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When planning a skiing holiday there are plenty of things to consider before jetting off to the Alps. It is not just simply a booking a hotel, finding the most popular resort and buying the right equipment. Other factors include transportation from the airport to the resort (this can very often cost as much as the plane ticket), the service provided from the resort (if you are going with family you may need a creche service, kids activity planning, instructor etc.) and most importantly what type of accommodation you will be staying at.
The different accommodations available can be hostels, hotels or more specifically ski chalets. Hostels are mainly in use by younger groups of people or for those who are looking to travel on a budget. These are very often comprised of shared bedrooms (so a big group going may find it more comfortable sharing amongst themselves) and shared bathroom facilities. There is not usually any room service, most hostels have strict curfews and breakfast is served communally. However, this would be a good holiday stay for those not intending to stay indoors all day and wanting to save money.
Hotels on the other hand are more expensive but the added benefit is that they can come with or without breakfast onto the service bill. Almost all hotels on ski resorts provide room service and can send out a taxi to take you to and from the airport. These are ideal for families or people travelling alone, a
s they can be tailor made to suit to your individual needs. Many of the hotels contain their own creche service, ski hire and in-house ski instructors.
Ski chalets, like hotels, can come with room service but most are self-service accommodation including your own kitchen appliances and bathroom facilities. They can be booked either from private owners or from tour operators. Those looking to book from private owners may be charged more and are not given the transportation option needed to travel from the airport and back. Chalets resemble a wooden hut or thatched roof cottage and are usually situated near a large mountain or ski hill.
The term ski chalets derive from the Franco-Provencale speaking part of Switzerland and used as a reference to describe the hut of a herder. Other than its uses as a holiday accommodation, the chalets were once used as a cattle farm, mainly to produce butter and cheese. These would remain locked and unused during the winter months. Chalets are a historical part to most European ski resorts, which is why many people prefer to stay in them because of its appealing location and homely atmosphere.
It is very easy to book a ski holiday without actually knowing what the quality of your accommodation will be like. This can ruin anyone's holiday therefore doing your research beforehand will save you a lot of time and hassle (not to mention give you a piece of mind about the cost of it all).
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