Hospitality, welcome and experience in the heart of the mountains
Going to the mountains is often synonymous with intense moments: communion with nature, the pleasure of descents, moments shared with family and friends. But beyond the quality of the slopes, what today’s holidaymakers are looking for in a ski resort is a genuine experience of hospitality. Every interaction, every detail counts: from the welcome to the departure, to the experience on the slopes and in the resort.
Today, ski resort hospitality is no longer limited to the performance of the lifts: it’s based on an overall experience that’s both fluid and warm.
1. A warm welcome on arrival
Arriving at a ski resort is a key moment.
After several hours on the road, often winding and sometimes slowed by snow, or after a train journey followed by a connection by coach or cab, holidaymakers arrive tired but impatient. The effort required to reach the resort is real: traffic jams on mountain roads, risk of bad weather, special equipment required, waiting for transfers…
That’s when a warm welcome makes all the difference.
Holidaymakers expect a smooth, attentive and warm welcome that takes the fatigue out of travel:
- Clear signage to access accommodation and parking lots.
- Smiling teams on hand to guide, reassure and answer any initial questions.
- Quick pick-up at hotel, residence or chalet reception.
- Useful tips on the weather, road conditions and immediately available services (equipment rental, ski passes, etc.).
First impressions are decisive: an efficient check-in, a sincere smile and a welcoming atmosphere immediately immerse customers in the mountain experience they’ve come for.
2. A tailor-made resort experience
Today’s holidaymakers expect more than just a place to stay: they want a unique, personalized experience from the moment they arrive at the resort.
This involves :
- Quality of information: applications, dynamic screens or clear brochures to inform visitors about events, timetables and walking tips.
- Local and authentic experiences: like the aperitif organized in La Clusaz, where the resort offered holidaymakers a glass of mulled wine and a piece of reblochon cheese, in a warm and festive atmosphere. A simple but unforgettable moment, perfectly embodying the spirit of mountain hospitality.
- Activities for all: children, teenagers, adults, with sports, cultural and wellness activities.
- A friendly atmosphere in the resort: light displays, live music, craft markets, après-ski events open to all.
Every holidaymaker wants to feel expected, recognized and invited to enjoy a lively, sincere experience, far removed from impersonal standards.
3. The importance of human interaction throughout the stay
In a ski resort, every interaction counts in shaping the holiday experience. After an often long and sometimes complicated journey, between snow-covered roads and crowded trains, the desire to feel welcome is all the stronger.
It’s essential that your welcome is not limited to the hotel lobby or tourist office.
The first contact in the morning, as you take the lift, can transform the mood of the day: a “Good morning”, a “Have a nice day on the slopes”, a “Enjoy the mountains” conveyed with a smile is enough to create a simple but genuine connection.
Similarly, on the way back to the resort at the end of the day, a warm word or quick chat with the resort staff reinforces the feeling of being expected, recognized and appreciated.
I have fond memories of my stay in Les Deux Alpes: from the very first day, members of the resort were on hand to explain the piste map to skiers.
In just two minutes, they helped me understand how the resort was organized, which pistes were essential for my level, and how to avoid crowded areas. It was reassuring, helpful and deeply welcoming, especially when you’re new to the resort.
4. Services available throughout your stay
Beyond the welcome on arrival, the ski resort hospitality experience also depends on the quality and availability of services throughout the stay.
A holidaymaker must be able to easily find assistance relays to enhance his comfort and peace of mind.
In ski stores, for example, the ability to return for a binding adjustment, express repair or quick waxing is invaluable. This flexibility enables skiers to keep their equipment in good condition, and above all, to continue to enjoy the slopes to the full without any constraints.
Thetourist office also plays a key role: it’s great to be able to easily book an activity, get advice on a snowshoe hike, or find out about events organized in the resort. A warm welcome, clear information and available staff reinforce the feeling of being accompanied throughout the experience.
On the accommodation side, service quality is just as decisive: being able to organize a massage after a day’s skiing, take advantage of a shuttle service, get local information from reception, or book a restaurant in a matter of minutes, makes all the difference.
Every interaction, every uncomplicated service available, helps to make your stay smoother, to remove minor irritants and transform a classic stay into a memorable experience.
In the mountains, an entire resort has to function like a big, welcoming house, where you feel supported, understood and encouraged in every one of your desires.
These simple gestures create real mountain hospitality, far beyond material comfort. They invite holidaymakers to feel truly welcome, to experience their stay with greater pleasure, fluidity and human connection.
5. The key role of seasonal teams
In a ski resort, seasonal workers are often the first face of hospitality. Whether they work in the lifts, shops, hotels or tourist office, the way they interact with holidaymakers has a strong influence on the perception of the overall experience.
A simple smile, a sincere hello, a word of encouragement before boarding the gondola can turn an ordinary day into a memorable one.
To guarantee this quality of welcome, it is essential to educate and train seasonal workers. Too often focused solely on their technical tasks, they can forget that each and every one of them is also an ambassador for the soul of the resort.
With this in mind, DELPORTE Hospitality offers awareness-raising conferences and tailor-made training courses, to raise awareness of the importance of hospitality.
The aim is toencourage every seasonal employee to spontaneously reach out to visitors, to create a human bond, to instill that warm welcome that makes the difference between a functional resort and an unforgettable one.
6. Training for a sustainable hospitality culture
Raising awareness on an occasional basis is a good start, but to anchor a genuine culture of hospitality, teams need to be trained over the long term.
This involves practical sessions, experience sharing and concrete advice on how to improve the welcome on ski lifts, in stores, in hotels or even on the street.
At DELPORTE Hospitality, we believe that hospitality isn’t just for a handful of luxury professionals: it should be experienced everywhere, at every moment.
A warm hello, personalized attention, a kind word to direct a holidaymaker: it’s often these details that remain etched in people’s memories.
Training seasonal workers means investing in the quality of the customer experience, building loyalty among holidaymakers, and helping to strengthen the resort’s image over the long term.
This is how we go from being a simple ski resort to a destination that people want to return to year after year.
In short, what holidaymakers want from a ski resort is much more than just snow.
They want hospitality at every turn, from the moment they arrive to the moment they board their car or train home:
- A human touch from the very first contact.
- A smooth, personalized experience.
- Comfort and attention right up to the last moment.
At Delporte Hospitality, we work with ski resorts to imagine, build and perfect this global hospitality, taking into account every detail of the customer journey. From physical reception to connected services, from flow management to customer well-being, every action is designed to transform the stay into an unforgettable experience, and build lasting customer loyalty.
In the mountains, the experience of a successful stay is not limited to the kilometers of snow-covered slopes. It‘ s the warm welcome, the shared smile, the attention to detail that creates the magic of a resort.
After an often long journey, between winding roads and the risk of snow, holidaymakers are above all looking to feel expected, recognized and welcomed.
From arrival in the resort to the first lift pass, from the shared glass of mulled wine to the village market, every human interaction counts.
Hospitality should be experienced as a natural, authenticway of life, not just a formality.
Training, raising awareness and inspiring all those involved in a resort – from seasonal workers to shopkeepers, from hoteliers to technical teams – is becoming essential to building a strong, lasting reputation.
Through its conferences and training courses, DELPORTE Hospitality supports resorts wishing to give more meaning to their welcome, and create a unique bond with their visitors. Discover our hotel audits, which can be adapted to any type of location: https://delporte-hospitality.com/conseil-hotel/audit-hotel/
After all, a stay in the mountains is measured not just in successful descents, but in the smiles exchanged, the memories shared, and the deep desire to return.
