Ski North America's # 1 Resort

Looking for a truly top class ski holiday? You should include Whistler, BC, in your shortlist. Two soaring mountains with the highest vertical drop in North America (over a mile), over 8000 acres of marked trails, 33 lifts - mostly high-speed quads and untold off-piste options make for an unparalleled skiing experience. But the charm of Whistler extends well beyond the downhill ski-ing terrain. Many people reckon it is one of the world's top dining spots for its size. There are at least 15 restaurants in Whistler that offer distinctive gourmet cuisine rivalling the best in the world's largest cities. Add in the excellent groomed cross-country trails around Lost Lake and you have something for everyone.

How do you go about finding a suitable vacation rental property? Look for a local property management company that manages a variety of types of accommodation. The housing inventory in Whistler is extremely varied, from youth hostels at the bottom end to $10m homes that rent for up to $10,000 per night. Try going outside the Christmas and New Year peak, as this is when pricing is highest and queues are longest. If you choose January or April you can get a very pleasant 2-bed condo for less than $300 per night which would cost you $6-700 in the peak season. A 5-bedroom ski-in, ski-out home which might be $2000 per night in the peak can be picked up for less than $1000 in the off-peak months. Other times to avoid are the UK school half-term week and President's Week in the US; these two are usually the middle 2 weeks of February.

If you are looking for Whistler accommodation, one of the better property management companies, with an inventory of 45 rental properties at all price points, is Holiday Whistler. Whether you want a 1-bedroom unit in the Village, or a 5 or 6 bedroom log home with a steam room and private hot tub nestled in the woods, they will be able to find what you want. They can also organise transfers from Vancouver, arrange a massage to ease the aches and pains of the mogul fields, pre-book ski lessons and lift tickets and get you a table at the most exclusive and sold-out restaurants in town. Give them a try.