comScore pixel
Arinsal resort snow
Lat Long: 42.59° N 1.48° E
Ski Andorra

Arinsal Resort Reviews

Weather Forecast for Arinsal at 2055 m altitude

Issued: 7 pm 12 May 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Next snow in Arinsal: 0.3 cm on Tue 12th  (after 9 PM)

Visitor reviews for Arinsal Ski Resort

Arinsal Ratings

Overall: 4.1. Based on 20 votes and 28 reviews.

Rate this resort

Snowsure: 4.2

  • Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
  • Is often closed due to a lack of snow
  • Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
  • Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
  • Arinsal is snowsure even in the poorest seasons

Variety of pistes: 4.1

  • The ski runs are featureless and unvaried
  • The ski runs are varied but not extensive enough for a week
  • Arinsal has diverse and interesting pistes including forests and high alpine terrain

Off-piste: 3.4

  • No off-piste worth mentioning
  • Off piste is out-of-bounds
  • Some varied offpiste that stays fresh for one or two days
  • A vast array of off-piste routes that can stay untracked for several days

Scenery: 4.2

  • An ugly resort in a bland setting
  • Average mountain views and resort
  • A spectacular setting and a beautiful / historic resort town

Access: 3.7

  • At least one overnight stop
  • Requires a whole day
  • Requires more than half a day – you may have time for a few turns
  • Arrive by lunchtime and ski all afternoon
  • There is a main airport within an hour of Arinsal

Public Transport: 4.3

  • There are no buses or taxis to Arinsal
  • There are slow or infrequent buses / trains available
  • Getting to the resort is easy with frequent bus / train connections

Accommodation: 4.9

  • No places to stay in/near Arinsal
  • A few places to stay in the resort
  • A wide variety of accommodation suitable to suit all budgets

Cheap Rooms: 4.1

  • No budget accommodation available
  • Just one or two hostels so book ahead
  • Several cheap hostels and pensions available

Luxury Hotels: 3.7

  • No luxury accommodation available
  • Just one or two luxury hotels so book ahead
  • Several up-market hotels in Arinsal

Ski in/Ski out: 4.1

  • The ski area is located far from any accommodation
  • A free ski bus takes you to the ski area in a short trip
  • Ski-in ski-out accommodation is available

Childcare: 4.4

  • There are no child care facilities at Arinsal
  • The resort has limited child-care facilities
  • the resort has excellent child-care facilities including at least one reasonably priced creche

Snowmaking: 4.2

  • Arinsal relies entirely on natural snow
  • There are just a few snow cannons
  • There are snowmaking facilities on all pistes

Snow Grooming: 4.7

  • There are no snow groomers at Arinsal
  • Occasionally some pistes are left ungroomed and in a poor state
  • All the runs at Arinsal are groomed daily

Shelter: 3.8

  • There is nowhere to ski when it is windy or visibility is bad and lifts often shut
  • There are some trees for poor visibility but main lifts sometimes close
  • Arinsal is mostly in forest where you can ski in flat-light and windy days, lifts rarely close

Nearby options: 4.6

  • If snow conditions are poor at Arinsal, it will be poor everywhere nearby
  • There are good alternatives within an hours drive
  • Other locations on the same lift pass provide a rich variety of snowsure ski conditions

Regional rating: 3.9

  • Arinsal usually has poor snow conditions compared to other resorts in region
  • Has average conditions for the region
  • Usually has the best snow conditions in the region

Lift Staff: 4.6

  • The staff at Arinsal are rude or unhelpful
  • Lift staff at Arinsal are pleasant, cheerful and eager to help

Crowds/Queues: 4.4

  • The resort is always busy and there are usually long lift queues
  • It is quiet apart from occasional weekends and school holidays
  • It is uncrowded and lift queues are very rare

Ski Schools: 4.8

  • No ski schools available
  • One or two ski schools but local language only
  • A few ski schools but book early for multi-lingual instructors
  • Plenty of ski schools and multi-lingual instructors available
  • Excellent ski schools with friendly multi-lingual ski instructors

Hire and Repairs: 4.8

  • Nothing can be sourced, not even ski-wax or ptex
  • There are some ski shops but rentals need to be booked in advance
  • Good quality ski equipment can be purchased or hired and overnight repairs are possible

Beginners: 4.4

  • Beginners can only watch others ski and snowboard
  • A few gentle slopes but beginners will get bored in less than a week
  • Vast areas of gentle terrain

Intermediates: 4.3

  • No intermediate terrain at Arinsal
  • Intermediate skiers will get bored after a few days
  • Vast areas of cruising runs

Advanced: 3.4

  • Nothing for advanced skiers and snowboarders
  • Enough steep terrain for a few days with some good offpiste
  • Enough steep terrain and offpiste areas to entertain advanced skiers for at least a week

Snow Park: 4.0

  • Not even a kicker at Arinsal
  • Average sized park quite well looked after
  • Huge park area and expertly crafted pipes, jumps and boardercross trails

Cross-country: 2.9

  • There is nowhere to go for cross-country skiing around Arinsal
  • There are some cross country trails available
  • The area features many spectacular and well maintained cross-country trails

Luge/Toboggan: 2.8

  • No designated luge or toboggan runs
  • There are toboggan runs that open quite often
  • Arinsal has long and well maintained luge / toboggan facilities suitable for all ages

Mountain Dining: 4.3

  • Nowhere to buy food by the pistes
  • Some places to eat up on the mountain but they are often busy and expensive
  • There is a variety of excellent mountain eateries right next to the slopes to suit all budgets

Eating: 4.8

  • Bring your own food, there isn't even a shop
  • There are a few places to eat in the resort but nothing special
  • A wide variety of places to eat and drink in the resort, from fast food to fancy restaurants

Apres-Ski: 4.0

  • Nothing to do, not even a bar
  • There are a few bars in the resort but nothing special
  • Clubs and bars stay open until very late and have a friendly atmosphere

Other Sports: 3.1

  • No sports facilities at all apart from ski lifts
  • Resort has just a small public swimming pool
  • Resort has all kinds of sports facilities, including a full-size swimming pool

Entertainment: 3.5

  • Besides the snow and walking there is nothing to do here
  • The non-skier will find things to do for few days but may become bored after a week
  • The resort area is a fascinating place to visit, regardless of winter sports

Winter Walks: 4.1

  • Very limited walking and no snowshoe trails
  • A couple of designated scenic walking/snowshoe trails
  • Extensive and diverse winter walking trails for all abilities

Ski Pass Value: 4.0

  • A 1 week ski pass is overpriced compared to the number of lifts available
  • The ski pass is averagely priced and covers a reasonable number of lifts
  • Ski passes are excellent value for money and cover a lot of lifts spanning a big area

Value (National): 4.4

  • Overall, Arinsal is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the country and not worth the money
  • Overall represents average value for money
  • Overall offers the best value resort in the country

Value (Global): 4.4

  • Overall, Arinsal is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the world
  • Overall it offers pretty average value for money compared to resorts from other countries
  • Internationally the resort offers excellent value for money

Show all 35 ratings

Latest
Oldest
Most useful
Top rated
Lowest rated
December 07, 2007
Josephine Staunton from Ski France France
I just love Andorra!! It's so homely. I've been in 2005 and 2006 and going again Jan 13th 2008. It's such a pretty village - not too big - but loads of choice of hotels, bars and restaurants. Stayed at the St. Gothard in 2005. Great hotel with lovely spacious rooms and fantastic food. Only problem was that it was situated at the end of the village so the walk back from the village centre, at night, was too much. Princessa Parc in 2006 - utter luxury. Love Ciscos Bar for apres-ski. Snacks are served and there is great music. As for the skiing; fantastic for beginners and intermediates. I have to say that you couldn't have a better week than a week in Andorra.
November 06, 2006
Big bad boarder brad from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
As a family we've been skiing and snowboarding for 7 years. At first when my wife started to look at Arinsal I thought she was joking!! It's a shame about the transfer as it was around 4 hours long. When we arrived there was only a tiny amount of snow in the village. But this resort is great! I LOVE IT!!! The apres ski is fab I recommend El Cau for a drink (well we got there about 5.30 and didn't leave till 10) All 'round this resort is great!! Give it a visit!!
April 01, 2006
Dave Gilbert from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
Got back yesterday. Snow's just about gone. It was +15 to +20 degrees C up the mountain each day. That said, I STILL enjoyed this break much more than ski holidays in Austria or the Three Valleys. Why? Here, for the price of a beer in happy hour at either other place, you get a round (2 Guiness, 1 Estrella, three vodka shots and a packet of crisps €12). You can sit down with the missus without worrying if you'll get change out of €50. The party really is a party where the 19 year olds don't seem to stare at you and you forget you're 50. In France and Austria £400 per person per week gets you a place where the choice of meal is Hobson's choice and sure, you can have a clean room, if you do it yourself. The towels have to last all week and you have to have wet boots each morning because you're invited to leave them in a damp basement cupboard (maybe I've always been unlucky). Here, in Arinsal, for the princly sum of €5 a day you get a large, dry locker, up the mountain, 20 meters from the lift (if they can do it, why can't everyone?). There's a new fast lift this year. No queueing in someone else's smoke or armpit here. Oh, the hotel, £325 got the Missus, the boy and me 4 nights in the Diana Park......bed made every day, towels changed every day, quiet, TV, minibar, swirly bath, dressing gown and slippers.......excellent baby sitter, choice of about six or eight things each meal......they could not do enough for you. You do not feel like you are paying to be a trespasser on their mountain. I know it's my second review, but even with poor snow, this place takes away your stress rather than making you feel stupid for being there.
January 26, 2006
Kathie Phelps from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
I agree, the best place for learners - every way is down! If you're learning all week, stow your kit in a locker up at the station on your first day, and travel up & down the cable in your soft boots. The best apres ski anywhere, go self-catering and after your English cuppa with your feet up, hit those bars. Much cheaper than paying a hotel for indifferent food. There's at least three supermarkets. Snack bars and restaurants galore. A night bus is free up (and down, if you're lazy) the hill. Don't be put off by poor snow. If you buy your passes in Andorra, not from your tour rep, grab the local bus and go to Encamp. Catch the Funicamp cable car and ski in Grand Valira, a huge range just the other side of the country, all of 20Km away. Go in your soft boots, carry your skiboots and stow your shoes in a locker at Funicamp. Then return to Arinsal for a great evening out.
February 04, 2005
wendy from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
Great holiday in Arinsal just after the New Year, a few down side though, mainly the weather which was lacking a vital part of a sking holiday, namely snow!! Hotel great-Crest, warm, clean and welcoming though like all catered sking hols food aimed to fill an re fuel rather than win prizes. Would recommend but aim for a time when weather more predicable. Happy ski-ing
October 20, 2004
John from Ski France France
Family of four with two teenage boys. We ski'ed there in Feb 03, our first time skiing. The tuition was great, we all made great progress, skiing reds by the end of the week. Hooked on skiing after our week there. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to learn to ski.
October 31, 2003
Dave Gilbert from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
I agree with Bob. I've never had disappointing snow, but on the rare no skiing days (high winds or fog) there's plenty to see and do in nearby Andorra City. While extreme skiers and boarders would find little of sporting interest, I think it's fair to say that beginners, of all ages, will find that if you can't learn here, you won't learn anywhere. Plenty of more challenging runs and off-piste is a gondola ride away in the sister resort of Pal (all covered on your lift pass). Very few lift queue probs and generally excellent banter on the slopes. Variety of bars to suit most tastes with very reasonable prices. In short, if you don't like Arinsal then you don't like snow sports.
October 16, 2003
bob from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
Cracking little resort, i learnt to snowboard there 3 years ago and have never looked back, good schools and cheap prices in short i would recommend it to first timers.