Folgarida-Marilleva Sneeuwverwachting

just back from Folgarida; fab resort with lovely runs back to base at the weekend. Not the best snow in the Dolomites this year but the lower runs were faultless back to resort after the good year for making the artificial snow. Whenever I ski in Italy the pistes hold up much better than the French and Austrian resorts, staying clean up until tea time so none of the massive mogul slush you get in the busy places like 3 valleys, La Plagne etc. Didn't realise the ski area was so vast and much better than the piste map suggests. Spent 4 days skiing over to Madonna-di-Campiglio and still failed to do all the lifts and runs. Stayed at Park Hotel with Crystal which was ski in and out so no walking and it has its own ski hire shop in the hotel (bargain) although out of the village so no good for non skiers in a party. Good food on offer but late t leading to a bit of a ruck when the restaurant opened. Swimming pool sauna etc so great for relaxing après ski. Childrens' entertainment nightly by a great group of guys who really appeared to enjoy what they were doing. Would I recommend the resort? Definitely, as Italian snow is better and the prices on slope are much more sensible (unlike France). Probably, if I returned, I would stay in Madonna as more town feel. Extra info: half term and little queuing for lifts only on the slow 3 seater link lift to get back to Folgarida but the posters say there's a new 4 seater express lift going here in the summer anyway. 9 out of 10 for this place.