Valmorel, France
Great for: A young family looking for convenient skiing, good tuition and child-friendly facilities
Why? This small, traffic-free resort offers convenient ski-in ski-out accommodation, the ski school has a good reputation, and many of the instructors speak good English. Transfers from Chambery airport take 75 minutes and it’s just 25 minutes from Moutiers train station.
The ski area is limited to 100 miles of pistes, and lift passes are slightly cheaper than in larger resorts. Plus, this is one of only a few resorts to offer discounted six-day passes for larger families with up to five children.
There is plenty of après-ski including a cinema and the chance to spend the night in an igloo.
What’s new? An eight-seat gondola linking Valmorel to Celliers Valleys has expanded the ski area into the Lauziere Massif.
Sample product: P&V has seven nights in a studio, departing January 9 and 16 2010, from £365 per person. trade.pv-holidays.com, 08700 267 145
Pas de la Casa, Andorra
Great for: A group of beginners looking for cheap skiing and plenty of nightlife.
Why? Although Andorra has worked hard to shed its cheap and cheerful image, investing in quality hotels, new lifts and snow-making facilities, Pas de la Casa still offers some of the cheapest après-ski anywhere.
The liveliest resort in the Pyrenees, Pas is nicknamed Ibiza on Ice. The skiing is extensive, as the Grandvalira lift pass includes the neighbouring resorts of Soldeu and El Tartar.
What’s new? Andorra is one of 30 European resorts to join the Fresher’s Ski Week promotion, providing beginners with free lift passes, hire equipment and tuition when they book through one of five UK operators.
Sample product: A Fresher’s Ski Week with Neilson staying at the Crest Pas Apartments costs from £245 per person, departing January 17. neilson.co.uk, 0844 879 8150
Hakuba Valley, Honshu, Japan
Great for: A couple planning to combine a city break and skiing.
Why? Japan is an exotic holiday choice, and this little-known island gets a blast of first-rate powder blown over from Siberia, so excellent ski conditions are almost guaranteed.
There’s lots of skiing, both on and off-piste, for beginners and experts. Although Japan is more expensive to get to than the Alps, a daily lift pass is just £26, making skiing a bargain.
After hitting the slopes, couples can relax in traditional onsens – hot spring baths – or join the locals at Izakaya – Japanese pubs.
What’s new? To help rid Japan of its pricey image, InsideJapan Tours has introduced Winter Price Crunchers, a range of low-cost packages.
Sample product: InsideJapan has five nights in Happo and two nights in Tokyo, leading in at £644 per person, including bed and breakfast, transport to and from Tokyo and airport transfers. insidejapantours.com, 0117 314 4620
High Tatras mountains, Slovakia
Great for: A mixed-ability group looking for a sociable ski holiday.
Why? The High Tatras boast varied terrain for skiers and boarders, making them a good bet for groups of mixed abilities and interests. The stunning view of the Carpathian mountains distinguishes Slovakia from some of the blander high-altitude French resorts.
Tatranska Lomnica gets four stars from Inghams for beginners, intermediates and snowboarders, and three for advanced skiers.
Other activities include an aqua park and thermal pools, night sledding, ice skating and horse-drawn sleigh rides.
What’s new? Beginners will revel in the fairly undemanding ski area of Smokovic, accessed from the more varied terrain of Tatranska Lomnica via the new Hrebienok funicular.
Sample product: Inghams has all-inclusive packages including lift passes, equipment hire, tuition and lunch in a mountain restaurant along with half-board accommodation and free drinks with dinner in the four-star Grand Hotel Starý Smokovec, flights and transfers. Prices lead in at £715 per person. inghams.co.uk/agents, 020 8780 4444
Whistler, Canada
Great for: Experienced skiers wanting luxury and tough runs.
Why? Combine one of the world’s top resorts with the swanky Fairmont Hotel and you’ve got a luxury ski package – but one that comes with a credit-crunched price tag.
Canada is undoubtedly more expensive than Europe because of the cost of the flights, but once there, clients will find the skiing is cheaper and the cost of living lower.
The Fairmont Hotel is one of the properties included in Crystal’s Ski Plus package, which enables guests to make savings by including lift passes, ski hire and transfers in the package.
What’s new? Whistler is hosting the Winter Olympics in February and March 2010, and after the Games, the Olympic venues will be open for tours and sightseeing.
Sample product: Crystal Ski Plus has seven nights at the Fairmont, including British Airways flights to Vancouver, transfers, lift pass and ski hire. Prices lead in at £1,289 per person. crystalski.co.uk, 0871 231 2256
