Liverpool
Get that just-skied feeling while surrounded by scousers. Bar Hütte in Chavasse Park is the city’s favourite spot to get in the off-piste mood thanks to its cosy cabins. Book a hütte (or hut) for you and up to eight friends for a snug sing-along with karaoke or take the kids to the Festive After School Club on a Tuesday. With movie nights and wreath making accompanied with mulled wine, you’ll struggle to find a better winter warmer by the Mersey.
Southampton
For the south coast’s most impressive ski-themed spectacle, head to Orange Rooms. Make a beeline for Off Piste, the bar’s dedicated alpine lodge-style space and kick back in a wood-panelled room complete with snowshoes on the wall and a resident 7-foot polar bear. Drinks are served in flasks and barrels end enjoyed in glasses made of ice, and for the ultimate in old school cool, there’s a vintage PlayStation complete with winter sport games.
London
Mulled wine always tastes better in front of an open fire. Luckily, the good folks at Neverland know that too, and drape their seats with the softest of faux furs while you treat yourself to a fondue. Their Winterland experience includes all the trimmings you’d expect from an alpine lodge with a few curveballs thrown in. A gin bar might not be a feature at every ski resort but it’s a welcome addition to a night out in Fulham, especially with the sounds of a DJ playing party pleasers in the background.
Leicester
With year-round log cabin fun at Leicester’s Après Lounge, you can scratch that apres-ski itch in the height of summer and without boarding a plane. Step off the high street and into a space decorated with cuckoo clocks, the odd reindeer-head and vintage ski gear. Swap mountains for the Midlands as you sip on cocktails inspired by the slopes.
York
Fairy lights, roaring log fires and alpine-inspired chalets are the order of the day at Thor’s Tipi. Don’t let the name fool you, the pop-up is so much more than a Viking-inspired night out. With a warm, cosy Christmas interior, boozy hot chocolates, cocktails by log fires and sharing feasts on snowboards by YUZU, there’s more festive-ness than you can imagine.
Stay nearby: York Pavilion Hotel, Sure Hotel Collection by Best Western
And remember, every stay you book with Best Western supports our independent, local and family-run hotels. Now that’s a booking good reason to indulge in some apres ski!