Ski

A great ski holiday comes down to details most people only discover once they arrive: how far the hotel really is from the lift, whether the ski room is warm in the morning, which instructor suits a nervous eight-year-old, and whether the transfer from Geneva takes two hours or four in February traffic.

As a luxury travel agency that has sent clients to the Alps for many years, we plan luxury ski holidays around those details. We work with the best hotels in the French and Swiss Alps, from ski-in, ski-out palaces in Courchevel to the grand hotels of St Moritz and Gstaad, and we know which room, which week and which resort will suit you.

Every Alpine resort has its own character. Some are about big mileage and high-altitude snow, others about long lunches, beautiful villages and gentle slopes. Here are the resorts we book most often, and who each one suits.

Our ski hotels range from the palaces of Courchevel 1850 to smaller, more personal hotels in traditional villages. For most clients the priority is ski-in, ski-out access, so you can clip into your skis at the door, followed by a ski concierge who fits boots, warms them overnight and has your pass ready.

Families often prefer a hotel with connecting rooms or a suite, a kids’ club and an in-house ski school. Groups of friends may want a private apartment within a hotel, with full service but more space. Tell us who is travelling and we will suggest the right hotel and the right room.

Flights from London to Geneva or Zurich take under two hours, and Chambéry is a good option for the French resorts in the busiest weeks. From the airport we arrange a private car, or a helicopter transfer to resorts such as Courchevel, which turns a long drive into a short, spectacular flight.

We book private instructors, ski school places and childcare well in advance, as the best instructors are reserved months ahead for February half-term and the Christmas and New Year weeks. We can also arrange equipment to be fitted in your room on arrival and restaurant tables for every evening of your stay.

The Alpine ski season runs from early December to mid-April, with high-altitude resorts such as Val d’Isère often open from late November into early May.

December brings the festive atmosphere and busy Christmas and New Year weeks. January is quieter and cold, with good snow and better availability. February has the most reliable conditions but is the busiest month, with school half-terms across Europe. March and April bring longer, sunnier days and spring snow, and are often the best value in the palace hotels.