Planning your Ski Holiday to Canada:

Choosing a resort for your ski holiday

Canadian ski resorts are situated on both the west and east coasts, with western resorts, such as Banff, Lake Louise and Whistler, being the more popular. Holiday makers flock to enjoy famously wide, empty pistes with minimal lift queues and, of course, great snow.

Having said that, there are some drawbacks to skiing in Canada's western resorts. Firstly, if you're travelling from Europe, it's a long way to the west coast, so it's a good idea to go for longer than a week if you can. Secondly, although western Canada's ski resorts have virtually guaranteed snow, it can rain and temperatures can get bitterly cold, -30°C in Banff/Lake Louise is not uncommon.

On the east coast, much more accessible to Europeans, the snow is not such good quality, nor is it as consistent. And although the resorts do not run short, the snow can often be wind-blown and icy when the temperatures are low, or slushy when they rise. These resorts also tend to be smaller in both extent and vertical drop.

Like in the US, accommodation in the Canada is usually of high quality. Many even middle-bracket Canadian ski lodges have hot-tubs, saunas and outdoor pools. Catered chalets options as well as self catered accommodation, or "condominiums", are available, although hotels tend to be more popular.