Chalet Ski Launch At Olympia

It was good to see a new company launch at Olympia this week, Chalet Ski who will also be developing a site specifically for Ski In Ski Out clients, welcomed operators and clients to its stand and for a very new company, had an impressive website and array of good quality chalets, several of them ski in ski out too! Good luck and we'll watch carefully how you get on.

Ski In Ski Out Chalets

One of the problems we have always experienced when booking a chalet or ski hotel is how far it actually is from the ski slopes! If you are like us, many an advert has read 5 minutes to the nearest lift, only to find when you get, the timing was clearly made by Lewis Hamilton and certainly not whilst wearing ski boots and carrying skis!!

Over time we migrated more and more towards ski accommodation that was actually visibly close to the piste and today often deemed ski in ski out. However, just because they say ski in ski out, do look for the evidence as some operators claim to be such, only to find when you get there this means ski in ski out for SAS trained soldiers who are used to climbing barbed wire fences and several other objects, just to ski to and from the door!

So if in doubt ask, how close are you to the slopes or door, or alternatively, book with a reputable operator such a Ski In Ski Out Chalets who only offer true ski in ski out chalets.

Ski In Ski Out Chalets

One of the problems we have always experienced when booking a chalet or ski hotel is how far it actually is from the ski slopes! If you are like us, many an advert has read 5 minutes to the nearest lift, only to find when you get, the timing was clearly made by Lewis Hamilton and certainly not whilst wearing ski boots and carrying skis!!

Over time we migrated more and more towards ski accommodation that was actually visibly close to the piste and today often deemed ski in ski out. However, just because they say ski in ski out, do look for the evidence as some operators claim to be such, only to find when you get there this means ski in ski out for SAS trained soldiers who are used to climbing barbed wire fences and several other objects, just to ski to and from the door!

So if in doubt ask, how close are you to the slopes or door, or alternatively, book with a reputable operator such a Ski In Ski Out Chalets who only offer true ski in ski out chalets.

Ski In Ski Out

If you are looking for the best ski in ski out Chamonix chalet, then Chalet prarion is undoubtably the stand out chalet in the valley. Six bedrooms sleeping 12 people, this slope side chalet is not only situated next to the piste that is a short ski to the ESF Ski School and Prarion Gondola, it also has its own Games Room, Cinema Projection, hot tub, and four staff to pamper to your every need!

Ski New Year

If you are looking for a ski in ski out chalet for skiing New Year, our advice would be to not leave it to the last minute as such sort after chalets are never the last to go, and actually, as one might expect, some of the first to go.

So before dusting down the summers bikini, you might just want to pick up the phone and make that New Year ski booking.

Easter Ski

Even in the close season, demand for ski holidays is still high, and whilst its mainly the peak weeks that are selling fast, other weeks are still being snapped up. One of the peal weeks that you can get ahead is the Easter ski holidays as demand typically doesn't ramp up until after the summer. So if you want t o get ahead, book early and get the best chalets.

Gay Ski

Pink Ski are a new ski company on the block and we have been informed will be providing a ski resources site for the gay and lesbian ski community featuring resort information and great chalets for gay skiers and gay ski groups.

Family Ski Resort

If you are looking for a great family ski resort, you might be surprised when we suggest Les Houches in the Chamonix Valley. Chamonix might be famous for extreme skiing, but in Les Houches they have one of the best family ski resorts in the Alps. A great family friendly ski school, fabulous facilities for children at the top of the Prarion. A travelator / magic carpet and an adapted chair lift for added safety for small children. Add this to a sunny plateau, confidence building green, blue, and red runs, and there you have it, a must visit family ski resort.

As for ski in ski out chalets, there are very few, but close to the Prarion Gondola and ESF Ski School one chalet stands out as not only the best family chalets in the Chamonix Valley, but in the Alps with pricing that may well be pleasantly surprising for the service you get!

Season Slowly Coming To An End

Well slowly the ski season is now coming to an end, although many resorts still have great snow, with the high altitude resorts likely to stay open well into May. Here at Ski In Ski Out Blog we won't however be putting our feet up and will continue blogging on the best places to ski and the best places to stay.

Luxury Ski Resorts In Europe

Luxury ski resorts are the difference in our opinion between having a nice ski holiday, and a fantastic one. So if you are looking for one of the best luxury ski chalets you can find, make sure its in one of the ski resorts that matches such luxury with plenty of ski runs, for all levels of skier, its skiing is world famous, its extensive and has high altitude skiing, the resort is known as much for its apres-ski as much as it is for its skiing, and its somewhere Kylie doesn't mind being seen in (but not just Chamonix of course)!

And one last thing, so you have selected first the luxury ski resort, second the luxury catered chalet, but don't forget of course to check its a ski in ski out chalet too! Happy skiing everyone.

Best Chalets

If you are looking for great luxury catered chalets, no, the best chalets in Europe, Val d'Isere has to be top of the pile. In Val d'Isere, it seems that there are more luxury chalets per chalet, than in any other resort in the Alps. Chalet Yeti is definitely worth a mention with its own indoor pool, as is Chalet Le Chardon, or Chalet Kilimanjaro.

But don't just take our word for it, check out the link at the top for the Ski In Ski Out site and see for yourself.

Family Chalet

If you are looking for a great family chalet, this week we're focusing on Chamonix and Chalet Prarion, the best ski in ski out chalet in the Chamonix ski area, but also probably one of the best family chalets too.

Sleeping 12 people in 6 en-suite bedrooms, this luxury catered chalet really is very well priced and aimed at family ski groups as a consequence. In many other resorts, and chamonix itself you would typically expect to pay considerably more but their preference and market focus seems geared towards the family market, affluent yes, but in the reach of most successful businessmen and corporate executives who ware looking to bring their family to a great luxury family chalet, that is right on the piste.

In terms of the family ski chalet facilities, lets start with the younger ones who have their own Games Room, equipped with a full size pool table, a Wii, and home cinema, as well as stacks of DVD's and games, and outside a large south facing garden with sledges and toys. In terms of the parents, assuming Dad can be removed from the Pool Table, the terrace with its sunken hot tub, and then inside a luxurious oak dining table in front of the log fire where you can dine in style the meals produced by the professional chef. Afterwards relax in the leather suites and listen to the music on the Chalet's Bose system, or watch a movie in high definition projection cinema?

A truly magnificent ski in ski out family chalet.

Ski Easter

There are some great ski in ski out chalets enjoying a fabulous Easter ski week with snow across the Alps in the high altitude resorts providing fantastic conditions and more forcast Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. If you haven't booked a getaway for the Easter ski holiday break, there is still availability so its not too late to sneak away for that long Easter ski weekend and ski some great conditions, but the more it snows of course, the less availability there be!

Ski Christmas

One of the best ways to enjoy a Christmas ski holiday must surely be in a ski in ski out chalet. Imagine waking up on Christmas morning as people are skiing past your chalet,  and then opening Christmas presents under the Christmas tree as you look outside at the 'white Christmas' landscape, before putting on the your Christmas gifts that loved ones have bought for you on the special day, and just skiing from your very own luxury Christmas chalet.

Ski New Year

Skiing New Year is a great way to overcome too much Christmas turkey and Christmas pudding. Most operators this year are operating a Sunday changeover as Christmas Day and New Years Day fall on the Saturday. This might however then create an unprecedented demand for flights on the 26th December 2010. There are therefore two factors to note here that point to booking early your New Year ski chalet, one is that this week gets booked very quickly anyway, secondly, this year could see unprecedented demand for flights on the Sunday for the best ski weekend of the year and invariably lead to high flight prices for all but the early birds.

So if you are going to join all the other ski New Years eve revelers, you might want to get in early.

  

Chamonix Christmas

If you are a little bored of the debates regarding who will be cooking Christmas dinner, there is another way! So how about getting away from it all and booking a Chamonix Christmas chalet? Chamonix is an old historic town, and with the ancient buildings, the horse drawn carriage, lights and decorations, its the perfect place to really soak up that atmosphere.

And if you decide to book a ski in ski out chalet, to make it the ultimate ski Christmas break, you won't go far wrong with Chalet Prarion. This is the finest ski in ski out Chamonix chalet with 6 bedrooms accommodating 12 people. A true luxury chalet your have your own personal chef, professionally qualified, a south facing decking with a luxury hot tub facing on to the piste, a Games Room (including Home Cinema, Pool Table, Wii, and DVD's and games), and high definition cinema projection with Bose surround sound.

The perfect place for the ultimate ski Chamonix Christmas holiday!

Luxury Chalets Val d'Isere

One of the best ski resorts in the world, Val d'Isere, just happens to also have some of the best ski in ski out luxury ski chalets too. Situated in the Espace Killy ski region at 1,850m it offers great snow conditions and virtually unlimited skiing on and off-piste. if you are into your statistics, it has over 300km of pistes and 134 ski runs of which 63 are black, 46 red and 25 are blue.

In terms of the town, its everything a ski resort should be in our book, tastefully developed chalets using wood and traditional stone, a hip and sophisticated town centre, and all runs converging on the resort to ensure apres-ski time things start to really get going.

In terms of chalets, catered chalets here mean luxury, and Val d'Isere luxury catered chalets means super lux!! And if you are going to one of the very best ski resorts in the world, and stopping at one of the best luxury catered chalets, you might as well make it a ski in ski out one!!

Park City

If you are looking for one of the very best ski in ski out luxury chalet villas in America, there is a good chance you will find it in Park City, USA. With skiing over 3,000m and the resort situated at over 2,000, this is one resort you can be as sure as anyone can be that it is going to snow sure all year round. Park City, as well as great snow conditions, also boasts nearly 9,000 acres of snow terrain and 49 lifts with a good mixture of runs for all levels.

But if you are looking for the ultimate ski in ski out luxury catered chalet in Park City, Casa Nova has to surely be one of the best. 13,000 feet of living space and able to accommodate up to 25 people, this luxury Park City villa has a 7 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, 4 master suites, 10 fireplaces, 10 terraces/patios, a Skier's Lodge, On-Site Spa, 2 hot tubs, a cinema projection room that seats up to 15, and a Library! Oh, and a map , just in case you get lost in the outstanding luxury ski villa!

Ski Chamonix

If you are looking to ski Chamonix you are in for one of the great treats! Chamonix has everything, from a bustling town, with a great apres-ski nightlife, boutiques, and limitless restaurants and bars, through to the most challenging skiing in the world.

But families shouldn't be put off by its macho image, Le Tour and Les Houches, the latter in particular, are two family friendly ski resorts and defy the misconception that Chamonix is just for expert skiers.

This said, yes it is special, and off-piste skiing such as the world famous Vallee Blanche ensures it stays ahead of the others as the mecca for the best skiers in the world.

In terms of ski in ski out in Chamonix, there are only three such properties and Chalet Prarion is the most famous and best slope side luxury catered chalet, as the New year media reports will testify!

Ski Half Term

This week its the start of the ski half term holidays so the ski in ski out location will be extra handy to get that first powder. With snow falling all week, the most popular family ski week is set to be a fantastic one for all the family.

And for those that are stressing with the final packing, have a look at the Family Ski Advice Half Term blog which has taken a light hearted view of the family skiing preparation and roles that develop. Unfortunately it seems a little too close to the mark to be comfortable, I guess that is my guilty side!

Enjoy your Family Ski Chalet and have a great ski halt term holiday!

Ski In Out

Ski In Out is a blog to highlight great ski in ski out holidays across the world. We will feature the best resorts, and the best ski in ski out accommodation to ensure the selection of your holiday is as easy as your ski in ski out holiday will be.

For the avoidance of doubt, ski in ski out we define as ideally being on the piste, but certainly no further than 25 metres from a piste and possible to ski to the piste, and back to the ski chalet without having to ski over gardens, cross roads, or dodge trees, and our favourite line on some sites "conditions permitting".

On the conditions permitting, we note that ski in ski out is not all year round, and that late on in the ski season 'conditions can deteriorate', but we believe "conditions permitting" generally means something more sinister than this, such as the fact it isn't any where near the piste, and that as it isn't pisted, it generally isn't skiable, and therefore is not a ski in ski out chalet.

So now we have the definition sorted, we hope you enjoy reading ski in ski out.