Where to Stay in the Via Lattea
If nothing else, the Vialattea is diverse and so is the accommodation. In the Italian sector, older village areas like Oulx, Cesana and the high elevation border post town of Claviere ooze charm. The centrally located Cesana is the best place to explore the entire region, but Claviere has some fantastic hotels backing onto the ski slopes & Oulx has proximity to the train station linking the region to the rest of Europe.
Purpose built ski resort lodging & base areas at Sestriere, Sansicario & Sauze d’Oulx offer convenience & some good après ski sessions, but are generally charmless.
In France, the interlinked Montgenèvre is a fine balance of them all. A combination of old & new in a sunny location, it has the best of both worlds but importantly lacks the worst of them as well!
The Via Lattea is generally lacking in high-end (5-star) lodgings but replete with apartments & 3-star lodgings. If searching for 5-stars, perhaps head elsewhere like Courmayeur. A plethora of interesting little hamlets dotted throughout the region offer a more authentic (& highly recommended) overnight experience in traditional guesthouse lodgings, farm stays (agriturismo) & holiday homes.
Search & book here for Via Lattea ski accommodation.
Best Places to Stay in Sestriere
Sestriere ski resort has lodging options that include a ski-in ski-out hotel high up on Mt Motta, oodles of hotels & apartments next to the ski lifts plus a multitude of selections down in the valleys.
Sestriere consists of three villages along the SP23 road that are lift connected directly into the resort: Sestriere, Sestriere Borgata, Pragelato*. (Note that Pragelato comes with an asterisk*, the lift connection is actually in Pattemouche - 3½km from the centre of the village). Three smaller hamlets down the road are reckoned to be part of the resort by virtue of the ability to ‘ski-in’ via the off-piste from Monte Fraiteve: Champlas du Col, Champlas Janvier & Champlas Seguin. Away from the lifts & slopes numerous smaller clusters of lodgings & villages dot the landscape including Grange-Sises, Sauze di Cesana & Allevè.
If seeking the full-on ski resort experience with all its garishness, then Sestriere village is recommended. If wanting a more authentic, traditional Italian mountain village snow holiday, places like Allevè, Champlas Seguin & Sauze di Cesana are the juice. For something in between, try Pragelato (if you have a car) or the more distant Cesana.
Search & book here for all Sestriere ski accommodation.
In Sestriere, the accommodation standards vary markedly & ‘luxury’ is not the norm. There are, however, several real standouts. For the closest thing to hotel luxury, the Hotel Shackleton Mountain Resort near the central pedestrian square, & further out, aloof & all alone, Hotel Principi di Piemonte Sestriere are best. Also near the pedestrian square, Hotel Il Fraitevino & the spacious Hotel Lago Losetta are the best of the rest.
Sestriere's best apartments are at Chalet WEAL. For ski-in ski-out convenience, the Olympic era apartments at Appartamento Villaggio Olimpico are basic but hard to beat on affordability, facilities & location. The best panoramic views & ultimate first tracks though are up on Motta at 2,600m elevation at Hotel Tana Della Volpe.
For detailed information on the best places to stay, see our Sestriere Accommodation Info page.
Best Accommodation in Cesana - Sansicario
The Cesana - Sansicario ski area has three diverse village options from which to choose. From the valley at Cesana-Torinese, on a sunny alpine terrace at tiny San Sicario, and higher still at the top of the gondola, Sansicario Alto.
The centrally located Cesana is one of the best places from which to explore the entire region. Its main downfall is its relatively low elevation (1,350m) & lack of luxury accommodations - a common theme in the region.
Further up the hillside at around 1,500m elevation, the original hamlet of San Sicario sits delightfully with a full view of the magnificent surrounds. Some of these original structures are now guesthouses, the best of which is the exceptional Agriturismo Barba Gust.
Search & book here for all Cesana & San Sicario ski accommodation.
The highest village in the resort is the functional, but utilitarian looking Sansicario Alto (or Alta) Set at an elevation of 1,700m & right on the slopes, consists of several rows of (not unpleasant) apartment buildings amongst the pine & larch forest on the mountainside. All accommodations are eminently ski-in, ski-out. All services are present in two separate sectors, but it all feels a bit too suburban strip mall rather than ski resort village. The one hotel in the setup is the 4-star Hotel Sansicario Majestic.
Search & book here for all Sansicario Alto ski accommodation.
Best Places to Stay in Sauze d’Oulx
Accommodation at Sauze d’Oulx ski resort can be separated into several distinct localities. Below the ski resort (not connected to the ski lifts), the town of Oulx (1,100m elevation) has a newer sector near the railway station, plus a charming cobble-stoned old town further up the hill. At the ski resort base, Sauze d’Oulx similarly has several sectors – the lower Jouvenceaux, the main resort centre with high-rise developments at Sauze d’Oulx (1,510m elevation), plus a nearby original sector with more intimate streets & traditional mountain village architecture. Above the resort village several ski-in ski-out lodgings are available near & below Sportinia (2,050m elevation).
Search & book here for all Sauze d'Oulx ski accommodation.
In the resort village, the best places to stay are centrally located a few hundred metres from the lifts & include the Du Parc Hotel, Hotel K2, Serendipity Hotel & Hotel Assietta. If seeking more traditional experiences, the Hotel Gran Trun is hidden away in the old sector providing lovely rooms & stellar local cuisine. For ski-in ski-out, just above the main village, Hotel Chalet Del Sole offers ski-to-door access from the Clotes slope & great restaurant dining serving characteristic Piedmont cuisine.
The best places to stay in Oulx are all in the old town. The pick of them is the exceptional BnB 1504. A short stroll up the road are two lovely traditional hotels, the Hotel Chez Toi & Hotel Oberje De La Viere.
For detailed information on the best places to stay, see our Sauze d’Oulx Accommodation Info page.
Best Accommodation in Claviere
The base of Claviere ski resort is in the compact traditional mountain village of the same name. Essentially a single main road, lined with houses, hotels, shops & services, the village elevation of 1760m, plus its shaded location all but guarantee it is deliciously covered in snow during winter. Several wonderful hotels back onto the ski slopes, offering ski-in, ski-out convenience, but without the price tag one would usually expect.
The best of the local hotels is the convivial Hotel Al Foiron, closely followed by the Hotel Pian del Sole. Another quality options in the centre of the village are the Hotel Bes and the slightly retro Chalet delle Luna.
Search & book here for all Claviere ski accommodation.
Best Places to Stay in Montgenèvre
Across the border, Montgenevre offers a combination of lovely old village centre with requisite narrow laneways (but thankfully no through-traffic plus newer accommodation developments on its outskirts. Everything is within walking distance & most accommodation has a sunny south-facing orientation.
In the heart of the village, two traditional hotels worth staying in are the Hotel Chalet St Bernard & the Hôtel Alpis Cottia (with one of the best local bars - Brasserie Le Graal). Facing the ski slopes, the Le Napoléon Apartments are super-convenient & close to everything.
The best place to stay in Montgenevre is Chalet Le Pot de Miel, located just past the Chalvet gondola base, east of the town centre. Alternatives in the same ski-in ski-out location include the Anova Hotel & Spa (probably the resort’s best hotel) or Le Hameau des Airelles Apartments.
Search & book here for all Montgenèvre ski accommodation.