Now that summer is out of the way and autumn is swiftly blustering through, its time to start thinking about where you want to go for your next skiing holiday.
You could go for somewhere conventional like Val dIsere or Val Thorens, but why not consider somewhere a little more off the beaten track like Andermatt in the Swiss Alps?
Its a resort that some people have written off as a resort and there were rumblings that it might actually close down, but theres been a huge amount of investment and its fair to say its an up and coming destination.
There might not be the same bars and apres ski atmosphere youre going to get at a mainstream resort, but for a ski area of its size it packs a punch.
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Besides, the brains behind it all wants Andermatt to be more upmarket and if youre not into all that rowdiness, then its definitely worth a visit.
Jumping back in time for a (brief) history, the resort suffered as a result of a railway tunnel being built in 1882 and later a road tunnel, essentially cutting the place off for a long time. Its practically a dead end.
It was also a garrison town until recently, making it unattractive to people wanting to holiday there.
But then came along Samih Sawiris, an Egyptian billionaire.
Earlier this year he was present for the opening of a new lift which will eventually form part of a network that will practically double the amount of pisted skiing.
The plan is for all the lifts to be replaced and for new ones to be built, giving greater access across the resort.
Most important is the connection with Oberalp, which has the largest of the ski areas with 13 pistes and a terrain park as well as a half pipe and ski-cross course.
We stayed at the Andermatt Chedi – the towns first five star hotel with suites big enough to swing several cats and an in-hotel ski butler service.
Its also very close to the lift that takes you up to the slopes, so its very convenient indeed. Then theres the pool and hydrotherapy centre that will soak away all the aches and pains you might have after a tough days skiing.
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As for the skiing, well theres a decent selection to keep you entertained for a few days but, as mentioned above, there are more slopes on their way.
Its not the best place for beginners, but if youre more experienced and confident enough to do a bit of off-pisting, theres no reason why you cant have a fantastic time there.
Plus, the Gemsstock – the jewel in the crown of the region – is 2,961 metres tall so theres a decent chance youll get good snow. Theres a black run (the B Russi Run, named after Andermatts most famous son Olympic skier Bernhard Russi) and the red run – the Sun Track.
With the promise of more ski areas being opened up, theres going to be plenty to keep you occupied.
Unfortunately the weather wasnt brilliant while we were there with quite a bit of the skiing being done in white-outs, but once we got lower down it cleared.
When it comes to eating, Andermatt has got a decent selection of food that youd expect to find up a mountain.
The on-piste restaurants are a bit basic and felt very much like a canteen, which jarred a little with the upmarket feeling that the resort is looking for.
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But when it comes to evening dining, its a little different. The Chedi has some excellent food to match its five-star status and if you can get onto the chefs table youll feel like youre in the middle of it all with all the smells wafting round.
If youre a lover of cheese, theres a room in the centre of the main restaurant that is piled high with the stuff – something to behold!
However if you want to sample the local delights theres a decent selection in the town. Its worth going to one of them even if its only to walk through the beautiful narrow streets that remind you its a town thats grown up organically and isnt a purpose-built resort that closes down for half the year.
Youll find plenty of sausage, cheese and bread with a decent selection of wines, as you would expect in the Alps.
We had dinner at Gasthaus Ochsen, an intimate restaurant where its impossible not to make friends with fellow diners. They appeared to specialise in raclette and fondue, and very good it was too.
As for the nightlife, as I mentioned earlier its not a place for people wanting to enjoy apres ski parties every night.
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There is still a long way for the town to go before its up there with the best resorts in the world, but with venues like the Chedi, you know they mean business and arent going to let Andermatt die.
Andermatt skiing facts
Vertical rise: 1,520m
Runs: 85
Longest run 4.5km
Terrain: 21% advanced, 59% intermediate, 20% beginners
Average snow depth between December and April is 140cm at base and 300cm at top of Gemmstock
How to get there and where to stay:
The nearest airport to Andermatt is Zurich. SWISS operates regular flights from London Heathrow, London City, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh (seasonal during summer) and Dublin from £55 one-way.
From there, you can either drive (1 hour 40 minutes) or get the train (around three hours).
The Swiss Transfer Ticket covers a round-trip between Zurich and Andermatt. Prices are £116 in second class and £188 in first class.
The Grand Deluxe room, which sleeps four people, starts from CHF 500 per night, including breakfast, use of the spa, non-alcoholic drinks from the minibar and taxes. The Deluxe Suite, where I stayed, starts from CHF 800.
You can hire skis, boots and helmets from The Chedi. Seven-day rental costs CHF 329.
A ski pass for the Andermatt-Sedrun area ranges from CHF 37 to CHF 65 per person, per day, depending on conditions and how early you book.
If youre planning to stay for a few days, The Chedi is also currently offering a winter package that includes room rates with breakfast, ski pass, and four-course dinners each night, with a minimum of three night stay.
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