Geilo Ski Holidays

Skiing in Geilo

Geilo’s alpine skiing sits on both sides of the valley, with one lift pass covering the lot and a free ski bus connecting the different areas. That does mean Geilo isn’t one seamless ski domain. You can’t simply ski from one side to the other, and if covering huge distances on skis is important to you, Trysil or Hemsedal are better choices.

Geilo is great for beginners and families. There are four dedicated children’s areas, proper nursery slopes and terrain that lets beginners progress.

Some of Geilo’s blues are steeper than British skiers used to French grading might expect. Even so, we rate it highly for learning, thanks to its dedicated beginner areas and genuine progression terrain.

Intermediates will also get a lot from Geilo. None of the descents are particularly long but they are wide, and include plenty of comfortable blue and red cruising.

Snowboarders and freestyle skiers should seriously consider Geilo too. There are three terrain parks and this is a proper freestyle set-up rather than a couple of token kickers beside a piste. Former X Games gold medallist Andreas Håtveit oversees the parks, with everything from small jumps and boxes for first attempts through to red and black features.

Advanced skiers should be realistic. There are blacks, terrain parks and some more challenging skiing, but a strong skier will cover the lift-served mountain fairly quickly. Geilo makes more sense for an expert when you’re part of a mixed-ability group.

Ski accommodation in Geilo

Vestlia Resort is a good family choice if facilities and slope access are priorities. It sits beside the skiing on the south side of Geilo and has a swimming pool, spa, bowling and plenty for children.

Havsdalsgrenda is also good for families who want a self-catered apartment with ski-in/ski-out convenience. The apartments are spacious but you’re away from the town centre, so it’s better for ski in ski out access over evenings out.

If you want to stay in Geilo itself, Highland Lodge gives you a choice of hotel accommodation and self-catered apartments. There’s a bakery on site and you’re close to supermarkets and the ski bus, making this a good option if you want some independence without feeling isolated from the town.

Opened in 1909 alongside the Bergen railway, Dr Holms is Geilo’s grand old hotel. It’s rambling, historic and in places shows its age, so choose it for atmosphere rather than contemporary luxury. Its central location is also very convenient.

For something that feels more distinctly Norwegian, look at the wooden cabin accommodation. This is exactly the sort of place for coming home from skiing, warming up and cooking dinner.

Geilo town has supermarkets and cafés, which makes self-catering straightforward.

Après ski in Geilo

Geilo doesn’t offer a St Anton-style week of après!

Dr Holms is a good place to head, with its Ski Bar and live music during the season, and there are bars and restaurants around town too. If you stay at Dr Holms, bear in mind that rooms near the livelier areas can pick up some of the apres noise.

Food is actually quite interesting in Geilo. Try reindeer, venison, mountain trout and other Norwegian ingredients at the traditional restaurant Hallingstuene.

For families, Sofias at Bardøla is cosy and has space for children to play.

Activities off the slopes in Geilo

There are hundreds of kilometres of prepared cross-country trails around Geilo and Hol, ranging from gentle circuits suitable for complete beginners to proper mountain routes towards Hardangervidda and Hallingskarvet.

If you’ve never tried it, book a lesson. There are beginner courses and equipment hire in resort, and it’s one of the easiest ways to experience a part of Norwegian skiing culture that most of us in Britain rarely encounter.

Dog sledding is another must-do, and in Geilo you don’t necessarily just sit under a blanket while somebody else does the work. Some trips teach you to drive your own team of huskies through the winter landscape before warming up around the fire afterwards.

You can also go on horse-drawn sleigh rides, try snowshoeing, fat biking and ice fishing, go to the spa or combine a sauna with ice bathing. There are even traditional kicksleds, the little chair-like sledges Norwegians have long used for getting around on packed snow.