This winter, an estimated 750,000 Brits will take to the slopes and, with a choice of more than 350 resorts in 20 countries, there's accommodation to suit every budget. And much of the research can be done on the Internet.
"Last year we booked our first ski holiday on the web," says Alistair Briggs from Oxfordshire. "We got flights for £14 each from easyJet, who were having a promotion, and booked a catered chalet in St Martin de Belleville by looking up the resort on the web. It was so successful we are going again this year - the flights are a little more, at £27.50 each way, and the catered chalet is £335 for seven nights."
Budget and luxury holidays are both growing markets, but you can easily combine the two by flying cheaply and staying in style.
Self-catering
Depending on the number of people in your party, you can stay in self-catering accommodation such as an apartment, chalet or hotel with cooking facilities.
This is usually the cheapest form of accommodation and can be booked as part of a package holiday, which includes a charter flight; as a self-drive option, which usually knocks about £100 off the price; independently or via a tourist office or agent. The price is based on several people sharing a studio or one bedroom with bunk beds and sofabeds and a supplement for lower numbers. Check that you don't have to pay a supplement for linen.
Hotel
These vary from a basic room with shared bathroom in a simple hotel to a luxury suite in a five-star hotel. At the top end of the market, particularly if you know the hotel you want to stay in, it is often cheaper to book through a tour operator who will have block-booked rooms and can offer you a cheaper rate. If you want a room with a view, specify this at the time of booking.
Chalet hotels/club hotels
More companies are offering this popular form of accommodation, which combines the social concept of a chalet with the privacy of a hotel and additional facilities such as saunas, and pool or games rooms. Accommodation is mostly a bedroom with ensuite bathroom and communal bar and dining areas, with creche facilities and babysitting for children.
Chalets
A truly British invention, initiated to cut the price of a ski holiday by offering shared accommodation. The basic chalet still exists and consists of a room (price usually determines whether that includes an ensuite or shared bathroom) shared by two people, breakfast, afternoon tea and a three-course dinner with wine.
Competition in this market has lead to a great diversity in standards and food. Many small operators run chalet-only programmes concentrating on high standards of accommodation and food, hiring qualified chefs instead of the chalet girl/boy who used to be expected to cook for 14 or more with no qualifications except enthusiasm.
Luxury chalets now even surpass some top hotels and provide the sort of pampering that includes boot warmers, towelling dressing gowns, après-ski massage, Jacuzzis, chauffeur-driven minivans at your disposal, champagne and canapés before a gourmet dinner with wines that would delight any sommelier.
• NB: All prices are quoted for a low-season week starting January 6/7.
Verbier, Switzerland
1 hr from Geneva airport. Low-cost airlines Buzz or easyJet both fly to Geneva from from Stansted. Swiss Rail operates a service from Geneva airport to Le Chable then regular buses to Verbier.
Budget
Last winter, Verbier opened "the bunker" (00 41 27 771 6602, www.thebunker.ch) originally a Swiss atomic shelter, now an underground hostel with 144 beds in four large dormitories, 800 metres from the main square. Nightly rates are Sfr25 (approx £10), which includes breakfast, hot showers, lockers and sports centre. BYO sleeping bag. Seven-night rates Sfr125 (£50). Other packages including six-day lift pass start at Sfr475 (£190).
Mid-range
Bladon Lines' Chalet Le Cairn (020-8780 8800, www.inghams.co.uk) sleeps eight, no ensuites, catered, ski-in ski-out chalet. Seven nights start at £425 per person including flights.
Mark Warner's (08708 480482, www.markwarner.co.uk) Chalethotel Rosablanche sleeps 48-51, with simple accommodation, bar, lounge, dining room. Seven nights start at £478 per person including flights.
Luxury
The Ski Company's (01451 843123, www.skicompany.co.uk) Chalet Goodwood has five ensuite bedrooms, Jacuzzi, office with fax, telephone, free au pair during school holidays, morning tea served in room, champagne and canapés, four-course meal with wines, laundry service, private vehicle. Seven nights with scheduled flights starts at £1,130.
Méribel, France
Three hours from Lyon, 3 from Geneva. Go to Lyon, Buzz to Geneva, Lyon or Chambéry (2 hrs). Euro-star service from Waterloo to Moutier then regular buses.
Budget
Crystal Holidays' (0870 848 7000, crystalski.com) Méribel apartments, studio with living/dining room convertible sofabeds and two bunk beds in hall start at £272 for seven nights if four people share.
Mid-range
Erna Low (020-7584 2841, www.ernalow.co.uk) self-drive, self-catering accommodation in Méribel Mottaret. Living room, kichenette, bunk beds in cabin room and bathroom based on four people sharing a studio starts at £430 per person including ferry crossing. Erna Low guarantees a price match if you find a cheaper self-drive holiday.
Thomson's (0870 606 1470, www.thomson-ski.co.uk) three-star Le Tremplin Hotel, centrally located in Méribel, is a chalet-style hotel with 41 bedrooms, twin room with shower based on two people sharing. Seven nights start £665 include flights.
Luxury
Meriski (01451 843 100, www.meriski.co.uk) has two new chalets this season, Mariefleur (10 people) and Marielaine (six people) with Jacuzzis and shared outdoor heated pool. All bedrooms are ensuite, with towelling robes, chauffeured minivans, qualified chefs and good wine. Prices start at £659 per person including flights.
Soldeu, Andorra
easyJet to Barcelona 3 hrs, Ryanair to Perpignan 2 hrs. Bus services from both.
Budget
Thomson's Sol Neu self-catering apartments are 10 minutes from the town centre based on six people sharing a spacious double room, one room with twin beds, living room with bed, sofa-bed kitchen, bathroom. Seven nights start at £219 including flights from Gatwick to Toulouse.
Mid-range
Inghams' (020-8780 4444, www.inghams.co.uk) Hotel Xalet Montana. Brand new four-star hotel with swimming pool in Soldeu centre. Reduced rates for first-season prices start at £364 in twin room, half-board, including flights.
Luxury
Inghams' Hotel Grau Roig in a beautiful setting 5km out of Soldeu, ski in ski out, pool. Spacious junior suite, king-size bed, Jacuzzi, marble bathroom. Seven nights start at £579 including flights.
Val d'Isère, France
3€-4 hrs from Geneva. Buzz to Geneva, Lyon or Chambéry, or easyJet from Gatwick to Geneva. There are buses from Geneva for the three-hour drive, details on www. touriscarnet.com, or from Lyon www.satobus-alps.com.
Budget
Skiworld's (020-7602 4826, www.skiworld.ltd.uk) self-catering studio in Résidence Le Rond Point des Pistes apartments at the foot of the Solaise-Bellegarde gondola start at £199 for seven nights based on five people sharing a studio and including ferry crossings and six-day lift pass.
Mid
Mark Warner's Savoyarde-style chalet hotel in Tovière for 46-51 people. Seven nights start at £478 including flights, breakfast, tea and dinner. Small lounge with seating around open fireplace, bar open to the public, creche. All rooms have shower or bath.
YSE's (020-8871 5117, www.yseski.co.uk) chalet Grande Sassière, spacious, stunning views, beautifully-designed, sleeps 12 in six bedrooms with four bathrooms and two showers. Seven nights start at £515 including flights, three-course dinner and wine.
Luxury
First Choice's (0870 754 3477, www.first-choice.com) Hotel Latitudes. This 4-star-plus hotel in the centre of town has a Jacuzzi, fitness centre, piano bar and two restaurants. Prices starts at £809 for seven nights half-board including five-course dinner and flights.
The Ski Company's luxury chalet La Marsa in Le Fournet starts at £971 inclusive of flights.
