New Year skiing

[anna38anna]

I would love to ask for some help from seasoned skiers.

Last year my three teens and I skied for the first time. They adored it, I liked it though not quite as much as them - I had a slightly irrational amount of anxiety on the slopes which I’m partly blaming on menopause. Nonetheless, we’d like to go back but there are a few things I’d like to change. (We were in Châtel last year, in Feb, in a 4-bed self catering chalet).

This year DS19 has moved away to uni, so if we’re skiing, we need to ski during Christmas break. We are looking at New Year with options to depart from Belfast and stay up to 7 days. I’m finding the sifting through options overwhelming (in a very first-world kind of way). Could you look down my wish list and suggest a resort or hotel you think we might love? Anywhere in Europe.

• ski in ski out, or as good as (minimal or no walking about in ski boots carrying skis)
• somewhere catered which offers family friendly food but also some really tasty veggie options
• a bit of New Years activity and maybe even the potential to mix with other families/guests - since we went self catering last year I’ve no real idea how hotels and shared chalets work.
• an outdoor heated pool because it’s my happy place.
• Some ‘middle-aged woman-friendly’ slopes - I’m sorry to be a stereotype but I think I’d be happy to while away my mornings on pretty tree-lined blue slopes (or some red) that don’t give me a heart attack with people thundering past and don’t feel like desperately hard work - then slip off home for a swim and a spot of shopping.
• We’ll get some more lessons - DS19 and DS17 will snowboard again, DD14 and I (49) will ski and get morning lessons. We did private last year but I’m open to anything. Might be better if DD had some ones her own age to ski with in the afternoons.

Thanks if you can help.

Avoriaz, although I’m not sure about the outdoor pool.

Have a look at Arc 1950 in Les Arcs

Ski in, ski out with outdoor heated pool narrows it down a lot! There are various places in Saalbach-Hinterglemm which tick that very niche box, but I’ve not paid to much attention to them on account of not having won the lottery yet! The cost to heat an entire pool when the outside air temperature is around -10C is prohibitively expensive, however there are lots of hotels with indoor pools and an outdoor hot tub. I have stayed at the Hotel Kendler in Saalbach several times and it has an indoor pool with small swim outside section (which is not especially warm!) and a rooftop hot tub. It is not ski in ski out, but it is only about 3 mins walk to 2 chair lifts and is very close to the bottom of a piste. Saalbach is at the centre of one of the biggest ski areas in the alps, there are lots of beginner and more advanced slopes. It’s my favourite resort (and I’ve been to dozens of ski resorts over the years.)

If you can compromise on the heated pool, you could go almost anywhere - most resorts will have a ski spa somewhere. The Austrian ones seem to be more wellness oriented than French ones, but then you have the issue of naked sauna. 😱

Be aware that lots of ski accommodation will be fully booked for New Year already.

Avoriaz fab for ski in ski out, loads going on, plenty of piste-side dancing on tables at wide range of bars along the street. Skiing lovely with lots of blues. But pool is terrible. Indoors, and not the cleanest by all accounts! No hotels to speak of, all seems to be tiny little apartments (unless I’ve missed something.)

Budget dependent - the Blizzard in Val d'Isere is lush. Outdoor pool and Val d'Isere has tons of nightlife. £££ though

https://hotelblizzard.com/en

Another vote for Saalbach, or it's twin Hinterglemm.

As the OP is only a second-time skier, I'd recommend using a tour operator to organise the trip just to make things as easy to book as possible. The TOs will also have booked flight capacity and reserved hotel rooms in advance, and trying to organise something independently might prove to be expensive and possibly impossible as much will already be sold out.

Shared chalets have almost disappeared from the market as the operators can no longer easily recruit staff from the UK, so a half-board hotel is the best bet. You'll meet other families in the bar, restaurant or in the ski cellar and group lessons at ski school are also a great way to find some ski buddies of the same level.

New Years Eve is a big event in Austria. The ski schools put on a skiing show which ends with a big firework display at around 19.00. The hotels will usually put on a 5- or 7-course meal, there are fireworks on the slopes at midnight and the party goes on in the nightclubs until the early hours.

Looking at Crystal (other TOs are available, and I have no connection to Crystal or any other company) and flying from Belfast on 28th Dec. there are a few hotels that would fit the bill, although an outdoor pool will limit the options.

Hotel Saalbacher Hof is in the very centre of the village in Saalbach, 5 minutes walk from the lifts, and has an indoor pool (and a popular nightclub in the cellar for the teenagers).
Hotel Das Neuhaus is about 100m closer to the lifts and has an indoor pool, spa area - and also a nightclub.

Hotel Kendler mentioned above is also in a good location, and my personal recommendation would be the all-inclusive ValSaa Alpinresort (which has an indoor/outdoor pool) but neither are offered by Crystal.

In Hinterglemm, the Alpine Karawanserai is close to the Reiterkogel lift, and has an outdoor pool. If money is no object, then the Alpine Palace in Hinterglemm has to be the top choice - directly next to the Reiterkogel lift and with an outdoor pool.

A smaller, less expensive resort that is popular with MNetters is Rauris - try searching for threads on MN.

Thanks so much, everyone. Plenty for me to look at here. Appreciate your recommendations. Didn’t realise outdoor pool was so rare, it’s definitely not essential.

We are going to val thorens- you could ski with me!

Belle Plagne. It's high which you will need for NY skiing. We went at Easter several years ago & I remember an amazing outdoor heated pool too which is open to the public. I've found it here but it says it's temporarily closed, this could just be because the season hasn't yet started though

www.deepnature.fr/dn_en/bains-et-spa-la-plagne

Another vote for Les Arcs: beginner-friendly, lots of runs and your teens will enjoy the bars and clubs in the village.

Have a look at ClubMed. Great food, lessons or guiding plus lift pass included.
We have stayed three times at ClubMed Serre Chevalier, nice pool but indoor, this year we are trying CM La Plagne. All inclusive including mid morning snacks and crepes etc at teatime. Looks expensive but when you disentangle all the ‘includeds’ great value and perfect for all ages.
We book with Ski Line, Mal there is very helpful and knowledgable.

Ha, I know Mal too. He's our go to for club med