I’ve been getting so many questions about my Snowboarding Around the World trip on Instagram that it finally gave me motivation to start the blog up again! A lot of you were interested in the places I stayed, so I thought I would write a blog post about it so you can have an idea of where to stay as well. I’m going to break it up into two parts: Europe (Part 1) and Japan (Part 2). I’m not going to recap my accommodations in the U.S. (unless people really want me to) because all of my U.S. destinations were group trips. It’s almost impossible to snowboard solo around the U.S. unless you’re rich. Ok, let’s get to it!

• Related Article: Snowboarding Around the World: Flights Recap (Points + Cash)

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Where Did I Go on My Snowboarding Around the World Trip?

This is in the order of the countries and resorts that I went to.

Country	Resort
France	Chamonix
	Les 3 Vallées
Finland	Levi
Japan	Nozawa Onsen
	Hakuba Valley
	Lotte Arai
	Rusutsu
	Niseko
	Sapporo Teine
	Furano
	Kamui Ski Links
U.S.A.	Park City (Utah)
	Vail (Colorado)
	Beaver Creek (Colorado)
	Copper Mountain (Colorado)
	Northstar (California)
	Mammoth (California)
	Breckenridge (Colorado)

 

Recommended Things to Buy In Preparation for Your Trip

These are the items that I bought specifically for my trip…

1. Apple AirTags: I put one in my suitcase, my camera bag, my snowboard bag, and in my purse
2. Lock: I use this when I want to lock up my snowboard to the ski racks. Also good if you are staying at a hostel and want to lock up your bags.
3. Snowboarding Backpack: I got this backpack because I wanted something small and waterproof. This is definitely good if you drink a lot of water. Otherwise, I feel like there’s not much room for any of your stuff. I would say this is a great backpack if you just need water, but if you like to bring extra lenses, clothes, etc., there won’t be room for it.
4. Tall Waterproof Boots: Since I’m going to be living in the snow, I figured I would finally spend some money on some decent waterproof boots. I like these a lot since they are lightweight for traveling.
5. Stylish Winter Boots: I wanted to buy another pair of boots that were more for the city for when I want to go out. and these definitely fit the bill! They are a tad bit heavier than the ones above but they look so cool that I couldn’t resist getting both pairs of boots.
6. Down Coat: Since I was lugging A LOT of stuff, I could only afford to bring one decent coat and I ended up purchasing this one. Yes, it was an investment but I wanted something that can last me multiple seasons and that will keep me super warm. I will say that it’s a little snug so if you plan on layering a lot underneath, I would go up one size.
7. Snowboard: I didn’t buy this snowboard specifically for this trip, but in case anyone was wondering what board I’m riding, it’s the Bataleon Push Up.

 

Recommended Credit Card Sign Up

There were four main credit card point/miles programs that I used to fund my trip. If you are thinking of doing something similar, these are the credit cards that I signed up for. 

1. Chase Ultimate Reward Points –> Transfer Partners of Hyatt and Marriott
   • Chase Sapphire Preferred: 75,000 Points Sign-Up (Subject to Change)
   • Chase Sapphire Reserve: 125,000 Points Sign-Up (Subject to Change)
2. Hyatt Points –> Hyatt Hotels 
   • Hyatt Credit Card: 60,000 Point Sign-Up + 1 Free Night  (Subject to Change)
3. Marriott Points –> Marriott Hotels
   • Marriott Bonvoy Bold: 60,000 Point Sign-Up (Subject to Change)
   • Marriott Bonvoy Boundless: 125,000 Point Sign-Up + 1 Free Night (Subject to Change)
   • Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful:  85,000 Point Sign-Up (Subject to Change)
4. American Express Membership Rewards –> Marriott Transfer Partner + $300 Hotel Credit Twice a Year
   • American Express Platinum: Up to 125,000 Points Sign-Up (Subject to Change)

 

When Should I Start Earning Credit Card Points

To be honest, if you want to do a bougie trip like I did and are starting from scratch, you will need about two years. One year to build enough credit card points+miles and roughly another 9 months to a year to book flights and hotels. Most of my points+miles went toward my business class flights. There were maybe 2 or 3 luxury hotels that I stayed at on points, but the rest of my accommodations were paid in cash. Again, this is only if you want to take the same business class fights and book the same luxury hotels I did. 

Below are just recommendations for credit cards that I would sign up for and book the accommodations with. All of the places I stayed in Europe was booked with cash instead of points. 

 

Snowboarding Around the World Accommodations

1. Chamonix (France)

Where I Stayed: €444 ($512 USD) for 4 nights ($128/night) or Alternative Accommodation

Cost: €444 ($512 USD)

Recommended Credit Card Sign-Up: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve

When Did I Book: Early April 2024 for Dec 2024 (9 months ahead)

This studio was perfect for a solo trip. A couple could squeeze in, but it is definitely very small. I wanted my own private space with a kitchen since I was traveling for a couple of months and trying to save money on food. The location is amazing. It is right off the main pedestrian street with tons of restaurants and shops and only two blocks from the free ski bus to the lifts. I also felt like this was a steal considering it was during the Christmas break.

 

2. Les 3 Vallées (France)

Where I Stayed: Poplidays

Cost: ~€1650 ($1900 USD) for 7 nights ($271/night or $136/person/night)

Recommended Credit Card Sign-Up: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve

When Did I Book: Booked in September for over New Years Eve

I spent an obscene amount of time researching places to stay in Les 3 Vallées, and it was not until much later that I realized most vacation rentals require a minimum stay of seven nights. I am not sure if this was due to booking over the holidays or if this is standard practice, but it definitely caught me off guard. Also, my friend joined me for this portion so I was able to share the cost with someone. Below are a few important things I learned from renting in Les 3 Vallées that are worth knowing before you book: Linens: Sheets, pillowcases, blankets, and towels were not automatically included. These needed to be rented separately, so be sure to confirm this in advance with your vacation rental agency. WiFi: WiFi was not included, and our rental agency did not proactively mention this. They also did not inform us that it could be rented. We only found out after visiting their office in person and asking directly. Other amenities: Basic essentials such as trash bags, dish soap, sponges, hand soap, shampoo, and conditioner were not provided. We ended up purchasing all of these items at the grocery store the following day. I ultimately chose this unit because it was the most affordable for the location that we were looking for. I wanted to stay in Mérbiel Centre because I wanted to walk to the lifts versus having to take a bus or shuttle in. I know there are cheaper accommodations, but my friend and I were willing to pay for convenience.

 

3. Rovaniemi (Finland)

Where I Stayed: Rovaniemi Cityapartment or Alternative Options

Cost: €306 ($353 USD) for 2 nights (average $177/night or $88/night per person)

Recommended Credit Card Sign-Up: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve

When Did I Book: Early Jan 2025 for Jan 2025 (2 weeks ahead)

This apartment was so cute and in a great location. It was close to public transportation and an easy walk to the center of town. I do not see it listed anymore, so I have linked a few alternative options above just in case. The same friend joined me here for this portion too, which helped split the cost. The space could fit three people thanks to the three separate beds. My favorite part was the little elf door under the Christmas tree and the private sauna.

 

4. Levi (Finland)

Where I Stayed: Levi Otava

Cost: $374 for 3 nights (average $102/night or $51/person/night)

Recommended Credit Card Sign-Up: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve

When Did I Book: Early Jan 2025 for Jan 2025 (2 weeks ahead)

I picked this place mainly for the location. It is close to the slopes, near a big supermarket, and less than a ten minute walk from the lifts. It is also close enough to the center of town that you can easily walk to restaurants if you do not want to cook. My friend was also with me for this portion. We had a bit of trouble finding it at first because Google Maps led us to the wrong building. In the end, we matched the Airbnb photos to the building exterior and figured it out. The space is very small, probably even smaller than a dorm room, but since you will spend most of your time on the mountain or out at dinner, it gets the job done.

 

5. Helsinki (Finland)

Where I Stayed: Hotel

Cost: $249 for 2 nights (average $125/night or $62/night/person)

Recommended Credit Card Sign-Up: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve

When Did I Book: Early Jan 2025 for Jan 2025 (2 weeks ahead)

My friend and I decided to book a hotel (vs. Airbnb) for our time in Helsinki for the sake of simplicity. He was heading home while I was continuing on to Japan, and staying at a hotel made check-in and check-out much easier since we were leaving at different times. The hotel itself is fun and quirky, and it is also connected to a small mall, which is convenient if you want to do a bit of shopping.  The location of hotel is excellent in terms of shopping, eating, and exploring the town. But if you are traveling solo and are carrying your snowboard bag with you, I have to say that it’s a bit of trek from the train station. My friend and I managed to walk all of our stuff to the hotel and I manage to lug all of my stuff by myself when I left, but both times were not easy. Doable, but definitely not convenient. Just something to keep in mind.

 

Total Breakdown

Ok here is the TOTAL breakdown of all of my accomodations for my Snowboarding Around the World Trip (Part 1: Europe)!

Flight	Total	My Portion
1. Chamonix (France)	$512 USD	$512 USD
2. Les 3 Vallées (France)	$1900 USD (split w/ friend)	$950 USD
3. Rovaniemi (Finland)	$353 USD (split w/ friend)	$177 USD
4. Levi (Finland)	$374 USD (split w/ friend)	$187 USD
5. Helsinki (Finland)	$249 USD (split w/ friend)	$125 USD
TOTAL (France + Finland):	$3,388 USD	$1,951 USD

 

Conclusion

Staying three weeks in France and Finland, it looks like my accommodations cost me around $2.000. So, on average it cost me about $100/day. I think that’s decent especially since it was over Christmas and New Years. Of course, I had a friend with me for most of this portion, so that definitely helped with costs. 

On a side note… I’m slowly but surely getting through all of my Snowboarding Around the World content! I seriously can’t believe it’s taken me this long to publish info about my trip but it’s seriously so hard to find the time and the energy. Hopefully your amazing support keeps on coming so I can stay motivated and publish faster for all of you. Stay tuned for my Snowboarding Around the World: Accommodations (Part 2: Japan) post!