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5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Booking a Catered Chalet in La Plagne
Booking a catered chalet in La Plagne can take your family ski holiday to a whole new level of comfort and convenience. However, it's essential to avoid common mistakes that could turn your dream vacation into a stressful experience. In this guide, I'm going to break down the most common pitfalls families face when booking a catered chalet in La Plagne and provide tips on how to avoid them. By being aware of these potential issues, you can ensure a seamless and enjoyable holiday for the entire family.
Avoid these mistakes before you hit the slopes
The best ski holidays start long before you arrive in resort. In this video, I share five simple planning tips that can save time, money and unnecessary stress during your trip.
1 Not Checking the Chalet’s Location
One of the main mistakes when booking a catered chalet in La Plagne is not paying enough attention to its location. While many chalets boast stunning views and serene settings, their proximity to ski lifts, ski schools, and village amenities can vary greatly. Booking a chalet that's too far from the slopes or essential facilities can lead to long, tiring walks or inconvenient shuttle rides, which can be particularly challenging for families with young children.
How to Avoid This Mistake: Research the exact location of the chalet before booking. Look for chalets with ski-in/ski-out access or those situated close to ski lifts and ski schools. Check maps and read reviews to understand the convenience of the location. Ensure the chalet's location aligns with your family's skiing abilities and daily needs, making your holiday as stress-free as possible.
Personal Tip: When I first started skiing and looking at catered chalets in La Plagne, it was easy to underestimate the importance of location. After a long trek to the slopes with friends and their kids one year, we learned our lesson. Now, I always reccommend chalets with ski-in/ski-out access. But more essentially, also close to the ski school meeting points and main lifts. It saves so much time and energy, especially with kids in tow.
If you're ever unsure about a chalet's location in La Plagne, you can always drop me an email – I'm happy to help!
One of my favourite chalet companies is Will-I-Ski in La Plagne. They are run by a lovely local couple, Phoebe and Charlie. And with their own two girls, they know how to create a welcoming atmosphere.
2 Overlooking the Fine Print on Catering Services
Another common mistake is not fully understanding what the catering service includes. Some catered chalets offer full-board services with breakfast, afternoon tea, and dinner, while others might only provide breakfast and dinner. Also check how many days and nights are on offer. Sometimes its 5 evening meals, sometimes 6. It seems small, but it makes a difference. Additionally, the quality and variety of food can vary, and special dietary requirements might not be accommodated.
How to Avoid This Mistake: Clarify the details of the catering service before booking. Ask specific questions about meal times, menu options, and whether special dietary needs can be catered to. Reading reviews from previous guests can also provide insights into the quality and reliability of the catering service. Ensure that the catering service meets your family's expectations and dietary preferences to avoid any disappointments.
Personal Tip: I recently had friends who booked a chalet without checking the catering details and ended up with a limited menu that didn’t cater to their dietary needs. We always ask for sample menus and confirm that they can accommodate our preferences.
The Alpoholics chalets, for example, have excellent chefs who go above and beyond to create delicious meals for your family. My favourites were the baklava cheesecake and the nightly cheese boards, which are enormous! The kids loved the homemade afternoon cakes, too!
3 Ignoring Additional Costs
Booking a catered chalet in La Plagne can sometimes come with hidden costs that families might overlook. These can include charges for childcare services, baby equipment like cots or baby baths, transportation to and from the chalet, equipment hire, and even certain amenities like hot tubs or Wi-Fi. These additional expenses can quickly add up, making your holiday more expensive than anticipated.
How to Avoid This Mistake: When booking, ask for a detailed breakdown of all costs involved. Ensure you understand what is included in the chalet price and what might incur additional charges. Budget for these extra costs in advance to avoid any unpleasant surprises. It’s also helpful to compare the total cost with other accommodation options to ensure you’re getting the best value for your money.
Personal Tip: We were once caught off guard by extra fees for Wi-Fi. It was only 40€ for the week, but it was still annoying that we hadn’t confirmed this in advance. Now, we always confirm all costs upfront.
SkiWorld has some great value catered chalets, which include many amenities in the price as well as transfers to and from La Plagne. It’s worth checking what’s included to avoid any nasty surprises.
4 Failing to Verify Accommodation Suitability
Not all catered chalets are equally suitable for families. Some might lack essential amenities like play areas for children, safety features such as stair gates, or enough space for everyone to relax comfortably. Booking a chalet that doesn’t cater to your family’s specific needs can lead to a less enjoyable experience.
How to Avoid This Mistake: Verify that the chalet is family-friendly and has all the amenities your family requires. Look for features like multiple bedrooms, entertainment options for kids, and safety features. Reading reviews and looking at photos can help you get a better sense of the chalet’s suitability. Contact the chalet owner or manager to ask specific questions about the facilities to ensure they meet your family’s needs.
Personal Tip: We always check for family-friendly features like playrooms and safety gates. Chalet Nicole or Delphine with Ski Famille, with their dedicated playroom, was a hit with our friends who stayed with their 2 young children. It gave them a place to unwind and have fun, while the adults enjoyed some quiet time. A bit of extra research can make all the difference!
5 Underestimating the Importance of Reviews and Recommendations
Many families make the mistake of booking a catered chalet in La Plagne based solely on photos and descriptions provided by the owners or rental agencies. This can sometimes lead to unrealistic expectations and disappointment upon arrival.
How to Avoid This Mistake: Always read reviews and seek recommendations from other families who have stayed in the chalet. Look for feedback on the quality of the accommodation, the professionalism of the staff, and the overall holiday experience. Trusted review sites and travel forums can provide valuable insights and help you make an informed decision. Personal recommendations from friends or family members can also be incredibly useful. Check out local ski Facebook groups as well, these are full of people willing to share their top tips.
Personal Tip: Before booking, we always spend time reading reviews on multiple sites. Reviews often highlight things you won’t find in the official descriptions. Typically, you can get a real feel for the staff, customer service, and warmth based on reviews about their fantastic family service. Word of mouth and genuine feedback are invaluable tools.
Top Tip for Finding the Best Catered Chalet in La Plagne
Looking for the perfect chalet in La Plagne but don’t have the time to search through endless options? Peak Feeling Ski makes the process effortless by gathering all the best available chalets based on your dates, group size, and preferences. Instead of spending hours researching, you’ll get a tailored list of options to choose from. All the results, but without the hassle.
I personally work with Peak Feeling Ski in La Plagne and highly recommend them. In fact, I now book most of my family and friends through them! They also work with a network of the most amazing private chefs. So they can actually take a self-catered chalet and turn it into a catered chalet for you, often far cheaper than booking a package deal. Plus, you also have complete control over the menu and can talk directly to your private chef to arrange meals, dietary requirements, or special occasions.
Exclusive Ski Hire Discount: When filling out the Peak Feeling contact form, mention That's La Plagne in the “Where did you hear about us?” section, and you’ll get 15% off any ski hire.
Want to know more? Check out my full Peak Feeling Ski review to see why they’re a great choice for booking a chalet in La Plagne.
Check out these posts for more help booking your ski trip:
- 10 Questions to ask your ski insurance provider
- How to book your ski holiday in 10 steps
- Help! I've booked a ski holiday. Now what?
See you on the slopes!
When we move to Europe, I’m definitely taking you up on all these family friendly ski recommendations! There is so much to learn!
Amazing! Mayvbe I’ll bump into you on the ski slopes sometime soon! You must let me know.
I usually book into a fully catered chalet as I find it easier with kids. Thanks for the great tips.
Totally for the catered with kids. Otherwise you’re just into full catering and paretning mode but it a different location!
These tips could be applied to renting a Chalet anywhere. I will consider these when I try this out in Canada too!
Amazing! Would love to know how you get on in Canada!
Thanks for the great tips. I have not yet been skiing but these are helpful when thinking about how to book my trip!
Hope the info helps demystify things for you!
These are some awesome recommendations! Thanks for sharing!
Happy to help! There’s so many mistakes I’ve made along the way. Some other people should learn from them!