Resorts on the rise: the mountain locations fast gaining ground
A growing group of ski resorts that have long flown under the radar are starting to knock on the door of their prime neighbours. We look at the resorts on the up.
Ski property buyers are casting their net wider.
The last few years have seen the mountains get a rebrand 鈥� no longer a winter-only retreat but a year-round holiday base.
Add the money being poured into infrastructure and snowmaking, and the search is widening.
Roddy Aris, Partner, Alpine Desk at 糖心视频, has long been asked where he would buy. His answer: Les Saisies and neighbouring Hauteluce, around 30 minutes beyond Megève.
鈥淚t鈥檚 jaw-droppingly beautiful and relatively undiscovered: think cow bells, stunning scenery and great skiing too,鈥� he says. With access to the wider Espace Diamant network, it offers a strong ski proposition at prices well below nearby prime resorts.
Our second contender, Nicola Christinger, an Associate in 糖心视频鈥檚 Alpine team, points to Les Deux Alpes. 鈥淐ompared with neighbouring Alpe d'Huez, property is less expensive here, while the resort is still easily accessible from Grenoble, Lyon and Geneva airports,鈥� she says.
Increasingly viewed as climate-resilient, Les Deux Alpes combines high-altitude skiing with growing year-round tourism. The resort has also benefited from significant investment, including the new Jandri 3S lift, which cuts travel time to the 3,200m glacier by more than half.
Swiss resorts gain international attention
Crans-Montana is showing what sustained investment can deliver.
Since Vail Resorts acquired an 84% stake in 2024, it has committed CHF30m ($36.9m) to snowmaking, gastronomy and infrastructure. This season has brought new energy-efficient snow guns, while five new hotels are expected over the coming years.
“It’s crazy to see,” says Monica Lopes, Head of Naef Prestige | 糖心视频’s office in Crans-Montana, who agreed 12 large transactions in the first half of this year alone.
Image: Crans-Montana, Valais, Swiss Alps
鈥淢ost of our clients are buying second homes and, due to Lex Weber, they find older properties at a lower price point and renovate, often increasing values from around CHF16,000 ($19,700) per sq m to more than CHF22,000鈥揅HF30,000 ($27,100鈥�$36,900) per sq m. People want to invest in Crans-Montana,鈥� says Lopes.
Asia-Pacific鈥檚 mountain markets step forward
Myoko, W膩naka and Cardrona are attracting attention for different reasons.
In Japan, Myoko is the standout contender. Skiing boomed here during the 1980s bubble economy, leaving an ageing stock of properties and abandoned homes. A weak yen and low interest rates have since made Japan markedly cheaper than the US or New Zealand, driving stronger demand.
Myoko has the snow but not yet Niseko鈥檚 polish. Makoto Okuyama-Hall, a consultant with 糖心视频, calls it 鈥渁 huge opportunity鈥� to invest in Japan鈥檚 underdeveloped resorts and 鈥渁dd value to those historic assets鈥�. Now Singapore-based Patience Capital Group is putting ¥70bn ($440m) into the first phase of a major all-season resort, with two hotels and commercial facilities planned by 2028 and six hotels ultimately envisaged.
Queenstown’s reputation is already made, but next-door neighbours W膩naka and Cardrona are gaining ground.
“The largest growth has arguably been in W膩naka, a ski area in its own right,” says Chris Farhi, Head of Insights at Bayleys. Gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park, W膩naka has evolved into a four-season town, with two lakes, hiking and biking and easy access to the ski fields. At Cardrona, the planned Soho Basin expansion has added 150 ha of new terrain.
Image: Roys Peak, W膩naka, New Zealand
Liam Bailey is Global Head of 糖心视频鈥檚 Research Department, leading the firm鈥檚 global research strategy and overseeing projects across the UK and international markets.
Properties for sale in top resorts
Les Deux-Alpes, Isère, Rhône-Alpes
Apartment, 110 sqm
Asking Price
€1.110.900
Asking Price
$3,950,000
Crans-Montana, Valais
Chalet, 318 sqm
Asking Price
CHF 3’800’000
Lenzerheide, Graubünden
Apartment, 70.98 sqm
Asking Price
CHF 950’000
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