What is the Neilson Mountain Collection?

Everyone at Neilson, from our country and resort managers to our chefs and hosts who’ll welcome you with a warm smile share a love of fresh mountain air and the freedom of the pistes.

Our crew are a friendly bunch and love nothing more than helping you get the most out of your holiday. They live and breathe mountain life making them experts on that resort (plus many others), so if you need to know anything like which slopes are the best in the mornings to other activities to do off the slopes, they’re the ones to ask.

Our guests constantly tell us that it’s not the comfy beds, great food or fluffy snow that makes their holiday (even though they certainly help). It's our staff that make the difference, and that’s why we only employ the best in the business.

Ski guiding isn’t anything new to us. We were the first tour operator to offer our guests guiding nearly 40 years ago. Back then it was our resort reps who shared their local knowledge and showed people around the slopes.

Nowadays, the rules are more strict and anyone guiding guests around the mountain needs to be a fully qualified instructor, and that’s exactly what our Mountain Experts are.

We're currently the only UK ski holiday company that offers free, professional ski guiding in Andorra, Austria, France and Italy throughout the season with fully qualified ski and snowboard instructors.

Anyone over 18 (or 12 in school holidays) staying in a Mountain Collection property or any of our selected hotels which are exclusive to Neilson in the UK can have at least two free guiding sessions per week. Some of our larger hotels have sessions almost every day. You just have to be comfortable skiing or boarding on blue or red runs.

The bonus of the guides being instructors is that they can also give out free coaching tips throughout the day too. This isn’t like ski school, it’s way more relaxed and way more social with the idea that you’ll not only get to know the mountain better at the beginning of the week but you’ll end up a more confident skier or boarder as well.

All of the free guiding and coaching is well and good, but you’re going to need the energy to keep you going throughout the week. We’ve got that covered too.

Our menus are designed for skiers and boarders, by skiers and boarders. Rest assured that you won’t go hungry on a Neilson Holiday. Each meal has been carefully thought out so that you can prepare and replenish your energy well. 

Our daily breakfasts are hearty with the full continental offering of breads, jams, cereals, juices and pastries along with a cooked breakfast if you so wish. This will set you up nicely for a full-on day in the mountains.

Once you’ve had your fill of snow, head home to a delicious afternoon tea of freshly made cake, biscuits and warming drinks. Grab a slice of cake and a comfy chair to swap stories of your day.

After chilling out with friends or enjoying some local après, your hosts will have your three-course evening meal ready. To give you a taste of the region you’re staying in, a local dish will be on the menu at least once throughout the week too. And for our chalet and chalet hotel guests, complimentary wine is served with your dinner.

1. If you’re taking an entire chalet, you can choose your meal times and families in chalets can also ask for earlier meals for the kids

2. We can cater for most dietary requirements so just let us know when you book

3. Kids under 15 get a discount when sharing a room with two adults

4. Don’t miss the Snow Brief at the start of the holiday as it has great info for your week ahead

5. You need to sign up for any Mountain Expert sessions at the start of the week

We have three different options for your stay and each has their own benefits depending on what you’re looking for from your time in the snow…

Mountain Collection hotels
If you’re looking for a really sociable atmosphere and love meeting new, like-minded people, or maybe you want some childcare and the flexibility of larger, interconnecting rooms, try one of our Mountain Collection hotels.

• Half board meals including afternoon tea • Large bar to enjoy some fun après • Most have Neilson-run childcare

Mountain Collection chalets
If making a cosy space your own with a group of family and friends and having the flexibility to have things your way is more your thing, try a chalet.

• Chalet board including free wine with dinner • Your own chalet hosts to help make your week run like a dream • Some have open fires, saunas or hot tubs

Mountain Collection chalet hotels
For a nice mix of the two, try a chalet hotel. They all have a cosy feel and social dining but with the added bonus of a small bar for some fun and laid-back après and a really sociable atmosphere.

• Chalet board including free wine with dinner • Each has a small bar for a relaxed, sociable vibe • Great choice of room sizes to suit all groups

So check out our latest Mountain Collection deals and we look forward to welcoming you to the mountains soon!