A catered chalet includes meals cooked by staff, so you arrive, unpack and sit down to dinner; a self-catered chalet gives you the house and the kitchen, and you organise the rest. Which suits you depends on your group, your budget and how much you want to think about food. Either way, arrival day from Geneva Airport is easier with a direct transfer from AirportsTransfers.ch, whether you are heading to Megève (75 km, about 1 h 10) or Courchevel (150 km, about 2 h 15).
- Catered: breakfast, afternoon tea and most dinners cooked for you; often fixed weekly arrival
- Self-catered: full kitchen, flexible meals, more independence
- Cost in general: catered costs more per person, but includes much of the food and drink
- Arrival day: catered means dinner is waiting; self-catered means a shopping stop
- Good fit: catered for relaxed holidays; self-catered for families with routines or long stays
How a catered chalet works
A catered chalet usually provides breakfast, afternoon tea or cake when you return from the slopes, and a multi-course dinner on most evenings, frequently with wine included. Staff clean the house daily, make up beds and handle laundry of towels. Many catered chalets follow a weekly rhythm, with one evening off for the staff, when guests eat out in the resort. Chalets range from simple, sociable houses shared with other guests to fully private luxury properties with a private chef. The appeal is clear: nobody spends the holiday cooking, the evening meal is a social highlight, and children and adults alike are well fed after a cold day on the mountain.
How a self-catered chalet works
A self-catered chalet or apartment gives you the space and the kitchen, and you decide what, when and where to eat. Some groups cook every evening; others mix home breakfasts with restaurant dinners. Cleaning is often limited to a final clean at the end of the stay, though extras can sometimes be added. Self-catering appeals to families with young children who prefer their own routines, to groups with specific diets, to keen cooks and to those staying longer than a week. It also gives freedom over arrival and departure days in many cases, which can make flights cheaper and roads quieter.
Comparing costs in general terms
Catered chalets cost more per person than the equivalent self-catered property, because they include staff, food and often drinks. But once you add up supermarket bills, restaurant meals and drinks in a resort where eating out is expensive, the gap can narrow, especially for groups who would otherwise dine out most nights. Self-catered properties make more financial sense for large families, longer stays and groups who enjoy cooking together. Whatever you choose, look carefully at what is included: ski passes, equipment, lift access and resort transport are usually separate, as are airport transfers.
Food shopping and arrival planning
Arrival day differs considerably between the two. In a catered chalet, you simply arrive, and dinner is ready, so the only concern is getting there in time. In a self-catered chalet, you need food for the first evening and breakfast. Supermarkets in ski resorts can be expensive and crowded on Saturday afternoons, so many guests stop at a larger supermarket in the valley on the way up. Some resorts offer online grocery delivery to your chalet, which is worth arranging in advance. When booking a transfer, mention a planned shopping stop so the timing can be built in, and remember that Saturday traffic to the main resorts is often heavy. A Van (Mercedes V-Class) has room for up to seven people, ten bags and skis, with space for groceries too.
Which suits your group?
Choose catered if you want a relaxed holiday with little organisation, if your group enjoys sociable dinners, or if you are celebrating an occasion. Choose self-catered if you have young children with set mealtimes, specific dietary needs, a love of cooking, or a longer stay. Mixed groups sometimes compromise with a chalet offering partial catering, such as breakfast and a few dinners per week. Whatever the choice, the location of the chalet in relation to the lifts and the village centre has as much influence on the holiday as the meal plan.
Planning the transfer with AirportsTransfers.ch
Book online and the fixed price per vehicle is shown before you pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Your chauffeur waits in arrivals holding a name sign, tracks your flight and waits at no extra charge if it is late. Request child seats when booking and declare skis so the right vehicle is allocated. To add a shopping stop or arrange the return journey, call or WhatsApp +41 78 346 56 77.
