A new Europe-wide analysis of online reviews has ranked ski resorts across the continent, revealing a shift in what winter sports travellers expect—and what they are increasingly unwilling to tolerate. The report analysed tens of thousands of visitor reviews on Trip Advisor to determine which resorts attract the highest proportion of negative feedback.
The results present a striking picture: some of Europe’s biggest, most famous, and most heavily marketed ski areas are also those that attract the most complaints. High prices, outdated infrastructure, overcrowding, inconsistent snow conditions, and strained accommodation capacity emerge as the central themes.
Below is a detailed look at each of the top ten resorts, placing the study’s findings in context and highlighting what visitors are actually experiencing on the ground.
Lift queues are a major source of complaint
Scoring a perfect 100 on the criticism index, Les Deux Alpes tops the list as Europe’s most criticised resort. Over 56% of negative reviews relate to overcrowding, particularly long lift queues, bottlenecks on key pistes, and heavily trafficked return slopes at the end of the day.
Travellers also highlight high prices and inconsistent snow conditions in warmer periods. Though the resort is modernising (including the major new Jandri 3S gondola project), even these improvements have stirred concerns about environmental impact and the sustainability of mass-tourism-driven expansion.
St. Anton, one of Austria’s most internationally recognised ski areas, ranks second with a score of 78. Nearly half of all complaints cite overcrowding, and more than a quarter mention high costs.
Its enormous ski domain, legendary off-piste terrain, and globally famous après-ski attract large numbers of advanced skiers and party-goers. Many love it but others describe it as stressful, chaotic, and exhausting, with busy pistes from open to close and deteriorating snow quality on popular runs by early afternoon.
With a score of 68.4, Sestriere stands out because more than 53% of negative reviews focus on outdated infrastructure. Skiers frequently describe slow lifts, ageing accommodation, and a general feeling that the resortm one of Europe’s earliest purpose-built ski villages, has fallen behind modern standards.
Though part of the vast Via Lattea (Milky Way) area, Sestriere is repeatedly cited as needing a significant wave of investment to restore the efficiency and comfort expected in the 2020s.
Serre Chevalier ranks fourth with a score of 58.7, driven primarily by overcrowding (almost 40% of complaints) and dissatisfaction with accommodation quality.
The resort’s expansive terrain and forested slopes remain beloved, but peak-time crowding and inconsistent standards across lodgings leave some guests feeling the experience varies too widely depending on where they stay and when they visit.
Saas-Fee receives a score of 58, with more than 40% of criticisms relating to cost. Reviewers frequently highlight the steep price of lift passes, restaurants, and hotels in this famously picturesque, car-free village.
Some visitors also complain about variable snow conditions on lower slopes and reduced terrain availability early or late in the season. The study indicates a growing tension between Saas-Fee’s premium branding and a more price-sensitive European skiing public.
Avoriaz scores 52.9, with overcrowding once again being the dominant criticism. Fully ski-in/ski-out and positioned at the heart of the Portes du Soleil, the resort attracts enormous visitor flows—especially families during school holidays.
Crowded choke-points, busy plateau areas, and rising food and accommodation prices feature heavily in negative reviews, suggesting that Avoriaz is suffering from the downside of its own popularity.
With a score of 51.6, Cervinia’s criticisms revolve around cost and snow/weather issues. Its altitude and link with Zermatt give it vast terrain, but the area is notoriously prone to high winds, which can close major lifts and limit access to the glacier.
Visitors report frustration when storm cycles result in paying premium prices for significantly reduced terrain. Others describe parts of the village as outdated relative to competing Italian destinations.
Zermatt’s score of 44.5 is overwhelmingly driven by complaints about price, which represent more than 57% of all negative remarks.
The resort consistently ranks among the most expensive in Europe across lift passes, lodging, dining, and daily spending. Many visitors still find the destination magical but those expecting value for money often experience disappointment when high costs collide with weather closures or crowded pistes.
Ischgl scores 43.2, and over 58% of complaints relate to overcrowding. Known for massive parties, international concerts, and an interconnected ski area, the resort draws an exceptionally dense concentration of visitors during peak weeks.
Some reviewers note that pistes feel dangerously busy, especially late in the day, and that the party reputation can overshadow the skiing experience for those seeking a calmer holiday.
Grandvalira closes the top ten with a score of 34.8, shaped largely by criticism of snow conditions (about 29%) and cost (nearly 27%).
As Andorra has transformed into a major international ski destination with modern lifts and expanded terrain, prices have climbed. Combined with lower average altitude compared to the Alps, this contributes to disappointment when warm spells lead to soft snow, icy patches, or partial closures.
The study’s findings reflect a broader shift in skier expectations:
Crowd management has become a critical performance factor. Even world-class resorts suffer in online rankings if queues and bottlenecks become the norm.
High prices are increasingly contested, especially when paired with weather challenges or ageing infrastructure.
Infrastructure modernisation is no longer optional; travellers notice immediately when lifts or facilities feel outdated.
Sustainability and authenticity are gaining ground. Younger visitors in particular question mega-resorts that focus on expansion over environmental or local considerations.
The report does not say that these are “bad” ski resorts. In fact, many are among Europe’s most visited and most loved. The rankings reflect where expectation and reality diverge most sharply, not an objective measure of resort quality. People often go on line when something went wrong or as that famous Roman skier, Marc Antony once put it “The good that resorts do is oft interred in memories; the bad lives forever in TripAdvisor.” Skiers visiting peak season are going to face crowded pistes and lift queues although European resorts have a poor reputation for managing lift lines. The big, popular ski areas are victims of their success to some degree. The 2022-2024 ski seasons had poor snow, especially at lower elevations and this skewed complaints. There is also an expectation gap, premium resorts charge premium prices and visitors expect a premium experience.
As European ski tourism adapts to climate, economic, and social changes, the study suggests that the winning formula of the future may prioritise quality of experience over quantity of visitors.