Ski trips are expensive – and they’re only getting more so, especially when you have a whole family to kit out with gear and ski passes. I’m sure that, like me, many parents are finding that affordable options to take kids to the mountains are few and far between. Ski operator Sno reports that family ski holidays are six per cent more expensive this winter than in the 2023/24 season, with families choosing to spend more on snow-sure resorts at higher altitudes, at the expense of foregoing some creature comforts.
So the arrival of a new budget hostel catering for families in a ‘secret’ valley connected to the highest ski resort in the Alps caught my attention.
In the heart of the Maurienne Valley, conveniently located less than an hour’s transfer from Chambéry and Turin, and two hours from Lyon, lies the Orelle-Les 3 Vallées ski resort. Lesser-known Orelle – which is often referred to as the fourth of the 3 Vallées – provides an affordable “back door” into the world’s largest ski area and Europe’s highest ski resort – Val Thorens.
Down in the village, the family-friendly Hob Orelle opened in December 2024 offering hostel-style accommodation. As well as its location, it stands out for its affordability: families can stay half-board for as little as €230/£200 per night in peak ski season. There are single-sex dormitories with shared bathroom facilities as well as double rooms, plus family bedrooms for two adults and two children with a private shower room; some come with balconies. Dorm rooms are also an option for families with teens and groups of five or more when a standard room is too small. Guests can hire towels or bring their own, and bedding is provided, but you’ll have to make up the bed yourself. And as it’s a hostel, some necessities, such as a hair dryer, kettle and toiletries, aren’t provided.
Read more: 8 of the best family ski resorts
Heated ski lockers can be found in the hotel’s basement, and the bar and restaurant are on the ground floor – which is helpful for families donkeying a lot of kit around. Plus, the trundle to the ski lift and equipment hire shop is just 50m from the front door. From the village, the gondola whisks you up to the ski area in just…
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