Planibel Apartments La Thuile Review: Honest Family Pros & Cons

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Planibel Residence - An overview

If you’re planning a family ski trip to La Thuile, there’s a very good chance you’ll come across Planibel Hotel & Residence.

We’ve stayed here multiple times as a family, as part of a Crystal Ski holiday, and it’s one of those places that’s not fancy or boutique — but is incredibly practical, well-located and easy with kids.

In this post, I’ll give you a completely honest review of Planibel La Thuile, including:

• The apartments vs the hotel

• What you actually get in the rooms

• How close it really is to the lifts and ski school

• The facilities

• The pros and cons

• And whether I’d stay here again with kids

Where Is Planibel La Thuile?

Location: Frazione Entreves 158, La Thuile, Valle d’Aosta, Italy. This is approximately 2.5 hours drive from Turin airport by coach transfer.

Planibel is located about 0.3 miles from the centre of La Thuile, in a very practical position for skiing.

La Thuile itself is a small, relaxed mountain village in the Aosta Valley, right on the French border. The ski area (Espace San Bernardo) covers 81 runs across Italy and France on one lift pass, which is brilliant if you want variety without moving hotels.

👉 What La Thuile Village Is Really Like

What Is Planibel?

Planibel is split into two parts:

• The Hotel (with half board options)

• The Residence (Apartments)

Both are part of the same large complex but located a small walk apart, they share:

• Reception

• Bar and lounge

• Restaurant

• Spa area

• And general facilities

It’s not pretty or traditional chalet-style — it’s a big, functional ski complex — but for families, function often beats charm.

👉 Planibel Hotel vs Apartments: Which Is Better with Kids?

Facilities at Planibel

What’s Available

• Reception

• Bar & lounge

• Restaurant (La Raclette)

• Spa & wellness centre – at an extra cost

• Free WiFi (works, but can be intermittent)

Important: Some websites still mention a fitness centre — this was removed in 2022, so that information is out of date.

The Swimming Pool (Important for Families)

The pool is free for hotel guests only.

If you’re staying in the apartments, you have to pay. When we were there, it cost around €40 for a family of three, including towel hire.

Other things to know:

• You must wear a swim hat (you can buy one there or bring your own)

• You must use their towels (no bringing your own)

We did it once, but honestly, it’s not cheap, so I’d treat it as an occasional treat, not a daily activity.

There are plenty of things to do with kids in La Thuile 👉 10 Things to Do in La Thuile with Kids

Bar & Lounge

The bar is accessed via the hotel and has a nice, relaxed atmosphere.

• Comfortable seating

• Sports often on TV

• Sometimes evening entertainment

• Great for a quiet drink after skiing

• Pool table

Restaurant: La Raclette

La Raclette is inside the complex and is:

• Easy

• Family-friendly

• Reasonably priced for a ski resort

If you want more ideas, I’ve written a full guide to eating in La Thuile with kids.

Want to read more, see 👉 Where to Eat in La Thuile with Kids

The Apartments: What You Actually Get

There are four types of apartments, from studios for two people up to two-bedroom apartments sleeping six.

All apartments include:

• Kitchenette with hob, fridge & microwave

• Kettle

• Cooking equipment, pans, sharp knives, plates, mugs, cutlery

• Dining area

• Towels

• Flat-screen TV

• Safe

• Basic toiletries

• Hairdryer in bathroom

Smaller apartments have a small ski boot storage area in the hallway. All apartments have:

• A ski stand on the balcony

• Lift or stair access

Tip: There are boot rooms in the hotel, but the apartments are closer to the lifts, so it’s easier to keep equipment in your room.

What Is NOT Provided (Very Important to Know)

There is:

• ❌ No toaster

• ❌ No washing-up liquid, sponge or tea towel

• ❌ No tea or coffee

• ❌ Only one bin bag for the entire week

Although these are available in the shop, I’d strongly recommend bringing with you:

• A tea towel (otherwise you’ll be buying an overpriced souvenir tea towel!)

• A small sponge

• A couple of bin bags

Which Apartment Did We Stay In?

We stayed in what Crystal call the “Superior 1 Bedroom Apartment”.

It had:

• Separate bedroom

• Living room

• Bathroom + separate shower room

• Slept 2 adults and up to 2 children

• 1 - 2 toilets - some apartments have 2, while others just 1 (luck of the draw on this one i'm afraid!)

It was perfect for a family ski trip.

The Hotel Option

Our friends chose to stay in the hotel, which worked perfectly for them as they wanted a catered option, while we preferred self-catering. It meant both families got exactly what suited us — and we could still easily meet up for drinks or a meal in La Thuile. They told us the food was great, they were very pleased with their choice, dinner wasn’t till 7.30pm which would have been a bit late for us.

The hotel rooms are:

• Similar in style

• But without kitchenette or living space

• Available on half board

If you don’t want to cook at all, the hotel is a very easy, low-effort option, which I compare properly in my post: 👉 Planibel Hotel vs Apartments: Which Is Better with Kids?

How Close Is It to the Slopes & Ski School?

The apartments are classed as ski in / ski out.

Realistically:

• 3–5 minute walk to:

  • Bosco Express chairlift

  • Les Suches gondola

  • Ski school meeting point

Honestly, I don’t think you could stay much closer without being in the lift station itself. I could see the lifts from my balcony.

👉 Skiing in La Thuile with Kids: Is It Beginner-Friendly?

Check-In: Be Prepared to Wait

Check-in is… slow.

• Apartments and hotel have different desks, make sure you are in the right line

• Official check-in time is 5pm

• If your room isn’t ready, it probably won’t be before 5pm

Our routine:

• Leave bags in luggage storage

• Go and collect ski equipment

• Leave skis outside a café

• Go for a drink or hire a sledge for the afternoon

Check-Out: Easy

• If you have a bill, pay it

• Otherwise, just drop your key cards at reception

Staff: Mixed, But Sortable

Most of the time, staff are fine — but if there’s a problem, you may need to be persistent.

On one stay, we were put in a room right next to the lift shaft. It was extremely noisy and made sleeping difficult.

They initially said:

• No rooms available

• Or we could pay €390 to upgrade

We asked to speak to a manager and explained that:

• The room wasn’t fit for purpose

• We weren’t paying to fix their problem

After some discussion, they moved us for free into a much bigger apartment. Once moved, we had a fantastic stay. This has only been the case once, since then we always request ahead of time not too be placed near a lift.

Are Planibel Apartments Good for Families?

Honestly?

Yes — and that’s why we keep going back.

It’s:

• Practical

• Close to everything

• Easy with kids

• Not fancy, but extremely convenient

Pros & Cons

✅ Pros

• Incredible location for lifts & ski school

• Great for families

• Apartments are well-equipped

• Ski-in / ski-out

• Good value compared to many Alpine resorts

❌ Cons

• less about being pretty or charming

• Check-in can be slow

• Pool is expensive for apartment guests

• You need to bring a few basics for the kitchen

• Noise can be an issue if you get the wrong apartment (don't be a victim of this!)

Final Verdict: Would We Stay Again?

Yes — we've already been multiple times and we keep coming back!

We did 'do it youself' one year, here is our comparison 👉 Do It Yourself vs Crystal Ski in La Thuile

If you want:

• A stress-free family ski base

• Walking distance to everything

• Space, practicality and convenience

…Planibel is a very solid choice in La Thuile.

Want to Plan Your La Thuile Trip?

You might also like:
👉 The Ultimate Guide to a Family Ski Trip to La Thuile with Crystal Ski

👉 Is La Thuile Good for Families? Our Honest Review of Skiing in Italy with Kids