If you want to save on a ski vacation, it is best to plan a trip in early February or in March-April. Package tours in February will generally be cheaper than during the January holidays, but booking a hotel or apartment separately may be more expensive – in mid- and late February, rates at ski resorts rise due to European school holidays.
According to Kayak.ru, the average cost of a night in a three-star hotel in France in February is almost 20% higher than in January. In Austria, prices also rise slightly – by about 5%, while in Italy they remain almost unchanged. However, tourists can buy a tour cheaper than during the holidays – our tour operators lower prices for February. In addition, airfare will also be cheaper.
AUSTRIA
In Austria, which traditionally has the most affordable prices among Alpine countries, our tourists have taken a liking to the Salzburg region and, according to Booking.com, prefer the towns of Schladming, Ischgl, Tux, Seefeld, Sölden, Kaprun and Kitzbühel.
The average cost of a package tour to Austria for a week for two in February is 1000-1200 euros, the press service of TUI Russia told Gazeta.Ru. This price includes flights, transfers, medical insurance and hotel accommodation with breakfast. A weekly ski pass for two in Austria will cost an average of 460-500 euros. You can often save on it by purchasing a package tour immediately – some agencies offer discounts of 10-15%.
Hotel accommodation will cost 700-1100 euros per week for two with breakfast, apartments in February can be rented for 500-700 euros.
We also note that Austria is one of the most attractive foreign destinations for buying real estate in the coming year, including chalets at ski resorts.
ITALY
Among Italian ski resorts, the most popular among our compatriots are Val di Fassa, Cervinia, Val Gardena, Madonna di Campiglio and Cortina d'Ampezzo.
The cost of a holiday at these resorts is approximately the same, differing by no more than 20% from each other. “A six-day ski pass for two will cost 400-500 euros, equipment rental will be about 200-400 euros for two,” says Andrey Alyasov, general director of Changellenge, an experienced skier who has visited all the main slopes of Austria, Italy, France and Andorra.
The cost of accommodation depends greatly on the level of lodging; the cheapest option is apartments, which will cost 600-900 euros per week for two, hotel accommodation costs 800-1500 euros, but this price includes meals – at least breakfast, and sometimes half board or full board, which apartments do not provide.
“I advise paying for ski pass and equipment rental together with accommodation. Often if you buy through the hotel's website, they also offer these services with a 10-15% discount,” says the expert.
You can save additionally on accommodation by not contacting the hotel directly via the official website, but by booking a room through popular booking services – the same rooms may be 30-40% cheaper with them.
ANDORRA
The palm of primacy among Andorran resorts, in the opinion of our tourists, belongs to Pas de la Casa, although it is quite difficult to single out specific points here. Essentially, Andorra has two ski areas – Grandvalira and Vallnord, each of which is a valley with numerous resorts. Vallnord may quickly bore experienced skiers – the total length of trails here is only 24 km, while in the Grandvalira area there are about 210 km of trails. You need to decide which area suits you best, and then choose the most appealing hotel.
But you should study the trail map in advance – some resorts in each zone may not be connected to each other due to lack of snow.
A ski pass for the Grandvalira area will cost 563 euros for two for a week, for the Vallnord area – 434 euros. Hotel accommodation will amount to 600-1000, and apartments can be rented for 500-700 euros.
If skiing is not the main purpose of the trip, it is better to stay in the capital – Andorra la Vella. There you can rent a double room in a hotel for 200-300 euros per week, and the small size of the country will allow you to combine active recreation with sightseeing.
FRANCE
The most popular French ski resorts among Russians are located in the Three Valleys region: Courchevel, Méribel and Val Thorens, Paradiski, Les Deux Alpes and Chamonix.
The difference between France and other countries is the ski-in/ski-out approach – hotels are typically located right on the slope, and you can start skiing as soon as you leave the house. However, prices for all components of the holiday from ski pass to food will be 15-20% higher.
A ski pass will cost from 500 euros for two for a week. “Each resort offers a wide variety of ski passes. The cost depends on the duration and ski area, not on the season. A one-day ski pass in the Chamonix ski area costs 58.5 euros, a weekly ski pass – 317.5,” says Natalia Rosenblum, partner at Hospitality Income Consulting.
Moreover, food is very expensive in France, so staying in apartments is not the most sensible decision here. “Think ten times before renting apartments. It seems they cost less, but you will have to pay a lot for food: about 700-1000 euros per week in restaurants and cafes. If you plan to cook yourself, remember that on the mountain products are usually 50-100% more expensive than in a regular city. I sincerely advise you to find a hotel with good meals, this will save both money and nerves,” advises Andrey Alyasov.
Ekaterina SAKHAROVA.
«Gazeta.ru»