First Time Family Ski
Andorra does not have it’s own airport so you need to fly into France or Spain. We decided to fly into Barcelona and tagged on a 3-night stay in Barcelona first (read my previous blog for info on this!)
From Barcelona, the best value transfer is via the Andbus which can be caught from downtown Barcelona or the airport. It is a 3-4 hour drive depending on traffic but the coach is very comfortable. It is also a scenic drive so the time passed quickly.
We booked the Xalet Verdu Hotel which is just a 5-minute walk to the gondola. We arrived in Andorra late afternoon so decided to pick up our equipment straight away so we would be ready to start skiing the next morning. So after quickly dropping off our luggage we took our first gondola up the mountain. Although the hotel offered free lockers for ski equipment, we decided to pay to hire a locker at the top. I would highly recommend this as it was so nice not having to lug our equipment around each time! Being the start of half term the queue to collect equipment was busy but the staff were excellent, and we had everything we needed safely stowed away ready for our first trip.
The Xalet Verdu hotel is a 3* hotel in Arinsal. It had a very homely feel, not luxurious by any means but very warm and welcoming. The family room had two extra beds for the girls and was extremely spacious. It had views to the gardens from one side and over the mountains on the other. The bathroom was also large and had a full-size bath which was very much needed after a day on the slopes. The water was also always hot which was lovely. We all agreed the staff and the food were what made this hotel so special. The restaurant staff were warm and welcoming and nothing was too much trouble. Breakfast was buffet style, plentiful with delicious fresh pastries and hot/cold food which varied from day to day. For the evening meal you have a buffet starter which again was different each day. You then then pick from one of 3 main meals and 3 desserts which is served to your table. The quality of food was far above 3* standards and we were all very impressed. The meals were quite adult – not a chicken nugget in site so if you have fussy eaters, they might struggle with the mains but they can always fill up on the buffet starters if needed.
Normally for first time skiers, I would recommend booking the ski school as then the children can learn along side children their own age and ability. As our youngest has some speech issues, we decided to opt for private lessons. Our instructor was brilliant, she had lived in Andorra most of her life and had plenty of local knowledge. She was brilliant with the kids and managed to adapt our lessons to suit our levels well. We pre-booked 4 x 2 hour lessons which I think was the perfect amount. Our day would start with an early play around on the nursery slopes, followed by a 2 hour lesson, lunch and then then more fun just the 4 of us. The snow wasn’t great this year for advanced skiers but for our level, it was fine. You could also use the lift pass to head to neighbouring Pal if you wanted more variety. The girls and my husband definitely took to skiing more than I did – I do think the younger you learn the easier it is!
The last 2 days we had to ourselves and we had a great mix of chill time and fun on the slopes before catching the early bus back to Barcelona on the last day.
Overall I would highly recommend Andorra and the Xalet Verdu hotel – especially for families and beginners. We had a wonderful time.
Top Tips for First Time Family Ski –
Buy your ski clothing on marketplace or ebay the summer before as this was the cheapest way to get good quality clothes without buying brand new. Pre-book lifts passes, ski equipment, lockers and ski-school before you travel – especially when travelling at peak times. Layer your clothing – some days it reached 15 degrees on the top of the slopes, and we were often skiing in t-shirts! Sun cream and goggles are a must – I did see a lot of red faces towards the end of the week! Book a locker near the slopes to save lugging equipment everywhere Go with an open mind, prepare for your children to be way better than you are and overall embrace the experience – the memories we made on this trip were priceless.