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Sierra Nevada resort snow
Lat Long: 37.08° N 3.35° W
Ski Spain

Sierra Nevada Resort Reviews

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Visitor reviews for Sierra Nevada Ski Resort

Sierra Nevada Ratings

Overall: 4.0. Based on 133 votes and 92 reviews.

Rate this resort

Snowsure: 4.1

  • 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
  • Sierra Nevada is snowsure even in the poorest seasons

Variety of pistes: 4.2

  • The ski runs are featureless and unvaried
  • The ski runs are varied but not extensive enough for a week
  • Sierra Nevada 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: 4.5

  • 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 Sierra Nevada

Public Transport: 3.9

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

Accommodation: 4.5

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

Cheap Rooms: 3.9

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

Luxury Hotels: 4.4

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

Ski in/Ski out: 4.4

  • 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: 4.1

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

Snowmaking: 4.4

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

Snow Grooming: 4.6

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

Shelter: 3.1

  • 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
  • Sierra Nevada is mostly in forest where you can ski in flat-light and windy days, lifts rarely close

Nearby options: 2.3

  • If snow conditions are poor at Sierra Nevada, 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: 4.4

  • Sierra Nevada 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: 3.9

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

Crowds/Queues: 3.2

  • 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: 4.6

  • 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: 4.6

  • 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: 4.5

  • 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: 4.6

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

Advanced: 4.2

  • 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: 4.3

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

Cross-country: 3.4

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

Luge/Toboggan: 3.0

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

Mountain Dining: 4.0

  • 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: 4.3

  • 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: 4.4

  • 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: 3.7

  • 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: 3.8

  • 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: 3.6

  • 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: 3.3

  • 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): 3.5

  • Overall, Sierra Nevada 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): 3.5

  • Overall, Sierra Nevada 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

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November 03, 2010
Elaine from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
Have had some fab skiing there (Sierra Nevada) as a beginner - I'm taking my 4 year old gransdson this year and would like comments of the Dreamland/Snowgarden which looks after children. Anyone got any comments?
February 22, 2010
Claire from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
Dreadful place on the whole! Go to Alpe D'Huez in France! I never thought I would say it but France would be cheaper than Sierra Nevada! The most expensive lift pass in the whole of Europe! Incredible, nearly £230 for a week! Car parking is around E20 per day in the underground car park - no parking anywhere else in resort. If you do get your car towed back to the car park they want you in and have to pay E186 for the priviledge, there is a cheap car park further down the hill for E5 per day but the walk is totally impractical except for the fittest and those without children as you have to walk along the road - rubbish set up! Rude people, very unlike the Spanish experiences I have had in the past. Terrible communication when the lifts go down, which is regularly due to the winds. Queuing at lifts on the weekends is horrific. Not enough lift attendents, very little English spoken and unhelpful to the most extreme. If you have booked a package and are staying in a hotel in resort your experience might be better, but trying to do skiing "on the cheap" is a 'no go' here - very expensive especially with the Euro being so rubbish at the moment. Limited nightlife, at Sierra Nevada, that I could see but that is not really why I go. Beginners slopes are half way up the mountain which is a real pain. Alpe D'Huez has a lovely main green beginners "motorway" if you like straight into resort. For the more advanced intermediates - the majority of the red runs are at the top of the mountain, which is usually closed if the weather is even slightly windy or misty. Hire of kit at Rio sport is £75 for basic skis, boots and pole for 6 days. Boot hire is E40 for 6 days. The only up side was finding a room in a mountain hotel at the last minute (8 minutes drive down from resort) called Casa de Rural Macareno on the turning for Guejar Sierra. Macareno is wonderful and charged us just E360 for six nights in a very basic room with a kind of en-suite shower. Very cold but adequate if on a budget. No good with children really, but a lovely place with real Spanish hospitality and fun. On the whole: My best advice is go to the Crystal website and book a week fully catered at L'Hermitage in Alpe D'Huez and have the time of your lives. Avoid this overpriced place! Shocking experience!
February 17, 2010
vince from Ski Portugal Portugal
I am going with my family to S.Nevada (Sierra Nevada) - this is a first for us when it comes to skiing and s-boarding. I read from an earlier comment that there is a beginners area. Is this access open to us without a pass or not?. On a budget so need to know how much this trip is going to set us back. Your help will be appreciated. vince [note from the editor: this post shall be left on the site for a short while, in order to recieve a response]
February 03, 2010
roger from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
Yes, you can ski at Sierra Nevada in April and the the beginners area for your children or any one learning is the best I have seen anywhere.
February 01, 2010
millsy from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
Returned from Sierra Nevada / Pradollano on Saturday after an enjoyable week. The low prices (by Alpine standards), long sunny days, good snow cover, effective lifts, short transfer from Malaga and lack of queue's put a smile on our face. Things that didn't were the (at times) less than friendly locals, lack of attentive lift attendants, quiet nightlife (in week, packed at weekends) and hugely hilly resort (400 steps from base station to hotel and we were in the middle of the resort!) Jose and his staff at The Yeti made us welcome, The Mango Bar was lively, food at the Hotel Melia Sierra Nevada superb and the views on a sunny day spectacular. I would recommend.
January 31, 2010
judy from Ski USA - California USA - California
Can you ski into April at the Sierra Nevada resort? We would be skiing with little kids, so we wouldn't need anything too challenging. [note from the editor: this enquiry shall be left on the site until an answer is provided]
February 07, 2009
Terry & Sue Field from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
We have a holiday home near the Mar Menor, Costa Blanca (Sierra Nevada) and we travel down on a Sunday at the end of February every year. It takes us about 4 hours with a stop and the roads are virtually empty. We stay in the resort and park our car for about £14 per day in the multi-storey car park. We then buy a 5 day ski pass and ski on the Sierra Nevada until 4pm on Friday then head back home. There are never any queues and the weather is usually sunny but we weren't able to ski for 1 day last year because of the wind and were refunded that day. We are advanced skiers but still find lots of great runs. The 2 blacks are brilliant and always empty. There are loads of snow cannons and they are used if necessary, not like the French resorts which use them only if absolutely necessary. We always have a great time in Pradolano and we are back there in 2 weeks time - can't wait. Ski-hire is cheap at the Sierra Nevada, so we only take our boots etc down with us. The bars/restaurants are far, far cheaper than the Swiss, Austrian and French resorts.
December 29, 2008
Karen from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
As I have relatives living by the coast my family and I have visited the Sierra Nevada a few times now. The first time we stayed there for two nights but since then we go for a day trip. My husband is quite experienced but myself and the children are beginners and we are all well catered for here. It is somewhere you can ski relatively cheaply as you can get cheap flights (Ryanair) to Granada and just stay for the weekend. We are due to go again next week and we are really excited. Yes it is true, you can ski in the morning and sunbathe in the afternoon on the beach but you would'nt want to leave the slopes. However, we have done skiing on Saturday and beach on Sunday here.
December 13, 2008
Clive from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
Sierra Nevada is a great place to visit if you only want to ski for 2/3 days. Ideal as a midweek break to drive up from the coast. Avoid weekend queues. We have stayed just outside the resort and in the centre of the resort. Although more expensive to stay in the resort its better than driving up each day and parking in the car park. Then carrying your skis/bags/boots. If you intend having a few drinks and getting a taxi from the resort to your hotel down the mountain. Forget it. Only 2 taxis for the whole resort. Still Sierra Nevada is well worth a visit. We had a great time.
November 12, 2008
Hugo Leitao from Ski Portugal Portugal
Sierra Nevada is a nice resort. In my opinion, here are the positives and negatives: POS: - Good Weather - Good Vertical descent (1200m) - Well groomed slopes - Quite good snowpark - Good nightlife NEG: - Ski pass is expensive - Very Crowded (especially on Weekends and Holidays) - Lack of snow in the last years - It opens even if it has almost no slopes open, and they charge the full price of the skipass. - You can spend most of the day in queues for the lifts on weekends - After 2-3 days you did every piste