Hotels, Hostels and other Accommodation Options

There is a wide range of options for accommodation in the Alps for skiers, snowboarders and anyone else who enjoys the mountains in winter.

For many resorts at this site we have selected accommodation where we have personal experience or have received authoritative recommendations.

In brief, however, the type of places you can stay can be characterised as follows:

• Hotel. The range of hotels available in the Alps is huge, from 5 star luxury through to somewhere with nothing more than a bed for the night. At the top end you can expect station pick up, entertainment, choice of meals and a whole range of other amenities. In the Alps even the most basic hotels will provide a ski room to store your kit and a basic breakfast or breakfast area for you to prepare your own breakfast. The price you get charged can vary hugely depending on how you go about booking your hotel, with package operators and online discounters offering better prices on the whole than the hotel does itself.


• Family Hotel. The benefit of a family hotel is that, if you have kids, you don't need to worry about them running around or screaming and upsetting other guests. Everyone is in the same boat. Most family hotels also provide playrooms, play areas, childcare and so forth.


• Hostel. Hostels at the top end overlap with well provisioned hotels, especially in Switzerland. In addition they also provide dormitory accommodation with shared mixed or same sex rooms that can contain anything from 1 to 20 beds. Many provide half-board and they always provide breakfast.


• Mountain Hotel. These are usually similar to hostels, except they are normally at the top of a lift rather than the bottom, so you can ski in and ski out. However there are also a number of top end mountain hotels that compare favourably with the very best luxury hotels.


• Bed and Breakfast. These tend to be similar to low-end hotels in terms of amenities but normally have the feel very much of staying in someone's home - which in many cases is what they are.


• Chalet. As with hotels, the range of chalet accommodation available in the Alps is huge. The top end ones are fully staffed and you can enjoy being catered for and generally pampered. In some cases you need to book the chalet exclusively for your party, in other cases you share with other guests. It is usual to tip your chalet staff at the end of your stay.


• Apartment. Apartments provide accommodation with bedding, self-catering facilities and TV. They are not always situated as close to the slopes as other accommodation options and are often found in nearby villages where they can provide a low cost option for groups of budget travelers. Check transit arrangements before booking, such as whether there is a frequent bus or rail link to the nearest ski area. Generally transport infrastructure is better in Switzerland and Austria than other Alpine countries.

Here is a list of places we can recommend (sortable by clicking on the column heads):