Soak up the Pyrenees’ low-key, family friendly atmosphere this Christmas in Andorra. With less of the commercially-driven festivities often associated with the big French, Swiss and Austrian resorts at this time of year, there’s more time to focus on your nearest, dearest and of course the skiing. The Andorran resorts offer affordable luxury when it comes to accommodation and there’ll be no regrets for missing out of the Boxing Day sales thanks to the tax free shopping.
Best Andorran ski resorts at Christmas for:
Andorra doesn’t have the same snow sure glacier skiing that you’ll find in France and Switzerland but if you’re after the best conditions, stay at 2100m in Pas de la Casa.
Families: The country is known for its family friendly resorts – we love the laid back nature of Arinsal and Soldeu and their excellent ski schools.
Bargain / Cheap: All the Andorran resorts are known for being much cheaper than resorts in other European destinations... to top it off, shopping is tax free.
Après ski: Pas de la Casa is the place to party here – check out Underground and the Bilboard.
Luxury: Check out our 4 and 5 star accommodation in Andorra for some of the cheapest luxury in Europe.
Scenery: You’ll enjoy some of the best views of the Pyrenees here, especially from Pas de la Casa which is the highest resort.
Chalets provide that lovely, cosy home-from-home which makes them a top choice for a Christmas in the mountains. Andorra doesn’t have a huge selection of chalets, but there are some lovely options in El Tarter, which is connected to Soldeu in the amazing Grandvalira area. Two of our favourites are sister properties Xalet Motxo and Xalet Casale - both are barn conversions made from old wood and stone and absolutely oozing mountain character inside as well as out. Most of our chalets are catered, which means breakfast, afternoon tea and supper are taken care of by your very own chalet staff – some properties even have their own bars where you can enjoy a few winter warmers in the comfort of your own accommodation. Our best properties put on a festive spread on Christmas day itself, leaving you more time to relax, swap presents and impress everyone with your charades expertise...
Hotel Magic Pas is one of our favourite hotels for groups. We love its central location where Pas de la Casa’s famous après ski is right on your doorstep. Families might want to check out Piolets Park and Spa in family friendly Soldeu which has facilities and services to cater for all ages. Anyone with long days on the piste at the top of their Christmas list should consider somewhere with doorstep skiing – we love the Hotel Patagonia in Arinsal. It’s Christmas after all, so why not indulge with a stay in one of our luxury hotels like Sport Hotel Hermitage in Soldeu and Princesa Parc & Diana Parc Spa Hotel in Arinsal – properties with wellness facilities and pools are perfect if you fancy some après ski relaxation and luxury hotels in Andorra are usually much more affordable than those in other countries.
Self-catering is hassle free if you’re staying in Arinsal’s St Moritz Apartments – they’re in the middle of the village near various shops and a supermarket. Families staying in Pas de la Casa will love the Frontera Blanca Studios, they’re only a couple of minutes walk to the nursery slopes and the ski school meeting point is even nearer, while groups in the same resort might want to check out the Crest Pas Apartments which are better located for access to Pas de la Casa’s famously good nightlife. To get straight out onto the piste on Christmas morning, opt for an apartment with doorstep skiing like the Aparthotel Olympiades, also in Pas de la Casa. Sharing the Grandvalira area with Pas are Soldeu & El Tarter where there’s nothing better to wake up to on Christmas morning than the magnificent mountain view from the Bellavista Apartments.