Hotel Bel'Alpe, Les Champs de la Plagne, 74110 Morzine – Avoriaz, France; tel: (0033) 04 50 79 05 50; email: hotelbelalp@wanadoo.fr

website: www.belalpe.com

Hotel Bel'Alpe is perfectly situated in the centre of Morzine. Just a few minutes' walk from the main attractions and with its own restaurant, bar and sauna, it's ideal to relax after a hard day on the slopes.

How do you get there?

We travelled to Morzine, France, with Inghams via Geneva Airport. We flew Thomsonfly from Bristol International Airport at 7.50am on Saturday and returned the following Saturday at 8.15pm. A 90-minute coach transfer from Geneva to Morzine is included in the price.

First impressions:

Our resort representative Stanislaw Szczurek was waiting for us as we arrived in the rustic French village. Stanislaw was friendly and helpful, arranging our ski passes and boot and ski hire for us.

What are the rooms like?

We stayed at three-star Hotel Bel'Alpe for seven nights on a half-board basis in a charming chalet-style double room with an annex with bunkbeds which could comfortably sleep a family of four. The hotel can sleep up to 66 guests in 22 rooms, and all rooms have en suite facilities.

What else can you do and see in the area?

Other options available during the day include the Xplore the Gates of the Sun event when you get to cruise around the mountains with a professional who knows the hidden secrets of the area. For 70 euros, you get four hours of exceptional skiing or boarding. For confident skiers, there's the torchlight descent and dinner, starting with a cablecar ascent to a Savoyard mountain restaurant. You'll then be treated to a dinner chosen from a selection of local dishes and finish off the evening in real style as you and your instructor cruise along tree-lined slopes by torchlight back to the village. (50 euros adults, 30 euros children). You can also go private with your very own ski doctor to rediscover your ski-legs and brush up on your skills. A two-and- a-half hour lesson will cost 47 euros. There's also a twilight snowshoe trail with an experienced mountain guide for 18 euros per person, and snowmobiling (30 mins for 40 euros or 50 euros per couple). Apart from skiing, you can also try out bob-sledding, helicopter tours, ice-climbing and paragliding. Those wanting to relax can enjoy a massage at either the Un Cocon au Pays des Flocons or Massages du Monde. More information can be found at www.morzine.com. There are two cinemas showing the latest English and French films and you can explore the village on a horse-drawn cart.

What's on the menu?

Dinner at the Hotel Bel'Alpe was a four-course meal including local dishes, delicious home-made desserts and a cheese course. Breakfast consisted of a selection of cereals, croissants, bread, yoghurt, fruit and eggs.

The verdict:

Overall, we had a memorable holiday full of skiing, good food and wine, and would wholeheartedly recommend it to both beginners and expert skiers. We're already looking forward to our return visit next season.

JD