Swiss ski deals at a healthy savings

Keeping your ski vacation costs down by staying in a former sanatorium seems like a bad joke, but that’s a way to save money in Davos, Switzerland.

This alpine village grabs worldwide attention every January when it hosts global leaders for the World Economic Forum, but originally it drew international interest for its climate, which was considered beneficial for health.

But Davos is not out of reach for backpacking travelers. One of the town’s former sanatoriums is now the Davos Youthpalace, a hostel that has budget packages.

The Youthpalace, which is affiliated with Hostelling International, has Sunday-to-Friday packages, which include five nights in dormitory rooms, breakfasts and dinners, and lift passes valid for the Davos/Klosters region. The packages, which start from $355, are available Jan. 4 to 20 and March 14 to April 18. The price increases to $398 from Jan. 20 to March 14. For details see “special offers” at the Hostelling International website for Switzerland, www.youthhostel.ch.

Other Swiss ski resort towns are offering deals too. At St. Moritz you can get five nights’ accommodations in a double room at Hostelling International’s St. Moritz Youth Hostel, breakfasts and four-course dinners, and a four-day ski pass for the 217 miles of runs in the region, for $346 from March 20 to April 24. Weekly rates and cheaper packages for backpackers willing to share rooms with four beds are also available.

Zermatt’s 174-bed youth hostel reopened this month after extensive renovations. The hostel, which is 10 minutes from the center of the car-less village, has views of the Matterhorn from its dormitory windows. A reopening special includes a three-night stay in a room with four beds and breakfast and dinner for three nights for $133 to $155. Five nights is $221- $259.

The www.youthhostel.ch website has information on these and other Swiss hostels with ski packages.

Hostels offer budget accommodations in many popular ski resorts from the European Alps to the Rocky Mountains. Many have family rooms, economical cafes and self-cooking facilities to help budget travelers cut down on dining costs. Check with the hostel to make sure that it has an atmosphere that would be comfortable for you. Many of the Hostelling International facilities attract guests from backpackers to school groups and families. Some independently run hostels have a party environment. Two websites, www.hostels.com and Hostelling International’s site www.hihostels.com, can help you find what’s available.

Two hostels in the Canadian Rockies have been rated in the top 10 of the more than 5,000 Hostelling International locations worldwide. The HI-Banff Alpine Centre and HI-Lake Louise Alpine Centre have dormitory and family rooms, cafes and cooking facilities, and ski packages. For a stay of more than three nights, you can purchase dormitory accommodations at either hostel, a pass valid at Lake Louise, Sunshine and Banff@Norquay ski areas, breakfasts, and transportation between the hostel and ski fields for $68 per day. For details on packages available at hostels in the Canadian Rockies, contact www.hihostels.ca or (866) 762-4122.

Lucy Izon is a Toronto-based freelance writer and author of “Izon’s Backpacker Journal.” Her Internet site is www.izon.com.