Independent Familes: 'We need a ski resort for non-skiers'

Q. My husband and two sons want to go on their first skiing holiday this winter. However, my daughter and I aren't keen. We don't want to miss out on the holiday so I wondered if there are resorts where other activities are offered? To compromise, the boys have agreed that we should go for a long weekend, so ideally we'd like to go somewhere in Europe. Any ideas?
C Martin, via e-mail

A. Ski resorts often claim to have numerous activities to keep non-skiers occupied, but you should do some thorough research before taking their word for it. Firstly, it's important to choose an attractive resort: as a general rule, Switzerland and Austria are good for non-skiers since the resorts are more likely to resemble authentic mountain villages rather than purpose-built eyesores. The resort that you choose will be dictated by what you like doing. I have chosen three very different alternatives: exclusive St Moritz in Switzerland, spa-focused Bad Gastein in Austria, and activity-filled Saas Fee, also in Switzerland.

In the chic resort of St Moritz, visitors who wish to see and be seen often outweigh those who hit the slopes. Shopping is a key activity, but don't expect the usual slope fashions - it's more Versace and Louis Vuitton than Oakley and O'Neill. When the shopping bags begin to weigh you down, you could take a horse-drawn sleigh ride over the frozen lake and through the Staz forest (contact the tourist office: 00 41 81 837 3333; www.stmoritz.ch) or visit a museum. If you are after something more adrenalin-fuelled, there is indoor horse riding (00 41 81 833 5733), ice skating (00 41 81 833 5030), paragliding (00 41 79 353 2159; www.luftarena.ch; Sfr230/£101) and bobsled rides (00 41 81 830 0200; www.olympia-bobrun.ch).

On a Friday evening, there are lively parties on the slopes of nearby Corvatsch (00 41 81 838 7373; www.bergbahnenengadin.ch) where the boys can give floodlit night skiing a go, while you and your daughter enjoy a bite to eat at the cosy Alpetta Hut (00 41 81 828 8630). For a really memorable experience, tie your weekend break in with one of the horse riding events in St Moritz: the Concours Hippique (00 41 81 833 4064; www.stmoritz-concours.ch; 14-21 January), White Turf Horse Races (00 41 81 833 8460; www.whiteturf.ch; 4, 11 and 18 February) or Polo on Snow (00 41 81 839 9292; www.polostmoritz.com; 25-28 January).

There's also a gourmet festival from 29 January- 3 February (www.stmoritz.ch/gourmetfestival). The closest airport is Zurich and the transfer by train takes around three and a half hours, but it is a stunning trip (00 800 100 200 30; www.swisstravelsystem.com). Zurich airport is served by Swiss (0845 601 0956; www.swiss.com) and British Airways (0870 850 9850; www.ba.com). Inghams (020-8780 4433; www.inghams.co.uk) also offers three or five-night packages to St Moritz.

The Gastein valley in Austria is well known for its spas and spectacular setting - and the skiing is great too. The Grüner Baum in Bad Gastein (00 43 64 34 25160; www.gruenerbaum.info) is a traditional, luxury hotel tucked away from the crowds with a popular spa, and your husband and sons will only be a 15-minute drive from some great slopes. Spa packages are available for the day (from €178/£127 per person), weekend (from €339/£231) or three days (from €349/£249). Depending on how old your children are, it may be a little too sedate since it is not possible to walk to any of the town's facilities.

If you prefer to be in a town, without sacrificing spa facilities, you could stay in Bad Hofgastein, which has direct access to the valley's slopes. Here you will find the Alpen Therme Gastein (00 43 64 32 82930; www.alpentherme.com), a huge spa complex. A day ticket costs €22.50 (£16) for adults and €13 (£9) for children aged six to 16. For a truly unusual experience, take a trip to the healing gallery (00 43 64 34 37530; www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com), inside the Radhausberg mountain. The air has a high radon content and is purported to have restorative qualities, with temperatures ranging from 37C to 41.5C and 70-100 per cent humidity; it is thought to be especially effective in the treatment of various ailments. Other activities in the Gastein valley include snow-biking, frozen waterfall climbing and tobogganing, all offered by Schneesport Schule Gastein (00 43 64 34 2260; www.schneesportgastein.com).

Bad Gastein is just a one-hour transfer from Salzburg airport, served by Ryanair (0871 246 0000; www.ryanair.com) and SkyEurope (09057 222 747; www.skyeurope.com). Packages are offered by Crystal Ski (0870 405 5047; www.crystalski.co.uk), as well as short breaks, but these are based in Salzburg. However, this might make a good compromise as Salzburg has plenty of cultural offerings to keep you and your daughter occupied while the boys are on the slopes.

Back in Switzerland, Saas Fee is a good all-round resort, with plenty of activities and a picturesque setting. The car-free town is traditional and romantic, with an impressive backdrop of 13 peaks, including the Dom (4,545m), the highest mountain in Switzerland, and a glacier at the top of the Mittelallain. The Ice Pavilion (00 41 27 957 35 60; www.eispavillon.ch) is reportedly the world's biggest ice grotto and is found inside the glacier. Entry costs Sfr5 (£2.10) per adult and Sfr3 (£1.30) per child, but you will need to buy lift passes to be able to get to it: Sfr63 (£27) per day for adults and Sfr38 (£16) for children.

The glacier also presents an opportunity for summer skiing. If you fancy experiencing more ice or snow-based activities, there are several natural ice rinks in the area as well as sledge trails, one of them offering husky sleigh rides. Unique to Saas Fee is the Feeblitz Bobsleigh (00 41 27 957 31 11; www.feeblitz.ch), a 900m toboggan run on rails, on which you can reach speeds of 40kph. Prices start at Sfr3.60 (£1.60) for under-15s and Sfr5.30 (£2.30) for adults. Further information can be obtained from the tourist office (00 41 27 958 18 58; www.saas-fee.ch).

Saas Fee is around a three-hour transfer from Geneva. Fly with Bmibaby (0870 264 2229; www.bmibaby.com), British Airways, easyJet (0905 821 0905; www.easyjet.com), Jet2 (0871 226 1737; www.jet2.com) or Swiss. A good family hotel is Hotel du Glacier (00 41 27 958 1600; www.duglacier.ch), which offers family rooms, activities and spa facilities.

The writer, Vanessa Webb, is co-author of 'The Top 50 Ski and Snowboard Resorts in Europe' (Foulsham, £14.99). Send your family travel queries to: The Independent Parent, Travel Desk, The Independent, 191 Marsh Wall, London E14 9RS or e-mail crusoe@independent.co.uk