A SkiStar Sälen Holiday – The Facilities

Sälen is the biggest ski resort in Scandinavia.  We recently headed off for a SkiStar Sälen holiday, being able to experience skiing in the country we live in for the first time.  We were not disappointed and had a fantastic time on our SkiStar Sälen holiday.  This post discusses the facilities you can find on a SkiStar Sälen holiday.  There are another 2 posts; one about the skiing and the other about our own experience.  We were in the Lindvallen area, although the other areas are not too far away, extending the scope of your holiday very easily.  The Sälen area consists of Kläppen, Lindvallen, Sälenstugan, Högfjället, Tandådalen, Hundfjället, and Stöten.  The main focus of the posts will be on the Lindvallen area as this was where our experience was (apart from some of our skiing where we explored further afield).  

SkiStar Sälen Holiday Accommodation:

We had booked into a three bedroomed apartment.  It was extremely spacious, very comfortable, and had a lovely view.  The accommodation in the area is all very stylish and has easy access for getting to the slopes.  This is either via footpaths or you can drive as there is lots of free parking around.  Check in was very fast and easy, and our accommodation had everything to make the ski holiday family friendly, and easy for the parents.  It was a very relaxing environment after working hard on the slopes with all the effort that comes with getting three children dressed, out the door, and keeping morale up!  There was a storage area for all our skis, but also with plenty of room for the three sledges that we had brought from home. In the entrance hall there was a large drying cupboard.  Perfect for drying wet gloves, damp snowsuits, towels, and anything else that needed drying fast.  The washing machine made me very happy.  It meant we could pack really light, but also if clothing was liberally painted with food, it was no problem to wash it through and then put it into the drying cupboard.  Packing light was essential for this trip, as although we had our own car, space was of a premium.  Once you’ve allowed children to pack their “essentials” into their backpacks, we only have the boot space left.  In there, as well as our (one!) suitcase, we had all our outdoor clothing, bedding, and three sledges.  So to fit 5 of us into one case with everything else was a real bonus.  There was more than ample space in the hallway for 5 pairs of winter boots, 5 pairs of ski boots, hanging for 5 helmets, and lots of space to hang our coats, snowsuits, and ski trousers.  There was also lots of shelving for everyones hats, gloves, and neck warmers.  The damp outdoor kit that would be drying, needn’t encroach into your living area.  There was also a sauna in our bathroom which was a lovely way to relax.  This was a firm favourite of Dadda’s.  The twins liked sitting in there with it off just for a chat, and I popped in a few times, although I am not great at being in there for long.  We had 2 designated parking slots and 2 TVs too.

SkiStar Sälen Holiday Facilities:

This place is so family friendly and cold weather friendly it amazed me.  The temperatures drop very low here and it can often be quite windy making it even colder.  So places to hideaway whether you have young children or not, are vital if you want to take a break from the elements.  You can do this at one of the many fire pits or pop into a värmestuga, a warm hut complete with toilets.  What is nice about these shelters too is that you can then take your own food out for the day with you, which can cut costs a little.

The ski resort’s mascot, Valle the snowman, does shows with his popular music.  He has his own restaurant, and he also has a fun ride area where the children can find velodromes, bridges, terrain waves, tunnels, and small jumps.  A junior version of a snow park.  There is daycare for children (at an extra cost) but it is an option if you want to hit the slopes as adults for a longer time than the one hour 15 minute ski school lesson times allow, or if your little ones are too small for ski school.  There are areas to sledge as well as a children’s park to play in.

Other areas of the Sälen resort are home to a pair of trolls offering treasure hunts and discos. You can ski with Valle, or grab some skates and head onto an ice rink, or enjoy an adventure area, or visit Trollskogen (troll’s forest) where you meet wooden trolls and other characters, or meet Vargy, the friendliest wolf in the world….of the soft and mascot variety!  There are so many options you will find yourself wanting to return again to be able to experience more!

Other activities around the Sälen area that you can do are as follows:

Fishing

Dog sledding

Snowmobile tours and safaris

A high rope obstacle course

Ice climbing

Ice carting

SkiStar Sälen Holiday Experium:

Experium is a fantastic facility.  In there you can find shops, restaurants, and a cafe.  However, one of the big highlights for our three was the adventure pool area.  This has waterslides, a flow rider, jacuzzis, wave machine pool, a children’s shallower pool complete with pirate ship and slide, and an outdoor pool.  This outdoor pool was sooooo lovely and warm to be in despite the freezing temperatures.  Also in Experium you can find sauna world, a spa, bowling, and a cinema.  It really offers a great way to unwind as a family after being in the elements all day.

The facilities on our SkiStar Sälen Holiday were second to none, and truly amazing.  It meant we had so many options with the children once everyone was tired from skiing.  🙂