Do you bring your Christmas tree along on your winter vacation?
A few years ago, my family pulled up to a parking spot at our Swiss apartment rental and began unloading bags, which I thought we had done a good job squeezing into the car. Then we saw other cars being unloaded – luggage, skis, snowboards, and, oh yeah, Christmas trees with decorations and gifts. Clearly, families had been coming for years. Over the course of our week stay, we realized why.
Accommodations when traveling with a family, especially with children (or adults!) who nap, can affect the enjoyment of a family vacation. But pay for what you get, and with great locations come high price tags right? Or not.
One of the travel gems for my family are the holiday villages (Feriendorfs) from the Swiss Travel Fund cooperative (Schweizer Reisekasse), or Reka for short. Recognizing that not everyone was able to afford going on vacation, Reka was formed in 1939 with the belief that everyone deserved an affordable vacation, regardless of income level.
“Reka’s mission is making holidays and leisure time possible for everyone. And our overarching goal is still to help people get more out of their holidays and leisure time. We understand this to mean: more relaxation, more experiences, more balance and more togetherness.“
-reka.ch
Who can stay at a Reka? You!
A cross-section of representatives from major Swiss companies, employee groups, and the travel sector formed this cooperative and 80+ years later, it still continues to provide its guests value for money and experience. But even if you are not an employee of the over 500 companies that are Reka cooperative members nor do you have a Reka card*, you can still book these Reka apartments.
What is it?
For those unfamiliar with Reka, it is like Airbnb meets hotel. You can stay in a furnished apartment with one or more bedrooms, full kitchen, and other amenities much like you would find in an Airbnb apartment.
And like hotels, depending on its class and size, many of these complexes are on larger grounds where common facilities like swimming pools/complexes, supervised kid’s clubs, and even wellness centers may also be found.
Why we stay at a Reka
We discovered Rekas Christmas 2020 when we were realized we couldn’t see our families in person overseas, but we needed some time away. Restaurants could not offer dine-in options but ski resorts were still open so we thought we could still mark the holiday season with social distance-friendly apartments and spending our time outdoors. We were able to find a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment at Reka Blatten-Belalp, and with its full kitchen, we could prepare meals and eat around ski school and nap times. And as our family was newer to skiing, we realized we were walking distance to the cable car to get up to the slopes. So great for parents who are not used to carrying ski equipment!
Is Reka right for your next family trip?
If you want a low-key family-friendly accommodation option that puts you near the slopes, hiking trails, beach, etc, I suggest you take a look at their Feriendorfs!
- Family-friendly: many families desire a separate bedroom(s) for the kids. These Feriendorf apartments are pretty spacious (as example, we stayed in a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment 90m2/970sqm in size). Cribs (“cots”), high chairs, and additional baby gear may be available depending on the facility.
- Fully stocked kitchen: enjoy flexible mealtimes with a stocked kitchen with everything you need to cook a meal (and as this is Switzerland, you even get a fondue pot at your disposal). If you do not feel like cooking, you can also order delivery or do takeout. And some properties have restaurants on site. For example, Swiss Holiday Park has 4 restaurants (suggest you reserve a couple days early!).
- Cleanliness: yes, this is Switzerland; cleanliness could be its middle name. But when you are traveling with a baby who spends more time on the floor than in a high chair sticking things in its mouth, it’s good to have a clean floor when you arrive.
- Budget-friendly: the the price to location/space value is really high. And some locations have a lot of amenities to offer on-site.
- Great locations: the Feriendorfs are well-situated. Those catering to ski vacations have locations near the slopes or cable cars or offer a shuttle. Everyone doesn’t like to do the same thing? I hear ya. These apartments are great as a base from which to do things.
- Themes: Looking for a farm stay? Or ski holiday? There are different types of Feriendorfs depending on your interests. Reka’s site is great in helping you narrow down the options based on what your priorities are for your trip. Check them out here.
- Kid’s club Rekalino: these Feriendorf properties include Rekalino kids’ clubs and activities.
- Accessibility: barrier-free rooms are available at over 10 properties. Learn more about these properties and the room types that are available.
What’s the catch?
Much like many Airbnbs, you need to tidy up after yourself and there is no cleaning in the middle of your stay. This includes the usual throwing out the trash and sorting the recycling. What’s different is to empty the dishwasher and putting on/off the bed linens.
For the former, we just run the dishwasher as we go to bed at night so that in the morning, it’s pretty quick to put things back. (Tip: you can take pictures of your kitchen drawers and cabinets to see where everything should go so you don’t have to wonder where things go in the morning while trying to pack up.) As for sheets, after 2020, we didn’t mind putting on the sheets and bed covers ourselves. They came in sealed bags so we knew for sure they just came from the cleaners. (We get the kids to help by putting them in charge of the pillows.)
At some places, you can also opt to pay a nominal fee for them to make the beds, which could be good if you are arriving late.
The check-in procedure varies, but it typically involves checking-in in person. I don’t mind this but I know contactless check-ins are more prevalent. When you receive the booking confirmation, the information will be provided there. Much like Airbnb policies, be sure to read the important info!
Finally, if you know where you want to go, book early. These are places that Swiss residents go to; they are not just tourist lodgings. And when we like a place, we book it early. We know some who book it for the next year as they check out. But while this means a lot of things are booked up early, there are still options available closer to the travel date! (And there can be cancellations, so it also doesn’t hurt to check occasionally to see a room gets released. We’ve stayed at Rekas and other places several times thanks to rooms that became open after someone canceled.)
In summary
We found Rekas to be a travel gem for us. Plus, we believe in their mission that everyone deserves to afford a vacation. Every family has their way of traveling. Perhaps a Reka property will host your stay next time you are on vacation!
(All the opinions expressed above are mine. No compensation was received for our Reka stays.)
*We did not have a Reka card the first time we stayed at a Reka. I did eventually decide to get a Reka card via the in-person Coop option with my Supercard. Note that it is a pre-paid card. But it gives 3% off on purchases made with it, which I use for SBB tickets and gas stations to name a few.