A lot of us love skiing in a group, but if you prefer having your own space to sleep in over a room-share, it can be hard to find accommodation that doesn’t hike up your holiday cost for underoccupancy.
We asked the experts at SNO holidays for advice – MD Richard Sinclair says: “Though self-catered apartments sound cheap, they can be the worst culprits for empty bed charges. If you want chalet catering with wine at dinner, the bigger group ski chalets or chalet hotels sometimes have bedrooms for one. If you’d rather stay half board, look at luxury ski hotels, which tend to have more single rooms.”
Here are some the best ski properties in the Alps for single rooms and no supplements.
Chalets
Catered chalets usually charge underoccupancy if you book a double or twin room for one, and though single rooms in chalets are rare, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist! The warm, toasty setting of a wooden mountain lodge is hard to beat, so if a chalet with single rooms is available, it’s worth snapping up.
Chalet Rosanna, St Anton
Near the centre of St Anton, this traditional Tyrolean chalet sleeps 20 in 8 twin rooms and 3 singles. The ski lifts are about a 5-minute walk away, and there’s a roaring fire to relax by at the end of the day.
Chalet Cascades, Courchevel
One of the larger chalets in the Alps, Chalet Cascades sleeps up to 78 guests and has 4 single rooms. It feels wonderfully cosy in spite of its size, with thick wooden beams and comfy armchairs. Location-wise, it’s in Courchevel 1650, over the road from the main gondola and piste.
Chalet Étoile des Neiges, Meribel
This 15-man chalet comes with a hot tub, sauna and 2 single bedrooms. It’s positioned away from the noise above pretty Mussillon, which marks the entrance to Meribel resort.
Hotels
Hotels have more rooms and room types than chalets, letting group members book whichever arrangement best suits them. Guests have access to communal bars and restaurants, as well as fitness and wellness facilities in 4 and 5* properties. As with chalets, somewhere with single rooms is your best bet to avoid extra fees.
Sunstar Alpine Hotel, Arosa
Single rooms at the Sunstar come in three categories: Economy, Comfort and Superior. All cover 15-17m2, with the main difference being whether you have a bath or shower and a balcony. The spa hotel offers traditional Swiss hospitality from a gorgeous forested location near the village centre.
Hotel Trattlerhof, Bad Kleinkirchheim
Hotel Trattlerhof’s ‘Klassic’ single rooms cover about 18m2 and come with a WC, shower and TV. On an estate dating back to 1642 and run by the Forstnig family for 5 generations, the hotel has been providing high level hospitality for donkey’s years. The centre, ski lifts and thermal baths are all within a 5-minute walk, and the hotel has its own well-being centre.
Hotel Grischa, Davos
Grischa’s stylish interior extends to its 21.6m2 single rooms, which come with a bath or shower and a small balcony. The hotel has 5 restaurants and when it comes to exploring Davos, it’s near the town’s main shops, attractions, and the Jakobshorn ski lift.
Other good hotels with single rooms:
Sporthotel, Igls,
Hotel Haldenhof, Lech
Hotel Gentiana, Tignes
Chalet Hotels
If both of the accommodation types above appeal to you, a chalet hotel is the perfect solution. Here you have the ease and conviviality of chalet catering, and the size benefits of a hotel – such as a choice of room types including singles.
Chalet Hotel St Christoph, Arlberg
With 7 single rooms, this is one of your best options for avoiding single-occupancy charges in the Alps. There’s a button lift right outside the boot room door, with the main ski lift a couple of minutes away for access to the wonderful Arlberg ski area.
Chalet Hotel Elisabeth, Lech
Away from the village hubbub but still close to all you need, the Elisabeth has a wellness area, swimming pool, bar and bedrooms including 4 singles. To reach the pistes, it’s a 5-minute walk along the riverside road to the Rufikopf gondola.
Chalet Hotel Parc Victoria, Cortina
If you can bag one of Chalet Hotel Parc Victoria’s 3 single rooms, you’ll be staying in a piece of history. Opened in 1892, with a leading location at No. 1 Corso Italia, the elegant hotel makes a marvellous lodging for a week in Cortina.
Other tips for avoiding single occupancy fees:
- The early bird catches the worm – single rooms get booked out quickly, so if you find one available, secure it ASAP.
- Look out for special offers that waive underoccupancy charges. These often appear during low season around early December and April.
- If booking last minute, see if your travel agent can be flexible on extra fees – the property is better off with a booking than no booking, and if they’re keen to fill empty rooms they might bend the rules for you.
