The Last Minute Mom’s Guide to Selecting the Perfect Ski Lodge

Planning a ski vacation for your family can be stressful enough – but having to find a last- minute ski lodge can be downright scary. Thankfully, there are some great tips and suggestions for mothers who need to book accommodations within a certain time period. One of the biggest decisions to make when planning a ski trip is choosing the lodge. Take a look at the following for some helpful tips when selecting a place to stay:

The location matters!

When booking a hotel with children, the location of the hotel should be family friendly. In other words, choosing a luxurious, top-of-the-line resort town may be fabulous for a romantic getaway, but it can be quite limiting when it comes to its offerings of day activities for children. Take a look at the surrounding town and do a quick online search of friendly tourist opportunities for families. You will be surprised by what some places offer.

Ski lodges that are close to the ski slopes can be a big help for families with children. Look for transportation options if the mountains are further from the hotel. Consider possible day trips as well, as it never hurts to have back-up options if your children tire of skiing.

Call the concierge or the manager.

Planning a trip for your family can be tricky, but travelers often forget what a great resource the hotel staff can be. Call when in doubt and ask to speak to the manager regarding activities for children. The concierge can inform you about the location of the hotel to the ski slopes, and whether there will be ski lessons for children. Ask if there is a pool or if there are other available activities that for families.

If you do not like how the interaction occurs on the telephone, chances are good that you will be stressed about the accommodation if you choose to book. If you really are under a time-crunch, call back, as you may have just had an isolated bad experience. If you experience negative customer service twice, move on to the next option.

Contemplate choosing a condominium-style hotel.

Ski lodges can be just another name for a hotel that is convenient to a ski slope. And some of these hotels utilize a business model wherein different rooms are maintained and owned by different individuals and companies. This can be a great option for last-minute bookers, as they offer different budget choices. As a bonus for procrastination, you can score some real deals from those who are desperately seeking to lease their rooms. Generally, you can find lofts, condominiums, suites and regular rooms. Suites and lofts usually offer sleeping arrangements for groups, so this may be ideal for a family.

Remember to search online for reviews of the individual rooms, in addition to the ski lodge in general. Fellow travelers will leave reviews on certain rooms, as not all owners manage equally. But condominium-style hotels will usually have something for everyone, which is great for families.