WINNING TIP: Grizzly's bar, Tignes, France
The whole bar is made out of wood hand-crafted by owner Grizzly. The design is amazing and has an almost Native American vibe to it. It is cosy and beautiful with animal wood carvings, seats in nooks and crannies and a roaring fire. And Grizzly is a sight – he shovels snow topless and is incredibly welcoming. It is the most unusual bar I have ever been to in the Alps – not something you'd expect to find in the mountains.
Place du Curling, Val Claret, +33 4 7906 3417
hornetnest
Switzerland
Après Ski Bar, Verbier
Imagine an après ski bar that gets so hot from throngs of punters dancing on reinforced tables and chairs that they have to open the roof every half an hour to let the steam out! That's the Après Ski Bar, attached to Hotel Farinet in Verbier. Open from 4-8pm, it's always heaving and sitting down is simply not an option for the last two hours as the live bands churn out classics that drive the crowds bonkers. Après is the best night out you'll ever have that ends at 8pm. After staggering back to the chalet for dinner you'll be forgiven for getting an early night – perfect for making the most of the skiing the following day!
+41 27 771 6626, hotelfarinet.com
foominator
France
Grand Tourmalet
It's the largest ski resort in the French Pyrenees, where the French and Spanish ski but few Brits. There's a great range of runs and it backs on to the beautiful Néouvielle reserve, for stunning off-piste, ski-touring and snow-shoeing. You'll need a bit of French to get by but you'll be rewarded by friendly locals, lamb chops the size of your head, quality traditional restaurants – and it's cheaper than the Alps and Andorra. I stayed with Mountain Bug (mountainbug.com) in Barèges, a traditional mountain village, rather than a purpose-built resort town.
grand-tourmalet.com
kitchambers
Val d'Isère
Before deciding where to ski, ask the ski companies or use the web to check if the ski pass for six or more days you are probably going to buy gives you a day's access to the lifts at a neighbouring resort for free or a reduced price, and whether the ski company lays on transport to get you there and back (many do though you will have to pay for this).
If you are staying in a smaller resort this can really add to the variety and mileage you can get. Check out St Foy's pass for free or reduced access to one of the huge five star areas of Val D'Isère, Tignes or Les Arcs. Passo Tonale's pass gives a free day in either Madonna di Campiglio or the Brenta Dolomites and if in French Serre Chevalier you can get a taste of Italian skiing in Sestriere or other Italian resorts of the big Milky Way system.
skihead
Mamma's, Morzine
Becoming something of an institution, Mama's is the place chalet staff go on a day off for pasta, noodles, great pizza, and fish and chips. It's more take-out than eat-in, although there are tables. The lads who work there are really cool, lots of banter, lively atmosphere, and above all it serves really good food. The Singapore chicken comes recommended.
Rue du Bourg, Morzine, +33 4 5074 3162, mammas.fr
stone78
US
Arapahoe Basin, Denver
A-Basin (as it is known locally) rocks the Rockies for so many reasons. It has one of the longest ski seasons in the US (a couple of runs are already open now for winter 2012/13) and has some of the highest terrain in North America, so gets dumped with snow when other resorts miss out. It has a new high-speed quad, but also has some old-school lifts that give the resort a more local and relaxed feel. And the terrain you'll find there is some of the best around. At the end of the day when your legs are too tired to take any more, head to "the beach" for beers, barbecue and afternoon sun. And with all of this, it still doesn't have the crowds that other Colorado resorts have. You can head there from Denver just for the day or use your Vail resorts ski pass (and free shuttle service).
arapahoebasin.com
juzzyuk
Park City, Utah
This resort is ideal for early season skiing – in fact it's open all year round. Park City is a former winter Olympics venue with three ski parks – Deer Valley, Canyons and Park City – and all the other activities associated with a well-developed winter resort. Snow is usually good and snow cannons help lay down a base. Nightlife is not up to the hedonistic excesses of some European destinations, but this makes it an ideal family destination, as facilities tend to be better than in Europe, and there are bars and a microbrewery on the main street.
visitparkcity.com
callens17
Canada
Whiski Jack at Whistler Creek, Vancouver
A little way out of Whistler – five minutes in the car, if that – is a complex of accommodation called Whiski Jack. It's pretty quiet and wooded so great for people wanting a bit more of a chilled time, or with families. We were a couple and the apartment we had was massive. It was like flat-sitting for a mate. Set over two floors, it had a balcony, two double bedrooms, huge lounge with TV and a great kitchen, and it was all so much cheaper than we were being quoted for apartments based in Whistler Village itself. The one downside is the drive to the slopes (although there's loads of parking in Whistler) and having to drive home after a night out, which can limit your hedonism somewhat but for the money you save you can easily treat yourself to the odd cab.
Pick up keys at 4314 Main Street, Whistler, +1 604 932 6599, ownerdirect.com
Matelder
Ya'ooo Pizza Bar, Mont Tremblant, Quebec
Not exactly the world's classiest pizza place – it's where the kids and seasonaires go – but the pizzas are great value and they do jugs of beer. The tables are like bar tables so you stand up in your ski gear to eat your pizza which is actually quite a good idea for a post-ride munch.
123 Kandahar, Mont-Tremblant Resort, +1 819 681 4616, yaoooo.com
gingersnaps
Japan
Nozawa Onsen
Nozawa Onsen has it all: skiing, snowboarding, picturesque little town, Japanese culture, a fire festival in January, beautiful scenery, free Japanese public spa baths, great little restaurants, bars etc. Once you are here (take the bullet train to Nagano from Tokyo, then a bus to Nozawa Onsen from right outside the railway station) you can walk easily to the slopes, as well as everything in town. For extra fun, make sure you take a trip to see the snow monkeys, the only place in the world you can see wild monkeys bathing in spa baths!
nozawaholidays.com
rbreeve
