Cheap ski hotels

December before Christmas and April after Easter have the lowest ski hotel prices but the best time to balance low prices with more reliable snow conditions is January. Hotels are almost as affordable as low-season and there is much less chance of the whole trip becoming poor value due to lack of skiing.

Yes they sometimes are, but waiting to book a ski hotel last minute can also backfire if your favourite place gets a terrific dump of snow, when the powder-hounds who have been waiting for fresh snow will quickly book the remaining cheapest deals.

The best ski hotel discounts are often the early-bird offers so it's best to book as early as possible. Skier who bag the lowest hotel rates are often those who book the next year's trip as soon as they get back from the last.

Ski hotels in Austria tend to be cheaper and there are many more authentic alpine hostels still run by families too, but France has more high-altitude resorts and therefore more ski in ski out hotels, so different skiers will make a different choice.

Ski hotels booked as a package with flights and transfers included usually work out better value than booking elements independently and, even where it's not cheaper, most travellers prefer the ATOL protection and having one operator responsible for the whole holiday.

The cheapest option is often a self-drive ski holiday which includes the ferry or Eurotunnel as well as your hotel and can be booked and driven for under £800 per person, whereas the most expensive luxury ski hotels cost between £2000 and £5,000 per week.

• Choose a smaller and less expensive ski resort,
• Book your hotel in low season, before Christmas or after Easter.
• Go self-catering and take food with you.
• Borrow ski clothes and even skis if you can (not boots).
• Self-drive and avoid toll roads.

Yes they are, although the biggest cost increase has been created by Brexit. Skiers can keep costs down by picking a low-season date and budget hotel in one of the smaller resorts.

Ski hotels are not necessarily more expensive than beach hotels but the whole holiday will cost more because of all the extras that you need to add, including lift pass, ski and boot rental and lessons. Eating and drinking out are also more expensive in ski resorts than beach destinations, so pick all-inclusive ski holidays to stick to a set budget.

Europe's cheapest ski resorts are in Bulgaria and Andorra but most budget-conscious skiers limit their bargain hunting to the Alps where the big 4 ski nations of France, Austria, Switzerland and Italy all have hotels at the value end of the scale and more reliable snow conditions.