The Swiss Way
How to read a Swiss mountain apartment before you book it.
You've found a Swiss apartment or chalet. Here's how to understand what you're actually being offered.
How Swiss room counts work
Swiss accommodation is usually described by room count rather than bedroom count. A listing for "3.5 rooms" isn't telling you how many bedrooms it has — it's telling you the total room configuration.
| Listing says | What you should understand |
|---|---|
| 1.5 rooms | Usually a studio-style arrangement |
| 2.5 rooms | Usually 1 bedroom + living area |
| 3.5 rooms | Usually 2 bedrooms + living area |
| 4.5 rooms | Usually 3 bedrooms + living area |
| 5.5 rooms | Usually 4 bedrooms + living area |
The number is not the number of bedrooms. And within a bedroom, two single beds are often pushed together to form what's sold as a king-size bed — not necessarily what a foreign visitor pictures as one.
The exact layout varies from building to building, so the floor plan and the actual sleeping arrangement matter more than the headline number. Treat the table above as a rule of thumb, not a formula: Swiss official housing definitions count habitable rooms — living rooms and bedrooms — while kitchens, bathrooms and corridors aren't counted as rooms at all.
What "half a room" means
The ".5" is additional usable space — often a hallway alcove, a small landing, or a nook off the living room — that doesn't amount to a full room. It isn't another bedroom.
3.5 rooms does not mean 3 bedrooms plus something. It usually indicates a two-bedroom apartment with additional living space. The actual floor plan should always be checked before you assume otherwise.
Swiss apartments in mountain resorts
Mountain accommodation isn't always laid out like a standard city apartment. A building might be a purpose-built chalet, an older mountain property converted into flats, or a newer apartment development — and the difference shows up in the layout, not just the facade.
Common features worth expecting: top-floor or attic apartments with sloped ceilings, split-level units arranged over more than one floor with internal stairs, shared building entrances rather than a private street door, a lift that may or may not reach every level, dedicated ski or boot storage, and balconies or terraces built for a different season than the one you're renting in.
The street level isn't always the apartment level
A property can look close on a map while the actual access involves a slope, a run of steps, a building entrance set above or below the road, an internal staircase, or an uneven winter route from the door. The address and the floor plan don't always tell you the whole access story.
For a winter rental, it's worth checking directly:
- Where is the actual entrance?
- Is there a lift?
- Are there stairs from the street?
- Is the apartment split over levels?
- Where does a taxi or car actually drop you?
- How far is the luggage route from the road to the door?
"Sleeps 6" is not the same as six proper beds
Advertised sleeping capacity can include sofa beds, convertible living spaces and smaller sleeping areas alongside the proper bedrooms — a listing that says "sleeps 6" doesn't automatically mean three bedrooms with two proper beds in each.
Always check the actual bedroom and bed configuration, not just the headline number — this matters most when several colleagues are sharing an apartment for the week.
What to look for in the floor plan
The floor plan tells you far more than "3.5 rooms — sleeps 6" ever will. Before you commit, look for:
- Number of actual bedrooms
- Doors between rooms
- Bathrooms
- Kitchen position
- Living room
- Internal stairs
- Balcony / terrace
- Entrance
- Lift
- Storage
- Whether bedrooms are on different levels
Questions to ask before booking
Ask about the apartment
- How many actual bedrooms?
- What type of beds?
- How many bathrooms?
- Is the living room also used for sleeping?
- Is the apartment on one level?
- Is there a lift?
Ask about the building
- Where is the entrance?
- Are there stairs from the street?
- Is there ski/storage space?
- Where can luggage be unloaded?
Ask about the rental
- What's the check-in arrangement?
- Is cleaning included?
- Are linen and towels included?
- Is a deposit required, and how much?
- What is the minimum stay?
- What are the cancellation terms?
Ready to see what's actually available? Go to What's Available. Wondering why the prices look the way they do? See The Crazy Prices.