What happens after skiing if you do not want to drink? It is the question that helped bring Daniel Edward and Soberski founder Ben Coombes together on Destination Unlocked. Daniel had been put off by the idea of a holiday organised around bars. Ben had spent seasons in the Alps and wanted to change the pattern of his own trips.
Decide what you want your afternoons to feel like
Ben likes to make full use of the ski day. For him, an early afternoon in a bar can mean missing the skiing he travelled for. He describes the familiar cycle of late nights, slow mornings and lost time on the mountain, and the relief of discovering another way to spend the week.
That does not mean everyone must ski until the final lift. Your ideal afternoon might involve a book, a walk on an appropriate maintained route, or going back for cake. The useful question is what you would choose if you were planning around your own enjoyment.
Give the evening a shape
At Soberski, Ben describes an alcohol-free drink before dinner as a moment that marks the end of the day. A shared meal then gives guests something to gather around. It preserves the pleasure of an evening occasion without making alcohol its central ingredient.
The food in the episode sounds reassuringly substantial: chef-prepared dinners, French classics and a sharing-style fondue night. This is a ski holiday with time for good things at the table. Ask your host about dietary requirements and which evenings are catered before you book.
Leave room for conversation
Ben places particular value on the sessions after dinner. They might involve journalling, a question posed to the group or a conversation about what guests want to work towards. He wants people to get to know one another beyond the usual introductions.
Daniel is drawn to the chance to make connections in person. Ben says guests from the first trip were still talking in their group chat afterwards. These are opportunities rather than promises: ask how optional activities work, and choose a group whose pace sounds comfortable for you.
Look beyond the bars without overfilling the timetable
The wider conversation includes snowshoeing, snowmobiling and paragliding. Availability and suitability depend on the provider, conditions and your experience, so treat them as possibilities to investigate. One well-chosen activity may add more to the week than an ambitious schedule you are too tired to enjoy.
Ben also talks about the chalet’s sauna, hot tub and facilitated cold plunges. Those facilities are optional parts of his retreat description, rather than something every ski holiday provides. If they matter to you, check the current facilities and arrangements directly with the operator.
Choose the social setting before you book
Travelling with friends? Have the conversation about drinking, dinners and mornings in advance. Travelling alone? Ask how the host brings guests together and whether there is a shared space where evenings naturally happen. An alcohol-free trip works best when the social arrangements support the holiday you actually want.
Ben’s central idea is simple: taking drinking out of a ski week still leaves the skiing, the scenery, the food and the people. There is plenty there to build a holiday around.
Hear the conversation
These ideas come from Daniel Edward’s conversation with Ben Coombes, founder of Soberski. Find the complete collection in our Méribel and alcohol-free ski holidays hub.