From refined to hedonistic, family-friendly and leisurely to adrenaline-fuelled, the sheer range of ski resorts available to skiers heading to continental Europe this winter is vertigo-inducing. Don’t be intimidated; there’s a place out there that’s perfect for you. Here are a few of the best ski resorts in Europe to discover, and the hotels to stay at when you're there.
What are the best months for skiing?
Typically, the ski season across Europe runs from late November/early December to mid-April, with January and February being fairly safe options for snow. However, this can of course vary from country to country, and could be changeable from one year to another when factoring in elements such as global warming, which can cause snow shortages during the peak season. Some resorts have even started to store snow during other months of the year to prevent this problem. Make sure to research the snow forecast before booking your trip.
How do I choose between different resorts?
As with planning any holiday, there are endless things to consider and agonise over before taking the plunge and booking your ski trip. With skiing in particular, it's ideal to consider your own skill level and whether a resort will be appropriate for you - perhaps you're an adult first-timer and would find it useful to go somewhere that offers one-to-one adult lessons and beginner slopes. Or you're a large family group with both children and experienced adults, and are looking for a resort that spans all difficulty levels.
Other things to consider include resort location and accessibility, such as travel times and options from airports, as some are, of course, rather remote. The views and beauty of the landscape is also something you'll want to think about, as you will be spending so much of your time outdoors. Skiing is also notoriously expensive, so it's a good idea to weigh up whether you are looking for a luxury resort (France and Switzerland tends to offer some of the priciest destinations) or a more affordable choice (look at Eastern European countries or somewhere like Andorra for skiing trips on a budget). Another top tip for saving money is to ensure to book your lift pass in advance of your holiday.
The best ski resorts in Europe right now
Alta Badia, Italy
No one comes to the Dolomites to set records for the number of kilometres skied. This is la dolce vita in salopettes: lingering lunches at Michelin-star restaurants; soporific views from the cable car of sun-pinkened limestone peaks; glasses of chilled Pinot Bianco on the terrace of mountain-top rifugios. Target Alta Badia, a tranche of four interlinked Italian villages near the Austrian border. The ski pass gives you access to 130km of slopes, augmented by some of Europe’s most advanced snow production. If you can summon the energy, the Sellaronda is a 40km all-day loop around the mesmerising plateau of the Sella massif.
Where to stay: Aman Rosa Alpina in San Cassiano, which only just opened during the summer of 2025 (from £1248 per night) or Hotel La Perla in Corvara (from £527 per night).
Meribel, France
Meribel puts the world’s largest extended ski area, Les Trois Vallées, into perspective: 600km of pistes, nearly 60% of which are green and blue runs. It’s a solid spot to perfect quick carves or coasting swooshes, but then progress to the more testing slopes of Courchevel, Val d’Isère or lofty Val Thorens, the highest resort in Europe and more suited to advanced skiers. Meribel has a track record of reliable snow, backed by snow cannons, and plenty of non-ski activities for when the quads start to burn: husky sledding, snowmobiling and the 3.4km Mission Black Forest toboggan run, which drops 470m via 28 giggle-inducing corners.
Where to stay: The charming Refufe de la Traye (from £702 per night) and Le Coucou is the ski-in ski-out alpine outpost of Maisons Pariente (from £746 per night).
Mürren, Switzerland
Across Switzerland's Lauterbrunnen valley from Wengen, car-free Mürren claims dramatic space on a cliff edge – which is ideal for advanced skiers looking for a challenge. Surrounded by dramatic peaks, like the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, Mürren has some of the most spectacular alpine views in the whole country. Film buffs might also recognise Piz Gloria, the Alps’ first revolving restaurant that rotates 360 degrees every 45 minutes to show off the mountains in all their glory – it was featured in the 1969 James Bond film ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’.
Where to stay: Drei Berge Hotel (from £300 per night), which was opened by French/Moroccan creative polymath Ramdane Touhami in December 2023 in the former Hotel Bellevue.
Zermatt, Switzerland
With the towering, Tobleronic peak of the Matterhorn as a backdrop and a car-free old town that still echoes to the sound of horse-drawn carriages, this is arguably Switzerland’s prettiest resort. Season-round skiing is guaranteed; the 210km of marked pistes rise to a dizzying 3,883m, with plenty of runs above 3,000m. The off-piste is excellent, while intermediates will be itching for a crack at one of the longest red runs in the world: a border-straddling 22km to Cervinia in Italy. Overdone the lunch? The Matterhorn Alpine Crossing cableway provides a more sedate alternative.
Where to stay: Splash out and stay at the historic Monte Rosa (from £512 per night).
Verbier, Switzerland
The skiing is as diverse as the A-listers who converge on this well-heeled but rarely ostentatious resort. Verbier is the gateway to the 4 Vallées ski area, offering some 400km of runs and, beyond, a vast backcountry playground with some of the most exhilarating off-piste skiing in the Alps. So don’t be surprised to see plenty of advanced and pro skiers and snowboarders among the cinematic, pop and actual royalty strolling the slopes. Verbier’s ‘Alpine Ibiza’ tag may grate, but there’s no doubting the calibre – or the expense – of the après-ski here, with institutions such as Farm Club (opened in 1971) bolstered by newer arrivals like oenophile outpost 67 Pall Mall Verbier.
Where to stay: Experimental Chalet Verbier (from £330 per night) brings a contemporary flair to the traditional Alpine aesthetic of the region. Or, opt for La Cordée des Alpes (from £351 per night) for a more traditional wooden ski lodge touch.
Chamonix, France
There’s always something going on in Europe’s winter-sports capital. A century after hosting the first Winter Olympics, ‘Cham’ is a magnet not just for skiers and snowboarders but also climbers, mountaineers, ultra-runners and paragliders. Plenty more come simply for the awe-inspiring views of the massif that encircles the Alps’ highest peak, Mont-Blanc. The broad appeal extends to skiing. While the fearless tackle the precipitous blacks of Grand Montets or the fabled Valleé Blanche, others head for the beginner or intermediate segments of its 150km-plus of runs, perhaps followed by a fondue feast in the atmospheric backstreets of the birthplace of alpinism.
Where to stay: Hotel Hameau Albert 1er (from £567 per night) or for something a bit buzzier, La Folie Douce Hotels Chamonix (from £150 per night)
Les Arcs, France
Les Arcs lies a short rattle up the mountainside by funicular from Bourg-Saint-Maurice, which is served by Eurostar’s weekly ski train from London. This versatile Savoie resort comprises four purpose-built satellite villages, named for their respective altitudes. The two highest, Arc 1950 and Arc 2000, are the pick, with easy access to slopes that offer leisurely woodland runs, high-altitude off-piste bowls and everything in between. With its connection by gondola to neighbouring La Plagne and the sprawling Paradiski area, you’ll struggle to ski the same slope twice. DJs and live music are the cornerstones of the exuberant nightlife.
Where to stay: Taj-I Mah is the only five-star hotel in Les Arcs (from £1149 per night).
Adelboden, Switzerland
For a classic and charming family-friendly ski resort in the heart of Switzerland's Bernese Oberland, Adelboden is the place to be. With over 200 km of pistes across multiple linked areas, there's a slope for every type of snow bunny, from gentle beginner slopes to challenging pistes for adrenaline junkies. A recent hotel opening has put the mountain town more on the ski map, but despite the design cred, it still flies wonderfully under the radar as a destination for quality carve action.
Where to stay: The Brecon (from £596 per night), feels deeply comfortable and cool, but for Swiss sleekness and grandeur, there's 19th-century villa The Cambrian (price from £267 per night)
Arosa, Switzerland
The domain of Swiss locals and tourists alike, Arosa's easy reach from Zurich makes it an excellent short-stay hotspot. Right in the heart of a national park, the resort offers a wide range of red and blue runs, making it an excellent choice for intermediate skiers. Those who want to branch out from their hotel for a taste of something super local should visit Guterschuppen – an ambient restaurant inside an old train container – and Aifach, a contemporary spot offering a set menu.
Where to stay: Faern Arosa (price from £180 per night) is a brisk five-minute walk to the nearest chair lift.
Megève, France
Megève is something of a two-part ski resort, comprising the main village, concentrated around a picturesque medieval square (complete with an ancient church and priory), and the Domaine du Mont d’Arbois, a large plateau above the village owned by the Rothschilds who, back in the Twenties, put Megève on the map as the glamorous French alternative to St Moritz. A road and a cable car link the two. But so, too, does the mid-nineteenth-century pilgrimage route Le Chemin du Calvaire (or Road to Calvary), a pathway – a little steep in parts – that, with its 15 small and atmospheric chapels and oratories set at intervals along the way, recounts the last journey of Christ from Jerusalem to Golgotha. Foodies will have plenty to sink their teeth into when they're not crisscrossing these chic French slopes. In a town as well-heeled as Megève, it is no surprise that there are top-notch restaurants to tickle the taste buds.
Where to stay: Les Fermes de Marie (price from £514 per night) or stay in a private chalet or suite at L’Alpaga (price from £425 per night) from the cool kids French group Beaumier.
Wengen, Switzerland
Wengen, one of several villages and hamlets lying claim to a backdrop of Switzerland's mighty peaks, is perhaps the ultimate picture-book destination. It clings as tightly to the Swiss Alpine vernacular of decorative wooden chalets, heart shapes and lace curtains as it does to the mountainside, up which chugs a yellow, cogwheel train – the only way in and out for residents and tourists alike.
Where to stay: The Grand Hotel Belvedere (price from £334 per night) – aptly named for its astonishing views down the Lauterbrunnen valley – has been swept up by Beaumier.
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Grossarl (Großarl), Austria
Just over an hour from Salzburg, which is particularly magical in the winter, Austria's Grossarl is a great family-friendly ski town with a charming village. Grossarl itself offers 15.5 miles of tracks for ski touring and cross-country skiing, packed with slopes for beginners and more advanced skiers. But the tracks are also connected to another 45 miles of intermediate pistes in the neighbouring Dorfgastein – both of which are part of Austria's sprawling Ski Amadé (a lift and bus-linked area made of 25 resorts and 472 miles of pistes).
Where to stay: the ski-in ski-out Hotel Nesslerhof (price from £413 per night) is all about Alpine wellness relaxation.
Lech, Austria
Synonymous with the royal family and a distinctly sophisticated crowd, Lech attracts a loyal set of serious skiers who know this Austrian resort is among the best. It remains wonderfully traditional – glitz and big-name brands are kept to a subtle minimum – yet leads with a world-class infrastructure expected from a marquee snow spot. Apres-goers can hop across the Ski Arlberg to St. Anton, while purists revel in over 300 kilometres of pristine runs. Book ahead for lunch at local institutions like Rote Wand and Murmeli.
Where to stay: Hotel Post (from £498 per room) is timeless and old-world; for a more private takeover, Arula Chalets (both chalets available to rent for £23426) deliver Alpine prettiness with contemporary privacy.
St Moritz, Switzerland
The original alpine tastemaker, St Moritz has been setting the tone for winter hedonism since 1864 – and still does. You’ll find billionaires and bobsledders rubbing shoulders on the frozen lake, where horse racing, polo and fashion shows all play out against a gorgeous glacial backdrop. On the mountain, carving down Corviglia feels like skiing through a snow globe of old-world glamour and avant-garde art. It’s decadent, yes, but also disarmingly cool in its confidence.
Where to stay: Badrutt’s Palace (price from £1272 per night) remains the icon of Engadin grandeur, or Suvretta House (price from £762 per night).
Gstaad, Switzerland
Don’t let the velvet-rope reputation fool you – Gstaad is deceptively friendly. Broad, flowing beginner slopes like those at Eggli and Lauenen make it one of the Alps’ most approachable resorts, while those in the know (or those with friends in high places) come as much for what happens off the pistes as on them. Between the galleries, the shops, and the legendary GreenGo disco beneath the Gstaad Palace, this is a place for post-ski good times. The village itself still feels charmingly ‘mountain’, with its wooden chalets and mountain air that smells faintly of pine and Petrus.
Where to stay: Gstaad Palace (price from £1082 per night) is a grand dame, as is Le Grand Bellevue (price from £640 per night).
Val d’Isere, France
At 1,850 m in the Tarentaise Valley, Val d’Isère plays in the big leagues. The 300 km of runs (including neighbouring Tignes) and high-altitude terrain make it one of the most snow-sure resorts in the Alps, while the village retains the feel of a traditional Savoyard town – honeyed timber, stone chalets, and sparkly lights. On the slopes, mornings are for powder carving on the Face de Bellevarde, but by night, it’s champagne at Cocorico and fondue by the fire. A blend of serious skiing and high-octane thrill – pros can dash over to Tignes for more corduroy action.
Where to stay: Experimental Chalet (price from £388 per night) or Airelles Val d’Isere (price from £1,331 per night).
