Why Book with a Small Ski Chalet Operator?
Simon Hoskyns | 24 September 2015 | Ski Chalets
Organising a ski holiday can be very stressful, and the large selection of resorts and chalet properties might seem endless. Quickly, you get the feeling that you’ll never find exactly what you are looking for. Perhaps you get to thinking…. just how many individual ski chalet holiday companies are there? The average ‘once a year’ skier might be doing well to think of 10 companies, 15 at a push.
At Alpine Answers, we work with over 150 different ski chalet operators, from the largest ski companies to single chalet owners. Using our excellent chalet search engine, you can check the availability of all our chalets, filtered by your preferred resort, budget range and features that are important to you (hot tub, sauna, childcare, fireplace, proximity to the lifts or centre of resort). You can add your favourite properties to a shortlist, and include this in your enquiry to our ski holiday specialists. We provide an unbiased chalet broker service and can offer you impartial and free advice about the best places to stay. Our free booking service includes accommodation, flights, transfers, ski hire, ski schools and anything else you might wish to organise for your holiday – all at no extra cost to you.
Some of our favourite chalets are owned and run by smaller chalet operators, ones that you might never have otherwise heard of. Our years of experience have taught us the value of using these small operators and the major benefits they offer our clients.
Flexible Travel
When you have booked with a small ski chalet operator, you no longer have to get up at an ungodly hour to make your flight. Single resort and small chalet operators have huge flexibility when it comes to travel and can arrange flights times to suit their customers. Single resort operators also often have a very close line of communication between their UK team and resort teams, meaning the running and arrangement of bookings and travel plans is effortless.
Resort Expertise
Small ski chalet operators base themselves in the resorts they truly love, and this is one of their main selling points. Their passion for their chosen area is clear and is often reflected by the local partnerships and fantastic discounts clients can receive from ski hire shops and ski schools.
Small operators also have much more time to apply to each of their chalets. They can be very particular about recruiting exactly the right staff to suit their chalets and clientele, as opposed to making up numbers as many large tour operators do. The owners get to know their staff on an individual level, and together they create an amazing atmosphere for their clients’ holidays. By operating out of a small number of resorts, staff also know the areas extremely well, and you can take advantage of their incredible local knowledge.
Excellent Food
Chalet food is also something smaller ski chalet operators in a single resort do exceptionally well. They have the time and space to accommodate long pre-season training courses to ensure every chalet chef is outstanding. These operators also attract a lot of professional chefs who are looking for the space to show their personality in the kitchen and cook what they love, and not be constrained to the pre-set weekly menus that larger companies use. Smaller ski chalet companies also tend to source all their ingredients and wine locally, so you can really enjoy the local cuisine of whatever area you are staying in.
Peace of Mind
Small ski chalet companies operating out of just a few resorts have the huge advantage of their owners and directors often living nearby. This means that problems can often be solved quickly by those in the company who have the authority to make decisions, unlike larger companies who have to pass things up the long chain of command. Small chalet operators often have decades’ worth of experience: no problem is too big or obscure for them that it cannot be solved. Many small ski chalet operators have a huge number of returning clients who stay with them year after year, and who they value enormously. This is a testament to the great levels of service and attention to detail they provide.
Why not speak to one of our ski holiday specialists about booking a chalet from a smaller operator for your next ski trip? We can advise you on the best accommodation and resort for your group and your unique requirements. We are confident that after your holiday, you will love small ski chalet operators as much as we do!
