Which mountain resort is best suited to large groups?

A mountain resort catering for large groups must be able to do something that most resorts cannot: offer a house where everyone can stay under the same roof. Skiing is available everywhere, but the supply of private mountain chalets for ten, twenty or thirty people is extremely unevenly distributed across the country. Sälen has the widest selection; Åre has options but at a different price point; and in Vemdalen, Branäs and Lofsdalen, the list runs out quickly.

Here we’ll look at where the properties are actually located, why the range on offer varies so much, and what this means for the cost per person. If there are more than thirty of you, the choice across the whole of Sweden is very limited – exclusive accommodation for 30–50 people is a category where, in practice, you book a year in advance, regardless of which destination you choose.

Quick comparison: mountain resorts for large groups – where the accommodation is located

Here is a rough overview of what’s on offer at the major Swedish mountain resorts:

• Sälen: Sweden’s widest range of private mountain chalets, from ten beds and upwards, including some of the country’s largest in the thirty to fifty-bed category.
• Åre: There are plenty of large houses, but prices are generally higher and the best properties are snapped up very early on.
• Vemdalen and Lofsdalen: Holiday villages and flats are of a good standard, but there are few houses with more than twelve beds.
• Idre Fjäll and Branäs: mainly consisting of flats with four to eight beds – large groups will have to split up.
• Funäsfjällen: a certain range of larger holiday cottages, often of an older standard and more widely scattered.

Why does the range of products differ so much between towns?

The difference is historical and driven by planning permission. Resorts that were developed with holiday accommodation – that is, blocks of flats and holiday villages built to a uniform standard – still retain that structure: there are many beds, but few under the same roof. Resorts where private individuals have built holiday homes on their own plots, on the other hand, consist of detached houses and larger properties, and when these are let out, this naturally creates a range of accommodation in the ten- to twenty-bed category. Sälen falls into the second category and has, moreover, experienced a long period of new-build development in the upper segment, often with a clear focus on groups: two kitchens, several bathrooms, a sauna and a large communal area. It is no coincidence that large groups end up in Sälenfjällen – it is a consequence of how the resort has been built.

10–20 people: options by location

For groups of between ten and twenty people, there are options in most major resorts, but the quality varies. Sälen and Åre have the most properties and the best-designed layouts, with bedrooms arranged so that families with children and adults can sleep in different parts of the house. Vemdalen, Lofsdalen and Funäsfjällen have a few larger houses, often older ones with a kitchen that isn’t quite big enough for fifteen people. Idre Fjäll and Branäs usually solve this by offering two or three adjoining flats, which works but changes the nature of your week – you socialise in one of the flats and sleep in three. See how mountain lodge for 10–20 people may be designed.

30–50 people: the list gets shorter very quickly here

With over thirty people, we’re talking about just a handful of properties across the whole country. These are usually purpose-built houses, former guesthouses or adjoining units that can be rented as a single unit. They are mainly located in Sälen and Åre, with a few exceptions in other locations. In practical terms, this size brings with it entirely different requirements: you’ll need a commercial kitchen or at least two full-size kitchens, enough bathrooms, a dining room where everyone can sit at the same table, and parking for ten cars. Always read the floor plan carefully and ask how many people can actually sit down at the same time – the number of beds says nothing about this. One alternative is to rent several cottages next to one another, which often provides both more beds and greater flexibility.

Cost per person when the group shares a house

What makes large houses interesting from a financial point of view is that the cost per person falls as the group size increases. A house for sixteen people is rarely four times as expensive as a four-bed flat, and the communal areas – sauna, dining room, lounge – cost nothing extra per guest. Always calculate per person per night when comparing destinations, never per property. Also bear in mind that the group will be cooking for themselves rather than eating out: for thirty people, this represents a saving in the region of thousands of kronor per day. It is this combination that means a ”more expensive” destination with large houses often works out cheapest for a large group.

The practicalities: parking, kitchen, sauna and communal areas

Five things to check before you book, wherever you’re going. The car park: how many cars can it accommodate, and is it cleared of snow? The kitchen: a kitchen for twenty people needs two ovens and plenty of fridge space, otherwise every dinner will be a bottleneck. Bathrooms: a rule of thumb is one bathroom for every five to six guests if you want mornings to run smoothly. Drying room and ski storage: twenty people’s kit takes up space, and wet ski suits need to dry in time for the next day. And the communal space: is there a room where everyone can be together at the same time, or does the group automatically split up? It is this last point that determines whether the trip feels like a week spent together. We’ve written more about why many people choose large mountain chalets.

When several small cottages make up one large house

A large house isn’t always the right solution, and it’s worth pointing that out. If the group consists of three families with young children who go to bed at different times, three adjoining cottages often work better than one house – everyone gets their own kitchen, their own routine and the chance to close a door. The same applies if the group consists of people who don’t know each other particularly well, or if someone needs to be able to get away from it all. In that case, resorts such as Idre Fjäll and Branäs, with a dense cluster of similar apartments, are actually a better choice than a solitary large house. Ask yourselves honestly whether you want to live together for seven days or just spend time together during the day – the answer will determine which type of accommodation, and therefore which resort, is best suited to you.

Summary – choose a mountain resort for large groups based on the size of your group

Up to eight people: choose any destination; accommodation is available everywhere. Ten to twenty: the list narrows down to Sälen, Åre and a few properties in other destinations, and you should book at least six months in advance. Over thirty: the options across the whole of Sweden can fit on a single sheet of paper, and Sälen is the resort with the most of them – book a year in advance. The right mountain resort for large groups is therefore one that has a house that actually works for your group, with a kitchen, bathroom and a communal area that’s up to scratch; the skiing comes second, as it’s good at all the options. Are you planning a trip with a holiday in the mountains with a group of friends We’d be happy to help you find the right house.