Zoetermeer

Snowworld in the evening

I was beginning to get bored. On a ski hill. I had gotten a great deal on the lift ticket, eight hours plus a dinner for less than the two hour ticket would have been. But the downside was that I'd have to stay until dinner time, and all I had was this tiny slope. And a crowd of beginners on it. 

Then I saw it. An opening into a tunnel, with "Doorgang naar piste 3" on the top. I had missed the main slope. Embarrassed, I skied through the tunnel to find a proper size slope, with no beginners disturbing me or me disturbing them.

Beginner run

The "doorgang"

Snowworld

Snowworld is located in Zoetermeer, 60 kilometers from Amsterdam. The ski area has a nice beginner run "Jungfrau", a snowboard park "Eiger Slope", and a long main slope "Wallis". The main slope is 210 meters long, but has a reasonable 20% steepness. The main slope straight and has little extra features, however. But it is good enough to be used in race practices, and can certainly keep you occupied for a couple of hours easily.

It takes 15 seconds to ski the main slope. (No turns are required.)

The main slope

Snow park

After-Ski

As noted, Snowworld sells package deals where their restaurants serve dinners once you are done skiing. The package dinner is in a Swiss-style restaurant that serves barbecue food (!). While the meats were not particularly impressive (and I am not a big meat eater anyway), the salad bar was quite impressive. I enjoyed my meal.

But the big thing for me was Bierstube, the local after-ski bar. They had live music. I repeat, a living, breathing band in an indoor ski area! On a Friday night the bar was pretty packed. Recommended!

The singer

Band playing

Details, Details

A two hour ticket would have been 32€, but I got a great deal for an eight hour ticket plus dinner for 29€.

There are also other package deals, including a 78€ deal that includes also one night's accommodation.

Entrance to the Snow World

The summer deal

Verdict

The Snowworld has quite a bit variation in its many slopes, even if the main slope is perhaps a bit too simplistic for my taste. You can certainly spend many hours here, however, and it is also perfect for race practice.

But where Snowworld excels is the quality of after-ski. Live band in an indoor ski area is unheard of. I've toured a big fraction of the world's indoor ski areas, and Snowworld has certainly the best after-ski. Recommended!

Main slope from the outside - note the horse!

Ski lifts

One-stop shopping: Ski area and crematorium

Inside the "doorgang"

Photo and video credits (c) 2012 by Jari Arkko