Perisher vs Queenstown
It's Australia versus New Zealand, but it's not the Wallabies versus the All Blacks.
Rather it's the battle of the ski holidays.
We put a comfy yet budget-conscious, peak-season five-night ski break in Queenstown on New Zealand's South Island up against a ski getaway at Perisher in the NSW Snowy Mountains.
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PERISHER
This is Australia's biggest ski resort, created by the merger of four resorts: Perisher Valley, Smiggin Holes, Mount Blue Cow and Guthega.
It has extensive snow making and grooming equipment and a lift capacity to rival many resorts in the US and Europe. It offers more than 100 groomed runs and 47 lifts, spread over seven mountain peaks.
It has five terrain parks, a Rider X course, Australia's only superpipe and a village with ski-in, ski-out accommodation.
Perisher: Australia's biggest ski resort is decked out with superb equipment to ensure a smooth run.
ACCOMMODATION: Perisher Valley Hotel (www.perisher.com.au). This ski-in and ski-out boutique hotel sits in the heart of Perisher Valley, only moments from the ski-lifts. Meals are served in the cosy Snow Gums restaurant. There is a cocktail bar, spa, sauna and an in-house masseuse. Rooms at peak-season cost from $1935 for five nights, including breakfast and three-course dinners for two.
TOTAL ACCOMMODATION = $1935
PER PERSON = $967.50
FOOD: Breakfast and dinner are included in your accommodation package, so you'll only need to find some cash for lunch, coffee and if necessary, alcohol. In the Perisher Centre you'll find a bakery, kebab shop, several cafes and Jax Bar and Chargrill, where you can cook your own steak. Budget around $15 per day for lunch. Alcohol not included.
TOTAL FOOD = $90
GETTING THERE: By road Perisher is a 5 1/2 to six-hour drive from Sydney, or seven hours from Melbourne. By air, Aeropelican (www.aeropelican.com.au) has flights from Sydney and Newcastle to the Snowy Mountains (1hr10min) starting at $149 one way per person. Airport shuttles meet every flight.
TOTAL FLIGHTS = $298
TRANSPORT: Snowy Mountains Airport shuttle to Perisher costs $64 each way.
TOTAL TRANSPORT = $128
SKIS AND LIFT PASS: Six-day lift pass: $576 Six-day skis, poles and boots hire: $165
TOTAL SKIS AND LIFT PASS = $732
TOTAL = $2215.50
For more information visit www.perisher.com.au
QUEENSTOWN AND WANAKA
Most of New Zealand's ski fields are found on the South Island near the towns of Queenstown and Wanaka. Unlike Australia, there is limited accommodation on the slopes, so at the end of each day the skiers and snowboarders descend from the slopes to cosy on down in these small towns.
In Queenstown you'll find dozens of funky bars, clubs and eateries that range from highly salubrious to cheap and cheerful. Combine this with a lake-side setting and surrounding views of snow-capped mountains and you have one of the most remarkable holiday destinations in the world.
Spend your first full day warming-up your ski legs at the Remarkables, followed by a day on the slopes at Coronet Peak, just a short drive from Queenstown.
Queenstown: Top skiing during the day, dozens of funky clubs, bars and eateries at night.
On the third day spend some time discovering Queenstown: take a flying fox ride high above Queenstown with Ziptrek Ecotours, lunch in town, and spend the afternoon soaking in the Onsen Hot Pools, the town's only dedicated hot pool complex.
On day three or four head north from Queenstown via the Crown Range to Wanaka, referred to as "Queenstown without the hype". It has a similar dramatic landscape to Queenstown and is also set on a large tranquil lake.
Spend a day skiing at Cardrona and then another at Snow Park. Non-skiers can sightsee around Wanaka. Make sure you find time to visit Cinema Paradiso, a classic movie theatre with comfy old sofas. Also great fun is the full-day winery tour run by Funny French Cars. It's a fun and quirky personally guided tour of Wanaka's many vineyards in a classic French open-top Citroen car.
ACCOMMODATION
• Hilton Queenstown (www.queenstown.hilton.com). This new, ultra-modern hotel is peaceful, while at the same time being hip and cool. It's a short drive from the hotel to the Remarkables ski-field. Rooms start at $NZ295 ($A236) per night.
• Hotel St Moritz Queenstown (www.stmoritz.co.nz). This hotel has panoramic lake and mountain views and a warm, comfortable and luxurious style. It's within walking distance of Queenstown's centre and only a short drive to Coronet Peak ski-field. Rooms start at $NZ205.50 ($A165) per night.
• Edgewater Wanaka (www.edgewater.co.nz). This hotel is close to Wanaka's town centre and a short drive to Snow Park, Cardrona and Treble Cone ski-fields. The apartments are large and offer all the facilities of home, including kitchens and washing machines. One-bedroom suites start at $NZ320 ($A257).
TOTAL ACCOMMODATION = $1059 (Hilton for two nights, Hotel St Moritz for two nights and Edgewater for one night)
PER PERSON = $A529.50
FOOD: Scrumptious food and a great night out are easy to find in both Queenstown and Wanaka. An average restaurant meal will set you back $A25. Budget around $A60 per day, more if you're boozing.
TOTAL FOOD = $A360
GETTING THERE: Air New Zealand (www.airnewzealand.com.au) offers direct flights from Sydney (3hr), Brisbane (3hr) and Melbourne (3hr20min) to Queenstown during the winter season, starting at $A289 one way, seat only.
TOTAL FLIGHTS = $A578
TRANSPORT: Car hire for six days: $A330 Petrol: $A80
TOTAL TRANSPORT = $A410
PER PERSON = $A205
SKIS AND LIFT PASS: Six-day lift pass: $A372 Six-day skis, poles and boots hire: $A228
TOTAL SKIS AND LIFT PASS = $A600
TOTAL = $A2272.50
For more information visit: www.queenstown-nz.co.nz
CONCLUSION
Surprisingly, a holiday close to home and an international ski break turn out to be roughly the same price. Overall, the decision depends on what you're looking for. If you want a holiday abroad skiing at a different field every day, then you should opt for Queenstown or Wanaka; if you want to stay closer to home and explore the same field, then Perisher may be for you.
Overall, with a strong Australian dollar and some very affordable luxury accommodation in New Zealand's snow towns, you can get serious bang for your buck across the pond.
The writer was a guest of Perisher and Destination Queenstown.
