Joanna Booth finds her feet learning to ski with Inghams in Kitzbühel
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I’ve only known Peter for 10 minutes, and we’re already in a fairly intimate embrace.
I’m not that kind of girl – really. Peter is my ski instructor, and the reason I’m clutching him so tightly is that having skied into him, I’ve now lost my footing and he’s the only thing stopping me from falling flat on my face.
An ex-slalom racer, Peter manages not only to keep a straight face at my pratfalls, but also to give calm and practical guidance. After another 10 minutes, I’m managing to simultaneously stay upright and slide – albeit slowly and tentatively – down the nursery slope.
The sun is shining, the mountains look picture-perfect and I’m actually skiing! I’m tempted to hug Peter again – but this time through excitement, rather than necessity.
Power to the piste
I’m learning to ski with Inghams Holidays in the beautiful Austrian resort of Kitzbühel.
The operator predicts that there’ll be plenty more newbies like me keen to find their snow legs this year. The theory is that pent-up demand – from those discouraged from trying this relatively expensive pastime by the past few years’ economic instability – is about to burst free.
So for the upcoming season, Inghams is introducing special new to skiing packages that include six days’ ski and boot hire, ski school, and use of all beginners’ lifts, starting from £189. These are on offer at Morzine in France, Sauze in Italy, Kranjska Gora in Slovenia, Saariselka in Lapland, and Seefeld and Oberperfuss in Austria.
“First-time skiers should head to smaller resorts with wide, uncrowded nursery slopes, excellent English-speaking ski instructors to help build confidence, and great value bars and restaurants,” says Inghams’ Lydia Crisostomo.
I can attest that for novices, getting the right resort and tuition is key. My confidence could have been easily knocked if instruction had been inadequate or pistes just too tricky. As it was, even a klutz like me was able to make steady if slow progress. By the end of two days I had (mainly) swapped falling down for falling in love with skiing.
Tyrolean charm
Those who’ve gasped in fear watching Kitzbühel’s annual Hahnenkamm downhill ski race, where competitors plummet down the Streif piste at gradients of up to 85%, could be forgiven for thinking that the resort wouldn’t be fantastic for the first timer.
It may not make it into Inghams’ top six resorts for learners, but with some forgiving slopes among its 105 miles of ski runs, and free use of all the practice lifts in the valley, it has plenty to recommend it – especially for groups of mixed ability skiers. Alongside the fantastic tuition we learners received, the two experienced skiers in the group found plenty of exciting terrain, and raved about the quality of the Inghams’ ski guide who accompanied them, giving tips and encouraging them to push the boundary of their abilities.
As an added bonus, Kitzbühel is a beautiful Alpine town with cobbled streets, and colourful, wood-gabled historic buildings. Après-ski nightlife is relaxed and low key, with friendly bars and pubs in the town centre. We particularly loved Rosi’s Sonnbergstuben, a wood-panelled, check-tableclothed spot halfway up the mountain with incredible views by day and cosy nooks at night.
Rosi opened her restaurant 45 years ago and has expanded 17 times since, such is the success of her recipe blending traditional Tyrolean food, home-made schnapps and music – a dirndl-clad Rosi plays her guitar and yodels to customers.
Hotel heaven
We’re well fed everywhere in town, but the cuisine at our hotel takes the proverbial cake. The 88-room Hotel Schwarzer Adler is four-star, but feels more like a five, with a rooftop pool, underground spa and sauna, and truly gourmet dining. On our half-board package we get the world’s most extensive breakfast buffet and four-course banquet dinners in the main restaurant – there’s a lot of food, but it’s really quite refined fare. Those who want to upgrade can eat at the à la carte, Michelin-starred Neuwirt restaurant.
From the outside, the hotel looks traditionally Austrian; inside, it’s modern luxe with a slightly Scandinavian feel, all blonde wood, cosy textiles in neutral colours and log fires. The bar is stylish but not stuck-up, with live piano music after 9.30pm. Our visit somehow spiralled into a karaoke session, with me on the maracas.
Book it: Inghams offers seven nights’ half-board at the Hotel Schwarzer Adler from £944, including flights and transfers. Learn to ski packages start from £204, including six days’ ski and boot hire, six days’ ski school and use of all beginners’ lifts.
Ask an expert: Beginners’ resorts
Victoria Lavender, Ski Independence
“Breckenridge in Colorado is a fantastic place for beginners but also caters for intermediates and above so it’s often a brilliant choice for families. Whistler has a fantastic ski and snowboard school and amazing deals on everything from accommodation to lift tickets to ski school bookings.
“In Europe, we always recommend Les Arcs 1950 in France as a great place to learn to ski with the meeting point for the ski school easily accessible from every building in the village. The Portes du Soleil has some excellent beginner and intermediate slopes and lots of ski tuition options too – from groups to smaller, more individual lessons that particularly suit the needs of British skiers.”
Learn to ski packages
Balkan Holidays recommends Bansko in Bulgaria for first-time skiers, where the Ulen ski school has expert instructors, an extensive nursery area, and a kindergarten offering ski tuition for kids. A six-day First Time Ski Pack including lift pass, ski hire, boot hire and ski school starts from £120 per adult and £79 per child in low season.
The lead-in price for seven nights is £319 based on two adults and one child sharing an apartment on a B&B basis. Balkan offers free child places and single parent savings in selected hotels, subject to availability, and a special value-for-money family insurance policy. Free junior ski club or ski services are also available in Banskoif both parents pre-book fullski or snowboard packs.
SkiLapland offers Learn to Ski and Snowboard packages, including a six-day lift pass, equipment, and tuition, from £248 per adult and £199 per child. A week in Levi, Finland, with flights, transfers and self-catering accommodation leads in at £652. The operator offers exclusive funSki academies for kids between seven and 11, with a maximum of seven children per group.
