Choosing the perfect family ski resort
Choosing a family friendly ski resort and the right family ski accommodation in the right location will be the deciding factor in determining whether your family ski holiday will be successful. It is an expensive holiday and one that takes quite a lot of preparation to get right. When it does work and go well there is nothing like it. There is an art to choosing the perfect family ski resort and getting the right level of support for your family from childcare to ski school.
Famille plus Montagne is the first and unique national tourism label to approve the facilities and services available to families with children staying in French tourist destinations. It is recognized by the French Ministry of Tourism and helps to identify resorts suitable for families.Read more here.
Look at the reputation of the resort and whether it is considered family friendly. Consider also our guides to what age the children should learn to ski,skiing as a family and ski childcare options.
Top family friendly ski resorts
We've selected these resorts because they offer great fun and the right slopes for kids as well as convenient, well planned amenities for families.
Selva Val Gardena, Italy
Saas Fee, Switzerland
Grindelwald, Switzerland
Arosa, Switzerland
Tignes and Val d'Isere, France
Meribel, France
Morzine/ Lets Gets/ Ardent, France
Courcheval, France
La Plagne, France
Les Arcs, France
Kaprun, Austria
Zell-am-See, Austria
Neustift, Austria
Top tips for choosing a family friendly ski resort
Book early as there are limited school holidays and mid-terms in the ski season and the best family resorts get booked out very quickly. See our school calender for further help.
When choosing a resort, consider travelling time which can range from one to three hours and it can be difficult with small children. Be sure you look into child seats as well. A small coach or bus transfer may be a good option. Have a look at some of our rates for transfers if you do not want to have to wait at the airport for others.
Question whether the resort meets everyone's needs. You may have a baby that needs crèche facilities or teenagers who might be bored and yearn for adventure in ski parks and you have to consider everyone's requirements.
Does the resort have a wide range of runs for all the family from novices to more experienced teenagers and adults.
Make sure it is a resort that offers easy access to the slopes for all skiing abilities and ski lifts. Location and convenience are key. The last thing you want with children is a long walk in ski boots. You will certainly be carrying the gear of younger children.
If there is a driver service that can be a great asset.Lots of chalet companies and luxury ski hotels offer a driver service to the slopes in the morning and back in the afternoon.
Expect your children to have difficulty walking in ski boots and where possible try to store your equipment near the ski lifts. Little legs get tired so a compact resort with good access and a great location for your accommodation is the golden ticket.
Consider whether the resort has ski classes for children of different ages and abilities and whether the instructors speak English. There is a lot to be said for learning a new skill in your own language and children love to interact with other children and make new friends.
Are there other activities in the resort such as ice skating, an indoor swimming pool if the weather is bad or if your child does not like skiing and activities such as snow mobiling and husky mushing.
Consider the altitude of the resort and the time of year you are going. Christmas and half term can be crowded and expensive and get booked up quickly. Early March is a great time particularly if you are going to a high-altitude resort as you can get some great sunny warm weather.
Ski in and ski out can be great as children can sledge in the afternoons outside the chalet or make snowmen but do check what colour the run back to the chalet is and that it is easy enough for them.
Have a good look with a few brochures side by side to try to understand the complicated price structure of family reductions. Resorts and Tour Operators vary on the age at which they allow children to ski for free and on the ages at which children qualify for discounts.
Investigate the family ski accommodation options available. Consider also the options for dining out if you are staying in self-catering accommodation and whether there are suitable child friendly restaurants in the area.
Make sure you have the appropriate winter sports family travel insurance and that this covers all members of the family including the children. Getting equipment right is important as well so check our kids ski equipment and kids ski packing guide.
You will find lots of family friendly travel tips and advice in our research and advice section to help you book the right family holiday. Check out also the experiences of other parents and travellers in our parents forum and add your own experiences as we are a great believer in real parent's experiences as the best measure of whether somewhere will suit you for your family holiday.
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