Ski Resorts in Switzerland
Saas Fee
We ended up going there the year before last - the first week in January and absolutely loved it. The skiing was fantastic - tons of snow (nearly 2 metres) and had something for everyone. It was so scenic and everyone's idea of what an ideallic swiss ski resort should be - real chocolate box style.
The easiest way to get there is to fly to Zurich (we went with Swiss.com - they don't charge for luggage and skis fly free which is great) and then book train transfer tickets with Swisstravelsystems.com. The train station in Zurich airport is under the airport and the train goes direct to Visp where a bus then meets the train for onward journeys to Saas Fee. The train does take 2.5 hours and a further 30-40 mins on the bus but the train has a dining car and the journey is really scenic, so sit back and enjoy.
We went self catering and rented an apartment through the Allalin hotel (snowfun apartments) which was reasonable - but eating out was terribly expensive (the wine in particular) and eating on the slopes was dear also. The little cafe at the foot of the slopes to the right of the ice rink is great for a really reasonable lunch. All the ski instructors eat there and that is normally a sign that you are not going to need a second mortgage to dine out. Go on the mechanical bobsleigh - it is worth it for the 5 minutes of pure adrenalin as you descend at 70mph.
Also go on the torchlit walk through the forest - its really different and can be booked at the tourist office.
Most of all enjoy - we loved it - everyone has to ski Switzerland at least once but unfortunately we won't be back for a while as we like to eat out and doing so put a huge hole in our budget - but if you are prepared to eat in more or find somewhere half board I couldn't recommend it highly enough.
Beryl Gilmore
Leysin
Medium sized village which is one of the top resorts in Switzerland for snowboarders. It has 17 lifts, including 2 cable cars, and 60 km of pistes. Particularly good for beginners as most of the slopes are blue, and there are good nursery slopes at the Centre Sportif.
However some good off piste skiing (and snowboarding) can also be found at the Tour d'Ai. Snowboarders have a good park near Berneuse.
The quaint village centre, a mix of old & new, has enough bars, restaurants, sports centres and shops to satisfy all but the most discerning.
The top of the mountain at Berneuse has a unique revolving restaurant that gives superb views of 29 surrounding peaks.
In town, La Fromagerie, a cheese museum/restaurant is worth visiting if you fancy a treat and can have a week off from counting the calories.
James Masters