Sestriere - village

A good choice for skiers and riders on a budget and families, Sestiere offers plenty of affordable accommodation in hotels and self-catering apartments, which can be booked through the Tourist Office on 00 39 0122 755 444.

Although the least expensive accommodation is located out in the housing areas above the centre of town, be aware that the shuttle bus service stops at 5.30pm, meaning you’ll have to rely on taxis (or a 15-minute walk) to get to and from the restaurants and bars. 

Accommodation types

The four-star hotels are slightly more basic than skiers accustomed to the scrupulous hotel-keeping of Austria and Switzerland but staff are generally friendly and welcoming.

Keen skiers should opt for a hotel on the pistes, try Hotel Cristallo (00 39 12 275 01 90) and Hotel du Col (00 39 12 276 990). Hotel Savoy Edelweiss (00 39 12 27 70 40), located in the centre of town, is more traditional.

Ski/snowboard equipment hire

Rather refreshingly, all the ski hire shops in town adopt the same pricing strategy, meaning you can simply choose the one that’s most convenient for you. Marcellin Sport (00 39 012 2 75 53 09), located right next to Hotel Cristallo, is a large outlet that also boasts on-piste storage.

Non-ski activities 

For a purpose-built, high-altitude resort, Sestriere has a good choice of non-ski activities. There’s a cross-country skiing course, open-air ice rink and a sizeable public sports centre with tennis and squash courts. There’s also a public swimming pool, snowmobiling, sled-dog and indoor golf practice area (ask at the Tourist Office for more information). Thanks to the wealthy Turin weekend visitors, there’s also a good selection of shops.

Childcare

There’s a good daycare centre, Neve e Sole located on Piazzale Kandahar, for children aged two to five and the  (00 39 012 277 060) offers good tuition for youngsters (again, check instructors speak English). 

There’s a good day-care centre, Ape Maya, and the Scuola Sci Sestriere (00 39 012 277 060) offers good tuition for youngsters (again, check instructors speak English).