La Plagne is an amazing ski resort, with lots of options for accommodation. On our last visit, we stayed as a group in the Hotel Rhododendrons located in Plagne 1800.
If you’re heading to La Plagne and you’re weighing up a budget hotel in La Plagne, or checking Sunweb La Plagne deals, this review of Hotel Rhododendrons will tell you all you need to know.
Hotel Rhododendrons Summary
Situated in La Plagne 1800, a 2 minute walk from the ski lift, the Chalet-Hotel Rhododendrons is a simple, rustic hotel which features pretty much everything you need for a ski holiday. While it might lack modern flair, there is a traditional Alpine charm about the hotel which adds to it’s appeal.
Location in La Plagne
Plagne 1800 is one of the purpose built ski villages that make up the La Plagne ski area. The road up from the valley loops around in front of the Hotel Rhododendrons, making it easy to arrive by your chosen transfer.
Although not a ski in/ski out hotel, the Hotel Rhododendrons is within throwing distance of the lifts and the slopes. This means you basically roll out of the front door, walk 50 meters and put your skis or snowboard on and you can either step right into the ski school in front of the hotel, ski down the hill, or. take the first lift which whizzes you up to Plagne Centre.
At the end of the day, skiers don’t need to walk miles – simply unclip, walk up the steps and slump into the bar! It’s as close to ski in/ski out as you need.
One thing to note: The slope from Plagne Centre to Plagne 1800 is a little steep at the end, with the last few hundred meters being winding with a bit of a gradient at the end. Beginners and kids might find this a bit off-putting, but mostly everyone else will cruise down easily.
Some local facilities: close to the Hotel Rhododendrons:
- Ski lift (Melezes) – under 100 meters
- Ski run – greens and blues 30 meters
- Ski school – 50 meters
- Ski hire (Sport2000) – 10 meters (literally across the road)
- Grocery shop (SPAR) – 100 meters (2-3 minute walk)
- Decathlon Store (for sports essentials) and Intersport – 250 metres (5 minute walk)
- Bus stop to resort centre – 20 meters
- Restaurants/bars – Multiple options a short walk down the road
What Are the Rooms Like?
We stayed in a four bed room, which featured two single beds and two bunk beds. There was an ensuite bathroom (no bath, just a shower) and a balcony with a nice view across the valley.
Our room was quite compact – and with four guys staying for a week you needed to be considerate. Floor space was limited and there were a few compact shelves to store your essentials. With four people bringing large bags there might be an issue with storage space – but most of us had snowboard bags. We basically decanted our equipment onto the shelves.
However rhe beds were comfortable, the bathroom was clean and funcional, the room was warm and the balcony was useful for storing boots and bulkier items.
One thing to note is that there were, I think, about two or three power sockets. If you’re bringing multiple electronic devices, bring a plug splitter or multi-USB plug.
The room did also feature a small TV (which we never turned on), a kettle and tea cups, and the wifi signal was decent too.
There is no daily cleaning, so you need to manage your own clutter and mess.
If you’re a group of close friends or family, you will most likely manage the compact space.
Verdict: ⭐⭐*Honestly I feel a bit unfair giving Hotel Rhododendrons a 2 star rating for the room, as it’s actually fine – but it’s more to address some of the shortfalls of the room than an issue with the standard or comfort.
Facilities
Like any good ski hotel, the Hotel Rhododendrons had a nice big boot locker room for your skis/boards and boots. The key was assigned at checkin and we did need to keep everyones equipment in one locker. It’s not super high tech, but its fine. The boot room is located outside the hotel, with a secure lock on the doors and a very small bench area outside to sit and boot up. No heated boot hangers in the lockers…
There is also a games room (which appears to be partly storage), a small dining room which is more like an extension of the bar, the main bar – the Bobsled bar – and the main eating area where breakfast and dinner are served.
The bar was actually quite lively and a decent spot for some apres ski. They also served pizzas and there is an outside terrace to enjoy a drink with friends and watch the sunset.
Verdict: ⭐⭐Half Board at Hotel Rhododendrons: Good or Bad?
We had a half board deal from Sunweb in La Plagne, which included breakfast and evening meal. Overall we found the food reasonable to very good.
Breakfast tended to be very simple – bulk pastries, ham, eggs, adequate coffee, fruit and so on. Totally fine to fuel up for the day, but nothing special. I feel like more than a week and you might get very bored of the breakfast.
However we were quite impressed with the evening meals. You could choose to book in a specific time for dinner, and you’d arrive and be seated in the (slightly cramped) dining area. The menu tended to consist of two choices for each thing – with a veggie or meat main – usually following a classic French or European theme. We had tartiflette one night, a lasagne another – and a curry on one of the evenings. All of which were better than expected.
The evening meal also included wine, which was a nice touch. I think you could have chosen beer? Or perhaps we bought them from the bar, I don’t remember…
Service was also very good, with the mostly British waiting staff being attentive and professional.
Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐Booking Through Sunweb
We booked our stay at Hotel Rhododendrons through Sunweb, which offered a great deal with the half board hotel plus the lift pass. For our stay we paid under £600 per person in early March 2026.
If you’ve not used Sunweb before, it’s one of the most comprehensive and best value ski resort package providers. They’re a Dutch company, so hotels do tend to be full of Dutch with a healthy mix of Brits, Germans and French which makes for a fun vibe in most of their hotels.
Who is Hotel Rhododendrons Best For?
I’d say the hotel is perfect for families who are going to access the ski school across the road, and groups who are looking for a cost effective base in La Plagne.
If you’re looking for the luxury experience, this isn’t the place. But if you need a place to chill, a good atmosphere in the bar and decent food then I recommend Hotel Rhododendrons in Plagne 1800 heartily.
The ease of access to the rest of La Plagne is great, although you do need to take two lifts to really get into the action. It can be a bit crowded getting on the mountain in the morning, but overall the process is smooth and relatively painless.
La Plagne itself was excellent and is well suited to multiple skill level groups.
Read our full La Plagne ski resort guide.
Absolutely, yes. The rooms are family friendly, the proximity to the ski school is a big bonus, and the games room was being enjoyed by families when we were there.
Plagne Centre is just over 1km from Plagne 1800 and can be reached via two ski lifts in about 8 minutes, or ski back from Plagne Centre in 3-4 minutes. You can also walk if needed, which takes about 15 minutes.
There is also a free shuttle bus which connects all the La Plagne villages together, so you can get to and from Plagne Centre within a few minutes by bus. Buses operate through the Winter and Summer, and run every 20 minutes.
Prices vary and it’s hard to be precise about which is the cheapest option for accommodation in La Plagne. While you could potentially save money on a private apartment or hostel, the price for a hotel on Sunweb includes the lift pass which offers a substantial saving vs a standalone booking plus lift pass.
