Which resort is best for groups in Andorra?

Posted in Andorra information / Ski Tips by Brett Tudor on 29/11/2024

Andorra has quite a choice of ski resorts, and the best one for groups ?  Well that depends on your specific group and what you want from your ski holiday.

The 2 main ski areas in Andorra are Grandvalira, which is actually the largest ski resort in the Pyrenees, and, in Southern Europe, and Vallnord.

Grandvalira is a higher altitude area with a wide range of slopes for every level.  So if you are a group with mixed skiing experience, and even beginners, Grandvalira is ideal.   Within Grandvalira you have several resorts, but the resort that tends to be favourite for groups, especially if you are a larger group, would be Pas de la Casa.

Pas de la Casa is probably the largest ski and snowboard resort in Andorra and has one of the best ski & snowboard schools catering for all ages and abilities, from the beginners in your group,  through to the advanced, more experienced skiers.  There are a good choice of equipment hire shops, supermarkets, bars, restaurants and nightclubs.  Pas de la Casa also offers a wide range of accommodation at every level for all budgets.  With a large number of self-catering facilities as well as both budget and 4 star hotels, your group can be accommodated quite easily.  Then there is the apres ski  !!!   Pas de la Casa has so many restaurants and bars that you are spoiled for choice and well catered for.  The nightclubs are a favourite for the livelier groups that want  to continue the après ski until the early hours.   Pas de la Casa is probably the liveliest of all the resorts in Andorra and very popular with groups of younger adults who seek the combination of ski and night-life.

Soldeu is another firm favourite resort in the Grandvalira area.  Soldeu, like Pas de la Casa, has excellent ski & snowboarding schools to help all abilities within your group.  Soldeu is quite a compact  resort,  with mainly good quality hotels boasting excellent facilities.  A lot of the hotels are quite large, so can easily fit larger groups wanting to travel together.   Soldeu is particularly popular if you are a group that takes your skiing and snowboarding more seriously.   The apres ski is not as “lively” as in Pas de la Casa but there is still a great atmosphere.  Soldeu is not always as budget friendly, due to the categories of the hotels, as Pas de la Casa.

Vallnord is the other main ski area in Andorra.  Not as large or as high altitude as Grandvalira, but can still boast excellent skiing and great ski-schools.  Vallnord has two main ski areas; Arinsal and Pal.   Vallnord tends to be slightly more budget friendly than Grandvalira, and is extremely popular with smaller groups,  families and, especially, beginners.  Arinsal is, without a doubt, the main attraction for groups in the Vallnord area.

Arinsal is a very picturesque village-type resort that has an excellent range of accommodation to suit everyone.  The après ski, whilst not as lively and hectic as in Pas de la Casa is a very social experience.  Arinsal, for its size, offers a large range of restaurants and bars to suit everyone’s taste.   If you are a group, with non-skiers, Arinsal and Vallnord in general, offer a lot of other activities apart from skiing and snowboarding, for those that might not want to take to the slopes every day.  The great advantage with Arinsal, is its proximity to the capital, Andorra la Vella, where, using reliable public transport, your group can go for some duty free shopping, a trip to Caldea, (the largest spa in Southern Europe), and check out some of the best restaurants and bars that Andorra has to offer.

If you are travelling as a group, you basically need to consider various factors including budget, size of your group, skiing and snowboarding ability and the social aspect.  The great thing about Andorra is that it has somewhere for everyone – the choice is yours !