Hodgewatch

If you are looking for something that combines the adrenaline and excitement of a fast-paced sport, beautiful scenery and fantastic accommodation, then you should consider ski holidays. In the depths of deep winter, nothing could be more cheery than the stunning, snow-covered mountains bathed in bright sunshine all day long.

If you still have the energy after a day out on the piste, there will never be a shortage of nighttime activities to keep you busy. You could sample the traditional local fare in a restaurant or try dancing at a nightclub. Alternatively, you could stay inside your cosy chalet and warm yourself by an open fire.

Ski holidays are the perfect way for families to enjoy fresh air and fun together in an exciting environment. For kids, there are ski schools that teach them the basics before letting them out on the nursery slopes. Whatever your level of ability, there will be instructors on hand to show you how it is done. There are few better ways of having fun with your family than learning a new skill together—especially one as exhilarating as skiing. It is no surprise that many families return to the mountains every year to relive the fun and laughter on the ski slopes.

Ski holidays are what you make of them. You will be amazed at the choices on offer, and if you seek the excitement of black runs and late night partying, it is all out there. Equally, if you crave peace and quiet and just some gentle, sedate skiing, that is out there too.

Picture courtesy of Tom Jenssen

Switzerland

The mountain village of Zermatt is renowned as an upmarket destination, with five-star hotels, a casino and restaurants famed for their gastronomic delights. Not the sort of place for ski deals, one might think. Think again! Here the sophisticated nightlife goes hand in hand with a vibrant alternative scene where everyone loves to party, especially underneath the ‘Hotel Post’ where a cellar with vaulted ceilings is home to the Broken Bar disco.

In Saas-Fee, dubbed ‘The Pearl of the Alps’, ‘Popcorn’ is a hub for après-ski particularly among keen snowboarders. The bar has pool tables and fifties-style jukeboxes, and local DJs look after the music for dancing.

United States of America

In Breckenridge Ski Resort, Colorado the ‘Gold Pan’ has all the appearances of a traditional saloon bar, but is not cursed with any kind of phoney ‘Way Out West’ theme. Popular with whiskey drinkers, this bar gets particularly lively in the evenings.

Elsewhere in Denver, Colorado, the Arapahoe Basin, locally known as ‘A-Basin’, is a very small ski area, having only four ski lifts and offering no accommodation. Notwithstanding this, it boasts some of the best and the steepest high-altitude skiing in America, and is numbered amongst those resorts offering good ski deals. The centre for après-ski is ‘The Beach’, so called because the late season here means that on sunny afternoons the car park is transformed by beer kegs, deck chairs and barbecues, and then the party really gets under way.

P{icture courtesy of Nouhailler