Why I Love Powder Byrne’s Famous Ski Guiding Service
As a frequent traveler with Powder Byrne on summer holidays, I already knew how impressive their children’s programmes were. However, I admit I was initially unsure about their complimentary ski guiding service on our winter trip to Flims.
Would it suit our ski abilities? Was there a need to book it in advance? What if the group dynamics didn’t work out for us?
Thankfully, my concerns were quickly dispelled.
Before our winter holiday, a member of the Powder Byrne Client Concierge team contacted me to discuss our family’s skiing preferences and abilities. With our children already enrolled in the Yeti and SnoZone programmes, I was eager to learn more about the adult ski guiding options. The Client Concierge team set straight to work explaining the reasons why ski guiding is so popular and calmed any apprehensions by asking about my ski abilities and the types of slopes I enjoy. They explained that both of us would be placed in the best group for our abilities, but it was always flexible if we wished to join friends in another group for lunches. Their attention to detail was spot-on and I could tell we were in capable hands.
On the first morning, a Powder Byrne ski host met us at the hotel boot room, they introduced themselves, assisted with your gear and briefed you on the day’s plans.
We then hopped into one of Powder Byrne’s luxurious vehicles for a trip to the slopes and met our group. Our group, consisting of three other couples and our guide, quickly gelled. Mark, our guide, even helped carry my wife’s skis, making the start of our adventure seamless.
As we ascended in the gondola, we faced poor visibility, which made us a bit anxious since it was our first day back on skis. However, Mark reassured us, explaining that we would soon be above the clouds and into clear skies. True to his word, we reached the top to find stunning blue skies and breathtaking views.
Due to the low clouds, Mark suggested we head higher towards the glacier to find better conditions. Again he was right and we enjoyed a fantastic morning skiing on wide, groomed pistes without worrying about navigation. Despite varied skiing styles, our group clicked well, and we requested to stay together for the remainder of the week. After a delightful morning on the slopes, complete with a necessary coffee break and some laughs, we headed to lunch.
Mark had arranged a wonderful lunch at La Vaca, a quirky teepee-shaped tent with a large open fire that was much appreciated as the temperature dropped. The meal was exquisite; I savoured Mark’s recommendation of a ribeye steak, and our group shared a fine bottle of red wine. After another coffee hit, we emerged to find the clouds had cleared, revealing a sunny afternoon.
As we left the restaurant, we spotted another Powder Byrne group making the most of the sun and enjoying Aperol spritzes. A few of our group wanted to ski more, while others preferred to stay at the bar. Mark coordinated with the other host, and we split into two groups: one stayed behind while the rest continued skiing with Mark. Just before the end of the day, Mark coordinated with the Powder Byrne Resort Manager to organise our return shuttle from the slopes to the hotel to pick up our children.
The rest of the week followed a similar format, with a rotation of highly professional ski hosts. We skied with Mark, Sam, and Kerri-Ann, each bringing their own unique personality and guiding style and clearly all outstanding skiers. As requested, we stayed in the same group throughout the week, and we’ve since become good friends with the other couples. We are now coordinating our future Powder Byrne ski holidays to ensure we travel together.
Our ski holiday is a cherished time of year that we eagerly anticipate, and it is always nice to see familiar faces among the ski hosts on our trips.
To find out more, get in touch with one of our travel consultants
on 020 8246 5300.
