SKI & BOARD, A HIGH OLD TIME
February 2007
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Ben Letham samples the good life.

FROM THE MOMENT the gleaming black 4x4 pulled up outside the airport, and the representative hoisted our ski bags into the boot, it was clear that this was going to be a slightly different ski outing from the usual. No confusing search in arrivals for your particular rep. No tour operator coach driver dragging on a Gauloise in sight. Simply a welcoming seat and a GPS unit gently guiding us irrevocably to the glitz of St Moritz.

Ski trips usually run to a simple format: plane – coach – resort - chalet/hotel. Settle, have a beer. Throw in a bit of skiing, and that’s the week sorted. But sometimes this isn’t enough. Ski holidays should be about adventure, new experiences, and Baobab is bringing something new to the party. We’d be enjoying rösti one day on the slopes, gnocchi the next, and kaiserschmarren (sugared pancakes with raisins) the day after that. What a great idea. But how?

As we headed out of Zurich and towards the mountains, over the Julierpass with the moonlight reflecting off the snow, and down into St Moritz, our itinerary was outlined. We would sample two hotels in this resort, have two days skiing, then pack up in the early evening and get back in the car for an hour and a half or so. We would then get out of the car in Livigno, having crossed the border. After sampling the Italian lifestyle, we would pack up again and head to St Anton for some Austrian-style skiing and après-ski. Three resorts in three different countries in one trip – it was very, very appealing.

The tailor-made holiday is the essence of Baobab. You can choose just how long you stay in each resort, and you also choose your class of accommodation – give them your budget and they’ll do the work for you. And if your budget is high, you can stay in some incredible hotels. A mere 19,000 Swiss francs will get you a night in the Hans Badrutt Suite at Badrutt’s Palace in St Moritz – complete with statues, grand piano, Jacuzzi, sauna and over 260 square metres of very nice space thank you very much. That’s a little shy of £8,050. Of course not everybody has quite as much as that to spend – it is possible to find cheaper hotels to stay in if, like me, you’re not one of the richest people in the world. Yet.

And the multi-country ethos gives the opportunity to appreciate several different cultures. From the glamour of St Moritz, to the down-to-earth homeliness of Livigno, to the charm and outrageous nightlife of St Anton and to the stunning Dolomite scenery in Alta Badia, there really is something for everyone. Skiing holidays, for many people, are just as much about the ambience of the resort and the dining and après-ski as they are about the skiing. And travelling in comfortable 4x4s, either being driven by the guides or driving yourself, from country to country, is as adventurous as you want to make it.

Back in St Moritz, the order of the day was doing things in style. Well, that’s the whole reason for St Moritz in the first place, so why not? The limited early-season skiing was supplemented by plenty of gersten soup (barley and vegetables), the perfect antidote to cold, snowy chairlifts (at least they had snow), rösti with ham, eggs and cheese, and wine. In the town itself, the Chesa Veglia restaurant offered traditional Swiss-German family meals in a beautiful rustic Engadinestyle farmhouse originally built in 1658. But a shirt and jacket are de rigeur - baggy jeans are somewhat frowned upon.

From dressing up in St Moritz we were quickly dressing down in Livigno for some serious partying. It’s incredibly popular with the British, and as such there are plenty of bars to choose from should you need to brag about your skiing exploits. Or drown your sorrows, of course. And the next day, after sampling Livigno’s wide-open slopes and excellent park, we were in the dramatic resort of St Anton for jagged peaks, wiener schnitzel and Grolsch beer by the stein. Did I mention that we skied?

As well as the resorts mentioned, Baobab also organises tailor-made trips to the Colorado resorts of Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Breckenridge and Telluride.

For more information:
www.baobabexpeditions.com or 020 8694 2198