If you’re planning a ski holiday, one of the biggest decisions you’ll make is where to stay. While hotels and self-catered apartments each have their appeal, catered ski chalets offer a unique combination of comfort, convenience and value that’s hard to match.
But what exactly is included in a catered ski chalet?
If you’re comparing different accommodation options, it’s important to understand what you’re paying for, what costs extra, and what you won’t need to worry about organising yourself.
Here’s a full breakdown of what’s included in a Ski Basics catered chalet holiday in Meribel.
What’s Included at a Glance?
Included
- Private chalet accommodation
- Breakfast (6 mornings)
- Afternoon tea every day
- 3-course evening meals (Classic Catered, 5 nights)
- 4-course evening meals (Plus+ Catered, 5 nights)
- Unlimited house wine with dinner
- Beer and soft drinks with Plus+ Catered
- Chalet host service
- Housekeeping throughout your stay
- Ski storage & boot warmers
- Driver service to the lifts for chalets located more than 5 minutes walk away from the slopes
- Spa facilities in many chalets, including hot tubs, saunas and wellness areas
- Family-friendly features including children’s meals, cots, highchairs, book and games
- Local resort support from the Ski Basics team
- Meribel Valley lift passes included on selected January weeks
Not Included
- Flights
- Airport transfers
- Ski hire
- Lift passes (except selected January weeks)
- Mountain lunches
- Travel insurance
- Additional food and drinks outside the catered offering
Accommodation: More Than Just a Place to Sleep
Your chalet is much more than somewhere to spend the night.
All Ski Basics chalets are carefully selected for their location, comfort and suitability for ski holidays in Meribel. Whether you’re travelling as a couple, family or larger group, you’ll enjoy private bedrooms alongside welcoming communal spaces where everyone can relax together after a day on the slopes.
Many of our chalets also feature additional facilities such as hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms and wellness areas, helping you make the most of your time off the mountain.
Compared to a traditional hotel room, a chalet gives you far more space to spread out, socialise and enjoy your holiday together.
Food & Drink: One of the Biggest Benefits of a Catered Chalet
One of the main reasons guests choose a catered chalet year after year is the convenience of having meals prepared for them throughout the week.
Instead of shopping, cooking or booking restaurants every evening, you can simply focus on enjoying your holiday.
Breakfast (7 Mornings)
Breakfast is available every morning of your stay, helping you fuel up before heading out onto the slopes.
On five mornings each week, your chalet host will prepare a hearty cooked breakfast alongside continental options including fresh bread, pastries, cereals, fruit, yoghurts, tea, coffee and fruit juice.
On the chalet staff’s days off, everything is laid out for you to help yourself, allowing you to enjoy a relaxed start to the day before heading skiing. Once you’ve headed out for the day, a member of the team will stop by to clear away and tidy up, so you can return to a clean and welcoming chalet later on.
Whether you’re grabbing a quick breakfast before first lifts or taking things a little slower, it’s one less thing to think about during your holiday.
Afternoon Tea (Every Day)
After a full day on the slopes, there’s nothing quite like returning to your chalet to find afternoon tea waiting for you.
Freshly baked cake, tea and coffee are laid out ready for your return, offering the perfect opportunity to warm up, refuel and catch up on the day’s adventures before heading off to relax, enjoy the spa facilities or prepare for dinner.
Evening Meals: Classic Catered vs Plus+ Catered
Ski Basics offers two catered services, allowing you to choose the experience that best suits your group.
Classic Catered
Classic Catered includes five evenings of freshly prepared three-course meals, served by your chalet host.
Plus+ Catered
Plus+ Catered takes things a step further with enhanced four-course evening dining across five evenings, creating a slightly more elevated dining experience throughout your stay.
Whichever option you choose, meals are designed to be hearty, satisfying and perfect after a full day on the slopes.
Wine, Beer & Soft Drinks
Unlike many hotels where drinks can quickly become one of the biggest additional expenses, drinks are included as part of your catered service.
Guests can enjoy unlimited house wine that flows freely throughout your stay, while Plus+ Catered guests also enjoy beer and soft drinks being included.
It’s another way a catered chalet can often represent excellent value when compared with other accommodation options.
Family-Friendly Features
Travelling with children often requires a little more flexibility, and Ski Basics works hard to make family ski holidays as straightforward as possible from the moment you book to the moment you leave us.
We can provide:
- Earlier children’s mealtimes
- Child-friendly menu options
- Cots and highchairs
- Family-focused service throughout your stay
For parents, this means less stress and more time to enjoy the holiday together.
Your Chalet Team
One of the biggest differences between a catered chalet and self-catered accommodation is the people looking after you throughout your stay.
Chalet Hosts
Your chalet host is responsible for preparing meals, housekeeping and ensuring the chalet remains welcoming and comfortable throughout the week.
They’re also a valuable source of local knowledge, able to recommend everything from the best runs for your ability level and where to find the freshest snow, to favourite mountain restaurants, apres spots and activities around Meribel.
One of the things guests often appreciate most is that chalet hosts strike a careful balance between being available when you need them and giving you the space to enjoy your holiday. They’re there to answer questions, offer recommendations and keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes, but never in a way that feels intrusive.
It’s this combination of thoughtful service, local expertise and a warm welcome that helps make a catered chalet feel so different from both a hotel and a self-catered holiday.
| “I could not recommend Ski Basics more… George’s food has been nothing short of sublime and James’ knowledge of the slopes and friendliness has really made our week, it felt like having two extra mates with us.” – Rebecca Meekcom, January 2024 |
Resort Support Team
Alongside your chalet host, you’ll also have access to Ski Basics’ experienced resort team.
Having been based in Meribel for more than 20 years, the team can help with:
- Restaurant recommendations and reservations
- Local advice
- Resort information
- Assistance throughout your stay
It’s the sort of local support that can make a real difference when you’re visiting a resort for the first time.
Getting on the Mountain
A great ski holiday is about more than just accommodation, which is why Ski Basics helps make the practical side of your trip as simple as possible.
Driver Service
For selected chalets located more than a 5-minute walk from the slopes, a driver service is included to help get you to and from skiing each day.
Ski Storage
All chalets provide somewhere to store your skis and boots safely and conveniently.
Lift Passes
Meribel Valley lift passes are included for each guest staying with us during the first two weeks of January.
For all other weeks, guests can pre-order lift passes via your chalet manager or easily through the Ski Basics portal before travelling. Not only does this save valuable holiday time in resort, but discounted rates are often available too.
Many guests choose to have their passes delivered directly to the chalet, ready for their first day on the mountain.
Ski Hire
Ski hire is not included, but Ski Basics works closely with trusted local suppliers who offer discounts of up to 35% to our guests.
Depending on the supplier chosen, equipment can often be fitted and delivered directly to your chalet, making arrival day even easier. Alternatively, if you’d prefer, one of the drivers will be on hand to take you to the shop once you’ve arrived and settled.
What’s Not Included (And How We Help)
Here’s the few things you’ll need to arrange separately with the help of the Ski Basics team.
Flights, airport transfers, ski hire, lift passes (outside selected January weeks), mountain lunches and travel insurance are not included within your chalet holiday price.
However, that doesn’t mean you’re left to organise everything yourself.
The Ski Basics team can help with:
- Discounted ski hire
- Lift pass ordering
- Transfer recommendations
- Restaurant bookings
- Local advice and recommendations
| “Our manager was extremely helpful as well, booking restaurants for us, getting our ski passes and offering great tips.” – Sam Hedlund, March 2025 |
Our goal is to make planning your holiday as straightforward as possible from the moment you book until you head home.
Catered Chalet vs Hotel vs Self-Catered
If you’re still weighing up your options, it helps to think about what matters most to your group.
Hotels offer convenience but often come with less space and additional costs for food and drinks.
Traditional self-catered accommodation offers flexibility, but you’ll often be responsible for shopping, cooking and organising everything yourself. Ski Basics’ self-catered holidays are designed to offer that same flexibility while still maintaining the relaxed, looked-after feel that many guests value during a ski holiday.
A catered chalet sits somewhere in the middle, combining the comfort and privacy of your own mountain home with many of the conveniences of a hotel.
For many guests, it’s the best of both worlds.
Why Guests Return Year After Year
The reason so many guests return to Ski Basics isn’t simply because of the accommodation.
It’s the ease of arriving to a welcoming chalet, knowing breakfast is ready before skiing, coming back to afternoon tea after a day on the mountain, enjoying great food, good company and local support throughout the week.
And it’s being able to relax knowing much of the planning and organisation has already been taken care of.
Ready to See What a Ski Basics Catered Week Looks Like?
Browse our catered chalets or get in touch with the Ski Basics team. We’ll help you find the right chalet, explain the different catering options and answer any questions as you plan your next ski holiday in Meribel.