Bear Lodge really does tick all the boxes if you’re looking for a ski holiday that minimises the faff factor. It’s literally by the side of a blue piste, with two lifts about 50m down the slope, and high enough that it should be snow sure all season (it was slushy by the end of our week, but there was still plenty of snow). Ski hire is in house, literally in the boot room. They can sort lift passes before you arrive. We didn’t have them, but the ski lessons start right outside the door, which is really handy if you have younger children. There is even a screen showing what lifts and runs are open inside the boot room in case you don’t want to use the excellent Paradiski app. There is a really efficient WhatsApp concierge service for restaurant bookings and anything else you need.
The rest of Bear Lodge is as it looks in the photos. The rooms were generous, with plenty of storage. They were also spotless: credit to the housekeeping team. The bar is a good size, and could also be described as a lounge as it’s a pretty pleasant space to spend time. Spa, cinema etc you can see for yourself, but both great facilities. It’s also just a short walk into the centre of 1950 for shops, bars and restaurants.
Otherwise, it’s typical of the larger, higher-end VIP options (this was our fifth holiday with VIP, across four different resorts). The staff are all friendly, and overall service is very good. Breakfast was great, plenty of choice, and good quality. Afternoon tea was nice when you got back from the slopes, with a couple of cake/cookie options each day.
Not major, but dinner was a little disappointing. There were a few odd combinations, starters and desserts were often way too big, and the included wines weren’t the best. We were also crying out for something lighter and healthier by the end of the week. But you do get a choice (made the previous evening), you don’t have to finish everything you’re given, and obviously you’re free to skip courses if you want (we frequently did).
The only other downside was overnight noise from piste-bashers, but that’s an inevitable trade-off of being so close to the piste.