Whats most important when picking a resort ?

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Just curious what is most important to you when you are deciding where to go on your ski holiday. Personally for me its the snow conditions and ski lift accessibility from where i am staying.

Here are some other things i think are important to people:

1. Snow conditions
2. Price
3. Accessibility - Airport proximity, transfer times etc
4. High Altitude
5. Slope - Variety - No. of Slopes, Long runs, Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced etc
6. Resort Size
7. Apres-Ski

Do you have any other criteria thats important to you when choosing a resort ?

olaola

Accommodation. We're a fussy group!
Ski to the village - it's nice to be able to ski down as a group to the village at the end of the day (incl the beginners)
No buses to slopes.
The town itself, nice villages are nice to be in.

EileenG

For me, it's having access to plenty of red and black runs without having to travel across three mountains first, and not having to worry about fighting half a million skiers to get at them.

I also like having telecabines or chairs that will take you down if necessary. I've lost count of how often I had to take tired/injured children down the mountain, and it's torture if I have to carry them or force them to ski.

Childcare and ski school that caters to children is a huge factor. I will never again go to Les Arcs until all children are done with ski school. Who on earth thought it was a good idea to put the kiddie ski school halfway up the effing mountain? I've delivered full term children with less effort than delivering a toddler to Jardin de ski in Arcs 1800.

Obviously price and snow. I'm not too bothered about accommodation as long as the food is good and the prices are reasonable.

I'm happy enough to sit on a shuttle bus to get to great snow, particularly because it often halves the price of the hotel.

FortuneChip

It's a throw up between Mountain Variety and Conditions.

I went to Chamonix last year, amazing mountain, but terrible conditions when we were there, really took away from the snowboarding. But, if I knew I was guaranteed (if such a thing exists) good conditions in Chamonix, I'd go straight back there.
I'd been to Lake Louise and Revelstoke in the past and those mountains were both amazing, lots of variety, easy access to more difficult stuff straight from the lifts, and for the most part excellent conditions (esp Revelstoke). There's not much in the way of Aprez-Ski in either of those resorts, and I loved it, so I guess that tells me how much I value Aprez-Ski. If it's there, great, if not, I'll cope!

Val D'Isere this weekend, heard tales of Great nightlife, it's a big resort, and although this week has been quiet on the snow front, they've gotten plenty in the last week and a half so hopefully I'm well catered for. Mid-level price too.

Spook_ie

for us....
1. High Altitude/snow sure resort
2. Beside ski lifts so no ski bus

Came back on Sunday from Obertauern, 290cms of snow, and we stayed in the Steinadler Aparthotel and we had 4 lifts visible from our balcony (25m to 75m) and we had 2 ski rental shops across the road plus ski school for the kids 75m away.....it was absolute bliss !

Fattes

1- Snow Conditions

2 - Terrain

3- Vertical

4 - Lift time v slope time

5- Cost

6 Accommodation

7 Transfers

a148pro

FortuneChip wrote: »

if I knew I was guaranteed (if such a thing exists) good conditions

Doesn't exist unfortunately, though some resorts have a better snow record than others which I try to target, and are higher than others, which I always target - if there's poor snow the best of it will be up high, on North facing snow.

Otherwise, transfer time is important to me (he says as he's due to drive 3 hours to Ischgl on Thursday, and something similar to Meribel two weeks later). I really like ski in if possible, so resorts that are purpose built and above the snow line.

I like good accomodation, preferrably involving a good cooked breakfast and a spa but I'd happily sleep in a van if it meant access to good conditions.

Likely absence of lift queues would also be a factor.

Price would be a factor but to be honest skiing is just puking money. If I go for three days and it'll cost me €200 more to go somewhere good and stay somewhere good, rather than a low lying, ancient lift resort, then its a false economy to me. I may as well puke slightly more and enjoy myself.

heate

I live in Zurich and have thus good access to a variety of ski areas!

For a day

1. Snow Conditions
2. Amount of red and black runs
3. Decent restaurant for lunch
4. The road to the first lift i.e. is it going to take me 30 mins winding up a hairpin bending snow covered widow make or is it nice and flat and can I take an extended cable car instead!
5. If its snowing I want covered parking otherwise parking close to the slopes and it should always be bloody free so there are no stupid exit/entry queues!

A weekend/week
1. Après Ski
2. A tasty hotel
3. Resort conditions and amount of slopes (though good après ski and tasty hotels generally lend well to a decent ski area)

Other considerations?
On the cost front I'm not really bothered its an expensive pursuit get used to it!
I will however draw the line on this some ski hotels in Switzerland run into serious (CHF800+ a night) cash - I draw the line at CHFc.300 a night even that's a farce given the fact that I'd generally only get 4hours sleep in the bed!