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Resort Guide

Suitability	Resort height: 800m
Families:		[Yes]
Glacier:		[No]
Beginners:		[4]
Intermediates:		[4]
Advanced:		[3]
Snowboarding:		[3]

Geilo is one of Scandinavia's classic ski resorts with a long standing reputation for being the most sophisticated resort in the region. The village centre has an Alpine feel, unusual in Norway, thanks to the concentration of traditional hotels, restaurants, pubs and shops to be found here. In common with many other of the large Scandinavian resorts however, it is a rather spread out affair with facilities and lift-access to the slopes spread out along the valley floor over a few kilometres, so the ski bus service is often useful.

The resort developed more than a century ago and was boosted by the arrival of the railway line to Bergen. It opened one of Scandinavia's first chairlifts in the 1950s. On-going expansion and upgrades have kept pace with the world's ski developments. Uplift now includes a six-seater chair and there are terrain parks and all other modern requirements satisfied on the normally uncrowded slopes.

The resort has two separate ski areas, both of which offer a full range of terrain from beginner to expert runs, much of it on pistes carved through the forest, but at the highest point of the main area above Geilo, Havsdalshovda, the lifts rise above the treeline and access trails across open powder fields. The smaller Vestlia Skicenter across the valley is easy to each on the ski bus. In common with all Scandinavian ski areas it can be (but isn't always) very cold mid-winter and it is dark, with the lifts closing at 3.30pm up to early January and then opening progressively longer, up to 5pm, by Easter.

Beginners

Beginners have the twin benefits of an excellent ski school and great beginner terrain next to the village. Group lessons start every Monday at 11.30am or 2pm and every lesson lasts 110 minutes. However, private lessons are also popular here, where there is an emphasis on the key issue of getting
the best equipment to suit you, and a free of charge ski and boot demo service so you can try different models on the snow.

Intermediates

More than half of the terrain is rated intermediate and most who are not too demanding will find enough here to keep them entertained for a week. The modest vertical by alpine standards does deliver trails of up to two kilometres (a mile and a quarter) long and night skiing is offered on three evenings per week for most of the season.

Advanced

Geilo does not have a huge amount of expert skiing, but when snow conditions are right there are extensive tree skiing opportunities and also the option of ski touring. There are five black trails spread across the ski area with off-piste routes also marked on the piste map. The Halstensgard sector has some of the steepest terrain including the tricky Olkorken black run.

Snowboarding

Geilo is a major snowboarding centre with three separate terrain parks and Scandinavia's only super pipe. The parks offer big jumps, rails, fun box and a boarder cross course. The selection of four and six seater chairs make getting up the slopes quick and easy.

Other Activities and Facilities

Geilo has plenty to do besides downhill skiing, indeed cross country skiers - who have 220km of trails to follow around the region - and other winter sport enthusiasts probably outnumber Alpine skiers and snowboarders. Snowmobile safaris are popular, or alternatively you can race your snowmobile on a special course. Gentler on-snow activities available include sleigh rides, reindeer or dog sledding and sleigh rides. There's also ice skating and toboggan runs.

Indoors there are spas and health centres, museums, a climbing wall and a range of shops. Other facilities include banks, hairdressers and a post office. Dr. Holms Hotel has bowling, a beauty salon and casino and, in common with the other large hotels in the resort, an excellent swimming pool. The resort also has a small shopping centre.

Après Ski and Dining Out

Geilo has a moderate selection of bars and restaurants, but they do include some of the best in world skiing. However, as is the norm across Scandinavia, prices are high for food and drink. Restaurants serve everything from Norwegian traditional cooking such as fish and reindeer through pizza and burgers to French gourmet food.

The century-old Dr. Holms hotel at the base of the slopes is one of the world's classic ski hotels, and is the main spot for après ski when the lifts close, offering a wide range of bars and restaurants within its extensive building. The hotel has five bars including the Ski Bar, which is the resort's original après ski spot.

Elsewhere there are a few other bars, the liveliest usually the Alpinisten Bar which is open to 2am at weekends. The Dr. Holms Hotel has three restaurants including a gourmet restaurant, the best in town. For traditional Norwegian food the Restaurant Hallingstuene in the resort centre hosted by Frode Aga and his wife Berit Kongsvik is decorated in the traditional Hallingstuer style with open fireplaces and Norwegian rose painting. They offer traditional halling dishes and other local specialities.

Families

Young children aged from birth to seven can join the Trollklubben with specially trained staff. Children up to age seven receive free lift tickets as well as free ski helmet rental. There are several special separated-off ski areas for children with their own gentle ski lifts and fun terrain areas. Off the ski slopes there are toboggan hills (sledges can be rented), a weekly family entertainments programme and most restaurants offer special children's menus.

Accommodation in Geilo

• Dr Holms Hotel - 4 star, half board
• Forest Cabins - 4 star, self catering
• Forest Chalet - 4 star, catered
• Forest Chalet 2 - 4 star, catered
• Forest Chalet 3 - 4 star, catered
• Forest Chalet 4 - 4 star, catered
• Geilo Apartments - 3 star, self catering
• Geilolia Apartments - 4 star, self catering
• Highland Hotel - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Ustedalen - 3 star, half board
• Vestlia Hotel - 4 star, half board

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