Our friends at Snomad, the fastest-growing ski resort review platform, share their expert tips on how you can find new, awesome places to ski that perfectly match your requirements.

Decide What You Want From Your Ski Trip

You should start by nailing exactly what sort of trip you’re going on. Looking to get lost in the backcountry and score some epic, untouched powder? Going on a mixed-group holiday that will need to cater to different ability levels? Travelling with family? You should consider your individual needs based on the most obvious elements of a holiday in the mountains. Here’s a quickfire list of things to consider:

• Location

If you happen to parle excellent français or you want to tick off every continent, you can refine your search by location. The country you choose to visit will often determine things like the cuisine you eat, how long you have to travel for and how much snowfall you can expect.

• Altitude

Big backcountry trips will usually require a decent amount of elevation to provide both long descents and plenty of pow. On the other hand, some higher-elevation resorts mean longer transfer times – i.e. maybe not ideal if you’re not a fan of long road journeys on alpine bends.

• Resort Size

Larger resorts tend to be more commercial which means there’s usually plenty to do off the slopes and a vast choice of eateries. A mixed group might prefer this, while those looking for the best hidden gem since La Grave will probably prefer the smaller, less-populated spots.

• Family-Friendliness

Parents and those introducing their mini shredders to the great outdoors will want to prioritise family-friendly resorts that offer great ski schools, plenty of restaurants and not so much thumping nightlife that they can’t sleep.

• Après Ski

We all know someone who just comes along for the Aperols and europop – and we don’t blame them. Some resorts are renowned for piste-side partying, while others go completely quiet come 4pm.

• Value For Money

Spoiler alert – ski holidays are expensive, but if you choose wisely, you’ll get the most bang for your buck.

Other factors to consider might be the accommodation options available, the quality of ski lift infrastructure, the terrain difficulty, the quality of ski schools, eating out options and the types of terrain available considering both the difficulty and different terrain types available, from tree skiing to well-maintained groomed runs.

Now that you’ve considered the factors that are important to you and your group for your next ski trip, it’s time to discover the best of the best across those areas!

Explore Unbiased Resort Rankings

Forget ‘Best Resort’ and ‘Awards’ lists influenced by paying resorts and instead refer to authentic rankings powered entirely by over 80,000 genuine, honest ratings.

The Snomad Resort Rankings are a series of league tables which explore the best through to the lower-rated ski resorts across 20 different categories such as how quiet the slopes are, the quality of off-piste riding, the après-ski scene and how suitable the resort is for families. Formed using data collated from genuine skiers and snowboarders who have visited before (no AI-generated content here,) each league table gives you real-world insights into different ski and snowboard destinations.

These categories are even as niche as how good the terrain parks are and the quality of tree skiing – so no matter what kind of riding (or eating/sleeping/dancing) you’re looking for, you’ll be able to find the best resort for you in a matter of minutes.

Shortlist Suitable Resorts

To narrow your search down even further, be sure to try out Snomad’s Resort Finder, where you can filter by the criteria that matter most to you. Along with shortlisting resorts based on a combination of community ratings across categories that are important to you, you can also search by resort data such as:

• Resort Size
• Number of Runs
• Elevation
• Vertical Drop
• Lift Pass Cost
• Annual Snowfall
• Nearest Transport

By getting specific with your criteria based on what you care about, you’ll be left with a shortlist of ski resorts that hit the sweet spot.

Browse Resort Guides & Authentic Rider Reviews

Once you’ve discovered your ideal destination or have a selection to choose from, you can deep dive into each resort profile – here you’ll discover resort overviews alongside detailed stats, including a breakdown of the ski terrain, elevation info, lift information, lift pass costs, snowfall data, and transfer times from the nearest airports and train stations.

On top of that, to get a true feel for the vibe of each ski resort, be sure to check out the Reviews & Ratings tab located on every resort profile – read detailed reviews written by actual skiers and boarders giving you an authentic insight into what each resort has to offer, without wasting precious time.

Unlock Tips & Insights From Fellow Skiers

When it comes to going somewhere new, word of mouth and local tips are invaluable. This is the principle behind the Q&A + Tips section on Snomad’s resort pages. Allowing you to connect and interact with other skiers and snowboarders around the world, you can ask other members of the Snomad community for their insights and advice on everything from great pizza spots to untracked powder stashes that you’d never usually find in the space of a week. See it in action on the Verbier page and join the Snomad Community to start swapping advice.

At this point, the ski world is your oyster! Choosing the right resort for you should be fun, easy and personalised – not a one-size-fits-all paid ad. Designed by skiers for skiers, Snomad has the tools to help that ski trip finally make it out of the group chat.