Inghams Ski Holidays: Apres-Ski Enjoyment!
What you get up to on the piste is only part of your holiday. After a hard day's exercise, we all unwind in different ways, so here's our guide to what we think are the best resorts for different types of après-ski enjoyment.
For every budget there is a resort to suit. Italy, Austria, France and Switzerland offer a wealth of good value resorts as well as trendier ones when your budget has no limit. Smaller ski countries such as Andorra and Bulgaria are also good value choices.
And if you like a good laugh while you're skiing, read our exciting news below about our partnership with Altitude Comedy Festival in Mayrhofen for departures on 24 March*.
Happy Schnappy
Rock me Amadeus… If you like your après-ski to start early (even at lunchtime!) head for schnapps-happy Austria*.
St Anton* and Ischgl* in particular are well known for their good-time afternoon atmosphere, and many of the bars in Mayrhofen*, Söll*, Saalbach*, Hinterglemm* and Obertauern* also know how to party.
Whether the music is Europop or traditional, played live or recorded, it’s played loud and the atmosphere is always energetic. Favoured tipples include Glühwein, Jägermeister shots and the marvellous local beer, and prices are generally lower than in much of the rest of the Alps.
Speaking of beer, one must mention the Moosewirt in St Anton, where more of it per square metre is reputedly sold than in any other bar in the whole of the Alps all year. And the bar is only open from 4-8pm in the winter!
Another favourite is Andorra* for great value partying and duty free delights.
This Germanic theme combines well with all things Italian* in the South Tyrolean resorts of Selva* and Ortisei*. Over in Switzerland*, the Teepee bar up at Kleine Scheidegg near Grindelwald* and Wengen*, the Popcorn bar in Saas-Fee* as well as the PapperlaPub where you can pour your own beer at your table and the popular Hennu Stall Ski Hut, both in Zermatt* are lively afternoon bars.
In France*, Méribel* isn’t averse to a bit of après-midi partying around the Rond Pont and in Val d'Isère*, the Folie Douce restaurant/bar on the mountain always pulls in the crowds. It closes early at 5.30pm but is well worth a visit. People always get up and dance on the tables.
Shaken not Stirred
Fine hotels, haute cuisine, classy cocktail bars... yes, you too can join the wintersports jetset with Inghams.
In France*, join the Parisienne and Cote d’Azur elite in cosmopolitan Courchevel* (be seen in Les Caves, reassuringly expensive and ultra cool) and chi-chi Chamonix* (Le Garage is its largest nightclub and melting pot for all the late night party-goers! It’s popular with holiday-makers, seasonaires and locals, and thus is a cocktail of French, Scandinavian and British).
The best high class resorts to offload a Swiss Franc or two include vivacious Verbier* and sophisticated St Moritz*. Walk down 'the catwalk of St Moritz' hallway at the famous Badrutt's Palace hotel lined with a selection of bars and restaurants or visit the casino. The piano bar at the Silvretta Park Hotel in Klosters*, a favoured resort of the Windsors, makes also for a pleasant evening of entertainment.
Resorts and bars “to be seen in” in Austria include Lech* where the après-ski starts in sunny Oberlech and continues down in the village at the Hotel Krone or Tannbergerhof and if you want to spend money visit the Strolz shop, the Harrods of the Alps. In Ischgl*, start partying at the sophisticated Pardorama at the top of the mountain before riding the gondola down and continuing at the Trofana Alm or Kuhstall bars in the village. Or, in Kitzbühel* sip on champagne in 'Romantik Hutt'n' - more is sold here than in any other bar in Austria. Further up the mountain, enjoy sophisticated 'Alpenhaus VIP bar'.
Further south, Italians form orderly queues (sic!) for the smart shops of Madonna di Campiglio, the gastronomic delights of La Villa* and the “ski boot bop” in Corvara*. By the way, these are all new Italian resorts for Inghams this season - we’re pulling our sophisticated socks up.
Burning the midnight oil
Loud music, late night bars and raunchy discos - if you can handle burning the candle at both ends, we’ve plenty of lively evening venues for you.
Davos* in Switzerland* has live music at the Bolgen Plaza and DJs and table dancing in the Jatz Hut. The Farm is one of the “places to be seen” in Verbier* - there are plenty more to choose from here including Coco Club and the resort's most popular bar Farinet. In Zermatt*, as well as the popular Schneewittchen disco, there’s Brown Cow, Vernissage and the 'Cave' nightclub where you can dance in to the early hours.
Meanwhile in France, Val d’Isère* is home to the original Dick’s Tea Bar and Alpe d’Huez* and Méribel* can be quite lively at night, check out Jacks Bar in Meribel. Livigno* in Italy* boasts some great bars and clubs including the legendary Kokodi, a favourite haunt always with a good party vibe going on.
In Austria, for sophistication, the Pacha nightclub in Ischgl* is the place to go (Paris Hilton had her last birthday party there), plus there's table dancing, in Trofana Tenne.
Soldeu*, Arinsal* and Pas de la Casa* in Andorra* are particularly loud and fun (and cheap as chips). Another good place for a great value lively night out is Borovets* in Bulgaria* - full of eastern (European) promise!
Early to bed
Inghams has a wide selection of low-key resorts which are well suited for those of you looking for a relaxed post-ski drink followed by a nice quiet evening and a relatively early night, ready for first lifts in the morning.
Despite the country’s “oompah” reputation, Austria* is home to many of these calmer venues. Try our new snow-sure resort of St Christoph*, for example, quiet & small with little going on away from the log fire, swimming pool and sauna of our chalet hotel - although if you do fancy a night out, buses run to and back from lively St Anton* until the wee hours.
Kühtai* is even higher and just as peaceful. Other relaxed Austrian resorts include Alpbach*, Galtür* Westendorf* and Filzmoos* and all have only a couple of après-ski bars.
Over in Arabba* in the Italian South Tyrol, our most central accommodation, Chalet Karin, sits directly on top of a friendly bar, where everyone has their late afternoon cup of coffee or minor tipple after a days skiing. The rest of this well-placed Sella Ronda village is reasonably quiet in the evenings.
In Switzerland*, the traditional resort of Mürren*, in the Jungfrau region, offers the perfect retreat for those who prefer to take it easy.
After a day's skiing, stroll along the traffic-free street and pop into one of the little rustic bars for a delicious hot chocolate, or sink into one of the comfy seats in the lounge of the Hotel Eiger.
*Tracking links:
Altitude Comedy Festival in Mayrhofen for departures on 24 March:
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Andorra:
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Arinsal:
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Pas de la Casa:
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Soldeu:
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Austria:
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Galtür:
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Ischgl:
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Kitzbühel:
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Kühtai:
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Lech:
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Mayrhofen:
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Obertauern:
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Saalbach:
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Söll:
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St Anton:
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St Christoph:
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Westendorf:
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Bulgaria:
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Borovets:
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France:
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Alpe d’Huez:
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Chamonix:
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Courchevel:
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Méribel:
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Val d'Isère:
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Italy:
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Arabba:
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Corvara:
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La Villa:
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Livigno:
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Ortisei:
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Selva:
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Switzerland:
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Davos:
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Grindelwald:
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Klosters:
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Saas-Fee:
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St Moritz:
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Verbier:
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Wengen:
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Zermatt:
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Mürren:
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The Inghams affiliate team
Vicky Smith
Vicky.Smith@inghams.co.uk
Marine de Mascarel
Marine.de.mascarel@affiliatewindow.com
