7 of the best party ski resorts in the world
Is there any better place for a mighty fine party than a ski resort? We don’t think so. There’s a well-established group of ski resorts across Europe and the rest of the world that just sparkle with nightlife, and a holiday in one of them is as much about the time spent on the slopes as it is off. Their world-class bars and clubs lead the way in good times and their buzz is irresistible.
Finding ski resorts with good nightlife adds an exciting dimension to what is already a pretty exciting holiday. Party ski resorts tend to have world-class terrain as well as world-class bars and clubs. Therefore, combining the two is a heady mix you’d be hard pressed to find elsewhere.
Here at Ski Solutions we pride ourselves on our ski resort expertise, and this isn’t limited to the slopes. We know for some skiers and snowboarders, what’s available off the slopes is just as important as what’s on.
St Anton, Austria
St Anton positively crackles with nightlife. From early afternoon to late at night, the ski resort parties hard in some of the best bars and clubs in the Alps. With the Krazy Kanguruh on its home run, St Anton can rightly lay claim to being the birth place of après ski and one of the best party ski resorts in the world. The terrace of this institution has been home to revellers since 1965. That’s a lot of steins of beer drunk here over the years!
Adding to this heritage is the MooserWirt opposite. With both pumping out the tunes and revellers dancing on the tables in ski boots, it’s impossible to ski back to resort without being lured in to party. Once you’re down in resort, some of the Alps’ best ski nightlife continues. For live music it’s the Basecamp umbrella bar or Scottys. For cocktails and dancing it’s Bar Cuba and Bobo’s, plus many, many more.
Val d’Isère, France
Take a ski holiday to Val d’Isère and you’ll need another holiday to recover! With some of the world’s most epic skiing it has bars and clubs to match. Val d’Isère deserves its reputation as one of the best ski resorts in Europe for nightlife.
At the heart of Val d’Isère’s claim to be the best ski resort to party in are two places; La Folie Douce and Dick’s Tea Bar. Home to the original, La Folie Douce Val d’Isère opened in 1981 and just gets better and better each season. By mid afternoon the terrace at the top of La Daille gondola is buzzing, with live musicians playing on the roof and champagne buckets being zip-lined to the crowds.
Dick’s, down in town, is the place for proper late-night fun. You’re guaranteed a packed dance floor every night until 4am, then recovery sessions start from 9am daily with full English breakfasts served. Also worth checking out for a party is Le Petit Danois, Cocorico and Doudoune.
Tignes, France
No longer overshadowed by its sister ski resort Val d’Isère, Tignes has a strong claim to be one of the best ski resorts with good nightlife in the Alps. Without wanting to start a war of words between the two Espace Killy ski resorts, some people may argue Tignes is actually better than its neighbour.
The party scene centres on several fun bars. Our favourites include Loop Bar and Marmot Arms earlier on, and Jack’s Club and Underground for late-night revelry. For the best party of the season, Tignes is the best place to be for New Year’s Eve. A huge fireworks display illuminates the mountains, and the foot of the slopes turns into an enormous nightclub.
Ischgl, Austria
Ischgl wears its nightlife crown with pride. Celebrated for its opening season and end of season Top of the Mountain weekends, the ski resort is firmly on the map as one of the best party ski resorts in Europe.
The legendary weekend-long parties at the beginning and end of each season feature a host of events, with each bar pulling out all the stops. But the highlight is the big concert the ski resort puts on for free on the slopes. A stage that wouldn’t look out of place in Hyde Park has hosted Elton John, Robbie Williams, Kylie and Beyoncé, among others. This truly makes it an exciting time to be in resort.
But it’s not just about the beginning and the end of the season. Visit throughout and you’ll experience some of Austria’s finest après ski. Dancing on tables in ski boots is obligatory, and the action starts around lunchtime on the slopes and continues into the early hours. Hotspots include Paznauner Thaya, Niko’s Hexenküche and Feuer & Eis.
Mayrhofen, Austria
Home to the legendary Snowbombing festival, Mayrhofen is a solid bet when looking for ski resorts with good nightlife. This is arguably the biggest and best snow and music festival in the Alps. With an anything goes attitude, Mayrhofen draws a friendly crowd that doesn’t take things too seriously. This atmosphere is what attracted Snowbombing in the first place, way back in 2005.
The mayhem kicks off around lunchtime in the group of bars around the top of the Penken gondola at 1,800m. Then you continue on to Brück’N Stadl or the Scotland Yard Pub down in town. Then finally, you inevitably finish up at the Arena nightclub in the basement of the central Hotel Strass.
Verbier, Switzerland
It’s hard to put our finger on what makes Verbier one of the best ski resorts in Europe for nightlife, but whatever it is, we like it. We think Verbier’s standing has something to do with its ability to combine the classy with the raucous. This ski resort provides something for all tastes.
The Farinet is a stone-cold classic après bar in the centre of the resort, while Ice Cube and Pub Mont Fort are popular earlier on. In the evening, the Farm Club and Carve will take you through to the small hours.
To discuss which is the best ski resort with nightlife for your next ski holiday, speak to our team of ski experts. Call us on 020 7471 7700 to find out the best party ski resorts in the world.
