The secret to bagging a ski holiday for under £600, without any hidden extras
The often under-appreciated role of group-ski-holiday organiser comes with plenty of stress: the challenge of choosing a resort that caters for every ability; finding somewhere to stay that won’t have you tripping over each other; finding a date that juggles everyone’s work commitments. You also, despite having no formal qualifications, become the weather forecaster, gear expert and concierge for booking restaurants and activities.
If this all sounds familiar, you’ll also appreciate the biggest challenge of all: finding a price that balances all budgets. This is the dilemma I found myself in last winter – confronted by the familiar “ping” on the ski group chat, and the inevitable question: “Should we book a ski trip soon?”
The challenge
Over the years, my husband, father, older brother and I have formed a habit of skiing together – leaving less keen partners, kids and animals at home. Our abilities and skiing styles blend well – we’re all eager to clock up as much mileage as possible – and we want the same things from a trip to the mountains: maximum time on the slopes, lively and no-frills après-ski, and a comfortable, but not fancy, place to crash. We’ve found our groove with self-catering apartments in resorts close to Geneva, on short breaks towards the second half of the season.
But last winter, faced with skyrocketing prices for flights, lift passes and snow-sure accommodation, my challenge as organiser was threefold – especially when given the budget of £600 per person, including flights.
The solution
It’s a common misconception that all-inclusive ski holidays – brought to fame by Club Med more than six decades ago – are inevitably a costly affair. But in recent years, savvy operators have begun to offer a new breed of inclusive packages, across the price spectrum. French non-profit organisation UCPA (Union nationale des centres sportifs de plein air) has championed the model for 60 years for youngsters with dorm-style rooms, lessons and meals, while Crystal Ski launched its version of a beginner-focused inclusive package two winters ago. Sunweb – Europe’s largest ski tour operator, voted the third-most popular in the Telegraph Travel Awards 2023 – has also emerged as a forerunner, with its own unique proposition.
“Skiing can be an expensive holiday, especially when lots of costs arrive once you get to the resort,” says Jack Bolus, a spokesman for Sunweb.
“We have seen 100 per cent growth since 2018 as the only tour operator that includes lift passes in all packages as standard. Our skiers benefit from the value and convenience that a lift pass-inclusive package offers, and as for equipment rental, this is taken care of without any extra costs on arrival, which is a great benefit.”
Bolus also champions the role of “designated group organiser”, “to streamline decision-making and keep everyone on track”. Once again finding myself in this high-pressure role, I discovered that Sunweb’s slick online booking system removed much of the stress.
After inputting various date ranges, room requirements and resorts, I was delivered a four-night trip to the snow-sure resort of Flaine in France for £576 per person. The price included a two-bedroom premium apartment (no sofa beds for us) at the five-star Résidence Les Terrasses d’Eos (with swimming pool, spa and in-house restaurant), flights from Manchester to Geneva, lift passes and equipment hire.
I immediately took to the small print to check the finer details: our lift pass would indeed cover the entire Grand Massif area (265km) for three days, but we’d probably need to buy an additional half-day pass (€53/£44 per person) if we also wanted to ski on the day we arrived. We’d also need to pay a small supplement for a morning outbound flight to increase skiing time; and transfers were an extra £500 in total. But still, the value was encouraging, and my group was easily convinced.
The result
We arrived in Flaine at the start of March for a long weekend of go-hard or go-home skiing, with fresh snow in the forecast. It had all gone off without a hitch. Using Sunweb’s added extras, we’d secured a small shared transfer from Geneva Airport to the door of our accommodation – within an hour, we stood gazing over the Flaine valley from our balcony, having avoided the frustrations of a crowded coach transfer or hiring a car. Our apartment was smartly decorated with ample space for four adults, two bathrooms and a compact but adequate kitchen – and the door opened right on to the pistes.
By midday, we were on our way to the lift station to purchase a half-day ticket and were soon at the 2,480m summit of Les Grandes Platières, soaking up views of Mont Blanc. That evening, a pair of delightful Sunweb representatives delivered our lift passes for the remaining days to The Social bar in Flaine Forêt – which became our go-to hangout, a short stroll from our accommodation. Despite it being an online operator, I was impressed by Sunweb’s service – and the invitation to its après-ski event the following day at the foot of the slopes, to which we arrived glowing with the thrills of a day exploring from the first to the last lift. We’d tracked relatively quiet local slopes in Flaine, before heading over the rise towards busier Samöens, and then into the trees down to Les Carroz.
That evening, it snowed 40cm and temperatures dropped. After a morning navigating a whiteout with Dad, we left him propped up with a café au lait in one of the piste-side huts, before heading into the off-piste as the visibility cleared. We’d developed a habit of travelling towards the end of the season, and were reaping the rewards – a snow depth of 4m and fresh powder.
Off the slopes, we soon fell into other habits – enjoying après beers while still in our boots, before a late dinner. We’d choose from the goodies in a welcome hamper brought to the apartment by food delivery service Huski (boeuf bourguignon with chocolate mousse and a bottle of red was a favourite) or opt for delicious pizza, cooked fresh at The Social, and another game of pool. No pressure to be back for a chalet-cooked meal; happy for senior members of the group to slip away early or to retreat to the solitude of the spa.
On our final night, we visited the resort’s latest restaurant opening, Le Bauhaus (named in honour of the resort’s leading architect, Bauhaus master Marcel Breuer), to celebrate our trip’s success. Much to our delight – and thanks to our savvy savings – there was money enough in the kitty to splash out on another bottle.
How to navigate booking a group ski holiday this winter
When to go
If your group doesn’t include children, it’s more than likely that you won’t be restricted to school holidays – good news for your budget. January and March vie for the most popular months to travel, with off-peak dates offering the most cost-effective options. Groups looking to book late should consider April in the run-up to Easter (April 20 2025), which has seen brilliant snow conditions in recent winters. Alternatively, earn bragging rights and travel before Christmas to a snow-sure resort above 1,500m and beat the rest of your friends to the slopes. Whenever you choose, decide on dates as soon as possible to ensure availability in a resort suited to your group.
When to book
This depends on your group’s flexibility. If you are set on a specific resort, place to stay and set of dates, booking early will probably guarantee the best price. If you can risk waiting it out, operators do offer some last-minute deals – but you’ll be at the mercy of remaining availability. If booking your own flights and transfers, getting these sorted early is likely to result in the lowest price.
Where to stay
Nothing beats the catered chalet model – especially if your group is large enough to fill a property: consider specialists such as Le Ski, Ski Beat or VIP Ski. That said, with less stock available post-Brexit, opting to self-cater in an apartment (or larger chalet) is a clever choice – according to the latest data from the Ski Club of Great Britain, it’s set to be the most popular form of accommodation this winter. Operators such as Sunweb, Peak Retreats, Pierre et Vacances, Alpine Answers and Skiworld all offer large portfolios.
Perfecting the self-catering experience can be a learning curve, however. Avoid large shopping bills by using a meal delivery service, such as Huski, that offers welcome hampers to save having to stock up immediately on arrival, or, if driving, stop off at cheaper supermarkets in the valley en route. Research whether your residence has an in-house restaurant (many do) and book your evening meals in advance. Choosing a larger resort also improves the chances of having a conveniently located shop for essentials and a choice of restaurants to cater for all tastes, and budgets – with the chance of takeout too.
Where to go
Morzine, France
As it is located in the heart of the Portes du Soleil ski area, groups visiting Morzine needn’t worry about having enough variety of terrain to explore – there are 650km of pistes across international borders. Groups looking for a place to party won’t be disappointed by Morzine’s après scene, while those looking for a quieter time can be entertained by the resort’s ice rink, spas and shops. The accommodation offering in Morzine ranges from cosy Alpine hotels to family-run chalets – plus, being just one hour’s drive from Geneva, the resort is a good choice for groups looking for a short break with minimal transfer time.
Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, Austria
Located a 90-minute drive from Salzburg Airport, the two main villages of this all-encompassing ski area, Saalbach-Hinterglemm, are at the centre of a magical ring of 2,000m peaks that form a natural circuit of pistes. Saalbach is the largest and more party-oriented of the villages and has a charming centre with traditional cafés, lively bars and clubs – providing plenty of evening entertainment. Accommodation is mainly in three- and four-star hotels and, due to the high number of affordable options, Saalbach is featured prominently in the portfolios of most of the largest UK ski operators, making reasonable prices easier to come by.
Zermatt, Switzerland
When it comes to ticking off the important elements for a group holiday, Zermatt does a sterling job – particularly for those with refined taste. The scenery is majestic, with views of the iconic Matterhorn peak, and the impressive ski area crosses over the Swiss-Italian border to include the slopes of Cervinia. There are also plenty of activities on offer, including museums, galleries and shops, which should keep even the fussiest of friends entertained off the slopes. Accommodation options range from self-contained apartments to some of the world’s most luxurious hotels.
Sauze d’Oulx, Italy
Sauze d’Oulx had a reputation in the 1970s and 1980s as a sort of Magaluf with moguls, where pub was more important than piste. These days, the charming Italian village is back on form, but the party atmosphere never went away. Prices here are roughly a third of those in premier French resorts such as Courchevel and Val d’Isère, so eating out and entertainment needn’t cost a fortune. Sauze has some of Italy’s best pistes, with undulating terrain linking to the resorts of Sansicario, Sestriere and, across the French border, to Montgenèvre and the rest of the Milky Way – a vast, linked area with 400km of pistes.
Lucy Aspden-Kean was a guest of Sunweb, which offers four nights at Résidence Les Terrasses d’Eos, Flaine, from £588 per person, including flights, lift passes and equipment hire, departing Dec 16 2024.
