 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, can anyone recommend a ski resort suitable for two couples at different ski levels. One couple will be skiing for their 2nd year and the other couple (which includes myself) are confident intermediates.
We all stayed at Sauze last time and loved the resort, but it wasn't great for beginners but my brother wanted to join us and we had already booked.
Ideally we are looking for a resort with easy access to ski school for the novices and confidence building runs for them but at the same time a large enough ski area to keep the intermediates occupied.
We enjoy some après ski (not too wild as all mid 50’s) and would ideally be looking for a 3 or 4 star HB hotel. Looking at Italy, Austria, France probably in early March.
At the moment I’m considering Cervinia but appreciate its exposed if the weather is poor. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you liked Sauze I would suggest looking at Montgenevre over the border in France (on the other side of the Milky way ski area) which has a good variety of runs for intermediates but is also excellent for beginners. My favourite accommodation is Le napoleon luxury self catering but there is a reasonable looking hotel there called Hotel Annova.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@jmalton1, Livigno might be a good shout. There are a number of good ski schools and they are great value. The tree lined valley floor is lined with confidence building blue runs and the snowmaking is excellent. It's also high altitude and central in the alps, so tends to keep snow in good condition. There's lots of cruisy long runs at altitude which tend to be perfectly groomed, and there are nice intermediate areas in the trees with fast gondolas for when the weather closes in (e. g. Cassana).
There are loads of small, beautifully decorated traditional style hotels - we tend to self cater but drop in for dinner or a drink to whichever we happen to be passing by - the food is universally excellent and good value.
There's also decent apres at places like the Stalet, Bivio, Allegra and others.
The 3.5 hr transfer from Bergamo tends to put people off, but its a great spot if you can look past that.
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@jmalton1, I’m no doubt biased, because I live there some of the time, but, based on your requirements, I don’t see how you could go wrong with Saalbach. It is considered to be an intermediate’s paradise, having been the Daily Telegraph’s recommendation for “best Austrian resort for intermediate skiers” for several years. If you include the terrain that will be added by the new link (for this coming season) to Zell am See, it will provide 408km of mainly intermediate, interlinked skiing - Austria’s biggest ski area (or second biggest if you discount the Zell area on the grounds that the return journey involves a 5 minute ski bus ride).
It is the fourth most visited/popular ski area in the world (after La Plagne, Ski Welt, and Les Arcs). It has the fastest, most advanced lift system in the world. The apres-ski has been awarded top marks by ADAC (the German equivalent of the AA - not Alcoholics Anonymous, by the way  )
There is plenty of slopeside, ski-in ski-out accommodation available, as no less than six runs end up in the village centre, where there are three gondola stations. (And that doesn’t include Hinterglemm, Leogang and Fieberbrunn, all of which would also be suitable bases for you).
PM me if you would like a copy of my comprehensive guide.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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1. Courchevel 1850.
2. Zermatt.
3. Lech.
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hmmm. Obertauern, Saalbach/Hinterglemm, both in Salzbergerland are within easy reach of the airport for DIYers, and are featured in all TO brochures. Although the ski areas vary greatly in size both are more than capable of supporting a week of strong intermediate skiing. As always with Austria ski schools are excellent. I've always found Obertauern easier to access lifts from accomodation.
Its often easy to over think the resort choice, I'd happily ski either, flip a coin!!
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Thank you for all the suggestions, I'll take a look at each one. I certainly will be overthinking it 
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Courchevel 1650 (aka Moriond). Great beginner friendly local slopes, access to the whole 3V for the more ambitious, plus good native English speaking ski schools.
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@jmalton1, Megeve would tick your boxes. There’s one hotel I know which includes high quality English speaking tuition, half board accommodation with excellent food.
Possibly Morzine, which has plenty of choice of hotels. Or Les Gets, nearby but quieter.
Alternatively, some of the Dolomiti villages may suit. Corvara, Colfosco, San Cassiano, for example.
La Plagne would also suit your differing skiing needs. Not sure about apres there.
If you’re going to ‘overthink’ it, online research on sites such as On the Snow, reference to the latest ‘Where to Ski’ guidebooks for France & Austria is good I think.
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