We feature so many resorts that it is hard to pick one resort to suit any one individual. Each resort has its own attractions and each country its own allure. Skiing in Europe has long been popular with the British because we can drive to the destinations and the French cuisine and wine are very popular. But the advent of the cheap long-haul flights have opened up the US and Canadian ski-resorts to the British skier and the service, standards, value for money and wide open spaces keep people going back for more.

There is no best time to go skiing. As most resorts are reliant totally on the weather and, in particular, snowfall, it is impossible to tell in advance the type of conditions you will experience in resort. Some skiers like the warm sunshine of spring skiing while others prefer the guaranteed snow, but colder conditions of December and January. And then there are the school holidays and Christmas holidays that attract many because of the wonderful, bustling atmosphere, and dissuade those who prefer a quieter time with fewer children around.

No, snow is never guaranteed but the locations we have chosen generally have good historic snow records. Remember that most resorts have snow-making machines that assist in the skiable terrain being open longer throughout the season. Please see our Snow Reports section on our home page for ski conditions at all of our resorts.

Anyone can ski from around 3 years of age upwards. Of course, the older you get, the more you should examine your insurance policy to make sure you are covered.

For as long as you’d like! Some hotels insist on minimum stays during their busy periods and others don’t. The residences in France do tend to insist on a minimum stay of 7 nights but 7 nights is a good period of time for those on their first ski-holiday. This gives you enough time to get settled on the slopes and also enjoy the surroundings of the ski-resort. Other properties do allow shorter stays for those with little time to spare, while many North American hotels will allow you to stay for any duration you would like.

Of course you can. Each resort has trained ski instructors and we can arrange ski lessons for you. Learning in resort means you can learn to ski on snow, which isn’t the case in most of the UK, and also means that once you feel confident you can head off onto the pistes after your lessons.

Yes. The children love skiing and you’ll soon see that by arranging lessons for them, they’ll be overtaking you on the slopes in no time at all.

Ski resorts are designed for skiers but many are now offering things for those non-skiers amongst us such as snowmobiling, snowshoeing and ice-climbing to name but a few. Remember, you are in the mountains so most activities for non-skiers will be in the outdoors and will be in cold temperatures. Of course, the non-skier can enjoy the comforts of your hotel, depending on its facilities of course. Many resorts now have spas and most have a wide range of unique shops to pass the time of day in.

Our newly designed website has up to date information on most of the resorts that we feature. Our team have compiled information for each resort on the amount of ski-runs, the difficulty of the runs, the nearest airports, driving distance and time from the nearest airport, the nightlife, the ski-schools, even the weather – basically plenty of information to help you make a decision about which resort is best for you and your party.

We always recommend you change up some sterling beforehand into foreign currency in case you need some loose change as soon as you arrive in your destination for items such as drinks, taxi fares or tipping the bell-boy at a hotel. It is not essential, however, to change up all of your money into local currency. Travellers’ cheques are accepted worldwide as are most major credit cards, whilst debit cards can be used in ATM machines to obtain local currency without needing a Bureau De Change.
In the US it can be difficult to change up money locally and the exchange rate generally isn’t favourable. If you don’t have a debit card that will be accepted abroad, we recommend US dollar travellers’ cheques.

No medications or injections are specifically required for skiing at any of the destinations we feature.

The terminology used to describe a property can differ from place to place and yet describe the same type of property. Let’s start with the Hotel. A Hotel is generally a property that offers the minimum of a standard room with beds and a bathroom. The rooms will generally get cleaned daily and towels are inclusive in the price. Most hotels have a bar, 24 hour reception and a restaurant.
Then we have the Residence. A Residence is generally an apartment with several rooms and a living area. Residences usually come with a kitchen of sorts, a bedroom and separate living area. Linen and towels are usually included in the price, but they are generally only changed once per week and end of stay cleaning usually has to be paid for. Check-in times at Residences are restricted and late arrivals are usually kept to a minimum. Residences rarely have any restaurants or bars.
Condos are very common in North America and are similar to an apartment. Basically each Condo is individually owned within a resort or building, and is looked after and managed by a management company. Each Condo is individually designed, within the standards of the management company to ensure quality control. Condos usually consist of one or more bedrooms with a living area and a kitchen area. Condos give a real ‘home from home’ experience.

Yes we can. Please refer to the relevant sections within this website. We offer a wide choice of competitively priced ski & snowboard equipment for different grades of riders and skiers. We can also offer great value lift passes within popular resorts such as the Espace Killy in France and the Tri Area Pass in Lake Louise Banff.

Yes, please refer to the Ski School section on the homepage for details of all the group lessons available to book.

Yes, please refer to the Airport transfers section on the homepage for details of all private and scheduled transfers.

Yes, please refer to the Car Hire section on the homepage for details of our competitive car rental rates.

Although not a requirement; it is however highly advisable to take out travel insurance to cover any unforeseen circumstances whilst travelling abroad. Skiing in particular, however experienced one is, does offer up some unpredictable situations and sometimes accidents do occur.
If you decide not to travel with any travel insurance you can obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The EHIC card will entitle you to medical treatment in other EU countries. It is, however, still advisable to take out travel insurance as few countries will pay the full cost of medical treatment. Please be aware that the EHIC Card does not provide cover for other aspects such as cancellation, personal liability, personal belongings cover, mountain rescue and repatriation.
In the USA in particular, medical care can be extremely expensive for those without insurance cover. Our advice is to not take the risk of travelling without a comprehensive insurance policy. Why not get a low cost quote from the Ski Travel Insurance section on the home page of our site?

Your equipment will be available to collect from your chosen hire shop from 5pm the day before your rental period is due to begin.

Yes, all ski hire packages with boots and ski only packages automatically include poles.

When booking equipment online you have the choice to select either skis and poles packages or skis - boots and poles, The same applies to snowboards and snowboards with boots.

No problem, from time to time this does happen and your shop will make sure that you have correctly fitting equipment before you hit the slopes.

When you arrive in resort we recommend that you head as soon as possible to your chosen shop to collect the pre-booked equipment. Your booking confirmation will include the address of the shop to help you find it. During peak holiday periods shops maybe very busy so we advise to arrive in store either as soon as you arrive or first thing in the morning.

We will do our best to meet any special requests but unfortunately can’t make any guarantees, so please do not hesitate to email us with the details. Make sure to include your booking reference and lead customer name when you contact us.

Unfortunately we are not able to guarantee a particular model of ski although the shop will do their utmost to select a model of ski that is as close to the specifications of the model you chose online as possible. The models featured on our site reflect a typical model from that particular category of equipment. You will always receive a model of ski or board from the category that you have selected or better.

We offer boot sizes automatically upto a UK size 12, however many shops do have boots that exceed this size. If you do require larger fitting boots and you know the size that you require then simply send us an e-mail to request to see if the shop in question can cater for your size. One of our team will be happy to help locate the equipment that you need. Rental boot sizes do not normally exceed UK size 13.5.

You are not required to purchase insurance for your equipment. It is strongly recommended that you ensure that your travel insurance has sufficient cover to protect you against costly risks from theft and loss. SkiExtras offers very competitive rates for annual and multi trip travel insurance or alternatively insurance against theft and loss of your rental equipment can be purchased locally in-store on arrival.

If the model you have chosen is not exactly what you were looking for then most shops will be happy to change over the equipment for you to another model in the same category, subject to availability. Please be aware that in peak season many shops will have limited stocks left in the shops after the weekend has passed and so exchange is not always possible, unless the reason for exchange is due to faulty equipment or breakages.

Send us an email with the new dates, making sure to include your booking reference and lead customer name and we will amend your booking for you. We need to receive the new dates at least 5 working days before your rental period is due to begin to ensure that the changes reach the shop in time. Date amendments to ski hire bookings within 5 working days will incur a charge of £5 per amendment.

Please email us with the details of any change you would like to make and we will do our best to accommodate these. Please remember to include your booking reference and lead customer name and make sure you contact us at least 5 working days prior to your rental period commencing. Amendments to ski hire bookings within 5 working days will incur a charge of £5 per amendment.

Acting as an Agent for the shops SkiExtras makes refunds on behalf of the shop. If you need to cancel prior to commencement of booking please contact us info@skiextras.com
In case of exercise of the withdrawal right within the clear 7-day cooling-off period, the sums paid by the hirer shall be refunded less an administrative charge of £5.00 per person. The refund is made using the same service that the Client used to make the booking. The cooling-off period shall no longer apply if the date the client places the booking is within three days (inclusive) of the start date of hire.
All cancellations of hire until 3 days (included) before the beginning of the hire will result in the refund of the rental less a £25.00 per person administrative charge.
Cancellations less than three days in advance are at the discretion of SkiExtras acting on behalf the Shop and may incur a greater penalty. This greater penalty along with the £25.00 administrative charge will be deducted prior to making any refunds.

When you arrive in the shop please ensure you bring your voucher and also a form of photo ID which matches the lead name on the booking. The shop will also ask for a credit / debit card imprint to hold as a deposit for the rental equipment that is issued. It is also helpful if you bring your actual ski socks to ensure you receive the best fitting boots.

Please email us with your name and booking reference and we will send you a duplicate confirmation.

We use 128-bit encryption and SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology provided by GeoTrust to provide a 100% safe and secure environment for you to purchase travel goods through.

SkiExtras offers customers the widest choice of rental shops at the very lowest prices. All rental equipment is branded equipment with manufacturers such as Rossignol, Salomon, Atomic, Volkl, Dynastar, Head and K2 to name but a few.

SkiExtras is also one of the only companies that is fully bonded by the Travel Trust Association, who ensure that your online purchases are fully protected against commercial failure.

In most cases the ski schools require you to collect your ski school tickets from one of their offices in resort the night before or early in the morning of the day in which the lesson begins. Some Schools will contact you before you depart on your holiday to confirm specific details and or meeting places and times. Your booking confirmation / voucher contains the ski school address to help you find it, however many larger resorts have several ski school offices where your voucher can be exchanged. Don’t forget to take along your SkiExtras Voucher!

We suggest that all ski school times are checked with the local ski school office prior to the lesson commencing as often lesson times can be re-scheduled due to weather and / or snow conditions. Many ski schools amend their lesson start times when the clocks go forward in the spring. It is recommended that you arrive at least 15minutes before the lesson is due to commence on the first day to ensure that you have sufficient time to find your group, and get your sun cream on.

Don’t worry, if you have selected the wrong level we simply ask that you send us an e-mail at least 5 working days before departure detailing you amendment, and quoting your booking reference and lead booking name. Amendments to ski school bookings made within 5 working days will incur a charge of £5 per amendment. If the ski school has contacted you before departure to discuss your booking and requirements then your level will have already been determined by the ski school. If however you are collecting your ski school tickets in resort then you will normally be able to change your level directly with the school upon collection. On the first day of group lessons the instructors will usually assess their group to ensure that the customer is comfortable with the level of ability and then change your group to a more suitable level as appropriate.

Please email us with the details of any change you would like to make and we will do our best to accommodate these. Please remember to include your booking reference and lead customer name and make sure you contact us at least 5 working days prior to your lesson period commencing. Amendments to ski school bookings within 5 working days will incur a charge of £5 per amendment and in addition will be subject to any cancellation fees levied by the ski school. Please note that amendments can not be guaranteed due to the limitations of supply and necessity to ensure maximum lesson numbers are maintained. In the event that an amendment can not be made, the lesson will be cancelled and or an alternative lesson will be offered in its place.

Acting as an Agent for the ski schools SkiExtras makes refunds on behalf of the ski schools. If you need to cancel prior to commencement of booking please contact us info@skiextras.com
In case of exercise of the withdrawal right within the clear 7-day cooling-off period, the sums paid by the client shall be refunded less an administrative charge of £5.00 per person. The refund is made using the same service that the Client used to make the booking. The cooling-off period shall no longer apply if the date the client places the booking is within three days (inclusive) of the start date of the lesson.
All cancellations of bookings until 3 days (included) before the beginning of the tuition will result in the refund of the lesson less a £25.00 per person administrative charge.
Cancellations less than three days in advance are at the discretion of SkiExtras acting on behalf the ski school and may incur a greater penalty. This greater penalty along with the £25.00 administrative charge will be deducted prior to making any refunds.

Full day lessons are normally lessons that consist of both a morning and separate afternoon lesson with a stop break in between for lunch where you can go off and relax back at your accommodation or sample one of the local mountain restaurants. Some full day lessons are exactly that, whereas there is all day supervision by an instructor and a lunch stop will be made and lunch either included or paid directly by the customer. If lunch is included this will be identified on you booking confirmation and voucher.

Please select from 1 of the levels below that best describes your ability:
Level 1: Never been skiing or boarding, complete beginner.
Level 2: Have been skiing or boarding for a week or more, but needs to build confidence.
Level 3: Confident intermediate skier or boarder who wants to improve.
Level 4: Fairly experienced skier or boarder who wants to polish their technique

In most resorts you will be required to collect your lift passes directly from one of the lift ticket windows in resort. You must ensure that you present your SkiExtras booking voucher along with a photo id to ensure that you are able to claim your passes. The SkiExtras booking confirmation will contain the address of the lift ticket window in order to help you locate the office. Some resorts will actually deliver your passes directly to your accommodation. In this instance delivery will be clearly stated on your booking confirmation.
It is important to know that only your original SkiExtras voucher with unique booking reference can be used to claim lift tickets, no e-mail exchanges or any other paperwork will be accepted.

No. None of the ski resorts offer a refund for unused days.
In the event of prolonged severe weather conditions where it results in the mountain / resort being totally closed it may be possible that the lift companies will offer a credit note or partial refund, however this is totally discretional by each individual lift company.

Most resorts now issue a paper receipt which accompanies the actual ski pass in order for the customer to safeguard the lift pass identification. In the event that the lift pass is lost the lift pass can be cancelled by the lift pass company and a new pass issued (sometimes an administration charge may be made by the lift company). Many resorts will only re-issue a lift pass the following day after it has been reported as lost or stolen and once the lift pass in question has been fully cancelled. In the event that the lift pass is lost and no receipt is issued to support the lift pass, then it is totally discretional for the lift company whether they will replace it or not. Generally you are responsible for the safe keeping of your lift pass once it has been redeemed from the ticket office.

A local area lift pass is a pass that normally covers the individual resort or localised vicinity where more than 2 or more ski areas exist in a single general domain. In most cases resorts that offer local area lift passes give customers the option to upgrade their lift passes to full area passes on either a daily or weekly basis.

Please email us with the details of any change you would like to make and we will do our best to accommodate these. Please remember to include your booking reference and lead customer name and make sure you contact us at least 5 working days prior to your lift ticket period commencing. Amendments to bookings within 5 working days will incur a charge of £5 per amendment and in addition will be subject to any cancellation fees levied by the lift pass company.

Acting as an Agent for the lift companies SkiExtras makes refunds on behalf of the lift companies. If you need to cancel prior to commencement of booking please contact us info@skiextras.com
In case of exercise of the withdrawal right within the clear 7-day cooling-off period, the sums paid by the client shall be refunded less an administrative charge of £5.00 per person. The refund is made using the same service that the Client used to make the booking. The cooling-off period shall no longer apply if the date the client places the booking is within three days (inclusive) of the start date of the lift ticket duration.
All cancellations of bookings until 3 days (included) before the beginning of the lift ticket duration will result in the refund of the ticket less a £25.00 per person administrative charge.
Cancellations less than three days in advance are at the discretion of SkiExtras acting on behalf the lift company and may incur a greater penalty. This greater penalty along with the £25.00 administrative charge will be deducted prior to making any refunds.

This website is operated by SkiExtras (International) Limited who is an Appointed representative of Online Travel Insurance Services Ltd which is a firm authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. The firm reference number is 480416 which can be verified by visiting the FSA website at http://www.fsa.gov.uk/register/

If you have only one trip planned in a calendar year then a single trip policy could be ideal. If you take frequent trips abroad, then an annual multi-trip policy may be even better value as it covers you for an unlimited number of trips in any calendar year. For those who are looking to travel for extended durations, for instance if you are on a gap year, then a long stay policy may be suitable.

The policies are designed to be economical single trip and Annual policies for those up to 74 years of age - simply follow the 'Get A Quote' button on the home page. The policies are designed so that partners are able to travel independently of each other at no extra cost.

The requirement for being defined as a couple and so be able to take advantage of the lower joint-premiums is that you have to have been cohabiting for at least 6 months. You do not have to be married (or indeed of differing sexes).

The policies are designed so that partners are able to travel independently of each other at no extra cost. There are some policies which will allow children to travel independently form their parents or Guardians so call 0844 249 9280 for details.

If you are not entirely satisfied with your policy you must telephone the customer service number provided to state why the cover is unsuitable. The specialist advisors will endeavour to provide you with a policy that suits your requirements providing that you have not travelled or made a claim on the existing policy. In the event that the policy is still unsuitable then you will receive a full refund providing you return the relevant insurance documents within 14 days of purchase.

Yes, all policies carry a cooling off period of up to 14 days after purchase as long as you have not yet travelled.

Some existing medical conditions can be covered but only with the underwriter's approval. Call the specialist advisors on 0844 249 9280 who will be best positioned to provide you with best advice for your situation. It is your responsibility to make the insurer aware of any possible health problem and failure to comply with the terms and conditions can make any insurance policy invalid.

Yes, we recommend that you take your policy document with you on holiday so that you can provide proof of purchase if necessary. This document will contain the emergency contact numbers required in the event of a medical problem and provides guidance on what to do in the event of a loss or damage to your personal belongings.
It is advised that a copy is also left with a responsible person in case the original is stolen or misplaced whilst you are abroad.

Your policy certificate and policy documentation will provide details on the emergency contact number and support company who will provide immediate help if you are ill or injured whilst on holiday outside the United Kingdom. These specialist multi-lingual emergency services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Insurers require documentation proving that the personal belongings have been stolen or lost. You must report any theft or loss within 24 hours of discovery to the local police or to a person responsible for the transportation/accommodation element of your holiday. Once you have reported the incident to the local authorities you will need to ask them to provide a written report and this will need to be submitted with your claim form.

All European Union countries have reciprocal agreements with the UK that allow UK nationals to obtain medical care in the country being visited. If you are travelling to a country taking part in this agreement, you should obtain a card by submitting an online application https://www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/home.do and carry the card with your travel documents. Note* The EHIC card is not designed to replace your travel insurance policy as it provides no coverage for instances such as cancellation, curtailment, theft or loss of property.

Yes, cover is provided for scuba diving to a maximum of 50 metres as long as you have the relevant travel insurance policy endorsing this activity and that you have a recognised diving qualification or you are diving with a qualified instructor.

When searching online you must ensure that the policy description indicates which hazardous activities are covered provided that they are not the sole purpose of your trip and that the activity is undertaken on an occasional basis. If you need advice or clarification on activities do not hesitate to call 0844 249 9280 for further advice.

Yes, as long as you are within the resort boundaries and following ski patrol guidelines

Some policies will pay if there is not enough snow or if bad weather conditions prevail which closes all the lift systems in your resort for more than 24 hours and prevents you from skiing or snowboarding. You will need to obtain a letter from the resort's management confirming how long the resort was closed and why. Please refer to the policy description for full details of levels of cover.

For medical emergencies, please call the specialist multi-lingual emergency services for immediate help. Emergency contact numbers are shown on your policy certificate. When you contact them tell them that you are insured with the 'Online Travel Insurance Services Ltd' and give them the following information:
Your policy certificate number
your name
your address
your phone number abroad
the name and phone number of the hospital and the relevant doctor
For other claims, call the number shown on your policy certificate for a claim form as soon as you return from your trip. Once completed send your claim form back to the assistance company within 28 days of your trip ending, along with any travel tickets and your insurance certificate. If you have received medical attention for an injury or sickness, you will need to send a medical certificate showing the nature of the problem, and any bills that you should have paid.

SkiExtras (International) Limited’s web sites uses industry standard Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology which means that you're personal and credit card details are transmitted in a secure encrypted format when buying your travel insurance through this web site.

Policies are not sourced from 1 single insurer or underwriter as it is more beneficial offering a choice to the consumer. Policies have been underwritten by major UK companies and they have been tailored to suit a wide range of travel itineraries, budgets and activities.