 was on skis for the first time aged 2.

She still came last in this year's ski school race though .

[trixymalixy]

We had a fab time with Snowbizz this February half term. The previous year we were in val disere with esprit which we also really enjoyed.

[WantAnotherHoliday]

Another vote for Kinderhotels! Unbeatable for children up to about 8. I also agree that Austria in general is best for families - all day ski school, great food and very reasonable prices on the mountain compared with France.

[slalomsuki]

Another vote for Austria here. Less expensive than France and more child orientated and pretty.

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

Ardent with Family Ski is hard to beat.

We go with a group of friends so tend to book early and then get the flights as soon as they're released.

[backinthebox]

We went to a Kinderhotel last year. We arrived at midnight on the Friday night, and by 10am next day had been evicted due to DS being diagnosed with chickenpox (first spot popped up overnight.) They were absolutely amazing providing us with a late night snack when we arrived and we really thought we were going to have a great holiday. It was as though a switch had been flicked though when we went to ask them for advice and assistance when we found DS's spot. We ended up in self catering we found for ourselves - their only advice was that we should go home but it is clearly not possible to fly home with a contagious child. It was a 10 day holiday, and once DS's spots had scabbed over with had a great holiday. I wouldn't touch Kinderhotels with a barge pole again though! No one should be turfed out and have to look for alternative accommodation abroad with a poorly child in tow.

We found Ski Esprit to be brilliant. Another holiday, another sick child (not ours this time thankfully, but another one in our party) and they were very helpful. We went with them after reading how good they are when things go a little pear shaped. I find anything that involves small children has much more potential to go pear shaped than if they are not there!

We love Italy and Andorra for children, they have a very Mediterranean child friendly attitude. Austria is also good with kids, but personally I like to spend some time skiing with my kids and the fact they finish ski school at 3pm means there is little opportunity to do that by the time you've picked them up at the end of their lesson.

[LIZS]

I think you have to remember that hotels which are marketed as Kinderhotels are affiliates not directly related , so another may well have reacted differently. Kidshotels in Switzerland are similar but probably ££££ atm.