Where is Aosta and Pila?

We’ll start by assuming you know nothing about Aosta or Pila! Maybe you’ve never even heard of them or perhaps you’ve heard them mentioned but have not much of an idea where they are. Aosta is the regional capital of the Aosta Valley – Italy’s smallest region. The town is a Roman settlement oozing history, complete with well preserved ruins that have stood the test of time. Pila, is a ski resort high up in the mountains and is accessed by a high speed gondola from the edge of Aosta. It’s a fairly unique ski resort in that skiers have the choice of staying in the town and venturing up the gondola each day, or instead staying in one of the hotels up in the ski area of Pila.

Pila is one of the lesser known ski resorts in Europe, but its lack of fame is your benefit. It has a respectable 70km of piste which is nicely split between blues, reds and blacks with one of the best progressions of a ski resort anywhere. There is a great mix of delightful tree-lined runs and wide open bowls, complete with unrivalled panoramas of the Alps.

Do I stay in the town of Aosta?

The great thing about Aosta and Pila is that you can stay in the town and it’s like mixing a city break with a ski holiday. The town is a beautiful place, complete with cobbled streets and large central piazza, surrounded by cafes, bars and restaurants. It’s typically Italian.

As there are so many places to eat out, the hotels are mainly on a B&B basis, giving skiers the freedom to explore the many restaurants and pizzerias the town has to offer, to find the perfect venue for an evening meal. Many of the friendly and welcoming bars serve generous quantities of delicious aperitivi with drinks, even to the point where you might consider skipping dinner all together!

The gondola is a short walk from the town centre, taking around 10 minutes. But don’t worry, our conveniently located ski hire is right next door, which means you don’t need to worry about carrying ski equipment to and from your hotel each day. Simply walk to our ski hire, grab your kit and head up the gondola, repeating in reverse at the end of the day.

There are three hotels we offer in Aosta, all of which are long established and have been looking after our clients for many years. Their locations are all superb, allowing you to benefit from the central town location, but also within a short walk of the ski hire and gondola.

3* Hotel HB Aosta – The popular HB Aosta is located at the far end of the pedestrianised town centre, and so is the furthest of the hotels we offer. This family sun hotel has been a firm favourite with our clients for over 20 years and guest are guaranteed a warm welcome and comfortable stay.

4* Hotel Omama – Whilst it has something of a strange name and a very unique but modern decor, it is one of the smartest places in town and is the closest hotel to our ski hire and the gondola at around 800m. It’s also just on the edge of the pedestrianised centre and so Aosta’s wealth of amenities are but a minute’s walk away.

4* Hotel Duca d’Aosta – The fabulous Duca d’Aosta sits just off the central piazza, so everything in the town is on your doorstep. This hotel is a luxurious place to stay and a great choice for anyone looking for a little extra from their ski holiday. It’s been hugely popular with our clients for many years.

To summarise, Aosta is highly recommended for anyone looking for a little bit extra from their ski holiday and for those who would like to experience a little more of the traditional Italian way of life and not just the more tourist orientated ski resorts. Here you can combine the feel of a city break and a ski holiday in one.

Or up in Pila?

If you’re more of a traditionalist and want to maximise your time on the slopes, Pila itself has an impressive choice of places to stay. Some are ski in/ski out, and those that aren’t are as close as you can get without being able to officially claim the title. With this in mind, you can ensure to make the most of your ski time and be the first on the lifts in the morning and the last one in the afternoons. However, if you fancy a rest from the slopes, using your lift pass you can take advantage of the gondola down to town and take a couple of hours to explore the delights of Aosta – just don’t miss the last lift back up! Pila starts at 1800m and so all the hotels offer some superb views of the Aosta Valley along with incredible panoramas that stretch from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn.

The village itself is a small and quiet place, built around the ski resort, which means whilst pleasant enough for a wander around, it’s quiet in the evenings. For this reason, all of the hotels are offered on a half-board basis and so breakfast and evening meals will be taken at the hotel.

3* Hotel Lion Noir – The hotel is named after the symbol of the Aosta Valley. We’ve been using this hotel for a long time and it remains a very popular destination for our clients. It’s location by the piste is simply brilliant and the indoor private swimming pool is a real bonus, particularly for families.

3* Hotel La Chance – This hotel is in an old barn that has been sympathetically refurbished to create something of a high end mountain retreat – a real taste of luxury! Although located a short walk from the main piste, snow conditions allowing, it is possible to ski back to the hotel at the end of the day. Another popular choice with Interski clients and ideal for anyone looking for something special.

4* Hotel TH Pila – It’s not the prettiest of buildings, but ultimately you’re staying inside looking out rather than the other way round! The hotel has a range of amenities including an indoor swimming pool, making it another good option for family skiing. Perhaps the best thing about TH Pila is it’s a true ski in/out hotel being at the top of one of the beginner areas.