10 out of 10 for me for Meribel

We go to Meribel every year after having skied everywhere around Europe for several years (in fact we're in Meribel now). In recent seasons we have been watching the prices very closely as the euro=pound has meant that the cost of things has crept up for us Brits.

This hasn't put us off in the slightest. Indeed we may have dropped an apres ski or dinner in the week (although that may be our age!) and we have the same skis now for 4 yrs. No real hardshp considering we still get to ski every year!

Meribel still is the best choice for a youngish family, with its incredibly friendly vibe, fantastic range of piste and off piste skiing, 100's of KM of pisted runs and 100% 'snow sure' conditions. The resort ilareg enough to offer the skier plenty of non skiing things to do without being too big so that you feel lost. Of late we spend our non skiing time ice skating, swimming and sometimes climbling.

The place is so friendly and we have met and re met friends there over the years. Some of the bars and restaurants welcome us back every year with oepn arms (at Evolution restaurant staff know our names and how my son likes his pasta and at Bar 50/50 we get service that we just don't experience in our local pub at home!).

Meribel is a great resort and we wouldn't ski anywhere else, the above comment about prices is understandable, but we just decided to spend a little less and it hasn't affected our enjoyment in the slightest.

I went to Meribel recently and the skiing is indeed good. Lots of runs and a good mix of skill level for everyone from beginners to pros.

However, the nightlife was hit and miss and the famous Rond Point was quite simply rubbish! The La Folie Douce in Val d'Isere is TEN TIMES BETTER and has more party atmosphere in its bathroom than the ‘Ronny’ has in a whole evening!

It was pricy too and most of the bars in town were void of atmosphere and charged 7 euro a pint!

But if nightlife isn’t your thing and you want a range of skiing then Meribel and the three valleys is difficult to fault, just don’t believe the hype about the Apres ski.

I have completed 2 seasons in meribel, one in the centre and one in the beautiful Village. The resort is fantastic for those who want to start out and for those who want to improve. It is expensive if you follow the crowds. But The Lodge du Village in Meribel Village, Ski Lodge in La Tania (5k outside of meribel) are brilliant for those who are looking for cheap fun, good nights out, live music and free toffee vodkas! Dont follow the grey and biege clad punters who cant ski, follow the bright and lairy seasonairres who will most likely be pulling a 540 or backflip in the Moonpark. Take the off pieste in 1650 (courchevel) if your finding the intermiediate runs too full, easier than most off piste and virtually untouched before midday. Its called the 3 vallees for a reason, you dont have to stick to the middle one. Explore!

I visited meribel twice this year, the first time was Jan for a week with Total, had a great time made even better because the pistes were quiet and the snow was lovely I then went to Va `D for half term - not so great Meribel was the better so in March I headed back to Meribel with a company called Aktiv Experience who offered a chalet stay but just for the weekend, It was a great stay and the snow again was lovely.
 
I like Meribel for its ease of getting around the 3 valleys, stayed in courchevel before and never quite managed Val thorens at least in Meribel can get everywhere with ease, admittedly it can be expensive but found some really cheap places for lunch thanks to the staff on my second visit and the cost of a pint is all relative to all resorts.
 

 

Don't believe the hype: Meribel is indeed a great resort but the bars are terrible. No atmosphere and very expensive. The Rond Point and the Pub are the worst examples of this - The rond point is more a "must avoid" (see above review).
 
The only bars that offered any atmosphere were the Jack bar - toss the boss was hillarious and Barometre (though a bit quiet).
 
I agree with Mike too - 6 euros a pint is steep, although I was told the prices haven't gone up for a couple of years - we should blame the bankers perhaps!
 

Just been to Meribel (19th - 22nd Dec)
Stayed at Doron Hotel which at EURO 136 per night B&B for 2 persons wasn't terrible but still not cheap.
 
First 2 days of skiing on Friday and Saturday before the hoards arrived were really good but then, besides the 9-10am slot and then the 12h30-2pm lunch slot, the crowds took over on our last 2 days.
 
Couple of really good runs like Combe Vallon and The Face if you got their early in the morning. No serious off piste to speak of due to lack of fresh snowfalls and us being beaten to the punch earlier in the week.
 
The really ridiculous thing though was the cost of things i.e. eating out or drinking. EURO 6.20-6.50 for a beer was the standard at the average pubs and EURO15 for a run of the mill burger was ridiculous, even at the previous 1.50 to 1 exchange rate.
 
All in all I would only go to Meribel again if there were less holiday folk and more happy hours and cheaper or 2-for-1 food deals.
 
An expensive, if picturesque resort, but I can't see how some of the businesses here will survive in the current economic climate. (Credit crunch and GBP:EURO exchange rate)