Combine famous ski resorts with villages and mountain towns. Compare accommodation bases in the Alps, the USA and Canada.
From a valley town such as Chamonix to villages such as Samoëns, a French Alps trip can follow very different daily routines. Choose the place you want to return to after skiing, then compare lifts and transfers. The guides below bring the village and the mountain into the same plan.
The Italian Alps offer different ways to combine a village stay with time on the slopes. Compare the villages of Val Gardena and Alta Badia, towns such as Bormio and Livigno, and bases in the Aosta Valley. Let the starting lift and your plans after skiing shape the accommodation choice.
In the Swiss Alps, the accommodation village is an important part of the journey. Arrival arrangements, mountain access and time in the settlement all affect the stay. Compare these bases as distinct places rather than interchangeable names beside a ski map.
An Austrian Alps trip works best when the village, starting lift and group plans fit together. The shared name of a large ski region can cover several different bases. These guides help compare where the day begins and where you want to spend the evening.
For a US ski trip, distinguish the mountain base from the town carrying the same destination name. Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, California and New England offer different combinations of skiing and time away from the slopes. Compare the actual accommodation address and transfers, not just the resort label.
A Canadian ski holiday may centre on a resort village or use a separate town as a base. Whistler, the Banff and Lake Louise area, British Columbia mountain towns and Tremblant each create a different daily routine. Leave time for the place you are staying as well as the mountain.