Impress a new non-skiing girlfriend - resort/ chalet?

Looking to take new girlfriend skiing next January 2013. She has never skiied beyond local snowdome so want to be able to leave either hotel or chalet and be able to get her to ski school as easily as possibly. I will need to go off with ski guide or whatever but priority is "impressing" the lady so need a nice looking resort with plenty of nightlife or one with half decent chalets on offer. It could be France or Austria or Italy would think. Thinking Les Arcs, Alpe D'Huez, La Thuile but open to ideas.

If you're after nightlife, stay well clear of La Thuile - the skiing is great, and ski school etc very easy to get to - but it certainly does not have an apres-scene.

Excellent idea and vitally important if this girlfriend stands any chance of being around for a while.
And planning a long way ahead seems a good idea.
My points;
1 - overall budget including apres ski, all kit (clothes etc). As a novice whom you are looking to impress kitting out before the holiday is really important, although a word of caution - not too early as you never know you could be single by next Jan :oops:
2 - what is nightlife to you both? Could be cosy restaurant and a stroll back or wild party nightclub? Should the Champagne cost 30 euros or 150 euros?
3 - a word of caution - a small chalet may be beautiful, cosy, good food etc. but could have terrible other guests, a real gamble.
4 - Now, I'm a Francophile but maybe Austria could be prettier or somewhere like Murren in Switzerland.
5 - for yourself. Steep and deep needs to be accessible. I doubt you disapearing at 08.15 and reappearing, completely knackered with a huge smile on your face at 5.30 would go down well!

Good Luck !!

We did Saalbach-Hinterglemm a few years ago, and a lot of the runs met up with each other, so I could play around on the easy stuff whilst the OH scared himself silly on the steeper, icier stuff, but it was easy to meet up for breaks, lunch, etc. Hinterglemm is quieter and prettier, Saalbach has the discos and late bars. No idea what the ski school is like as everyone we met at the hotel were intermediates/advanced. It was also easy to get the bus to Zell am See for an afternoon of strolling by the frozen lake, big cakes and hot chocolate, and some nice shops - might be worth a look! We all want the perfect ski holiday like we want the perfect relationship, sometimes it works out....!! :wink:

Thanks for responses so far

Will drop La Thuile - thanks

Kit wise - some of it already owned (jacket, base layers etc etc)but take your point re waiting for a bit. There is no rush.

Budget - probably £1.5K per head but not fixed.

Nightlife - we both in 40s (me some time ago!)by that point but we quite like lively bar/ pub scene. Just spent weekend in London on massive bar crawl but also like to have a decent quiet meal. She is fond of bit of a boogie and will happily get up on a table...could be interesting!

Chalet - yes thought about that and the others could be a nightmare so perhaps decent hotel with some spa facilities would be better. Still like to be able to ski out from there...really don't want to be doing long transfers to the slopes. Out and either ski to the schools or take lift v nearby.

Point taken about disappearing for the day and coming back knackered. Thinking prob just mornings, lunch with the lady and not going mad in the afternoons..for that reason alone!

Thanks

Thanks Dgou - will check out Hinterglemm...sounds great subject to ski school. Zell am See would be good afternoon option.

Schladming in Austria is pretty wild at new year, plenty of dancing on tables.
The town was buzzing when we were there.
As we bussed to Rohrmoos for skiing I am not sure of the suitability for your requirements ski wise tho.

She's a lucky lady.

With that budget, and really wanting to impress, the Hotel Wolf in Hinterglemm would be perfect. Best hotel in town, gourmet food, right on the piste, and 100yards from the best apres ski bar in Europe, the Goatstall!!! Job done!!!