Ski news from Sweden

Visitors to the popular ski resort of Åre in northern Sweden this winter will have more accommodation to choose from with a new design-led hotel, a great value hostel and a charming chalet opening for the 2008/9 season.
 
Copperhill Mountain Lodge is being built at the very summit of Mount Förberget by the same architect who designed Bill Gates’ home, Peter Bohlin, and is due to open on 8 December 2008 (www.copperhillodge.se). Already named as a member of the prestigious Design Hotels group, the lodge will be the first design-led offering in Åre and will boast 112 rooms and suites styled by interior design firm Koncept.  The design throughout the hotel has been inspired by the area’s copper mining history, with the exception of the spa which has a Sami theme.  The hotel offers ski-in ski-out facilities, bars, restaurants, conference facilities, a helipad and its own ski lift.  Double rooms start from 922 Euro per week, based on two sharing. 

Also new for this season is the great value Hotell Åre Torg in the main village square (www.hotellaretorg.se). Ideally suited to independent travellers on a budget, each hostel-style room has four beds which can either be booked together as a room for four people or separately for individual travellers. Prices this winter start from only 240 SEK (approximately £20) per person per night.
 
Tour operator Neilson (www.neilson.co.uk) is the only UK tour operator to include Åre in its 2008-9 programme and has added a brand new chalet for this season. The Swedish-style Chalet Snowvilla, which sleeps 8 to 11 people, has a cosy, homely atmosphere and is in a prime spot just 500m from the centre of the village and 600m from the nearest lift. After a long day on the slopes, guests can relax in the chalet’s private sauna and enjoy a gourmet dinner served by the chalet’s live-in staff. Breakfast and afternoon tea are also included in the price, with one week starting from £505 per person, including return flights from London Gatwick to Ostersund.

Also new for the 2008-9 season, Skistar Åre has launched Snowflake Club (snöflingeklubben) which offers child-minding for young ones when their parents want to take to the pistes alone, making the resort more family friendly than ever before (www.skistar.com). Activities range from storytelling and drawing to tobogganing and snowman making as well as ski lessons.
 
 

For more information on skiing in Sweden please contact Philippa Sutton, PR Manager at VisitSweden UK, on philippa.sutton@visitsweden.com