At the end of the day, sometimes all you need is a place to sleep and scrub up when those slopes are calling…
Our cheap hotels will let you ski some of the finest slopes in the world on a shoestring. Why pay more if you don’t have to?
There isn't a template for cheap ski hotel catering. Yours may be Bed and Breakfast (usually a filling buffet in a dining hall), half-board (breakfast and dinner), completely self-catered (with a kitchenette of some description) or room-only (four walls; a bed or two, bath / shower).
While self-catered and room-only deals might at first seem the cheapest, the best deals are often the ones with meals included. Here's why - save though you may on your hotel room, you still have to eat and drink for a week. With breakfasts and suppers thrown in, a half-board hotel keeps you clear of steep restaurant prices on the mountains, while an all-inclusive place sometimes even covers lift passes and lessons (often throwing in a free bar too)...
Leaving it till the 11th hour can mean lucking into a few extras - you won't catch us saying no to a hotel with a pool. Sure, you may not be left with “something for everyone” - or your all-time favourite resort - but if you're a small party looking to ski off-peak, you may well be able to bag a brilliant last minute bargain.
Another way to do cheap luxury is to go for the smaller skiing nations: Bulgaria and Andorra have some smashing 4 and 5 star ski hotels, with palatial spas and fine food for a similar price you'd get an apartment for in the French or Swiss alps.
December before Christmas and April after Easter have the lowest ski hotel prices but the best time to balance low prices with more reliable snow conditions is January. Hotels are almost as affordable as low-season and there is much less chance of the whole trip becoming poor value due to lack of skiing.
Yes they sometimes are, but waiting to book a ski hotel last minute can also backfire if your favourite place gets a terrific dump of snow, when the powder-hounds who have been waiting for fresh snow will quickly book the remaining cheapest deals.
The best ski hotel discounts are often the early-bird offers so it's best to book as early as possible. Skier who bag the lowest hotel rates are often those who book the next year's trip as soon as they get back from the last.
Ski hotels booked as a package with flights and transfers included usually work out better value than booking elements independently and, even where it's not cheaper, most travellers prefer the ATOL protection and having one operator responsible for the whole holiday.
The cheapest option is often a self-drive ski holiday which includes the ferry or Eurotunnel as well as your hotel and can be booked and driven for under £800 per person, whereas the most expensive luxury ski hotels cost between £2000 and £5,000 per week.
Yes they are, although the biggest cost increase has been created by Brexit. Skiers can keep costs down by picking a low-season date and budget hotel in one of the smaller resorts.
Ski hotels are not necessarily more expensive than beach hotels but the whole holiday will cost more because of all the extras that you need to add, including lift pass, ski and boot rental and lessons. Eating and drinking out are also more expensive in ski resorts than beach destinations, so pick all-inclusive ski holidays to stick to a set budget.
Europe's cheapest ski resorts are in Bulgaria and Andorra but most budget-conscious skiers limit their bargain hunting to the Alps where the big 4 ski nations of France, Austria, Switzerland and Italy all have hotels at the value end of the scale and more reliable snow conditions.
Hotel | Rating | Resort | Country | Rooms | Features |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Richemond Hotel | 2 | Chamonix | France | 63 | Grand historic hotel, games room & bar, near centre |
Hotel Club MMV Les Brevieres | 3 | Tignes | France | 131 | Family friendly hotel, wellness centre |
Alpenhotel Kramerwirt | 4 | Mayrhofen | Austria | 60 | Sauna, Tyrolean dining, resort centre |
Hotel Premier Luxury Mountain Resort | 5 | Bansko | Bulgaria | 111 | Member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, spa, bar & restaurant |
Hotel Sporting | 4 | Pas de la Casa | Andorra | 80 | Central location, next to lift, bar & wellness area |
Hotel Vancouver | 3 | La Plagne | France | 42 | Ski in/out, swimming pool & wellness facilities |
Hotel Bruxelles | 2 | Soldeu | Andorra | 19 | Near ski lifts, central location |
Hotel Lion | 4 | Bansko | Bulgaria | 193 | Indoor pool & wellness facilities |
Hotel Club Les Arolles | 3 | Val Thorens | France | 202 | Ski in /out, wellness facilities |
Alpen Village Resort | 3 | Livigno | Italy | Indoor pool, spa with sauna, bar | |
Village Club du Soleil | 3 | Les Menuires | France | 203 | Ski inclusive hotel, kids clubs, sun terrace |
Hotel Le Sherpa | 3 | Val Thorens | France | 59 | Spa facilities, ski to door |
Hotel Mödlinger | 3 | Soll | Austria | 33 | Traditional Austrian hotel, sauna |
Hotel Font d'Argent | 4 | Pas de la Casa | Andorra | 75 | Near lifts & slopes, sun terrace, wellness facilities |
We update this list often but facilities can change, so if any specific feature is essential to your trip, make sure you ask us to confirm the details before you book your holiday.