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Group ski resorts
The best resorts for groups are those that offer a lot of terrain and thereby ensure plenty of skiing for all abilities. It’s also a bonus if the resort has great facilities to entertain your party off the slopes. As a general rule, the larger resorts tend to offer the best variety of skiing and snowboarding for large groups. The bigger ski resorts also offer more variety of restaurants and après ski to suit all tastes and more choice of accommodation, which helps when trying to find a group ski holiday suitable for everyone’s budget.
Groups often start a holiday search with a certain country in mind, so we’ve grouped our recommendations by nation. Ask everyone their approximate level/ability, plus the most important aspect of their skiing holiday. Is skiing or snowboarding the most important thing? Or is it more about the après ski parties after a day on the slopes? Do you want the relaxing experience of being in a group catered ski chalet, enjoying food together in your own place? Or would one of our group ski hotels be more suitable, with greater facilities and room types?
Best ski resorts for groups
We recommend France a lot because it has lots of large, linked ski areas which give you a broad choice of bases that all access the same terrific ski domain. It also has some smashing après ski for afters, as well as bundles of different activities. And getting here’s a breeze, whether you fly, drive or travel in by train. It’s no surprise then that this is the number 1 destination for people flying from the UK.
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3 Valleys - with the world’s biggest linked ski area, there will be skiing and snowboarding to suit absolutely everyone.
- Courchevel 1850 is the most glamorous, Meribel has a corking après ski scene and Val Thorens has the most reliable snow.
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Espace Killy - known for its outstanding skiing, the Espace Killy has loads of off piste and snow sure winter skiing on two glaciers.
- Val d'Isere’s the more traditional, chic half, while Tignes is usually better value and closer to our favourite slopes on the glacier. Both have high altitudes and awesome après ski bars.
- Paradiski - featuring every type of piste and more than enough by way of off piste challenges, this region sees two resorts (both made up of smaller unique villages) connected by the Vanoise Express lift.
- Chamonix - with three distinct areas along the valley, Chamonix might be a bit more spread out, but it has some of the world best skiing and après. The distances between ski areas might mean less skiing together as a group but that also means plenty more stories to share over après.
- Les Deux Alpes - here groups can enjoy equal amounts of groomed and off piste terrain with the added bonus that the easier runs are at the top of the mountain, giving you great skiing for all as well awesome views! There’s also a hopping après scene.
Austria’s ski resorts great and small give groups good opportunity to party or relax as much as they like. The resorts are friendly, full of traditional charm and give you access to great quality skiing. Add to that the superb service and value for money and you can’t really go wrong choosing an Austrian ski resort as your group holiday destination.
- St Anton - world famous for on piste après ski (don’t miss the Krazy Kanguruh at the top of the last piste into town!). The skiing is also awesome, especially for advanced levels. There’s plenty of choice being part of the Alberg ski area, with 305km of pistes and St Anton’s also said to have the best snowboarding in Austria.
- Kitzbuhel – this medieval mountain town is famously swish, with perfect pistes, thrilling off-piste and lovely mountain huts for that all important catch-ups over hot chocolate. There are plenty of facilities, entertainment and nightlife.
- Mayrhofen - a pretty Tirolean town with a vibrant nightlife and festival-filled calendar. The extensive ski area is across the Ahorn and Penken mountains, but you can buy the Zillertaler Superski pass, and get access to an amazing 530km of pistes.
Italy is as focused on the food and wine as on the skiing - what’s not to love with big linked ski areas and traditional villages to enjoy long lunches and soak up the views, sunshine and Italian cuisine and culture.
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Milky Way Ski Area – covering Italian and French mountainsides, this area easily has enough routes for competent skiers to tour the villages en route, sampling the cuisine, wine and culture along the way.
- Sauze d'Oulx is known for its lively and welcoming atmosphere and good value skiing. Sestriere’s a good all-round resort, with great snow surety and often plays host to international competitions, due to its Olympic skiing facilities.
- Dolomiti Superski Area - gives you access to a stonking amount of gorgeously scenic pistes. Full on adventure, exploring the resorts of Selva in Val Gardena, Corvara in Alta Badia and Canazei and Campitello in Val di Fassa to name a few of the 12 included in this area covering 1200km of pistes. Expect incredible Italian hospitality, top notch food and wine and heaps of culture with the constant backdrop of the mighty Dolomites themselves.
Switzerland sits somewhere between the high sure French resorts and the fantastic après of Austria. With the best of both of its neighbouring alpine nations, it’s a case of Switzerland “having it all”. If you look for half board or catered chalet holidays (so that much of your food costs are covered in the package), this doesn’t need to come at a higher price. Swiss group ski holidays are about traditional charm, vibrant nightlife and superb skiing.
Andorra also offers fair facilities for groups, plus terrific value for money with first time ski packages, free kids lift passes and some of the more reasonably priced resort bar and restaurants. Pas de la Casa, Soldeu and El Tarter have joined with surrounding resorts in 6 valleys to create one of the biggest linked ski areas in Europe, Grandvalira, with 210km of pistes, to rival the best linked areas in Europe.
- Pas De La Casa - a good choice for younger groups looking for a party atmosphere.
- Soldeu and El Tarter - good for family ski groups.
Packages across the pond are better value than ever, whisking you to all-star resorts in regions like Colorado and British Columbia. Groups are terrifically catered for, with spacious condos and hotels full of facilities.
- Breckenridge – this American resort has everything from gentle motorway groomers to pro standard snow parks, plus a cheerful mountain town.
- Whistler – Canada’s poster boy mountain resort, Whistler often called the world’s best ski resort, with an enormous ski area on the Whistler and Blackcomb mountains and oodles to do in the town itself.
Great Group Ski Resorts
| Resort | Country | Best features |
|---|---|---|
| Meribel | France | Lively mountain bars, enormous ski area, super group ski chalets |
| St Anton | Austria | Excellent expert terrain, world-famous après ski, plenty of activities |
| Val d'Isere | France | Espace Killy ski area, top après ski scene, great group chalets |
| Mayrhofen | Austria | Snow festival host, varied ski area, great pubs & bars |
| Sauze d'Oulx | Italy | Cheap ski holidays, great value après ski, linked ski area |
| Verbier | Switzerland | Legendary après ski, awesome backcountry, luxury group chalets |
| Morzine | France | Huge ski area, lively mountain bars, great group chalets |
| Ischgl | Austria | Mountain music concerts, top notch ski area, plenty of activities, lively après scene |
| Pas de la Casa | Andorra | Cheap group ski holidays, lively & low-cost après, non-ski activities |
| Val Thorens | France | World’s biggest ski area, amazing mountain bars, plenty of group chalets |
| Tignes | France | Snow sure Espace Killy ski area, great après bars |
| La Plagne | France | Big, snow sure ski area, various villages & accommodation types |
| Selva | Italy | Vast Dolomiti Superski region, super for foodies, relaxed après ski |
| Chamonix | France | Large mountain town, various ski areas, brilliant après ski |
| Kitzbühel | Austria | Pretty medieval town, high quality ski area, great après ski |
| Les Deux Alpes | France | Snow sure skiing, good for groups with beginners, great après ski |
| Zermatt | Switzerland | Foodie favourite, luxury group holidays, excellent ski area |
| Whistler | Canada | World class ski resort, tons of activities, lively mountain town |
| Les Arcs | France | Huge Paradiski region, snow sure, numerous village bases |
| Soldeu and El Tarter | Andorra | Cheap group ski holidays, linked ski area |
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