pool, a health suite with hot tubs, and spacious rooms with plasma TVs and simply fabulous mountain views.At 2,050 metres, Belle Plagne is a high-altitude village offering ski-in-ski-out from most hotels. It’s compact and pretty, with a covered walkway

, will appreciate a good selection of après-ski activities.Your options for accommodation include catered chalets, hotels or apartments. While catered breaks can appear to be a pricier option, they are certainly the most relaxing – do you really want to take

Where? Perched high in the alps, Morzine is one of 12 resorts in the Portes du Soleil ski area. Why go there? Famed for its skiing, the traditional market town now boasts lots of summer activities in four key areas: Zen, Gastronomy, Family

Courchevel 1850 resort is the delightfully chic and sporty hotel Le Strato. With a modest number of rooms, the hotel has a friendly, family atmosphere. The piste-side ski room has its own champagne bar and on your return you can indulge in a range of blissful

a choice of hotel room or apartment, as well as a variety of children’s programmes. The resort has traditional après-ski options, but with three restaurants and superb facilities at the hotel (swimming pool, wellness centre and children’s room) you

for intermediate skiers. Advanced skiers can experience the Vallèe Blanche descent into Chamonix, France – incredible off-piste skiing combined with breathtaking scenery. The pretty Cristallo is a gorgeous chalet-hotel in Courmayeur, nestled between shops, bars

It's snowing! Squeeze in a week’s pre-Christmas family skiing here at the start of the season in November, when US and Canadian resorts officially open, and take advantage of fresh snow and great prices. Contact Crystal, tel: 0870

for everyone: group ski lessons, individual lessons, hanging out in crèches or children’s clubs, staying in luxury hotels, family hotels, or chalets. So by now, it’s fair to say, I feel a bit of an expert. I realise that children tire easily on the slopes

nights, including return flights with BA to Vancouver airport and private transfers.Further south, for a mix of ski and other winter activities, try Winter Park in the Colorado Mountains. This unspoilt village has sleigh rides, ice skating and dog

, especially in fancier French resorts where a coffee on the mountain can cost £5, so an all-inclusive package can offer the best value. When it comes to choosing accommodation, there are catered chalets, hotels or apartments: different types of ski resorts