Hotel Villa Blu, Cortina

Cortina is one of the top Italian ski destinations and sits in the same exclusivity bracket as Courchevel, St Moritz and Lech/Zurs. This is where affluent Italians head and is the location of many a second home. But why is it so highly regarded? There is some of the most awesome scenery anywhere in the ski world, with great ambience in a classically Italian context, with shops, cafés, restaurants and hotels to rival the very best. Cortina is also a genuinely pretty town, with lots of activities for non-skiers. This is indicated by the fact that two out of every three Italian visitors don't even ski…

On the skiing and boarding side of things, there are superb, well-groomed pistes for beginners and intermediates, but experts will find less to challenge them. The pistes are fairly uncrowded except on holidays and, if being on the snow is your major priority, get up early to dodge the late-starter brigade.

The downside? It's expensive, although not as bad as other 'top' resorts. But perhaps the biggest criticism is the ski domain itself. It's split into three separate areas and accessed by overcrowded buses, while the lift system is old and slow. Snow can be unreliable, so the season is shorter and this reduces off-piste opportunities for better skiers/boarders. Boarders will find a specialist park and half-pipe catering only to them. Some visitors may well dislike the overriding chic of the resort. This is especially noticeable when the fur coat gang take their early evening stroll, serenaded by the glorious symphony of the local bird – 'mobilius phonicus major'. But if you want to see how the richer Italians do 'the Alpine scene', this is the best place to see it. If you want more skiing, you can always take a day trip to the Sella Ronda…