European ski chalets: 19 of the best to book this winter
As winter draws closer and the itch to see snow returns, planning a getaway in a ski chalet is the only option. This is the time of year where we all swap our swimsuits for skisuits and head to the mountains, and Europe has some of the best on offer: whether the Alps, the Pyrenees or the lesser-visited but no less wonderful Dolomites. The former is home to some of the most popular ski resorts, including Corchevel, Les Trois Valées, Meribel, Val Thorens and Tignes, all of which offers myriad stylish hotels and brilliant chalets to rent too (see below for our pick of the best). There are some lesser-known resorts to enjoy as well. La Clusaz sits in the heart of the Aravis mountains in France, and is conveniently less than an hour from Geneva airport, while Riksgransen, in Sweden, comes complete with the opportunity to see the northern lights. To make your holiday arranging stress-free, we dove deep into our favourite booking websites' best snow-capped offerings, rounding up a curated list of the world's most perfect ski chalets. Read on and get booking, so you can spend more time hitting the slopes (and finding the cosiest après ski outfits).
The best ski chalets to book in Europe for the 2025/2026 season
1/19Chalet Houches, Les Houches, Chamonix, France
For a combination of a short transfer time from Geneva airport, plenty of challenging skiing and a town with character, you can't beat Chamonix. If you pick up a hire car at the airport (with snow tyres, obviously), you can have access to a huge variety of pistes in the area and also a range of chalets in beautiful rural settings.
For a secluded location with spectacular views, you can't beat Chalet Houches, available to rent through Olivers Travels. With three bedrooms and two bathrooms, it sleeps up to seven. The open-plan main sitting area has lots of space to lounge around by the woodburning stove after skiing and there's the bonus of a games room – perfect for corralling noisy children. There is a large decked terrace ideal for those late-season sunny days and an outdoor hot tub, just the thing for soothing ski-weary limbs. The pretty Alpine village of Les Houches is only 6km away and buzzy Chamonix is 12km away.
Sleeps up to 7 people. Price is available via Oliver's Travels.
2/19Chalet Gemmstock, Andermatt, Swiss Alps
Pack your skis and snowshoes! This gigantic chalet (with accompanying guesthouse on premises) is perfectly located between all of Andermatt's best trails, so you can ski out for the morning and ski back in time for lunch (the chalet is equipped with a wood-burning pizza oven). The perfect place for a gathering of extended family or friends, let loose and relax in luxury at this Swiss chalet.
Sleeps up to 16 people, with the large chalet sleeping up to 12 people, small guest chalet sleeping up to 4. From £445 per night.
3/19Niehku Mountain Villa, Riksgransen, Sweden
A truly unique place to stay, this 14-bedroom villa is about as luxurious a holiday rental as you can find. It is located 200km north of the arctic circle and from late-September to early-March offers the opportunity to see the northern lights, making post-ski evenings all the more exciting. The mountains of Riksgransen offer a powdery snow and thanks to its northerly location, the ski season can extend all the way into June when midnight sun skiing is the norm, and for practiced skiers, helisking is an option too.
The villa itself is part-hotel part private rental, as the rooms can be booked individually but you can take the whole place too, should you need. Sleeping 28, the glamorous abode comes complete with bar, lounge, and spa area with a sauna, gym, and massage services as well as a chef ready to prepare any number of local, comforting delights.
Sleeps up to 28 people. From £14,933 per night including breakfast, lunch and dinner.
4/19Chamonix-Mont Blanc, French Alps
For those travelling solo or with just one other person, this well-appointed luxury flat within the Chalet Grace is ideal. With a private balcony, cedar hot tub and view onto Mont Blanc and the famous Aiguille du Midi, this chalet flat certainly fulfils the criteria for a perfect – and intimate – winter's holiday.
Sleeps up to 2 people. From £174 per night (with a 10 percent discount on stays over seven days).
Christopher Horwood5/19Chalet Sarcleret, Morzine, France
We don't like to be biased, but this French chalet featured in our December 2025 issue really is something special. Beautifully renovated by Nicole Salvesen, one half of the London-based interior design studio Salvesen Graham, Chalet Sarcleret is layered with colour, pattern and texture for a distinctive English country-meets-Alpine feel. Perfect for a mixed-age group, it sleeps 14 in six en-suite bedrooms and a children’s bunk room, and has a wonderfully spacious kitchen, dining and living area. Relax by the fire or head outside to soak in the hot tub and take in the spectacular mountain views. Just 90 minutes from Geneva airport, Morzine is a key resort in the Portes du Soleil ski area, with 650km of pistes and 193 lifts linking it to Avoriaz, Les Gets, Châtel and even Switzerland, offering terrain to suit skiers of every ability. But Morzine is equally appealing when the snow melts and you can enjoy mountain biking, hiking, riding and wild swimming, before returning to the chalet to relax in the glorious garden.
Sleeps up to 14 people. From £720 per night.
6/19Saanen, Switzerland
It's impossible not to be charmed by the green-shuttered exterior of this Swiss chalet in Saanen, just minutes from Gstaad. Inside, the traditional mountain aesthetic is combined with cool, mid-century touches like vintage lounge chairs, posters and metal bar carts. The eight bedrooms are calm and comfortable, with built-in bed nooks and rich paint colours really enhancing the cosy feel. The location is just as appealing: the Eggli chairlift is a three-minute drive or 20-minute walk away, the larger Schönried-Horneggli resort is less than five minutes by car, and there are cross-country tracks within easy reach too. If you decide to take on the infamous Tiger Run on the Wasserngrat, you can unwind in the chalet’s own private spa cabin after your day on the slopes.
Sleeps up to 12 people. From £2,263 per night.
7/19Chalet Ronco, Cortina, Italy
It would be remiss not to include a chalet in the Dolomites, the magnificent mountain range in the north of Italy. This one, a cosy but comfortable two-bedroom apartment, overlooks the mountains and the town of Cortina, which offers myriad bars, cafes and restaurants serving up the best of the region's cuisine. It is just a five minute walk from Socrepes slopes, one of the many interconnected networks of slopes that the area boasts. Inside, the decoration is simple but elegant, with two large double beds and plenty of alpine-style wooden cladding.
Sleeps up to 4 people. From £286 per night.
8/19Maria Alm am Steinernen Meer, Austria
I've skied everywhere from Switzerland to Canada and, for me, there is nowhere better than Austria. The combination of the pine-filled landscapes, snowy views, kind people and hearty food sets the entire place apart, which is why I find myself returning to it time and time again. There's no surprise, then, that my chalet of choice is a ski-in-ski-out cabin on the slopes of Kaprun. Here, you have the best of both worlds, with a chalet all to yourself, but a staffed reception nearby who can help organise in-chalet raclette nights, as well as transport to and from the main town.
A cosy wooden chalet, the interiors are charmingly Alpine, with sheepskin rugs, checkered curtains and wooden seating. Guests have use of a sauna, wood burner, outdoor hot tub and more, making it the perfect place to wind down from a busy day with a glass of wine. It sleeps four, which is my ideal number of people to ski with. Any more and you find yourself doing more waiting than skiing. - Arabella Bowes
Sleeps up to 4 people. From £520 per night.
9/19Saint-Gervais-Les-Bains, French Alps
Find luxurious seclusion in this beautifully decorated chalet. With an open-plan kitchen and living area, a 360º fireplace and Bluetooth speakers, the chalet is ideal for a large, social friends' holiday. All bedrooms have idyllic views onto Mont Blanc access to the chalet's wraparound balcony, allowing for each guest to wake up to nature. The chalet, too, is within walking distance of the small village St-Gervais-Les-Bains, a secret favourite of upper-crust Parisians.
Sleeps up to 8 guests. From £544 per night.
10/19Bergchalet ‘Güatli’ Montafon, Silbertal, Austrian Alps
For those seeking a rustic, cosy holiday will delight in this über-authentic Austrian chalet. Decorated with fur blankets and sheepskin rugs, oil lamps and old-fashioned sleeping alcoves, this chalet is full of alpine charm. With beautiful panoramic views of the the surrounding mountains, forests and villages below, this chalet is perfect for your secluded winter getaway. For those with pets, bring them along - this chalet welcomes your furry friend.
Sleeps up to 6 guests. From £148 per night.
11/19Cordon, French Alps
We were blown away by this surprisingly affordable luxury chalet in the French Alps. Find it facing Mont Blanc, not too far from the popular town of Megève and Combloux, with Chamonix less than 40 minutes away. The gorgeous Chalet Les Cerises, an eviivo Collective property, is packed to the brim with all the amenities you'd want on a snowy escape. For wellness fans, find an outdoor sauna and jacuzzi with views of Mont Blanc, as well as hammams and steam rooms, a yoga studio and a massage room inside. Those wanting to venture out also have a thermal spa less than 15 minutes away at Le Parc Thermal. Kids will have plenty to keep them occupied inside too, with a cinema room, cosy nooks filled with books and game consoles (including a PlayStation and Xbox). The chalet's owner, Laurent, has thought of every little detail to make a stay here utterly comfortable. The kitchen is stocked with every equipment you'd ever need, from spices to sparkling water on tap, to cosy blankets scattered around for getting comfy on the terraces looking out to the view and logs for the fireplace. There's even a telescope in the Mont Blanc suite for ogling at the sky come evening.
Sleeps 8 adults and 2 children, from £743 per night.
12/19Chalet Villa Carolina, Selva di Val Gardena, Italy
‘Amazing three nights staying in this place. We skipped a lot of activities to spend time at the chalet instead,’ writes a recent guest of this five-bedroom property in the Dolomites. And we can see why. The whole place is chic and contemporary and has a games room, bar, gym, sauna and hot tub as well as a fully equipped kitchen and spacious living area, so it might well be tricky to tear yourself away. But if you do, you will be able to reach the Col Raiser lift in minutes by car or on foot, giving you direct access to the Sellaronda ski circuit. The best part? You can ski right back to the Villa Carolina, as the Plan da Tieja slope will take you within 100 metres of the doorstep.
Sleeps up to 11 people. From £2,100 per night.
13/19Megève, French Alps
Megève is something of a two-part ski resort, comprising the main village, concentrated around a picturesque medieval square (complete with an ancient church and priory), and the Domaine du Mont d’Arbois, a large plateau above the village owned by the Rothschilds who, back in the Twenties, put Megève on the map as the glamorous French alternative to St Moritz. For an Alpine hideaway in the centre of it all, stay at one of five-star hotel Grand Hôtel Soleil d’Or's three spacious private chalets that come with four king size bedrooms and four bathrooms.
Sleeps up to 8 people. From £1,022 per night.
225 Rue Charles Feige, 74120 Megève
14/19Morzine, French Alps
This traditional ski chalet in the town of Morzine, French Alps is the ideal spot for a family or a group of snow sport-enthusiast friends. Whether you choose to spend the day relaxing in the chalet's jacuzzi, taking in the alpine views or ambling into town to explore, you're bound to have a great winter holiday in this well-appointed chalet.
Sleeps up to 10 people (8 adults and 2 children). From £391 per night.
15/19Le Mollard, French Alps
Ideally located near the ski resorts Les Arcs, La Plagne and La Rosière is this rustic chalet, complete with sauna and wood-fired hot tub. Also at the chalet is a boot room with boot-drying rack, perfect for the keen skiers of your party, as well as a wraparound deck for those who prefer to take in the snowy landscape in close proximity to a boiling kettle of hot chocolate.
Sleeps up to 10 people. From £378 per night.
16/19Chalet Sajohé, Le Coupeau, French Alps
Nestled in the French hamlet of Le Coupeau sits the glorious Chalet Sajohé. With breathtaking views of Mont Blanc (a zoning rarity!), the chalet is a true gem of the Alps. Renovated in 2021, the light-filled chalet features top-of-the-line appliances and is furnished beautifully. Enjoy a steaming glass of mulled wine alfresco on the balcony and take in the majesty of the snowcapped French mountains.
Sleeps up to 11 people. From £694 per night.
17/19Alte Sennerei Lechleiten, Lech, Austrian Alps
This chalet is perhaps one of the crowning jewels of this round-up. Recently renovated and beautifully appointed, this Austrian chalet still reserves its rustic, alpine charm. Relax in the sauna, take in the stunning, unobstructed mountain views or hit the slopes - opportunities for a perfect holiday are endless.
Sleeps up to 10 people. From £369 per night.
18/19Airolo, Switzerland
Located in the Italian-speaking, southernmost Swiss canton of Ticino is this recently renovated chalet, whose views are sure to leave you speechless. The chalet is ideal for families looking to unplug and fully immerse themselves in nature; despite being just a five-minute drive from the highway, it is one of the only houses in the area. Fit with sauna, fireplace and a chef's kitchen, there's little reason to leave the compound.
Sleeps up to 8 people. From £441 per night.
19/19Apartment Skye, Val de Bagnes, Switzerland
It would be tricky to get closer to the heart of the ever-popular Swiss ski resort, Verbier, than this duplex apartment. The stylish, five bedroom five bathroom rental offers exceptional views and plenty of comfort. Each of the bedroom has its own balcony, though it is the one just off the open-plan kitchen-dining-room that we're most excited by: its south-west facing aspect means you can enjoy your post-ski drink while the sun sets behind the slopes. Keen skiers will be delighted to hear that Apartment Skye has a private ski room to store all your gear and is just a short walk to the Medran ski lift, making this the definition of ski-in-ski out comfort.
Sleeps up to 10 people. From £3,196 per night.
