Family skiing - prepare to compromise

Posted on - Mon 6th August 2012

Family skiholidays provide the perfect opportunity to spend time together having fun and teaching the kids the ropes of the mountains. Of course, they can also be a tad on the stressful side if you don’t prepare properly. It’s absolutely vital that you do some research on the best resorts and hotels to stay in with kids before you go, and that you take all the things your children need to keep them happy and safe with you, from favourite toys to baby monitors. Ski holidays can be great adventures for children, but it always helps to have some home comforts around and a flexible attitude so that everyone’s needs are met. These are our top tips for ski holidays with children.

Resorts         

Look for resorts that are easy to get to and from. Short flights and transfer times will help keep stress levels down, especially with younger children. That said, if you know your kids are good fliers, the extra effort of travelling to a North American resort could be worthwhile, especially as they often have excellent children’s facilities.

Hotels

Choose accommodation with plenty of on-site services and entertainment. Larger hotels are often the best option as they tend to have more in the way of facilities and family suites so you can all sleep together. Some have on-site childcare too - perfect if you want to get out for the evening.

All-inclusive hotels are convenient, partly because you don’t need to worry about heading out into the snow for something to eat after a long day’s skiing, and partly because they make budgeting a breeze as all the basics are paid for before you get to the resort. Facilities like games rooms, swimming pools and evening entertainment will inevitably help keep the kids happy and occupied in the evenings. Club Med hotels tend to excel when it comes to children’s entertainment, and often offer great value for money too.

Skiing

Check out where your accommodation is in relation to the resort centre and lifts. If not close, make sure you have access to a bus that will allow you to get your kids and gear into town easily - especially important if your kids are in ski school and you want to avoid the madness of the morning rush. Ski-in, ski-out accommodation is often more convenient, especially if it’s near a lift station although, as it won’t be on a road, getting into town can be difficult (not necessarily a problem if the on-site facilities are good).

A few parenting tips for the mountain!

Allow your children to get involved in deciding where to go and what to do. Obviously, you’re going to veto anything silly but, trust me, things will go a lot smoother out on the slopes and even back at the hotel if you allow the kids to take the reins a little. Family ski holidaysinevitably have to have some level of compromise, so if you want to go out and enjoy a few après-ski cocktails, you’re going to have to agree to a snowball fight or two.