Accommodation, a place to stay, somewhere to rest your head after a long day on the mountains, to leave your bags while you take in the valley’s adventures. Some think the accommodation is the boring part of your holiday but let’s face it, your choice of holiday provider and accommodation can make or break your trip.
If you can imagine your holiday, seeing yourself skiing down a fresh piste or hiking with a Mont Blanc backdrop, where do you then see yourself relaxing? Your ‘home from home’, where those special moments of family time are captured and your overnight rejuvenation occurs ready for tomorrow’s adventures.
In the final part of our complete guide to Chamonix, we look at the selection of Chamonix accommodation that is available: hotels, apartments, chalets and gites (hostel-style accommodation). There is also food to consider, with self-catered or catered being options, plus lots of extras like grocery delivery, private chef and in-home massage all to make your holiday stress free.
See the other three posts in this guide for information on Summer, Winter and Travel to Chamonix.
Grand Paradis 11 with its large balcony overlooking Mont Blanc.
Chamonix Accommodation Types
Hotels
Easy, basic, and convenient especially if you’re planning to be on the mountain or out in restaurants/bars most of your time in Chamonix. Singles and couples tend to favour hotels as it can be more cost-efficient if you only need one room.
Apartments / Chalets
For families or groups, chalets and apartments are often the best options with space to socialise and relax when down from the mountain, plus everyone’s room is nearby. There is also the option to cook, or at least store beer/wine and snacks when getting ready to go for dinner.
On top of the living area, kitchen and bedrooms, some properties have extras like private hot tubs, saunas, terraces, fireplaces, and even cinema rooms.
Fireplace at Belle Epoque apartment
Self-Catered vs Catered Chalets
When booking a self-catered chalet, the option is open for cooking your own meals or eating out and most people tend to do a mixture, sampling some of the great variety of restaurants in Chamonix from local Savoyard to Asian fusion or burgers. Unlike several mountain resorts, Chamonix is not just a ski resort and is a town all year round meaning the supermarkets are affordable and large enough to do your weekly shop, not to mention the local delights available at the weekly Saturday Chamonix market.
Catered chalets, which are usually only available in the winter season, come with staff and a cook. Your cook has everything ready for you when you walk in the door stopping you ever needing to go in the kitchen. The fully catered package includes breakfast, afternoon tea, and six three-course dinners served by your private chef. There are also options for hiring a self-catered chalet and adding catering on top so you can pick and choose what you want. Some catered chalets are bookable by room so are a good option for social travellers who want to meet new people without having to leave the comfort of their holiday home.
Scams
Unfortunately, there are some scams operating in Chamonix & the rest of the ski tourism industry, particularly over the peak weeks of February half term and Christmas/New Year, but we’ve written a blog about avoiding a ski chalet scam which is worth a read.
Extras
Having booked your Chamonix accommodation it’s time to add your extras, some that are essential for travel and others are less necessary but just fun. The Chamonix All Year Resort Shop is a one-stop-shop for booking all kinds of extras for your stay in Chamonix, including ski passes, guides, transfers, activities, and additional housekeeping.
Chamonix offers three different ski passes, the Mont Blanc Unlimited provides access to all ski areas in the Chamonix valley and skiing in three countries; Chamonix Le Pass, gives all the Chamonix areas from 1000 to 2500 m (Brevent, Flegere, Grands Montets & le Tour); and Les Houches Pass for the ski area of Les Houches only. In summer, there is just the Mont Blanc Multipass which covers all your needs or you can buy an individual ticket for a return journey on a specific lift.
There is a huge range of activities available, in summer there are golf, water rafting, canyoning, paragliding, rock climbing, adventure tree park, and family park visits.
In winter, you can choose private ski lessons or a mountain guide as a great alternative to ski school. Or choose to experience the world-famous Vallée Blanche followed by a massage in the comfort of your chamonix accommodation.
Having read our four-part complete guide Chamonix (click here to start again), you are now an expert, so take a look at our Chamonix accommodation options or email us to start your journey.
