Where to Stay in Hemsedal

First-timers book Hemsedal because it's Norway's best resort with reliable snow and good terrain. They see decent apartment prices (£160/night for 4 people = £40pp, seems reasonable) and book at the ski center. Then they discover Norwegian prices: groceries cost double UK prices, a basic restaurant meal is £45-65, beer is £10. That 'affordable' apartment still requires £400-500/person for food/drink even when self-catering. Their 'budget' trip costs £1400/person all-in. The mistake: looking only at accommodation costs, not total trip budget. In Norway, accommodation is the cheap part — living expenses destroy budgets. They should've either: (a) driven from Oslo with a car full of groceries (saves £200-300), (b) accepted total costs and budgeted £1500-1800/person including flights, or (c) gone to cheaper Scandinavian resorts like Trysil. Hemsedal is excellent for skiing but brutally expensive. Know the full cost before booking.