Hotels
Where to stay in Hemsedal: the best hotels for a ski trip
In Hemsedal, altitude shapes your day. Stay high on the mountain and you clip in at the front door. Stay at the bottom and ski school is right on your doorstep.
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In short
The best hotel in Hemsedal for skiers who want the piste outside the door is Skarsnuten Mountain Resort & Spa, around 1,000 metres up. Families with young children will find life easier at Fyri Resort, within walking distance of the base lifts and the ski school.
Our first choice: Skarsnuten Mountain Resort & Spa. Check availability and prices
Half past eight on a Saturday in February. The ski bus from Trøym has barely started its rounds, yet up at Skarsnuten, about 1,000 metres above sea level, the first guests are already on their way down. In the valley, breakfast coffee is still on the table.
Hemsedal is roughly three hours’ drive from Oslo, and most people come for the ski centre. So choosing a hotel is less about stars than about where in the valley you wake up. We have grouped the hotels by altitude and distance to the lifts.
How to choose where to stay in Hemsedal
On the mountain: skis on at the door and views down the valley. Best if you are already happy on a red run.
At the foot of the ski centre: ski school and the nursery slopes right there. The easy choice for families.
In Trøym village: shops, cafés and nightlife, but you need the ski bus or a car to reach the slopes a few kilometres away.
On the mountain: breakfast above the clouds
Skarsnuten Mountain Resort & Spa
The hotel sits high in the ski area. From the outdoor hot tub you look straight down over Hemsedal, and your skis wait by the entrance. There are also apartments with their own kitchens if you need more room.
Skarsnuten suits couples and groups of friends who want to fit in as many runs as possible. One thing to know: ski school meets at the main base, so beginners take the ski bus down each morning.
There is more in our review of Skarsnuten.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Skarsnuten Mountain Resort & Spa
Skarsnuten Mountain Resort & Spa
The spa pool at Skarsnuten looks straight out at the mountains, a fine end to a ski day.
At the bottom: a short walk for small legs
Fyri Resort Hemsedal
From Fyri you walk to the base lifts. You can drop the children at ski school, wander back for another coffee and still catch the first lift yourself. Breakfast is included, and after the last run many guests end up in one of its two bars.
It suits families and anyone who wants the shortest possible trip from bed to chairlift. Read more in our review of Fyri Resort.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Fyri Resort Hemsedal
Fyri Resort Hemsedal
Fyri’s timber lobby is where families gather before and after ski school.
Cabins and apartments in Hemsedal
Travelling as a big group, it often makes sense to rent an apartment or a cabin rather than several hotel rooms. The widest choice is around the ski centre and along the road up towards Holdeskaret.
Check the distance to the nearest lift and whether the ski bus stops nearby before you book. A cabin ‘close to the slopes’ can still mean a queue of cars every morning.
When to book a Hemsedal hotel
February half term and Norwegian winter holidays: the busiest weeks of the season. Book before Christmas if you can.
Easter: Easter Sunday falls on 28 March 2027, right in high season. Book by January at the latest.
January and the weeks after Easter: quieter slopes and more free rooms. Good for a long weekend.
Planning Christmas or New Year in the mountains? See Christmas and New Year in the mountains.
Frequently asked questions
Which hotel in Hemsedal is closest to the slopes?
Skarsnuten Mountain Resort & Spa sits right on the slopes, about 1,000 metres up, with ski-in ski-out access. Fyri Resort sits at the bottom, a few minutes on foot from the lifts. Choose Skarsnuten if you want the most time on skis, and Fyri if the children are booked into ski school each morning.
Where should families stay in Hemsedal?
Families do best at the foot of the ski centre, where ski school and the nursery slopes are side by side. Fyri Resort is the hotel we recommend there. Up at Skarsnuten, beginners have to take the ski bus down to ski school, so it suits families whose children can already ski confidently.
How do you get to Hemsedal from the UK?
Fly to Oslo and drive for about three hours via Hønefoss and the Hallingdal valley. Without a car, take the train from Oslo to Gol and a bus on into Hemsedal. Roads out of Oslo are busiest on Fridays in Norwegian school holidays, so an early start makes the journey easier.
When should I book a hotel in Hemsedal for February half term?
Book before Christmas if you can, because February is the busiest month and the slope-side hotels sell out first. Norwegian winter holidays fall in weeks 8 and 9, which overlap with many English half terms. January and the weeks after Easter are quieter, with more choice and calmer slopes.
Can you stay in Trøym and still ski a lot?
Yes, but you will need the ski bus or a car, because the ski centre is a few kilometres from the village. In return, the village nightlife is right outside your door. It works well if you want some life after dark and do not mind a short ride to the lifts each morning.