Editorial standards
Methodology & editorial guidelines
What sits behind every “best ski resorts” list, every snow depth number, and every AI answer on Where to Ski — written down so you can hold us to it.
How we define "best"
A resort earns a spot on a "best" list when it scores in the top quartile of the relevant signal (snow reliability, value, family scoring, expert terrain, etc.) and passes a manual sanity check by an editor. We never sort by affiliate commission.
How we define "budget"
Budget rankings combine adult 1-day lift pass price (converted to EUR), typical accommodation cost from Hotels.com APIs, and resort access cost (transfer time from nearest airport). Anything in the bottom 30% of total weekly cost qualifies.
How often data refreshes
Snow depth and lift status: twice daily (06:00 and 18:00 UTC). Lift pass prices: weekly, verified through Perplexity Sonar plus regional resort APIs. Resort descriptions: regenerated on demand when an editor flags an issue or once per season.
How AI is used (and policed)
Programmatic guides and snow analyses are drafted by Perplexity Sonar and Gemini, then spot-checked by a human editor before publication. The Ski Concierge AI cites the resorts and data points it used so every answer is verifiable. AI never overrides data we already trust.
Editorial independence
Affiliate links (e.g. Hotels.com) help fund the site, but they never influence ranking position, "best" lists, or which resorts appear in guides. Resort pages link to the cheapest verified booking option we can find — not the highest paying.
Corrections policy
Spotted a wrong price or stale snow depth? Email corrections@where-to-ski.com and we will verify within 48 hours. If we got it wrong, we publicly note the correction on the affected resort page.
Scoring weights, in detail
Snow-sure score: 60% historical snow base for the month, 25% glacier or high-altitude coverage, 15% snowmaking capacity.
Family score: 35% beginner terrain share, 25% ski school capacity, 20% non-ski activities, 20% accommodation suitable for groups.
Expert score: 40% off-piste area, 30% black run share, 20% lift-served vertical, 10% backcountry access.
Budget score: 45% lift pass cost, 30% accommodation, 25% access (airport transfer time and cost).
All scores are recomputed when new data arrives. The exact tag definitions live in our data sources documentation.
Who writes & reviews
Every guide on Where to Ski is reviewed by a member of our editorial team before publication. Meet the people behind the bylines and their relevant expertise.
See the editorial team →Found something wrong?
Wrong lift pass price, stale snow depth, missing resort? Tell us and we will verify within 48 hours.