subject: Ski Accommodation A Few Aspects To Deliberate Before Making A Selection [print this page] Ski Accommodation A Few Aspects To Deliberate Before Making A Selection
Before going on a ski holiday, you should give the type of ski accommodation you will be staying in more than just a passing thought. Where you stay during your vacation will have a huge effect on how much you enjoy yourself in the end.
Before even making a reservation, you should carefully consider the options the different ski resorts provide. Study the facilities at the various resorts and make sure that the resort you are going to has other entertainment options apart from skiing. During any ski vacation there will be more than one day when the weather is simply not conducive to skiing and during those days you would appreciate something to keep you occupied apart from playing blackjack on your laptop.
As far as this goes there are two very different types of ski resorts. The first type will mostly have a picturesque little town nearby where there are many interesting shops and a good number of restaurants and coffees shop and pubs. During non-skiing days and at night you can therefore browse through the shops and make friends with other skiers in the coffee shops and pubs.
Then you get the type of resort that sometimes offers stunning scenery but is far away from any form of civilization. There will be a few hotels and other types of accommodation and not much else. Unless you go there to ski day and night, this type of place can get boring very quickly. It's great to go to a place like this for two or three days, but an extended stay might soon have you climbing up the walls out of boredom.
The more upmarket ski resorts, such as St Moritz, have a huge variety of accommodation options to choose from. There are certainly sufficient numbers of five star hotels to satisfy the jet-set crowd who only want to stay in top class accommodation. These hotels sometimes have their own little shopping malls and enough restaurants, gyms and saunas to keep you occupied during the days that you don't go out skiing.
Mid-range hotels absorb the bulk of skiers to these resorts. They mostly provide perfectly adequate accommodation and all the facilities that you can reasonably expect during your holiday. As a minimum you should make sure you get a private bathroom, cable TV and coffee making facilities. A very nice feature is a balcony. A hotel room can become very claustrophobic during an extended stay. The hotel should also not be located too far from where you plan to ski.
You will find self-catering accommodation in or near virtually all the better ski resorts. For the family man these are the perfect solution. They offer a true home from home experience, with kitchens, TV lounges and often even hot tubs. Many of the more upmarket resorts have heated indoor pools and gyms where you can while away non-skiing hours.
An all-time favorite when it comes to ski accommodation is of course the guest house. This is the perfect option for people who like to make new friends. Many new friendships have indeed blossomed around the breakfast table of a guest house. They normally provide great value for money and the better ones can be compared to the best of hotels.
