Kitting out your chalet or apartment

If you are going to take the plunge and buy a chalet for sale in the French or Swiss Alps and want to rent out your property, then its wise to do it properly....Buying the property is just the beginning – you want your chalet or apartment, to be as attractive as possible to your potential guests to maximise the return on your investment. The skiing holiday market is huge. It has grown significantly in the last decade, and while the exclusive, luxury end of the market is still very much there it has become much more accessible to wider groups of skiiers.

Once you have your property decide what market you are going to aim it at, whether that is couples, groups of young friends, families, larger groups – there are plenty to choose from! In all probability some of these decisions may well be dictated by the size of your chalet and the number of bedrooms it has, but it is worth considering whether you want double or single beds, for example, and whether to have the option of cots or toddler beds.

Once you have decided which section of the market you are going to aim for, consider the décor. The key element here is to keep it relatively simple – unfussy and not twee. You may wish to put in a few nods to traditional alpine décor where appropriate though; you don’t want your guests to feel they could be staying anywhere in a bland apartment. However, if you are targeting a younger market keep these to a minimum.

Which market you are aiming at will also dictate your choice and standard of finishing. Wifi, satellite TV and central heating are pretty much a must, as are a DVD player and docking station for phones and MP3 players. While some of your guests might want to get away from the modern world most won’t want to abandon it completely. Boot heaters are a nice touch if you are aiming a little higher, and if you really want to push the boat out and aim at the top end then you might want to consider installing luxury amenities such as a hot tub or sauna. A functional kitchen with a lovely large table for everyone to gather round and enjoy quality time together is an essential, as are comfy sofas for collapsing onto at the end of a day on slopes.

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