Ski chalet holidays are, and always will be, incredibly popular, especially for families and larger groups of friends. If you're happy to book a week or a fortnight for your ski holiday, and travel on dates set by the tour operator (generally a Saturday or Sunday, travelling from the UK) a ski chalet will work well for you.

But if you want to pick and choose when you travel, and how many nights you stay, booking a ski hotel is a great way to go. As well as the flexibility ski hotels provide, many people also prefer their privacy too.

If you're going on a ski holiday with just one or two people, staying in a ski chalet can be a good way to meet people, relax with others in a communal environment, and socialise over dinner together.

Catered ski chalets provide breakfast and hearty evening meals. In a mid-range ski chalet, everything, from cooking to cleaning, is taken care of by your dedicated chalet host. Luxury tour operators normally provide an experienced chef to rustle up gourmet meals, as well as a host to cater for your every need.

But if all the virtues of a ski chalet holiday are outweighed for your smaller group by the risk of unknowingly booking space in a chalet that'll also be hosting a stag party that week, booking a ski hotel can help you avoid any such social clashes.

So which ski hotel to choose? Depending on your preferred ski resort, there's normally a decent choice of Ski Hotels to suit a variety of budgets.

If you're looking for a low cost solution, The UCPA is a French non-profit-making sports organisation offering holidays for 18-40 year olds.

If you want a 'DIY' ski holiday, most resort tourist office websites provide a list of ski hotels to book direct, leaving you to book your travel and transfers separately.

For those who prefer the convenience and ATOL protection most tour operators provide, some such as Mark Warner and Skiworld run their own ski hotels (although these normally require a full-week booking).

At the top end of the market, luxury Ski Hotels are plentiful in the mountains, as you might expect. And many are purposely built right on the slopes, offering ski-in, ski-out convenience.

Booking one through a tour operator can be a great way to get your whole holiday sorted in one phone-call.

For example, luxury tour operator Scott Dunn offers a selection of small boutique properties, as well as larger, luxury ski hotels across a wide range of resorts throughout the world.

For guests staying in one of their ski hotels in Zermatt, Courchevel 1850, St Anton and Val d'Isere, childcare services are also available, as well as a driver service in the latter 3 resorts. The portfolio also includes some luxurious self-catered apartments where, if you like, fresh bread and patisserie will be delivered in the mornings as well as evening meals brought straight to the door.

The Oxford Ski Company is another tour operator offering a broad mix of luxury ski hotels, many with excellent spas and wellness centres.

Ski hotels provide a different experience to the more intimate ski chalet experience, which offers great value. But if you want independence, freedom to dine wherever and whenever you like, and choose the length and timing of your stay, booking a ski hotel might just provide all the ingredients you're looking for in your next ski holiday.