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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.
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020 7770 6888
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.
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.
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.
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!
Best ski in, ski out hotels
| Hotel | Rating | Resort | Country | Rooms | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel Pic Blanc | 4 | Alpe d’Huez | France | 92 | Opposite the lifts, ski school meeting point & beginner slopes |
| Hotel Hermitage | 3 | Sauze d’Oulx | Italy | 26 | On the main slope back to the resort, opposite the chairlift |
| Club Med Tignes | 4 tridents | Tignes | France | 430 | Ski to the hotel door |
| Hotel Vancouver | 3 | La Plagne | France | 42 | Piste-side |
| Hotel Bristol | 3 | Saas Fee | Switzerland | 19 | Ski in/out, opposite slopes and ski school meeting point |
| Hotel Koh-I Nor | 5 | Val Thorens | France | 63 | At the top of the resort, ski in & out |
| Hotel Club Les Bergers | 3 | Alpe d’Huez | France | 194 | Ski in access – at the foot of the slopes & near lifts |
| Club Med La Plagne 2100 | 4 tridents | La Plagne | France | 326 | At the foot of the slopes |
| Village Montana Hotel | 4 | Tignes | France | 79 | On the slopeside |
| Hotel Les Grand Rousses | 4 | Alpe d’Huez | France | 52 | Ski in/out, next to drag lift & opposite ski life |
| Hotel Ducs de Savoie | 3 | Courchevel | France | 71 | In Jardin Alpin with direct access to slopes |
| Hotel Des Dromonts | 4 | Avoriaz | France | 34 | Ski in, Ski out onto Portes du Soleil |
| Hotel Jenewein | 4 | Obergurgl | Austria | 40 | Ski in/out opposite gondola, next to ski school meeting place |
| Hotel Les Cimes du Soleil | 4 | Avoriaz | France | 252 | Ski in, ski out onto the Portes du Soleil |
| Hotel Arlberg | 5 | Lech | Austria | 52 | Can ski from & to the door |
| Taj-I Mah | 5 | Les Arcs | France | 48 | Ski in/out location with lifts & ski school meeting point opposite |
We update this list often but facilities can change, so if any specific feature is essential to your trip, make sure you ask us to confirm the details before you book your holiday.
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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