Top Platforms to Book Your Ski Accommodations in the Alps
There’s no doubt that the Alps are a skier’s paradise. But amongst the countless stations, villages, towns, regions, and countries within the Alps that all offer prime skiing, it can be overwhelming to select the perfect accommodations to suit your needs as a traveler.
I found my dog-friendly apartment rental in Zermatt, Switzerland on Booking.com.
I’ve had great experiences finding weekly and monthly ski accommodations in the Alps on Airbnb and Booking.com, but if you feel that those options may be limited, you can expand your search by checking other platforms or local agencies. If you feel the number of options is overwhelming, you can also refine your search by checking various sources or tastemakers that curate collections of properties they love.
Continue reading to discover more trusted platforms for booking accommodations for your ski trip in the Alps.
1. Gites de France
Gites de France was established in 1955, and is the original holiday rental booking platform that connects guests with hosts of bed and breakfasts, chalets, cabins, campgrounds, and seemingly everything in between. There are rentals that can cater to small families or large groups, or even individuals like myself— I was delighted by my experience booking and staying in a chalet’s apartment for a month last year in the Savoie region of France.
The platform only exists within France, and all rentals are managed by local, individual hosts, so it is helpful to speak some French— though some listings will indicate other languages spoken. During my searches I’ve found that some of the hosts have been renting their properties for decades, and having had such a great experience with Gites de France in the past, I would happily book with them again in the future.
2. OVO Network - France
OVO Network has an extensive portfolio of properties across the Haute Savoie region of France, with an easy-to-navigate website that provides helpful reviews and ratings from previous guests. They offer the ability to filter for specific amenities within their listings, and I appreciate that many of their properties are dog-friendly! Properties listed on OVO Network are professionally photographed and thoroughly described, and it seems that a majority of listings on their website are either very highly-rated or are brand new to the platform.
Because all rentals are managed by their online platform, all reservations, payments, terms, conditions, and communication is handled consistently, within a single source. An additional bonus that OVO Network offers is their loyalty program, so you can enjoy future discounts if you love your accommodation and would like to book the same place again for your next visit.
3. Cimalpes - France
To date, I’ve skied 25 stations across the French Alps, and I became familiar with Cimalpes because I would see their signs on their rentals everywhere, in all the best locations of each village I visited. Their portfolio of rental properties offers everything from single studios for individuals or couples to expansive, luxurious chalets that can accommodate groups of 14 or even more. Their website is easy to navigate and convenient for comparing various options.
Cimalpes is also a trusted real estate company for purchasing and selling properties across the French Alps, so their teams are very knowledgeable about each locale, and their rates for rental properties are well-informed, fair, and competitive.
4. Plumguide
Plumguide prides itself on being very selective when adding properties to their portfolio, so you can be sure that a stay booked with them will be a lovely experience. Their properties are vetted and personally inspected by their staff, saving any guest from potential disappointment, and all bookings are protected to ensure a guest is never left without options in the very-slim chance that a host has to cancel a reservation.
Plumguide offers a range of properties across the French and Swiss Alps, and also includes a few in Italy and Austria. Their website makes it easy to search for properties within a map view, which can also be helpful for discovering new destinations for your next visits to the Alps.
The mazot I found on Airbnb was centrally located in the Chamonix Valley of France, offered views of Mont Blanc and Aiguille du Midi, and had access to more than a dozen ski stations within 1 hour by car.
5. Alpenchalets
Alpenchalets has an expansive portfolio of rental properties in the Austrian and French Alps, along with a few properties in Italy and Switzerland. Their platform specializes in winter ski trip accommodations, and offers the ability to filter listings by size, amenities, and proximity to ski lifts. While most of their properties lean on the larger and more-luxurious side, their website is well-organized and seems to offer more options in Austria than I’ve been able to find on other platforms. So if you’re looking to visit any of the dozens of prime ski destinations in Austria, Alpenchalets is a great resource to reference.
6. Villa Finder
Properties in the French and Swiss Alps on Villa Finder also seem to cater more toward larger groups looking for luxurious chalets, but it’s definitely worth checking if any of their options may suit your needs. Villa Finder also offers a concierge service where anything relating to your stay can be easily arranged by their team— including airport transfers, massages, baby and child-proofing, grocery shopping, restaurant reservations, daily chauffeur services, childcare services, and more.
Villa Finder’s profile on Trustpilot is full of glowing, five-star reviews from happy guests who were delighted by their experiences and by any communication with the platform’s customer service and concierge teams.
7. Instagram for Direct Bookings
Many properties in the Alps are privately owned and operated, and are not managed through any of the common online platforms. I’ve come across and saved many hidden gems on Instagram that only take direct bookings through their own websites or contact forms. For example, a private chalet like one of these from 84 Club Collection near Gstaad, Switzerland could be the perfect choice for your ski trip. 84 Rooms manages bookings directly through their website, and also shares a curation of their favorite homes and hotels throughout the Alps along with helpful guides for each location.
A great way to discover accommodations in the Alps on Instagram is to browse the geo-tags and hashtags of the regions, towns, and ski stations you plan on visiting. Create a folder to save your favorites, and when it comes time to plan your trip you can reach out to an account directly to express interest and confirm availability. Because direct bookings aren’t subject to as many fees as accommodations listed on common platforms, you could benefit from great pricing. However, because there may be fewer consumer protections in place when booking directly for an accommodation you’ve found on Instagram, be sure to verify the authenticity of any listing by doing your research. A simple Google search or checking tagged photos on their Instagram account can help you verify that there have been other happy guests.
Visiting the Alps for a ski trip is always a memorable experience, whether you are discovering new regions or revisiting familiar favorites. With so many options for finding and choosing accommodations, it’s important to do your research, choose wisely, and find trusted sources to make the most of your stay in the mountains.
Are you planning a ski trip to the Alps and have any questions about my personal experience booking accommodations? Let me know in the comments below, or discover more of my tips and advice in my other articles.
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About the author
Meet Carina Otero, avid skier and the creator of She is Not Lost, an online community for celebrating female travelers and a blog providing helpful tips, useful information, and inspiration for your future travels. Carina’s passion for skiing and love of writing and photography have inspired a new blog to share her experiences and personal favorites relating to the sport:
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