Here’s a thing. If you have never been to Switzerland and want to experience a whole lot of its best traits in one hit, just go to Aletsch Arena. And more specifically stay in Bettmeralp village when you do.

A few days in Bettmeralp will expose you to the Swiss Alps’ prettiest winter alpine village (with a guaranteed full snow cover coating all the gorgeous traditional chalets), Switzerland’s best all round views (including over the longest glacier in the Alps), the full range of Swiss winter activities (sledding, skiing, winter-walking etc…), a surprisingly lively après scene, wonderful local cuisine, and a fascinating array of piste trails that take one on a magical mystery tour right along the crest of the range. But I already knew all this, so why visit again?

I returned to Aletsch Arena in January 2024 to find the darker side to the ski resort. And not dark as in evil (although I did duck a few ropes!); I mean dark as in challenging terrain and after-dark action. Determined to ride some of the funner (sic) off-piste terrain saw me safely putting tracks down big alpine couloirs, in and around avalanche fences, and even a few tree lines. Aletsch Arena is all about intermediate skiers having a fun time on perfectly groomed slopes where the few black runs are ‘light grey’ at best, and many of the red (intermediate) runs would be blues (easy) in other resorts. So finding the dark side of the ski hill is not necessarily simple or encouraged. But if one seeks, one finds.

A few highlights were in the Fiescheralp sector and included tearing up ski route 83 (which for some reason was closed) - a relatively gentle off-piste adventure. Skiing the avi fences & trees under the Heimatt chair. And then riding deep, dry powder in the couloirs off 2,869m Eggishorn. That last was courtesy on some local snow boarders that clearly know the hill. Well I do now too! And your secret is not safe with me!

I stayed for a few nights in Bettmeralp at the Hotel Alpfrieden. It was perfect for my requirements. A nice restaurant, affordable & comfortable room, ski-in/ski-out, a just few minutes’ walk from everything. Can recommend it.

What surprised me about Aletsch Arena was its après ski & nightlife scene. In Bettmeralp there are numerous options that go well into the night and, whilst in no way an Austrian nightlife experience, the venues are enthusiastically embraced by the guests on the mountain. It bodes well for powder turns in the morning when a portion of the competition is up all-night partying! I enjoyed after-ski drinks at Albis Mountain Rock Cafe. It’s a classic mountain ski bar. For late night booze, Bar Scappatina is open late. Funnily enough I was staying at the hotel with one of the best bar/nightclubs on the hill - Disco/Club Alpfrieden. Thankfully it cannot be heard in the rooms because it opens at 9pm and goes until the wee hours. The other villages are a lot quieter after hours, so if seeking some late-night shenanigans, Bettmeralp is your best bet.

I never got to check out the new(ish) valley terminal in Fiesch that integrates the gondola & train stations, but in true Swiss -style, I am sure it is amazing. The combined train & cable car station at Betten (which I used to get up the mountain) is impressive enough, and it is quite old now.

There are a lot of places touted as ‘family friendly’ ski resorts, but very few actually stack up to the label (Vercorin is case in point). For a family-friendly quintessentially Swiss snow holiday, Aletsch Arena is the real deal. It is also the real deal for anyone else wanting to experience the best of Swiss ski resorts without feeling like you need to be a pro skier to survive.

See more about the pros & cons of this resort on our Aletsch Arena overview page.

If you are after a family ski holiday with a picture postcard Swiss alpine village, loads of pristine piste trails, stunning scenery and non ski activities, Aletsch Arena is for you. Made up of three alpine villages (Bettmeralp, Riederalp, Fiescheralp) and linked to several others in the valley below, Aletsch Arena visitors are spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation. Bettmeralp is one of the loveliest alpine villages in Switzerland. Views across to the Monte Rosa massif and Matterhorn to the south add to the glorious vista that presents itself every morning when you wake up in your snow covered chalet.

Perched high above the valley on sunny south facing slopes, the majority of Aletsch Arena's 104km of perfectly groomed ski trails are above 2,000m elevation - guaranteeing quality snow conditions. The gentle rolling terrain across much of the resort is great for beginners and intermediate skiers, the many viewpoints to Aletsch Glacier are a bonus (the Alps largest/longest glacier!).  The terrain also lends itself to a vast network of winter walking trails which are sensational for non skiers to reach the highpoints on their own steam and enjoy mountain restaurants. The network is 72km long, which is extraordinary in the context of one ski resort.

Advanced riders will enjoy more serious challenges via the tunnel off Bettmerhorn, the summit of Eggishorn, in the off piste and several freeride routes. We easily found delightful off piste powder with very few people hunting it. But let's not kid ourselves, Aletsch Arena is not about advanced and expert freeriders. Whilst the snow quality is amazing, the terrain lends itself to fun family ski holidays, not huge freeride adventure - and that's OK because there are plenty of other mountains for that.

Aletsch Arena has one of the best public transport / cable car interfaces in the world. At this stage we rate it second only to Kronplatz in Italy. At Betten, the cable cars to Bettmeralp are integrated into the train station complex. Further along at Fiesch, plans are well advanced for an even smoother transition from train to gondola (Editors note - it opened in 2019, so it is now ranked equal number with Kronplatz!), allowing swift and efficient access to Fiescheralp, Aletsch Arena's highest village.

Visit Aletsch to ski a classic Swiss resort, with easy access, beautiful alpine villages plus lots to see and do.

For more on the pros & cons, see our thoughts on the Aletsch Arena overview page.