Hi, Banff is absolutely the best place to ski. I've been 3 times and still can't get enough. Firstly the Rimrock is fab. We stay at the Caribou Lodge on Banff Avenue which is just fantastic with fab rooms, fab restaurant serving fab food and a fab bar (quite English in nature).

You can ski at Norquay, Lake Louise or Sunshine Village. Norquay is for experts and is quite a small ski area. Lake Louise is fantastic and sunshine is just the best. However, not to get too bored, we usually ski Louise one day and then Sunshine etc. Sunshine has an awesome mountain called Goats Eye and there is a fantastic blue run all the way to the bottom. Takes me about 20-30 minutes and my husband about 10 (guess whose the ski instructor......)

All children ski free in Banff so whether you pre-book or wait to you get there, they ski free so long as an adult purchases a ticket at the same time.

Yes you can be a non-skier and go the ski areas. You have to pay a charge for the bus (and to use the gondola but lots of people go and don't ski. The restaurants are fab and there are shops etc. One of our friends doesn't ski and she goes shopping in the town or comes and watches us ski.

Ski school is brilliant, especially for the little ones and they all speak English - which is a bonus.

LL and Sunshine caters for beginners, intermediates and the experts so you will never be stuck.

Early January is extremely cold and I mean COLD We were there for New Year in 2003/04 and one day it hit minus 40!!!!

They usually hold a celebrity event every January and for the last 2 years it has been Sunshine but I've been told its Lake Louise's turn this year. In 2003/04 we met Catherine Zeta Jones and hubby, Buzz Aldrin (awesome), Richard Dean Anderson, The One and Only Robin (Mrs Doubtfire) Williams who was fantastic. We have some brill photos.

I would soooooooooooooooo recommend Banff. We shall be going in April of this year as in January we are off to Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Mountain.

Oh yes, you can pre-book skis but it's always better to do it when you get there as you can then choose what you want. We have our own so we are okay. I've not pre-booked before when we first started ski-ing but hey, there is no right and wrong, takes just as long either way. There are also so many outlets to rent available, the choice is mind boogling. Make sure you visit the Irish Bar where they serve Guinness on draught and do fab food. Also, for evenings, the spaghetti house is great and very very reasonable with 3 course meal costing around £6 (yes, unbelievable).

have a great time.

PS Snow conditions are fantastic throughout the seaon. It opens around 11th November and closes at the end of May. We have been January and end of March and snow is fantastic. My brother has also been mid April and snow was fantastic then also. Check out Thomson's website for snow report mid December. Also a great webside is http://www.skibanff.com
ENJOY