Cross country skiing at Kandersteg

Friendly hotel with wonderful cuisine, indoor pool, sauna and gym Breathtaking scenery: the Matterhorn, Dents du Midi and Mont Blanc; pretty 'chocolate box' villages Professional ski tuition included; lots of scope for independent exploring; superb value for money Beautifully groomed, easy-to-follow trails direct from hotel; try snowshoeing, winter walking and sledging too

Your base for this holiday is Kandersteg, one of the last surviving “picture postcard” Swiss villages in the heart of the Bernese Oberland. It’s incredibly pretty (with streets full of cuckoo-clock style houses!) and very much unspoiled. The combination of high trails and wonderful open plateaux make it a superb cross country ski choice for all ages and abilities.

Headwater guests stay in the traditional, family-run *** Alfa Soleil hotel, on the edge of the village, and offering real 'home from home' comfort levels. There is an elegant lounge/ drawing room (with piano and open fire), a lively bar and a heated swimming pool, sauna, solarium and gym. Evening meals are taken in the cosy, candlelit dining room, and there is a special gastronomic evening every Thursday. There is also a wonderful wood-fired pizza oven if you fancy less formal dining at any point during your stay.

Your ski programme is both varied and flexible. We’ve included 3 x 1/2 days’ tuition with a professional instructor to get you started, then you’re free to explore independently or book additional lessons locally. The 100kms or so of trails are beautifully marked, easy to follow and incredibly picturesque. They undulate through snowy pines by the hotel and extend up to the sunny plateaux at Oeschinensee and Sunnbuel which are easily reached by chairlift or cable car.