What is a Snomad?

THE STORY

Way back in the Winter of 2009 Ieuan, Ewan and Maks met in St. Anton, Austria. There to ski for a season whilst working for a large tour operator, they could not have imagined the adventure they would have over the following years. Multiple ski trips every winter became the norm as the trio, along with other friends, explored more and more European ski resorts. It was clear to see that this wasn’t enough and the idea of creating something special in the mountains became the aspiration.

WHY SNOMADS?

Having skied and snowboarded for years, the trio wanted to create an alternative to the usual chalet experience. Tired of high prices, frozen bread, poor food and cheap wine, tour operators were compromising guest experience for profit margins. The Snomads team wanted to create a relaxed and happy chalet experience accessible for all . Knowing there was more to a winter holiday than just the powder, the aim was to create an environment where guests could explore their other passions of adventure and progression along with real home cooking. 

SNOMADS TODAY

We found Bansko in 2012. A resort on par with all the thrill and excitement of the bigger and better known European ski destinations, but at a fraction of the price. With exciting culture and local producers to work with, there was a mountain base that offered everything. With the location sorted we quickly found a solid foundation to build upon. Now Snomads proudly run five ski chalets across 2 European countries as well as expanding into exciting freeride holidays. The journey continues!

We appreciate the commercial skiing industry isn’t known for being green. Snomads are a little different, proudly independent we’re passionate about providing unforgettable mountain time whilst minimising our impact on the local environment.

When Snomads was born we initially forged a partnership with Carbon Footprint. Supporting international projects, we helped offset over 525 tonnes of carbon dioxide over a decade.

Recently we have adapted a new approach to climate change, now working alongside Ecologi. Together we proudly planted over 1200 trees in sustainable woodland in just one year. Our pledge for 2022/23 is to go even better and plant 2 trees per guest.

In resort we’ve also been busy keeping plastic out of landfill. A large percentage of our plastic waste gets cleaned and turned into building materials for a project in the Bulgarian countryside. Get in touch on our socials to find out more.

It’s not just the environment that matters. We also work with the charity Snow Camp, the UK’s only national charity to inspire young people to excel through skiing, snowboarding, life-skill training and qualifications.

With every Snomads stay you stand with us. Proof that things can be done differently.

POLICIES

  • Only using seasonal produce in our menu; we support local artisans and market sellers whenever we can.
  • Sourcing only local, organic and pasture fed red meat, which means a lower carbon output.
  • All of our eggs are free range and sourced from the weekly markets.
  • We try to avoid dairy products from massive industrial dairy farms.
  • We keep the money we spend in resort by choosing local industries, supporting small family run businesses wherever we can.
  • Snomads practice is to re-use food where we can in the kitchen (the neighbour’s pigs and chickens get through anything that might be left-over).
  • We recycle tins, glass and cardboard as we know these get recycled properly. 
  • All plastic bottles, containers and films get washed, dried and turned into permanent building materials by us, trapping the carbon and keeping it out of landfill.
  • We don’t provide bottled water or endorse unethical fizzy drink companies.
  • Keeping our energy consumption to the minimum with well-insulated walls and double-glazed windows.
  • Have mostly A and AA rated appliances, and an increasing amount of low energy lighting where possible.
  • Keeping paper and chemical ink use to a minimum with our online booking system.
  • Use waste paper and cardboard we get from packaging to light our fires throughout the Winter.
  • We use environmentally friendly cleaning products where we can.
  • Reducing water, electricity and detergent by only changing towels on request.
  • All our chalets run on efficient and sensible heating systems, some fueled by wood or pellets sustainably sourced from the local area.
  • We encourage our guests to be mindful of energy consumption; heating systems are on a timer and operate at a lower output when guests are skiing to minimise wasted energy.
  • We encourage guests to come by train by offering substantial discounts and station transfers. Get in touch for more information.
  • Installing a compost system across all chalets for processing the food waste that the neighbouring chickens can’t eat.
  • A weekly in-house bottle rental scheme to limit the amount of single use plastic brought into our chalets. The water that comes out the taps is straight from the mountain and tastes delicious.
  • Expanding our plastic/bamboo toothbrush swap scheme across all chalets. Did you know every plastic toothbrush ever made still exists?

ETHOS

By reducing our carbon footprint, reducing plastic waste, supporting local producers, we’ve created a sustainable base for a truly authentic winter holiday.

We’re always looking for ways we can reduce our negative impact on the environment and operate more sustainably. We’re also super keen to hear your ideas so please feel free to get in touch.

CONTACT

Our affiliates

chalets-lesgets
ski mania
Salomon Zakopane