Hotel vs Chalet vs Apartment
There are a wide range of different accommodation styles available in each resort across Europe. Whilst this gives you a great choice of options, sometimes it’s difficult to decide what style of accommodation will best suit your group. We’re regularly asked, “What type of accommodation should I choose?” and “well… what’s the difference between them all?”. Here at Get me to the Alps we know that each group is different, so we cater the trip to your groups needs. We want to help you understand your options so that you can make the right choice. Here, we will take a look at each option and go through some of the positives and negatives.
Ski Hotels – Are they right for my group?
For those who haven’t done a ski trip before and stayed in specialist ski accommodation, a hotel will be more familiar. Generally consisting of a bedroom and en-suite bathroom facilities, there is often also the option of family or interconnecting rooms so that a family can be near each other. Hotels can range from comfortable 2* options to luxurious 5* hotels.
+ With en-suite bathroom facilities, hotels give you the most privacy.
- As hotels generally don’t have lounge areas within the rooms, it can be difficult for groups to relax together in the evenings. It’s often not possible to guarantee rooms next to each other, although it is possible to request this. For this reason, hotels are generally preferred by families or smaller groups.
- Hotels can be quite an expensive option. There are also no cooking facilities within the rooms meaning that you need to eat out for all your meals which is a cost you should factor into your holiday.
We work closely with a number of 3* and 4* hotels, which can be offered half-board, full-board or even all-inclusive with no missed nights, all of which have great on-site facilities such as hot tubs and saunas. We also have options available with no catering.
Ski Chalets – The more traditional choice
Often when people think of a chalet, they’re imagining a big wooden lodge, nestled on the slopes, with a log fire and a chalet host serving them their meals and wine. Whilst this can be the case, chalets are also available on a self-catered basis too, which helps to keep costs down. Chalets generally consist of a kitchen, a communal lounge area, and then a number of bathrooms and bedrooms. They may also have extra services such as hot tubs or saunas.
Chalets are often popular with large groups as they can cater for the whole group in one apartment helping to make it feel more sociable. If you are a smaller group, you can be sharing a chalet with other groups giving you the chance to make new friends. If you are looking for a bit more privacy, we would probably not recommend this option.
+ Chalets are often able to cater for large groups staying all together and give you the communal lounge space to hang out today in the evenings.
+ Chalets are quite a luxurious accommodation choice. The evening meals are often 3 courses cooked by your chalet hosts, you may get wine included with your evening meal and there are often have hot choices daily at breakfast. If you’re looking for the ski holiday of all ski holidays, a chalet may be the option for you!
- Catered chalets are the most expensive accommodation option. Even on a low season week, you’d be looking at around £1300pp+ for a fully catered chalet package.
- In order to give the chalet hosts a day off, there will be one day in your week where there is no evening meal for you, so you would need to eat out, an additional cost to be factored into your trip. There will also be no hot option at breakfast that day.
We work with a number of different chalet providers, both catered and self-catered, to allow us to build the perfect package for you if you feel that a chalet is the best option for you.
Ski Apartments – Flexibility is key
Ski apartments can come in lots of different forms from studio apartments up to 8 bedroomed options. They usually contain a communal living area, an operational kitchen, a number of bedrooms, and a number of bathrooms/toilets. In a lot of cases, these apartments would give you access to ski lockers too. Apartments can range from 2* standards all the way up to 5* options giving you a little more luxury and space. You may also find that apartments are part of a complex and give you access to spa facilities including swimming pools and hot tubs.
+ Apartments are by far the cheapest option, coming in at a fraction of the cost of a chalet or hotel. Having an operational kitchen means that you are able to buy your own food from a local supermarket and cook it yourselves, whenever you want!
+ Apartments give you a large amount of flexibility. The lounge areas are definitely a bonus for those with children, giving you an area to wind down in once the little ones have gone to bed without disturbing them.
- Apartments don’t have en-suite facilities for each bedroom so if you are looking for your own bathroom, if you may need to increase the size of your apartment.
We work with a vast range of ski apartments of different standards, so whatever you’re looking for, we can find something to suit you. In some cases, we may be able to offer an apartment on a half-board basis teaming up with the complex’s restaurants or local restaurants within resort.
The Get me to the Alps verdict
Here at Get me to the Alps, we appreciate that every group is different, and know that what works for one group whose main priority is the price, may not work for a group made up of couples looking for a bit more privacy. Once we know a little bit more about what your group's requirements are, we can ensure that we find you the perfect option. In our personal opinion, we generally believe that apartments can work for most groups and can give you the best value for money, which is very important to us!
If you’re unsure what type of accommodation is best for your group's ski trip, please just get in touch and we will be more than happy to discuss the options with you.