Après-ski season in Andorra

Snowboarding, skiing, snowy slopes, sunshine, mulled wine, fondue, champagne, and spa - the perfect winter getaway mix.

Recently, I came across a list of non-trivial sports locations where you can not only make useful connections but also significantly expand your financial capacity, as the so-called "Insta-coaches" say. The list of expensive sports included golf, tennis, polo, and, of course, skiing.

Aspen, St. Moritz, Courchevel, Bad Gastein, Krasnaya Polyana, Soldeu, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Beaver Creek—if these locations sound familiar, welcome to the world of elite, injury-prone, yet beautiful sports.

I visited the ski resort El Tarter in Andorra for my 29th birthday in 2022, but back then, I was brave enough only for après-ski at the Veuve Clicquot Lounge. Beautiful, fun, cold, and incredibly interesting.

By the time I turned 31, curiosity had outweighed fear. We decided to spend 5 days on the slopes, celebrate my birthday there, and enjoy Christmas at the same time.

So, ladies, here’s a breakdown of the basic expenses for finding a wealthy husband:

• Hotel or apartment rental

• Purchasing thermal underwear and a ski suit

  • Let’s start with the purchases made long before the trip, making the ski season even more desirable. After a long search for a stylish snowboard suit, I chose a black-and-white jumpsuit from H&M - stylish, warm, and water-resistant - for €200. I preferred this over mixed outfits of pants and jackets. Special water-resistant gloves by Rossignol (€145) plus balaclava (€36) completed the set. Thermal underwear and compression sports socks from Oysho cost €120. As for shoes, I recommend classic Moonboots for après-ski (€185).

• A ski pass for two people for 4 days cost €482 + €52 for insurance

• Renting equipment for two people for 4 days came to €295.

• Please, if you’re a beginner, don’t try snowboarding for the first time using YouTube tutorials. Believe me—avoiding injuries is far cheaper than hiring an instructor. Group lessons for three days cost €308 for two people. If you prefer a personal approach, a private 2-hour lesson costs just €100.

• Spa and massage for two people at the Sport Wellness Mountain Spa amounted to €500.

  • Why do I consider this a necessity? Your muscles get so tight after a day on the slopes that if you don’t plan for relaxation, you’ll feel like Pinocchio the next morning. Trust me, after a 1.5-hour sports massage and an hour in the spa, I was gliding down the mountain the next day. Relaxed muscles play a significant role in skiing. Plus, lying on a massage table in a room with panoramic windows overlooking snowy mountains is pure joy.

  • Regarding the spa, we walked in an hour before closing, and it felt like there wasn’t enough time. So, we returned the next day for a full experience. My advice - arrive while it’s still day light outside. The panoramic windows and outdoor pool elevate the experience. In the evening, it’s just an ordinary spa with poorly heated saunas. Bit frustrating. I’d recommend another massage instead - it was one of the best I’ve ever had.

• Restaurants - here are a few recommendations and one anti:

  • Let’s start with the French restaurant Les Tables de l'Ours:

    • Service is top-notch. A lovely hostess greeted us, let us choose a table, and immediately sent a waitress with the menu. Great wine list.

    • The food - I'm in love French cuisine, so this dinner is unforgettable. Personal recommendations: onion soup, tender foie gras with pistachio crumbs and fig marmalade as a starter, lamb shoulder with carrot puree, and filet steak with garlic butter as mains. Both dishes came with creamy potato gratin. For dessert, we had profiteroles drizzled with dark chocolate, vanilla ice cream, and roasted almond crumbs.

    • The bill for two, including a bottle of wine, was €150.

  • Glassbar 1850 at the Sport Hotel Hermitage & Spa - if you’re looking for luxury, this is the place to be. Whether you prefer quiet or lively, both coexist here harmoniously, without clashing.

    • The atmosphere exudes mountain chic: a grand piano, saxophone, and live music. Massive wooden tables are filled with a diverse crowd, making the evening more fascinating. Elegant French families in expensive, label-free cashmere sip indecently expensive red wine by the fireplace. Of course a lot of Russian chatter, usually accompanied by full-length sable coats, plenty of Louis Vuitton, and sparkling gems on every finger. A lynx fur coat was even spotted – adding it to my wishlist.

    • The bar offers practically any alcohol you can imagine, and they’ll mix any cocktail for you. The wine list is impressive. The menu is also extensive and intriguing, created by Michelin-starred chefs from Ibaya and Koy restaurants, which are located in the same hotel, just one floor below.

    • Special mention goes to the service. The staff is impeccably trained. The host greets you at the entrance with a genuine smile of 32 perfectly white teeth. Waitstaff appear at your table out of nowhere as soon as you lift your hand, and the manager is ready to solve any issue you might encounter during your visit. It’s the kind of service that makes you want to return. A solid 5 out of 5.

    • We ended up there spontaneously after two hours at the spa. The goal was simple – to relax with a drink by the fireplace. And this place handled that task perfectly. The bill came to €60 for two cocktails and a dessert.

  • Lamont. Two years ago, I celebrated my birthday here with excellent service and delicious food, so I decided to return. Unfortunately, I miscalculated. The staff was inattentive, rude, and unprofessional. The manager, aware of the issues, merely shrugged and mumbled, “Sorry.”

    • For the interior, food, and live fireplace, it gets 3 out of 5 stars, but the poor service ruined the experience.

    • The bill for two, including a bottle of wine, was approximately €250.

At the end: I listed the main big expenses for you + everyday expenses for groceries for the apartments, lunches on the mountain during descents, and, of course, liters of mulled wine in lounges on the slopes. For 5 days for two people, we spent approximately 5000€. The experience and emotions are priceless and will stay with us forever. Repeat it again? Easy. See you next season.