You like skiing, but your partner likes shopping? Ski Dream (0845 277 3333, www.skidream.com)
has the answer to this dilemma with Hunter Mountain, a resort in New York
State, a couple of hours from JFK airport. Combine three days’ shopping
in the Big Apple with four days’ skiing in the Catskill Mountains. Seven
nights’ room only from £895pp.
Several companies have added Nendaz in Switzerland to their brochures.
Crystal, Thomson and Inghams have included the resort, which is linked into
the Four Valleys ski network.
This network includes the upmarket resort of Verbier, so it gives access to
the same skiing at much lower prices. Seven nights’ self-catering at the
Nendaz apartments starts at £265, based on four sharing, with Crystal (0870
1606040, www.crystalski.co.uk).
Inghams (020-8780 4433, www.inghams.co.uk)
has extended its Japanese programme to include Furano in central Hokkaido.
The resort is small, with only 20 miles (32km) of slopes, but has a good
snow record. Ten nights’ B&B at the North Country Inn starts at
£1,236pp, based on two sharing, including scheduled flights and transfers.
The Slide trade show in Manchester is a favourite for skiwear to reveal new
looks for winter. On show were the in-your-face Mighty 3-in1 jacket
(£500) in orange from British clothing range E+O. A liner made from cosy
Primaloft coupled with a seam-sealed waterproof exterior makes this a
versatile choice for the whole winter. If that’s too much of a statement, go
for a pure white outfit from Spyder, which combines style with technical
know-how. The Royalty jacket is £450, Garnet pants £285.
Big prints are in again, too. Snow+Rock has an olive and electric-blue number
(£170) from the snowboard brand Zimtstern. Prints aren’t just for grown-ups,
either. The must-have kids’ jacket this season will be the Reactor jacket
from Protest. It costs £69.95 for ages 8 to 12 and £83.95 for 14 to 16. All
the above are available from Snow+Rock (0845 100 1000, www.snowandrock.com).
Other gear will be turning heads on the slopes this winter, too. American ski
resorts such as Aspen and Breckenridge make much of their heritage as Wild
West mining towns. That makes the Salomon SPK pro boots (www.salomonsports.com/uk/),
with their cowboy leather detailing and star motif, the ideal footwear. They
cost £274.95 from Snowtrax (01202 499155, www.snowtrax.eu).
A price tag of £185 for a pair of mittens is steep, but then not every pair
is made from kid leather and lined with soft possum fur like Alexski’s
offering (01962 793466, www.alexski.com).
Skis and boots for women are becoming more popular. Some of the most
eye-catching designs are Salomon’s Origins range, with their pressed flower
motif; £429.95 from Snowtrax (01202 499155, www.snowtrax.eu).
The pick of this season’s swanky chalets will be Sir Richard
Branson’s latest addition to his Limited Edition portfolio, the Lodge in
Verbier, Switzerland (020-8600 0430, www.verbierlodge.ch).
The property has nine bedrooms, including a bunk room for up to six kids,
and opens in January. Exclusive use will cost from £35,250 a week, including
unlimited champagne and a 24-hour driver service.
Tivoli Lodge in Davos, the newest addition to the Descent (020-7384 3854, www.descent.co.uk)
brochure, has a home cinema, children’s activity centre and indoor pool with
its own waterfall. Exclusive use for 12 adults and up to four children costs
from £7,750 to £45,815.
The Arrabelle at Vail Square (arrabelle.rockresorts.com)
opens in January. The hotel, built to a faux Austrian design to complement
the rest of the resort, will have 36 huge rooms, and a 10,000sq ft spa with
11 treatment rooms. Room only is from £293 a night, based on a three-night
stay.
