Vals Ski Resort Switzerland
Already rated by us as the best value ski resort in Switzerland, Vals (a.k.a. Vals Dachberg or Vals 3000) also brings stellar alpine freeride terrain, a high annual snowfall & long skiable vertical of over 1,600m to the party. If that’s not enough, the village has some incredible accommodation, local food & a public thermal pool that wouldn’t be out of place anywhere in the world. All this in a remote mountain valley devoid of other skiers for most of winter. What's not to love? We visited in February 2026 and dutifully loved it.
Pros & Cons for Vals Ski Resort
Pros
- Best value ski resort in Switzerland (& maybe western Europe).
- High snowfall zone in the Swiss Alps.
- On-piste & freeride terrain for all abilities.
- Uncrowded.
- Exceptional skiable vertical of 1,630m+.
- Longest ski run of 10km (but the lower sector is for advanced riders only).
- Fantastic range of accommodation options.
- Most affordable lift pass price in the Alps.
- The gondola from the village up to the mountain is FREE (500m of skiable vert for free)!
- Easy to get to by train & bus on public transport.
- Wonderful non-ski activities including numerous sledding & winter walking trails, plus an incredible thermal pool complex.
Cons
- Relatively small amount of piste trails may not be enough for extended stays if off-piste conditions are poor.
- Limited on-piste trails for advanced skiers & snowboarders
- Older style surface tows (T-bars) with some strenuous links may be challenging to some visitors.
- Accommodation is on the expensive side of the ledger.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Isolated village location.
- As per above, whilst there are bars & restaurants aplenty, after dinner entertainment is negligible.
- Limited snow-making.
- You may never want to leave!
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lift & Terrain
The Vals skiing & snowboarding terrain is one that statistically gets most snow enthusiasts salivating. Highest lifted point of around 2,900m, top to bottom ski runs of 10km over a vertical drop of about 1,630m, reliable snowfall zone ……. With only 25km of pistes mainly suited to cruising intermediates, there is probably not enough here for advanced skiers on a long holiday. But if the off-piste is powder there is more than enough, including long sidecountry descents (like down to the St Anna chapel at Frunt) that allow returns by winter walking paths or sled trails. The valley trail back to the village & gondola base is a 2.5km advanced run (not always groomed!) in classic rural Swiss Alps surrounds and a fitting way to end (or start!) a day. Divert into the lanes of a mountain hamlet to dine at Restaurant Ganni on the way down.
Check out the Vals - Dachberg ski trail map below.
The ski lifts at Vals will test the legs of those gone soft on modern chairs & gondolas at other resorts. It all starts comfortably with a reasonably modern gondola from the village up 500m vertical to Gadastatt at (1,809m). From there three T-bars head up in succession for the remaining 1,130m of vertical toward the Dachberg summit. Snowboarders, novices & children can, and do, struggle on these T-bars. Also at Gadastatt are a conveyor & rope tow at a small but serviceable learn to ski for novices.
Lift Passes
Lift tickets are exactly what tight-arse powder junkies like us adore. The gondola from the village up the surface tows is FREE. Yes. I’ll say it again. FREE. Feels like this belongs in another country! Above that, adults (defined as 16 years & over) pay the best value daily lift pass price in Switzerland - only 39CHF in season 25/26. Anyone under the age of 16 gets a pass for FREE. I’ll say it again. FREE!
Where is Vals Switzerland?
The Vals ski resort rises above the small village of Vals in canton Graubünden, southeast Switzerland, topping out just near the Dachberg peak, over 1,600m vertical above the valley.
The closest gateway airport is Zurich (ZRH), 180km (2¼hr) by road from Vals. The nearest large towns are the important transport hubs of Ilanz (20km/30min by road to the north), & the capital of the canton, Chur.
The recommended mode of travel is a combination of train and bus, direct from the airport. From Zurich take the train all the way to Ilanz via Chur. At Ilanz, change to the route B431 PostBus service which leaves every hour, on the half hour from 0730hr to 2130hr. The bus journey takes around the get the stop in the centre of town, Vals Post, where one can then take the free ski bus to the gondola base or head to your accommodation.
Search & book here for train & bus tickets to Ilanz and Vals.
Anyone with an unnatural aversion to public transport or driving on winter roads may want to use a private transfer directly from the airport. Search & book here for all airport transfers to Vals.
If hunting out a sneaky powder day in the region, driving a rental car is a way to get to Ilanz (although public transport is so good, why would you bother). Parking at the ski lift base does come with a small daily tariff.
For hints, tips & warnings about getting to Switzerland ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in Switzerland page.
Vals Accommodation
The village of Vals is located in an isolated alpine valley that provides a feeling of splendid isolation from the woes of the world. Vals has an exceptional range of accommodation to suit most budgets & tastes, but edges toward the higher end of the price range. The town’s thermal pool & spa complex is a popular reason to visit Vals but was of little interest to us. Most of the hotels, the village centre & services are located a short walk or free bus shuttle ride from the ski area base.
Vals accommodation can be hard to get and increases in price dramatically at certain times of the season. At the entrance to town and connected to the thermal spa complex (and located furthest from the ski lifts!), the most lux place to stay in Vals is the extraordinary 5-star 7132 Hotel. Whilst visually an eyesore on the outside, the interior is another story altogether. The 4-star House of Architects is nearby and also connected to the thermal spa.
Alternatively, across the road, the 4-star Hotel Rovanada continues the run of extraordinary hotels in such a small village. Topping it off are other fantastic options like the ski-in ski-out Hotel Steinbock Vals (located just above the gondola valley station), and the central Hotel Glenner (a.k.a. 7132 Glenner).
On the more budget side of the ledger, the central village square located Gasthaus Edelweiss and Hotel Alpina, plus the nearby B&B Gassa 95, have budget rooms, and even a few dormitory rooms with shared facilities. A middle ground option is Schnider Bed & Breakfast (a.k.a. Garni Schnyder).
Search & book a place to stay via the Vals Ski Accommodation Listings.
For anyone with a rental car or prepared to take the bus, the town of Ilanz provides a superb base from which to explore the numerous ski resorts of the immediate region (think Laax, Obersaxon & Brigels). The Eden Hotel is the obvious place to stay, right next to the train station and central to the 'new town'. A charming 'old town' with a few nice bars is a short stroll away and worth a wander after hours.
Search & book a place to stay via the Ilanz Ski Accommodation Listings.
Ski Rentals
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Non-ski Activities
Vals is typical of most good Swiss ski areas with numerous non-ski activities to keep one occupied. There are two main sledding trails and a network of winter walking trails to explore. The gondola to Gadastatt is free for everyone, so getting up to the treeline is easy. From there, walk to Frunt and then onward for lunch at Zervreila before descending back to the gondola valley station by foot or sled. Or head down to Leis & Restaurant Ganni before descending down to Vals. A short snowshoeing trail is also available to explore near Gadastatt.
Review & More Info
The Powderhounds reviewed Vals in February 2026. Whilst it is far from perfect, we adored the experience and revelled in its imperfections! More information about this Swiss ski resort will come soon. Stay tuned for our sparkling repartee, new photos & insights.
See how Vals compares to the rest of the Swiss ski resorts on the Switzerland ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.
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