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We love a hotel with a spa or gourmet restaurant, but it’s 'proximity to the piste' that really matters. Staying within schussing distance of alpine adventure, doorstep-skiing let's you get up and go, and our ski-in/ski-out hotels are unbeatable for slopeside convenience. You can often ski literally right to your hotel, saving precious skiing and après ski time.
These perfectly placed properties, strategically located only a stone's throw from the pistes, offer powder hounds the thrill of being on the slopes within minutes. With their ski-to-the-door experience, these hotels redefine the ease and immediacy of accessing the snowy wonder of the mountains.
Not only does doorstep skiing save you from lugging equipment about, make family holidays a breeze and give keen skiers their fill, but it's even more magical at our luxury ski-in/ski-out hotels. Don't just ski in, ski to the pinnacle of alpine luxury with our ski-in/ski-out hotels, where convenience and fresh powder await at the door and opulence greets you at the end of the piste.
Magnificent mountain views are all but a given at slopeside hotels when you wake up to your breakfasts prepared, carve fresh tracks from your doorstep, and at the end of the day, Ski right back to the door for luxury trimmings like spas, fully stocked bars and gourmet suppers, in a traditional grand old pile or modern boutique hotel near the ski lifts and trails.
Best Ski Hotels With Doorstep Skiing
Which are the best luxury ski hotels with doorstep skiing? Here's the Top 10:
Dreamy doorstep skiing…
You can have every spa facility the world has ever known, but speedy access from your hotel to the slopes takes luxury hotels to another level entirely.
Hotels with the highest ratings tend to hog the best spots in resort, whether it’s right at the foot of the piste, in sight of a ski lift or slap bang on the side of a slope. Some are so close you can literally clip on your skis and swoosh from the boot room, while others will soon see you skiing after a minute or so’s walk. VIP services like chauffeurs and ski concierges make the journey to the piste even easier – in some hotels, staff will lay your skis out for you and see you safely clipped in before you scoot off.
…in Luxury ski in / ski out resorts
Some of the finest ski resorts in the world also happen to have excellent doorstep skiing.
Take Whistler, constantly voted the world’s best place to ski, and home to big name hotels like the Fairmont Chateau at the foot of Blackcomb Mountain. Europe’s highest ski resort, Val Thorens, is completely ski in, ski out and has some of the most luxurious hotels in the Alps, complete with spas, swimming pools and gourmet restaurants. You’ll also find stunning slopeside properties in famously glam Courchevel and Meribel, both bang in the centre of the world’s biggest ski area.
Popular Ski Resorts With Doorstep Skiing
Ski-in/ski-out hotels in France
When it comes to doorstep skiing, the French Alps stand are the undisputed champ. Purpose-built resorts that have evolved over six decades, all designed with snow enthusiasts in mind. If you're all about easy access, snow havens like Avoriaz, Flaine and La Plagne are your go-to spots. While Europe’s highest ski resort, Val Thorens, is completely ski in, ski out and has some of the most luxurious hotels in the Alps. Older French resorts are catching the doorstep skiing bug too, transforming hotels into modern marvels against breath-taking mountain backdrops. For more inspiration, browse the top 10 best resorts for doorstep skiing.
France luxury ski in ski out hotels
When it comes to doorstep skiing, the French Alps stand out as the undisputed champion, with purpose-built resorts that have evolved over six decades, Europe’s highest ski resort, Val Thorens, is completely ski in, ski out and perennial favourites like Tignes and La Plagnes have lots of slopeside hotels. If you're keen to find a slope-side hotel here, browse the complete list of all ski in ski out hotels in France.
Ski-in/ski-out hotels in Austria
While Austria isn't a famed doorstep skiing haven, Obergurgl, tucked away at a whopping 1930 metres, is the exception that proves the rule. A regal row of fancy hotels line the slopes including our fave' Hotel Bergwelt. Imagine skiing just 20 metres from your hotel to the lift. If you want to go even higher, check out small and perfectly-formed Hochgurgl – with its' handful of hotels that put you smack in the middle of ski heaven. Now, let's talk about Lech, baby – a winter wonderland where you can ski to and from the door at Hotel Arlberg. Above Lech, the cute villages of Oberlech, Zurs and Zug are right on the mountainside.
Austria luxury ski in ski out hotels
In Austria's authentic old mountain towns, doorstep skiing might not be the norm, but there are some terrific options with Obergurgl at 1930 metres being the most notable exception, along with gorgeous little hidden gems like the Hotel Bergwelt, and the tiny hamlet of Hochgurgl. We've created a resource for you so, if this is where you want to stay, here's the ski in ski out hotels in Austria.
Ski-in/ski-out hotels in Italy
Italy, the land of the Dolomites and the Alps, where doorstep skiing meets la dolce vita. Here, the purpose-built resorts of Cervinia, Sestriere and Sauze d'Oulx have plenty of ski-in/ski-out hotels, making your slope-to-door journey a breeze. In The Dolomiti Superski area and the Sella Ronda, a number of hotels offer a ski to the door experience. Ready to discover the crème de la crème of ski-in/ski-out resorts in Italy? Head here for our pick of hotels – your Italian doorstep skiing adventure awaits!
Italy luxury ski in ski out hotels
In Italy, the purpose-built resorts of Cervinia, Sestriere and Sauze d'Oulx have plenty of hotels where you can ski to the door, and this nation specialises in affordable luxury with 4 and 4.5 star options like Hotel White Angel with the entire Matterhorn glacier at your feet. We love adding a little extra convenience to skiing la dolce vita, so here's the best ski in ski out hotels in Italy.
Ski-in/ski-out hotels in Switzerland
Switzerland, with its stunning Alpine landscapes, takes the doorstep skiing experience to new heights. Imagine waking up in the heart of the mountains, ready to hit the slopes without any fuss. Luxury resorts like Verbier offer some exceptional hotels such as the W Verbier with ski-in/ski-out extravagance. In Villars, the Chalet Royalp Hotel & Spa has terrific access to the slopes. Browse or ask us team for our top picks for doorstep skiing in Switzerland for an unforgettable snow-fuelled escapade.
Luxury Ski-in/ski-out hotels in Switzerland
Among the poshest of 5 star destinations, Switzerland’s stunning Alpine landscapes are easily accessed from the ski-in/ski-out hotel W Verbier while the privileged haven of Hotel Crans Ambassador in Crans Montana has access to the slopes as top-drawer as its exclusive ambiance. This part of the alps is hard to beat so, if you have the means, by all means book a ski in ski out hotel in Switzerland.
SNO's top tips for finding a hotel with doorstep skiing
1. Know your level
The doorstep label's so general; the nearest run to your hotel could be a black – one man's morning thrill, another's waking nightmare – so you need to tread carefully here. Most with “skiing to the door” are accessed via “unpisted track”, a short dash - mostly manageable for a good skier, which might vary wildly with snow conditions. Even when access is to a set of lifts rather than a run, it's worth finding out what colours the trails at the top are - in Alpe d'Huez having doorstep access to the GDE Sure lift's no good when you need the Les Bergers beginners area on the opposite side…
2. Find out the figures
Pay close attention to the number of meters yours is from a piste or a lift, and how hilly the walk is. 50m might feel like a trek for tired legs in ski boots if it's an uphill climb, where 150m of flat could be a lot more manageable. If you can't find the details, ask our experts to do some digging.
3. Can't live without doorstep skiing?
We're the first to admit – after a week staying piste-side, anything further out sounds like a drag.
But if you find a fantastic place that's not on the piste, a short morning commute isn't so bad – especially if you book ski lockers. Leaving skis, poles and boots at the lifts overnight and walking to and fro in comfier shoes makes a mighty difference (and often lockers come free with ski hire).
4. Widen the search
If you have a daily school run to be on time for, proximity to a lesson meeting point will be invaluable. And there are lots of benefits to staying closer to the action in town… Particularly if you're staying with non-skiers, or want to make the most of the night life.
Other good options are hotels with their own shuttle service - these deliver you fresh to all the main ski spots, without the chaos of the public ski buses.
5. Pick a purpose built resort
Not all resorts were created equal in the ski in / ski out stakes. If ease of access is important to you, purpose-built snow sanctuaries like Avoriaz, Flaine, La Plagne and Val Thorens are going to have much more to offer than lower places that look pretty. See our top 10 best resorts for doorstep skiing or browse the best ski in ski out hotels in Europe.
Ski In Ski Out Hotels FAQ
A ski in ski out hotel allows you to ski to and from your accommodation without requiring other transport or a long walk. It does not always mean you can ski directly to or from the hotel door, but will be close by.
Ski in ski out access means you will be able to ski to and from the accommodation or very nearby. It does not mean you can literally ski into the accommodation or out of it.
For nothing but skiing, eating and relaxing in your vacation, ski-in-ski-out is considered among the best accommodation because it avoids the usual time travelling between your hotel and the piste or ski lifts.
While the term sounds like you can walk out of the hotel, clip-in and go, many hotels will claim 'doorstep skiing' if a piste or lift is within a few hundred metres. The term basically means quick and easy access to the slopes.
Similar to hotels which are close to a piste or lift, ski in ski out chalets are traditional alpine accommodation in the style of authentic old alpine buildings, often made of wood and stone. In North America they would be called a ski in ski out lodge.
Used to designate accommodation very close to piste or lifts, 'doorstep skiing' is a nebulous term roughly synonymous with 'ski in ski out' and 'ski to the door' or 'ski from the door'.
The best ski in ski out hotels are located at the side of the slopes or ski lift. Most accommodation in Europe's highest ski destination Val Thorens is slopeside or has immediate access to the piste, with hotels like Koh-I Nor, Le Fitzroy and Hotel Altapura among the most popular.
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