Accommodation options in Sierra Nevada are essentially divided into either Self-Catering apartments or Hotels/Hostels. There are no chalets available in resort and instead, larger parties travelling together could feasibly opt for a combination of 2 or more apartments within the same apartment block or else one of the hotel options.Group rates tend to be available where 25 or more people are travelling together under one booking name.

The resort is split into 3 prime Zones (Lower, Mid and Top) which are intended to be more orientative than anything so as to give people a better idea as to roughly (or exactly) where they will be accommodated. Typically speaking the Lower-Zone is where the majority of hotels and shops lie as well as a few apartment blocks too. It is here where the prime access to the pistes are found. The Mid-Zone is predominantly where the self-catering apartment blocks lie and home to some of the better restaurants as well as the main nightlife. The Top-Zone is also predominantly self-catering accommodation and has, in recent, years become better connected to the pistes with the instalation of the "Virgen de las Nieves" chairlift giving direct access to the pistes (not suitable for complete beginners!) without the need to drop down to the central squares.

All zones are linked by the "Parador" chairlift (covered on your lift pass) with an intermediary stop providing access to the Mid-Zone. The are also shuttle bus services (at extra cost) circuiting the village from top to bottom throughout the day until around 8pm. Whilst people generally prefer to be lower down where possible (depending on availability) it should be mentioned that this is perhaps less suitable to people looking also for a bit of peace and quiet when off the slopes (especially for self-catering units).

Whatever the case, even the top zone is never really that far from anywhere and it should be appreciated that when in the mountains, there will always be the liklihood of steps and uphill sections to contemplate.

Our base philosophy in this decision is quite simply: "Would we be happy staying here for a few days of skiing?". With this in mind, we are therefore very much in a position to truly tailor your needs and source the most appropriate accommodation accordingly. This is a prime reason that accounts for our clients regularly returning to Sierra Nevada enlisting our services for all their accommodation requirements.

Hotel accommodation in Sierra Nevada is generally of a very good standard. Among the most popular hotels stand the two Melia hotels (Sol y NIeve and Sierra Nevada) and, whilst being 4 star hotels regularly offer highly competitive rates and booking conditions compared to the lower cost hotel options. These hotels alongside the Kenia Nevada, Ziryab and Aparthotel Trevenque are at the top end of quality hotels in Sierra Nevada. For basic hotel accommodation, the best options to consider would be the Hotel Mont Blanc & GHM Monachil.

An increasingly popular option are the hotels located out of the resort which involves a drive into the resort each day. There are some lovely and very characteristic hotels from just 10kms out of resort which offer not only a convenient location for enjoying a days ski but also a great way of becoming a little immersed in some of the local culture and way of life here.

Sierra Nevada has a complete range of self-catering apartments ranging from what we would consider highly unsuitable to well suited based on a number of factors including: Resort Location (see above image); Apartment facilities and general upkeep; Price; levels of customer service offered by the accommodation agency etc. In our opinion, Sierra Nevada does not offer "Luxury" self-catering options in spite of what some agencies may like to say. "Luxury" generally means the apartment has had a basic facelift (fresh coat of paint) with a flatscreen TV installed and perhaps some modern furniture or parquet flooring added too. As far as the facilities go, the most that could be expected would be perhaps an oven or dishwasher and maybe even a washing machine. Due to the number of individual accommodation agencies operating in Sierra Nevada, self-catering options can be confusing and the rates greatly varied. As such, we always ask for as much information as possible regarding your requirements, expectations etc. and advise any clients requiring something of a higher standard to consider Hotel accommodation over and above self-catering. 

Having operated in this manner now for several seasons, we at Sierra Essence are finding that clients, booking into self-catering accommodation, are more and more satisfied simply because they are more aware of what to expect upon arrival. The fact of the matter is that generally speaking most people visit Sierra Nevada to make the most of the skiing opportunities here and the standard of accommodation is not of prime concern so long as it is clean, warm and sufficient to base themselves in for the duration of their stay. 

Sierra Essence is an intermediary agency. We do not currently own or manage any accommodation units of our own and instead, through years of living and working in the resort, have built up very genuine relationships with a selected number of agencies where we know acceptable standard accommodation may be found. Our relationships are such that we are regularly able to reserve specific apartments according to our clients requirements where their standard booking policy does not usually permit.

Due to the varied nature of self-catering options available, please refer to point number 10 our Terms and Conditions where specific details are laid out for consideration when making a reservation with us.

A detailed directory of accommodation options can be found via the "Accommodation Options" menu on the right hand side of this page...