One of the main questions we get asked when people are looking to book a ski holiday, aside from where can I find some fantastic snow, is what kind of accommodation is available in the resort.

As with a summer holiday to the sun, there are various options that are available, and which way you decide to go will largely depend on the make-up of your party and what you require from your time on the ski slopes.

Here, we take a quick look at what you should expect from your ski accommodation…

Self-catered Chalets:

There are various forms of chalet available, including self-catering options for those who are prepared to do their own cooking.

Chalets will vary in size, from smaller options that are perfect for families who want some private space to large-scale buildings that could be hired exclusively for a group to make use of.

The beauty of a self-catered chalet is that you’ll be able to do things exactly how you want to do them, dining when you want to dine and eating what you want to eat - rather than at set times and from a set menu of dishes.

Catered Chalets:

Catered chalets are the same as above but with one major difference. As the name suggests, you’ll benefit from having a team of staff on hand to cater for your every need - including someone to do the cleaning and to keep the place tidy, and someone to cook meals so you can simply focus on enjoying your time on the slopes.

Although it might appear to be a more costly option compared to go self-catering at first glance, a catered chalet can actually be better value for money because of the fact that you’ll not have to worry about buying food and drink in resort, which can prove to be a costly affair.

As with the self-catered option, you can book a catered chalet for exclusive use if you want to keep all of the facilities for yourself, and they are a fantastic option for groups who can enjoy spending time together at the end of a busy day skiing.

If you are skiing alone or as a couple, you may decide to share a catered chalet with others, which means you’ll have your own room and bathroom but will share the communal areas.

If travelling with children, it may be possible to find a catered chalet that includes childcare as part of the package.

As with all kinds of accommodation, there are catered chalets to cater for all budgets both large and small - it all depends on what you want and how much you are prepared to pay.

Chalet Hotel:

As the name suggests, a chalet hotel is something of a hybrid between a chalet and a hotel.

Within a chalet hotel, you can expect to find more spacious accommodation than yuou would have in a regular hotel and will then share facilities like dining and perhaps a bar area.

Just don’t expect these facilities to be as cosy as you would find in a regular chalet.

A chalet hotel is a good option if you are travelling as part of a larger group, but perhaps can’t afford to book a chalet for your own private use.

Hotel:

Most resorts will also include some more traditional hotel options if you feel the chalet life isn’t for you. Staying in a hotel can be a more luxurious option and also include a much wider range of facilities that you would get in a chalet - with things like swimming pools, fitness centres and even nightclubs where you can dance the night away.

Of course, the downside to that is that the additional facilities will invariably come at a cost, which means a ski holiday that involves staying in a hotel can be more expensive (although don’t simply assume that is the case).

Luxury five star hotels where everything is included cater for those with the biggest budgets who want to make their ski trip even more special.

Apartments:

If you are travelling alone and the social scene of a shared chalet isn’t for you, or if you are a couple, then you might want to consider an apartment.

This will provide you with your own private facilities but can be more cramped than a chalet would be, although this is something that is likely to be reflected in the price that you’ll be paying.

That’s not to say that all apartments will simply be cheap and cheerful; far from it. There are apartments towards the higher end of the market, particularly in North America, and as with the other options, it will largely come down to personal preference when it comes to how much you want to pay.