What "catered" usually includes
It varies by operator, so always check the specifics before booking. As a rough picture, a catered week commonly bundles:
- Meals: breakfast each morning, afternoon cake and hot drinks, and a cooked evening meal on most nights (typically six, with a staff night off mid-week), often with wine chosen to match. Many chalets also run an honesty bar.
- Service: daily housekeeping, a welcome drink on arrival, and help arranging ski rental, passes and lessons before you travel so it's ready when you land.
- Common extras (sometimes included, sometimes added): airport transfers from Geneva, an in-resort shuttle to and from the lifts, childcare and in-chalet massage. These are where packages differ most, so confirm what's in the price and what costs more.
- Practicalities: Wi-Fi throughout, and family touches like games, toys and a garden for children.
Confirm which services are included and what you need to arrange on staff days off.
Catered vs self-catered
- Catered: reduces meal planning and cooking during the trip. Compare the service schedule with how your group wants to spend its evenings. If you're traveling with children, see our family ski vacations guide.
- Self-catered: lets you cook when and what you like. Include groceries, restaurant meals and cleaning charges when comparing costs. See our self-catered section of the Châtel accommodation guide.
What makes a good catered chalet
Check these details for each chalet:
- En-suite bedrooms, ideally convertible between twins and a double or super-king: it makes mixed groups and families far easier to place.
- A comfortable shared living room: enough seating for everyone, especially if the group plans to spend evenings together.
- A ski room with heated boot warmers: help boots dry between ski days.
- Good beds and linen: check bed sizes and whether linen is included.
- Location that suits your skiing: lift-side at Linga or Pré-la-Joux for first-lift laps, or village-center if evenings out matter more.
- Family touches where relevant: a safe garden, games, flexible meal times for children.
Châtel as a base
In Châtel, the chalet’s address matters as much as its meal plan. Staying near the village puts restaurants within reach on the host’s night off; Linga or Pré-la-Joux can be more convenient for skiing those sectors. For the resort detail (lifts, sectors, getting there) see the full guide.
Châtel resort guide → · Where to stay in Châtel →
Pack for it anyway
Catered covers the food and the bed, not your kit. You can rent skis and boots; a jacket, layers, gloves and goggles are worth owning. The ski packing list →