Many people believe ski holidays are reserved for high-income earners. However, there are now numerous places, recommendable accommodations and attractive ski areas that are perfectly suited to the budget of the average earner or families with several children in particular. SnowTrex presents 8 tips on how to enjoy a great ski holiday at a reasonable price:
1. Choose a smaller ski area
Austria and Switzerland in particular have plenty of so called “top ski areas”. However, these are not necessarily more recommended for families with children or beginners than the smaller, lesser-known ski areas. If you choose a smaller area in France, Germany, the Czech Republic or Poland, for example, you will spend up to 70 percent less on lift passes, equipment hire, ski school, meals and accommodation than in towns like Ischgl, Kitzbühel or Sölden. In addition, these ski areas are often in no way inferior to others in terms of family-friendliness.
2. Holiday apartment instead of a hotel
The accommodation itself is one of the best ways to save money. Winter holidaymakers who can do without a large spa facility and 3-course meals will find attractive, cosy and reasonably priced apartments in almost all ski resorts. Compared to a hotel, these have the advantage that the rooms usually offer more space than a hotel room and you can move “more freely”.
3. Package deal instead of booking individually
If you book your accommodation individually, buy the lift pass in resort and maybe even rent equipment, you will spend a considerable amount of money. However, if you know in advance that you want to go on a ski holiday at a certain time, you should definitely look for package holidays. This way, you can get the “full package” i.e. accommodation, lift pass and, if required, equipment hire and insurance cover at a much lower package price. It also makes the bill easier to keep track of: in resort, only the costs for food and drinks are added.
4. Packed lunch instead of Wiener Schnitzel
Speaking of food: although some people may be tempted to order a warm meal at the hut for lunch, the prices are often extremely high. It’s much cheaper to buy a variety of goodies in the supermarket ahead of time and make a nice sandwich in the morning for later the slopes. This way, you can save money for a meal at the mountain restaurant in the evening.
5. Book equipment hire online
Skiers without their own equipment should definitely reserve or book their equipment hire online before their holiday. The hire shops usually offer considerable discounts, sometimes allowing for savings of up to 70%. Another benefit: when going on a ski holiday during the main season, you don’t have to worry about not being able to get your equipment hire when you arrive. This makes the first day of skiing much more relaxing!
6. Purchase lift passes for several days
If you spend several days in a ski resort, you should definitely buy a multi-day ski pass. The more days you ski, the lower the price per day. Offers such as “ski for 6 days, pay for 5 days” are particularly attractive and popular. It’s best to find out about such offers before your ski holiday – after all, your budget may allow for one more day of skiing.
7. Keep an eye out for special deals
Many tour operators regularly have special offers for which ski holidays can be booked at particularly favourable prices. So, if you are patient and can be quite spontaneous when booking, you should be on the lookout for offers like these. You can often get great discounts per person in super ski areas and accommodations here.
8. Holiday during the low season
Not everyone can book holidays in the low season. Families with children in particular are often tied to holiday periods and thus to the main season. Nevertheless: if at all possible, you should not book over the popular days like New Year’s Eve or Easter if you want to save money. The price differences to the low season are usually enormous here. Another advantage of a skiing holiday in the low season: the slopes are emptier and the lift passes are also usually cheaper.
With these tips in mind, your wallet will certainly be spared on your next ski holiday. In addition, the SnowTrex Ski Resort Finder will also help you find the right ski holiday (for your budget).
