Lodging

Hotels are rated by price. These designations are based on daily high-season (but non-holiday) cost per person based on double occupancy with half board. €€€—€125+; €€—€75–€124; €—less than €75.

Val Claret
Oftentimes hotels boast “on the slopes” when really they should say “a tough five-minute outdoor adventure to get to the nearest lift.” Well, have no fear, for at Tignes the worst that could happen is that the ski runs might creep under your door. Both Val Claret and Le Lac are navigated by pedestrians, skiers, and snowboarders alike.

Ski D’Or (479 06 51 60; fax 479 06 45 49; €€€), in Val Claret, is the classiest four-star hotel in the Tignes/Val d’Isère area. Room 23 is the honeymoon suite; ask whether it’s available, if you like. Each of the rooms is tastefully and uniquely decorated, and the restaurant is excellent.

La Vanoise (479 06 31 90, fax 0479 06 37 06; €€) is another great option; less pricey, but highly regarded. It offers a package of seven nights with half-board and a six-day ski pass for €534-782.

Hotel Diva (0479 06 70 00; fax 0479 06 71 00; €€) is the third option up in Val Claret. It’s slightly more expensive than La Vanoise, but has amenities such as a fitness room, sauna, and a child care center (18 months to 11 years old).

In Tignes Le Lac
You can choose from 10 different hotels, ranging in ritziness from the youth hostel Auberge de Jeunesse Les Clarines (04 79 41 01 93) which is located in Les Boisse to the four-star suites in the Village Montana.

The Suites du Montana (0479 400144, fax 0479 400403; €€–€€€; photo above ), the largest and most accommodating complex in all of Tignes, has everything a four star hotel can offer; an extensive spa/fitness center, a great restaurant, and a few cozy spots to hang out in its large, beautiful lobby. Spacious apartments for four to ten people are also available.

You can choose a three star: L’Aiguille Percèe T.O. Mark Warner (0479 06 52 22, fax 0479 06 35 69; €); Gentiana (0479 06 52 46; fax 0479 06 35 61; €€); Alpaka Lounge (0479 06 45 30, fax 0479 06 58 09; €€); Les Campanules (0479 063436, fax 0479 06 35 78; €€; photo right); Le Lèvanna (0479 06 32 94, fax 0479 06 33 18; €€ ); or Le Refuge (0479 06 36 64, fax 0479 06 33 78; €). On a budget? Try these two-star hotels: L’Arbina (0479 06 34 78, fax 0479 06 32 99; €); Le Paquis (0479 06 37 33, fax 0479 06 36 59; €€).

For rock-bottom prices, stay in the village of Les Brévières. The Relais du Lac (479 06 40 03; €) is quiet and out of the way, but a gondola takes you to the Tignes’ lift system. Another bargain spot is Les Seracs (479 06 03 61, fax 479 06 17 90; €).

Ski Chalets: Crystal, Thomas Cook/Neilson. Click here for more information on ski chalets.

Apartments, condominiums, flats
When you learn that Tignes has only 1,200 beds in hotels but almost 15,000 in apartments, you realize the importance of the rental system. The tourist office acts as a clearinghouse, providing a listing of rental apartments.

A typical sample of apartment rates from AB Immobilier, per week per apartment, is provided below. The centrally located units are only about 100 meters from the lifts. The easiest means to finding an apartment that is a good fit for you is to communicate with the tourism office.

	high season	mid season
Studio two Persons	€556	€367
2BR four persons	€944	€560
3BR six persons	€1235	€745

In many cases, linen is not included, but can be rented from the apartment owners or agencies. The normal linen fee is €15 a week per person.

Most agencies and individual owners offer apartments in a similar price range. Note the differences between high and mid seasons—even in high season lodging costs will be about €33 a day per person, based on four people sharing a two-bedroom apartment. Cable TV is available, with CNN, Sky Channel and the BBC.