subject: Ski Accommodation - A Couple Of Things To Consider Before Choosing [print this page] When you plan to go on a ski vacation, you should give more than a few moments to think about the type of ski accommodation you are going to reserve. This will in the end make a huge difference to the quality of your holiday.
Before you even book the accommodation, you should carefully consider which ski resort to go to in the first place. One thing that's quite important is this: during any ski holiday there will be days that you can't ski, mostly because of the weather. The resort that you go to should therefore be developed enough to keep you busy during those days. There should be sufficient alternatives to skiing in other words.
Generally speaking you have two kinds of ski resorts. The one type is near a town or city and there will be many interesting shops to browse during non-skiing days and many restaurants and pubs where you can while away empty hours or make new friends. Often the surrounding area also offers a lot of interesting sightseeing possibilities.
The other type of resort, which you tend to find more in developing countries than elsewhere, provides a ski-only experience. There will be facilities like ski-lifts and a handful of hotels and guest houses, but not a lot more. Unless you plan to ski around the clock, you might find this kind of resort very boring in the end. It's fine to go there for a quick day's skiing, but to spend two or three weeks there is really only for the hardened nature lover.
The well-developed resorts usually have a plethora of accommodation options. For the well-to-do there are always the 5-star and boutique hotels. This type of establishment often provides facilities like hot tubs, heated swimming pools, gyms, saunas, business centers and a mini shopping mall. You will find a number of international restaurants on the premises as well. In short: you only need to leave the hotel to ski.
The bulk of skiers are usually absorbed by the mid-range hotels. These normally provide decent accommodation to fit the pocket of the average man in the street. As a minimum requirement you should sure such a hotel offers private bathrooms, English TV and facilities like hair dryers. A feature that is great to have is a balcony. Especially if you plan to stay for two or three weeks, your hotel room can easily become quite claustrophobic.
Self-catering options are available in and around most ski resorts. There is no better solution for the family man. Cost wise it's certainly the best option for a family. You will not only save money on the accommodation itself, but since these chalets will always have a kitchen, you can save a lot of money by preparing all or most of your meals at home.
When it comes to ski accommodation, the guest house has always been one of the best-loved places to stay. The reasons are many. Firstly their rates are usually very competitive. The best of them offer facilities that can compare to that of a good hotel, at a lower cost. And the experience is much more personal than what you will experience at the average hotel.
