With Austria in full lockdown until December 13, at the time of writing, and a rapidly evolving Omicron storyline, Irish ski fans are taking a wait-and-see approach to mountain vacations. Ski operators at French resorts such as La Rosière were aiming to reopen yesterday.

The situation changes from hour to hour, so don’t cancel your winter vacation just yet. Our resorts will be open and our local businesses will do anything to welcome you, ”said a spokesperson from Morzine, a popular Irish destination in the Franco-Swiss Portes du Soleil ski area.

Skiing vacations can be expensive at the best of times, with lift passes, ski equipment, and lessons all added to the price of a base pass. Not to mention those lunches at the mountain restaurant.

To make matters worse this winter, prices are on the rise and availability is down due to pent-up demand and the re-booking of the delayed 2020 vacations. That said, many people can delay booking until they see how the season – and the pandemic – plays out, which could mean offers or discounts as resorts compete for your business.

Assuming you’re happy to take a chance and book (and have taken out good travel insurance), how do you find a cheap ski holiday that also offers first-class skiing and good facilities?

There are a few tips that will help you find the best vacation. First of all, as with everything, it’s about location – you’ll find lower prices in a lesser-known ski area or if you’re staying in a small village tied to a larger destination. Head to destinations like Andorra that offer free kids packages. Make sure you keep your keep an eye out for offers and discounts for the weeks that are not sold out. At the time of writing, there is still availability for Christmas.

And listen to the experts – in the UK, a new Post Office ski resort survey found Bulgaria to be Europe’s most affordable destination, followed by Italy with four of the top 10 ski destinations. more affordable: Bardonecchia, Sauze d’Oulx, Sestriere and La Thuile. Make it your first stopover when looking for a vacation.

Once you’ve decided on your location, don’t just look at package prices; Also inquire about the prices of meals and activities on site. And, finally, look for availability during off-peak hours. January and March usually do the trick – and the worst of Wave Four may be over by then.

Here are five inexpensive stays that still have availability.

1 Mont-Fort Swiss Lodge, Le Chable, Verbier, Switzerland

Verbier and budget? Don’t be silly, we hear you say. But for die-hard backcountry skiers and snowboarders who want to experience one of the best skis in the world, there is a way.

Verbier is well known as an expensive upscale resort, but by staying at Le Chable, a nine-minute cable car ride down the valley, you can access cheaper accommodation and cheaper food / drink prices. Rooms at Mont-Fort Swiss Lodge are simple, but you’ll access some of the most elegant high-altitude off-piste terrain on the planet with routes like Mont Gele, Tortin, Vallon d’Arbi, and Stairway to Heaven.

Seasoned ski tourers and off-piste skiers know that the best way to avoid expensive lift passes and mountain restaurants is to pack a lunch, hurtle down the mountain, cross-country ski, and eat on the slopes. slopes, surrounded by superb peaks of 3000 m.

At the end of the line : The rates for the Mont-Fort Swiss Chalet are around € 66 per night.
montfortswisslodge.ch

If you like this you will love this: The new Base Camp Lodge in Les Deux Alpes, in the Isère region of France, offers “capsule accommodation” from € 39 per person per night.
hotel-basecamplodge.com

2 Euroski Mountain Resort Hotel, El Tarter, Andorra

This traditional and spacious four-star hotel is located between Soldeu and El Tarter in the popular Grandvalira ski area which offers 210 km of ski slopes and excellent ski schools for beginners. The hotel has a spa, a free shuttle to the ski lifts and a ski slope next door, for the exclusive use of hotel guests.

Andorra is an affordable choice for families with reasonable prices in the resort, both for meals and parental after-drinks. Best of all, kids under 11 ski for free.

At the end of the line : a seven-night package with crystalski.fr – based on half board for two adults and two children from February 6, 2022 – costs € 719 per person. The price of the package includes flights, transfers and representation service. Crystal Ski also offers affordable Christmas packages to Alpbach and Niederau in Austria.

If you like this you will love this: UK Post ski resort report crowned Borovets in Bulgaria the most affordable ski destination in Europe. It is a resort for beginners with wooded slopes and good quality accommodation. Traveling from Belfast with vacancesbalkans.fr, a stay at the Euphoria Club hotel costs from € 400 per person in low season.

3 Le White Pearl Lodge & Spa, Plagne Soleil, Paradiski, France

This newly opened five-star residence is located in a quiet location, ski in ski out, in the heart of the La Plagne ski area. This has a wellness center complete with hot tubs and a salt cave. To really experience the atmosphere of a French mountain holiday, you can borrow equipment to make your own raclette or fondue. For a pure adventure and a memorable experience, dare the bob raft descent on the Olympic bobsleigh course in La Plagne.

We picked this as a package vacation choice for young families as the price is decent for a newly built five-star residence and kids under five ski for free.

At the end of the line : Traveling with Directski.com and based on two adults and four children, the price per person is € 572 in a two bedroom residence. and includes flights, transfers, accommodation and representation service.

If you like this you will love this: The Pays de Gex in the Monts-Jura region, just 20 minutes from Geneva, offers families affordable ski holidays with seven nights in the Les Berlicants residence at less than € 500 per apartment. With a new direct Swiss Air service from Cork to Geneva, this is a good choice for families in Munster. les-berlicants.com

4 Avenida Mountain Lodges, Kaprun, Austria

For early and late season skiers who want to make turns on the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, which culminates at the “Salzburg Summit” at over 3,000 meters, these lodges are an excellent choice. The contemporary one-bedroom suites have a private terrace, two bathrooms and access to a wellness area. With four adults sharing a one-bedroom suite, someone has to accept the living room sofa bed, but at least the suites are spacious and luxurious, with a price per person of less than € 400 (B&B only).

At the end of the line : Seven nights between December 8 and December 15 cost a total of € 1,554 based on four shares, including breakfast. Flights, however, are not included in this offer from montagnards.fr. They also offer round-trip transfers from Salzburg for € 105 per person.

If you like this you will love this: Flachau in Salzburgerland, Austria has an amazing family week deal, valid from March 12 to April 6. included. Flights and transfers are not included in this offer. Requests can be made via flachau.com.

5 Hotel Trieste, Roccaraso, Abruzzo, Italy

We’re talking about medium-term magic here. Accessible from Naples or Rome, the ski areas of Abruzzo are relatively unknown to Irish skiers but are located in the middle of beautiful villages such as Pescocostanzo and the Abruzzo National Park.

Hotel Trieste de Roccaraso is a traditional mountain hotel that offers a free shuttle to the slopes. Roccaraso has an ice rink and great Italian food at affordable prices at restaurants like La Fattoria where delicious homemade pizzas cost from € 7.

At the end of the line : Traveling with skiabruzzo.com, a six-night stay at the Hotel Trieste mid-term costs € 463 per person, based on half-board for two adults and two children sharing the room, and including airport transfers. Flights are not included. Ski Abruzzo also offers flexibility – you can arrive mid-week to take advantage of better flight prices and can add extra nights.

If you like this you will love this: Some of the most affordable resorts in Italy include La Thuile, Cervinia and Pila, all in the Aosta Valley with packages available from crystalski.fr

Know before you go: essential information

It has never been more important to make sure you have good travel insurance with winter sports coverage and a Covid clause, and to look for flexible cancellation policies if you book ski accommodation directly and flights / transfers.

Alpine countries such as France, Italy, Switzerland, and Andorra all have different rules and regulations regarding Covid. A national lockdown is currently in effect in Austria – the Irish favorite ski destination – until December 13. For updates, see austria.info

Travelers returning to Ireland must now have a negative PCR test. For the latest updates, check out dfa.ie