Are ski weekends possible? This season's best short mountain breaks

The secret to a short Alpine getaway - to minimise time away from work and maximise time on snow - lies in the planning.

A well-organised three-night break in the mountains should allow three full days on the slopes but feel like it’s been an entire week. Hours spent waiting for transfers and queuing for lift passes as well as equipment rental are hours wasted, and the easiest way to take care of all these details is to arrange the trip through a specialist operator.

Some of the arrangements, however, need to be personal. The daring, for example, might risk catching an early flight home on a Monday morning to, say, London City Airport, and be at their desk by 9am. Be warned that the weather in Geneva - fog, in particular - and at other hub airports in mid-winter may not always play ball.

For the committed skier or snowboarder, two or three of these enjoyable outings, spread over the course of the season, can be much more fulfilling than the traditional annual week away.

Unless otherwise stated, prices are per person for seven nights, based on two sharing a double or twin room and include half-board, flights and transfers

Best for comfort

Klosters, Switzerland

Klosters shares a ski area of 300km worth of pistes with neighbouring Davos, boasting beautiful scenery, varied runs, and some fabulous off-piste – including a route, best when accompanied by a local guide, all the way to nearby Arosa.

The resort’s cable car runs from the centre of town up to Gotschna, from where it is possible to explore the entire giant Parsenn area, stopping for lunch at one of the delightful little huts scattered about the mountainside. The hamlet of Klosters Dorf is the gateway to the smaller and generally less demanding Madrisa ski area.

Klosters itself is an attractive little village with working dairy farms that remains remarkably unspoilt by tourism. Apres here is relaxed rather than vibrant and centred on a handful of welcoming bars and hotels.  

Need to know 

From £659 for a three-night stay half-board at Hotel Steinbock, including flights and transfers with Inghams (inghams.co.uk; 01483 79111).

Best for atmosphere

Courmayeur, Italy

The old town, all cobbled streets and narrow alleyways, is a great choice for foodies and those looking for cool shops and hot nightspots. Consider a stay at the recently-renovated Hotel Maison Saint Jean. The stone and ancient wood hotel has been open to guests since the Sixties and now offers a spa and indoor pool. Found in the centre of Courmayeur, it is just a few minutes’ walk from the main lift into the ski area. The 41km of pistes are limited in variety but there is some amazing off-piste

Need to know

From £619 for three nights (Thursday to Sunday) B&B, including flights and transfers, from Momemtum Ski ( momentumski.com; 0207 371 9111).

Best for rural relaxation

Samoens, France

The unsophisticated village of Samoens is part of the huge Grand Massif ski area, the fourth largest in France. It is linked to snow-sure Flaine and offers a total of 143 runs. Stay at Les Fermes de Samoens, just over half a mile from the gondola at Samoens 1600, with free shuttle buses connecting the apartments with the nearest lift. The collection of chalet-style buildings is 400 metres from the shops and within a 90-minute drive of Geneva airport.

Need to know

From £99 per night per one-bedroom apartment (sleeping up to four people) through Lagrange Holidays (lagrange-holidays.co.uk; 0207 371 6111). There is a two nights minimum, and short breaks are not available during school holidays. The price excludes flights, but these and transfers can be arranged at extra cost. 

Best for value

Megève, France

Head to glitzy Megève, a little over an hour’s drive from Geneva airport, for a relaxed time in a large ski area with mainly gentle and undemanding slopes. Well-suited to intermediates, there’s enough variety of runs and some superb mountain restaurants for lunch stops. After a fresh snowfall, there’s some good routes through the forests, too. Chalet Rond Point is excellent value in such a chic resort, with 13 rooms decorated in Savoyard style.

Need to know

From £360 for a three-night stay at Chalet Rond Point, half board, not including travel, with Stanford Skiing (stanfordskiing.co.uk; 01603 477471)

Best for a short transfer

Innsbruck, Austria

The beautiful capital of the Austrian Tirol is surrounded by mountains but, with its own airport, enjoys a transfer time of just a few minutes and regular UK flights. Innsbruck itself has historic buildings and museums, and – being a city – there’s a much better choice of restaurants than in most resorts.

The city’s own ski area of Nordkette is reachable by cable car in 20 minutes from the centre, and has slopes best-suited to strong intermediates and advanced skiers only. The alternative is to base yourself in a nearby village and explore Innsbruck in the evening or on a bad weather day. Axamer Lizum is 12 miles away away and located in a bowl with 40km of piste. The runs are long and featured in both the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympic Games.  There is also plenty of off-piste terrain, as well as a snowpark.

Need to know

From £843 for four nights half board at Hotel Lizumerhof in Axamer Lizum (right next to the piste), including flights from London Gatwick, transfers, and a free lift pass in December with SNO (sno.co.uk; 0207 770 6888).

Best for intermediates

Morzine, France

Make the most of the limited time away with Ski Weekends, which does exactly what it says on the tin, as well as organising mid-week and week-long trips. It offers short breaks to 48 resorts in France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Scandinavia and Spain with staff primed to do all they can to ensure maximum time on the slopes for guests.

The bustling resort of Morzine has a short transfer time and wide variety of terrain, with 650km of slopes in the Portes du Soleil area. Chalet Joseph is in a central location, under a minute’s walk from the nearest lift, shops and bars. It is built as two separate apartments and can sleep up to 18 people.

Need to know

From £368 for three nights, flying from London Stansted to Geneva for two nights’ chalet board and one night B&B, including flights and transfers, with Ski Weekends (skiweekends.com; 0208 098 1533).

Best for a challenge

Chamonix, France

Few major resorts in the world offer slopes as steep and technically demanding as Chamonix. Refuge des Aiglons is a contemporary-style four-star hotel a stone’s throw from the Aiguille du Midi cable-car, and 400 metres from the pedestrianised town centre. Facilities include an indoor pool, sauna and steam room, as well as a bar and on-site restaurant.

Need to know

From £599 ski-drive for three nights (Friday to Sunday) half board at Refuge des Aiglons in Chamonix with Peak Retreats (peakretreats.co.uk; 023 9283 9310), including Eurotunnel crossings with free FlexiPlus upgrade.