As a parent, it is natural to want to provide opportunities for your kids that you may not have had yourself. As a young child, every four years I would watch the Winter Olympics on our television set religiously taking in all the different sports and snow-based games. The skiing disciplines were my favourite, watching the speed and agility of athletes as they gracefully descended the mountains. The games in Lillehammer in 1994 were the best from memory and ever since, I made it my mission to one day learn how to ski.

The opportunity came 10 years later when I learnt to ski whilst living in Grenoble, France. Although I am a capable skier I still envy the children who whizz past whilst you try to stay upright. For them having skis on from a young age gave them the confidence to not fear the slopes. I enjoy skiing but there is always a nagging fear when I can see ice patches or someone comes a little too close.

When my daughter was born in 2011 I decided I would get her on the slopes as soon as possible to give her the chance to learn without being fearful like her mum! At age four, she was now old enough to join a ski school and we chose Norway as our destination this Easter. The ski resorts in Norway are known for offering a safe environment for children to learn to ski and benefit from excellent instructors and, of course, wonderful snow.

The brief for our holiday was clear. I didn’t want to be climbing on board ski buses, or shopping for food supplies. I wanted the slopes to be on our doorstep and to have children’s facilities to enable Alice to have a memorable holiday and to give us a chance to do our own skiing whilst she enjoyed a couple of hours in a children’s club each day. Vestlia Resort in Geilo ticked all the boxes. 

We flew to Oslo and took the train to Geilo - a scenic journey on board the Bergen Railway of around 3 hours. I booked seats in the family carriage on board the train which has a soft play area - something completely astounding for us used to packed uncomfortable trains in the UK. The journey whizzed by and before we knew it we’d arrived into the most picturesque surroundings with mountain vistas all around us. A short shuttle bus to our accommodation and we were soon settled into the resort and enjoying the views. Vestlia Resort is a ski-in-ski-out hotel next to the chairlifts and slopes of Vestlia. There is also a ski bus which takes you to the other side of the valley to enjoy even more slopes of Geilo. 

The hotel is a fantastic mix of traditional design but with modern facilities and a cosy Nordic atmosphere - perfect for apres ski. The entire resort is designed with families in mind and includes an indoor heated swimming pool, soft play area, bowling alley and a family friendly restaurant. It is in short paradise for kids and a comfortable refuge for parents. Half board is available in the restaurant, but we enjoyed the bar menu for its good quality fresh food and children’s menu. 

Ski hire and passes are available a few steps from the hotel which made ski school a breeze to arrange for my daughter. Everything was well organised and the instructors were fun and approachable. I couldn’t quite believe what they were able to achieve after only a few days of ski school. During the first day Alice’s class were constantly going from standing to suddenly on the ground whilst the instructors picked them up in turn. By day five, they were tackling the button lift and making their way down the nursery slope with relative ease. It was a very proud moment! Ski School was followed by a few hours in Troll Klub for Alice who made friends with some of the children there. The environment was safe and welcoming and enabled mum and dad to enjoy some time in the mountains (or at the Lake as my husband took up cross-country skiing for the first time). During one afternoon we even did some husky sledding nearby on the frozen lake which was wonderful.

The holiday at Vestlia Resort was a perfect treat for the family. Everyone was happy and had time and space to enjoy the wonderful scenery and nature at Geilo. It was action-packed and gave Alice lots of new experiences which she is keen to repeat! 

If you’d like to consider a family skiing holiday to Vestlia Resort, get in touch with the team at Magnetic North Travel who will make it happen for you.