Trip from 7/31/14-8/7/14. No fresh snow until day 5. So skiing was VERY POOR until then. For roughly $800/day that you are paying to go there (INCLUDING HOTEL/LIFTS/TRAVEL/FOOD).. it was disappointing. It has been a dry 5-6 years according to local instructors and guides.

WHEN WE GOT 1ft OF SNOW IT WAS GREAT! So I see the potential of the mountain. More snow going south of Santiago rather than north of Santiago where Valle Nevado and Portillo are located. It would have been nice to know this ahead of time. This is not new information. I would advise skiers if they are going to Valle Nevado that they should get trip insurance as mandatory and have a back up plan. IF I had insurance and know what I know now, I would have cancelled trip, gotten rebate from insurance for this year and made last minute vacation plans to warm weather or Europe. Thenk try again next year. Do not know if this trend will continue in future but I don't see why not. Weather is getting warmer in Santiago so snow is going to be less North of the city. South of Santiago has gotten a lot of snow.

Went Heliskiing which was well organized and a great time and good value.

Hotel is basic but nice. You eat at one of three restaurants (half board included in most packages). Bring snacks, beer, wine with you. Stop at Market on the way up (which we did). There are no local stores. Once you are dropped off, you are stuck there for the week.

If they had more snow it would be an amazing place, but the trend has not been so good lately. Recommendation is that you get trip insurance. If they have gotten a lot of snow and new snow is in the forecast, it would be a great trip. Otherwise cancel trip and go elsewhere. You do not want to be there when there is no snow. If they have snow I would revisit and would recommend.
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Went for a day-trip with my girlfriend on the 2nd of August, 2014. Suffice it to say it was pretty disappointing. I sat in on the group lesson for my girlfriend and they spent a good 30-45mins doing pointless exercises before actually going on the skis. If you´re someone that needs instruction I would recommend hiring a personal one. Another grievance was the fact that those getting lessons were given priority lines in the lifts, lifts that were already slow and were worsened by the fact that most of the kids that were prioritised were immediately falling off the rope tows and given another go while more experienced skiers were kept waiting.

The snow was also pretty disappointing. Most of the pistes were icy with very little fresh powder.

For adults that aren´t travelling with children, I would recommend an alternative location.
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We revisited Valle Nevado after a 4 year period to check out the new developments. The most obvious change was the addition of the gondola, the facilities at the gondola base station, the nearby day parking lot, and the new beginners’ area at the top of the gondola. These enhancements have substantially changed the experience for day trippers and beginners in particular.

Nothing much had changed at the hotel area with respect to the bricks and mortar, but what surprised us was the remarkable change in the level of service and the increased number of staff that spoke English. The service levels had improved significantly, although as with a lot of supposed “5 star” hotels in Chile, the service was still lacking a little. For example we had to line up a few times at hotel reception for a long time, even just to get our door key replaced. Meanwhile one staff member was standing behind the reception desk pretty much doing nothing. The service in the restaurants and bars was very good, but staff in the shops were not particularly service oriented.

For other pros and cons of Valle Nevado and the Tres Valles ski resorts, see our overview of Valle Nevado.
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First time visit to Valle Nevado & South America August 2013. Unfortunately it was a poor snow season but our ski holiday to Chile & Argentina was one amazing adventure. Taken there by my Austrian Private Guide who although a first time visitor also, was told by his fellow guide from Tordrillos Alaska, that Chile has some of the best Heliskiing in the world due to the length of the runs.

As we visited many areas we decided to base ourselves in Santiago for the Heliskiing. Quite amusing to heli from The Grand Hyatt in Santiago and on our return walk through the marble foyer and go to the Club Lounge in our ski boots (with permission of course).

One of the reasons not to stay in Valle Nevado was that the resort only takes bookings for set number of days. We drove up to Valle Nevado in a hire car which is not recommended unless one is a very experienced driver on snow and ice as the road has many switch backs and pot holes. Scary!

Valle Nevado as a ski resort is a little tired compared to other parts of the world and needs further upgrading with lifts and accommodation. Still worth the visit as the skiing possibilities with good snow conditions are enormous.

If deciding to ski Chile one should consider the effects of the altitude as Valle Nevado resort is approximately the same as the top of Aspen or the Valluga at St Anton.

Certainly a great adventure in many ways and wonderful to experience the Chilean culture.

Hola, Gracias, Adios Chile
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Good resort for riding powder, the best resort for building backcountry kickers.

Good facebook page Valle Nevado Ski Resort.
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The powder is sometimes deep at Valle Nevado, but combined with the high moisture content powder and the lack of steep terrain, a pair of fat skis or a powder board may be useful. Whilst the facilities are good relative to most other Chile ski resorts, the value for money is still somewhat lacking. And for a resort that prides itself on the 5 star service, you may be left wondering how their star rating system works.

Pros of the resort include: proximity to Santiago; general swankiness with a high standard of hotel accommodation; good mellow off-piste skiing with a high likelihood of freshies if it’s not a weekend; and access to huge terrain including El Colorado and La Parva if the weather is fine.

Cons include: high cost of on-mountain accommodation; advanced riders may get frustrated with the lack of pitch of the terrain in most places; and the daunting access road. The road makes the New Zealand club field roads look like highways, and if the road closes during a storm your holiday plans will be up the creek.
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