Hotel Europe, Engelberg

Engelberg is a traditional Alpine village, only marginally spoilt by recent developments. It sits in remove from the big resorts and doesn't attract many foreign visitors, in spite of being only 100km from Zurich.

Engelberg offers 82km of marked pistes and possesses one of the biggest vertical descents in the world at 2000m. This is due to its central mountain, Titlis, being one of the highest in central Switzerland (over 3000m). The skiing is somewhat fragmented, existing in 2 parts, while beginners don't really have much to play with. On piste, it is mostly intermediate, but advanced skiers are spoilt with fantastic off-piste. In particular the 'Laub' fulfils these requirements, plunging 1000m off Titlis. The snow is excellent, especially at the top, with some drags left open until June. The village itself is at 1050m, so resort snow can vary.

Engelberg's biggest disadvantage is its isolation, offering no links to any other resorts. It can also experience weekend queues. Off-snow there are plenty of good hotels, restaurants and non-skiing activities to amuse everyone. The nightlife, whilst limited, is great fun, culminating in weekend revelry.

Overall, if you are looking for some challenging skiing and an essentially Swiss skiing environment, Engelberg is a fine choice. Off the beaten track, but with some great attractions.