Winter is coming and the slopes are calling. So what’s hot, what’s new, what’s changed and where will you be skiing this winter?
Here we round up the latest developments from the Alps and beyond.
Lech in Austria is Hot
Lech might be an old-money resort but it has a new reputation, for the most exceptional snow cover and snow quality in the Alps. Especially if you like to ski off piste and create the first tracks in fresh powder.
Overall, Lech is best for intermediates, but there are good nursery slopes as well. Advanced skiers can take the lift system to other areas of the Arlberg and attempt the 85-kilometre Run of Fame, the longest ski circuit in the Alps. There’s now an abundance of great ski-in ski-out chalets here as well.
Lech doesn’t have the apres-ski or shopping of the famous French and Swiss resorts, nor the price tag either. But it does offer superb gastronomy and some fabulous owner-operated hotels, like Kristiania Lech and Post Lech.
This is the Winter to Ski in Italy
The Italian Dolomites still go under the radar and we don’t understand why. These southern Alps enjoy weeks of sunny, storm-free weather from January to March. Every level of skier will find slopes to last a two-week holiday, throughout the connected Dolomiti Superski area. Plus it’s within driving distance from Central Europe.
Corvara is a recent discovery of ours and we love it. 1200 kilometres of slopes, exceptional food, and a laid-back vibe ideal for families. Stay at Hotel La Perla, an exceptional boutique hotel and one of very few genuine ski-in ski-out properties in the Dolomites.
But you need to ski in Italy this winter. The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo (where we love Hotel Faloria). Most of the resorts and infrastructure will be upgraded, which will disrupt the 23/24 and 24/25 winter seasons. So try it now, or wait until after the Olympics.
Switzerland is Super Popular
Wow, we’ve been amazed at the popularity for this winter season in Switzerland. Finding a good hotel for the festive period in Gstaad is now almost impossible.
Verbier is booming and trendier than ever. The Chedi opened in Andermatt, an old army town with a super-snowy microclimate and formidable expert terrain. Now the entire Andermatt resort has been upgraded, complete with Michelin-starred dining high on the slopes.
We expect this to be the breakout winter season for Crans-Montana, probably the most beautiful resort in the Alps.
Designer boutiques, fabulous chalets, ski-in ski-out hotels and an upcoming gastronomic scene. Trendy Crans and the somewhat quieter Montana are positioned on superbly sunny, south-facing ski slopes. Together they create a mosaic of great skiing, relaxing wellness and contemporary holiday luxuries.
We love LeCrans for its mix of wellness, suites and skiing options. Opening December 2022 is the new Six Senses Crans-Montana, emphasising this ski resort’s rapid rise to star destination level.
Ready to Ski?
The World Ski Championship Comes to Meribel and Courchevel
During Covid the development continued in both Meribel and Courchevel, in preparation for the Alpine World Ski Championships from February 6th to 19th 2023. If you want to witness the world’s best get in touch with us soon, because the demand is phenomenal.
While the vibe around Courchevel is as time-honoured as ever, there are a lot of new reasons to return. Firstly, there’s an even wider selection of high-quality chalets, plus new five-star hotels at even higher altitudes, like the 32-room Le K2 Altitude.
Over the last five years the lift infrastructure has been upgraded, with the new high-speed gondolas out of 1550, 1650, Le Praz and Bouqetin. The new Eclipse downhill is a seriously fast championship race route from the Bouc Blanc chairlift, through a forest to Le Praz.
They’ve also lengthened the season to late April, thanks to a ton of new snow guns and a new reservoir on Col de la Loze.
Sweden has the Best Heliskiing (and Skiing Until Late-May)
Sometimes you have to look outside the box for what you want. While different resorts in the Alps battle to offer improved heliskiing, the restrictive regulations remain the same. Limited daily landings, relatively exact landing points and times, not so much vertical descent, unless you’re on Mont Blanc.
If you’re into heliskiing then go to Riksgransen in Swedish Lapland, 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. Up there you enjoy 5,000 square kilometres of fresh, late-season snow. It’s a mix of high-altitude, wide-open powder runs and short-adrenalin-hitting steeps.
In May you can be doing 8,000 vertical metres a day and skiing beneath the midnight sun
Niehku Mountain Lodge is the trendy place to stay, fresh from winning a UNESCO Prix Versailles for World’s best hotel interior. They operate three- and four-day semi-private heliskiing itineraries, with five skiers and a guide (fully private packages are available).
Here there are no restrictions so each heli-ski excursion can be adapted to the group and conditions. The season runs from mid-March to late-May.
Where is Your Next Ski Holiday?
Where do you plan to spend your ski holiday this season? We have more updates for you, from a variety of other resorts across the Alps.
It doesn’t matter if you have an exact idea of where to go, or you still have no idea. Book a call and we’ll advise and plan your holiday personally.
