Hassela with kids – a ski resort with a pool and a kids' area by the hotel

Hassela is a ski resort where everything for the youngest is gathered in one place. The kids' area is just outside Lodge Hassela, and the same building houses the reception, the pool, the playroom and the restaurant. For a family with a three-year-old and a seven-year-old, that means short walks in ski boots and a warm toilet always close by.

The resort is on Älvåsen, just outside Hassela village in Nordanstig municipality, in northern Hälsingland. It's run by Hassela Ski Resort AB, which is owned by Adolfsen Group/Norlandia – the same group that owns Stöten in Sälen. The company runs the lifts, ski school, rental, pool, restaurants and accommodation, so you book everything in one place.

The slopes – bigger than you'd think

Hassela has 20 runs and 8 lifts spread across two summits. The vertical drop is 310 metres and the longest run is 2.5 kilometres. That's enough for the parents to get some proper runs in too, and Andrébacken is FIS-approved and has hosted the Swedish slalom championships twice.

There are two meeting points in the valley. Hotelltorget by Lodge Hassela is the family side, with the Badhusliften lift and the Badhusbacken slope. Skidtorget is the starting point for the Älvåsliften and Nipåsliften lifts, which take you up the mountain. Once the kids can manage a T-bar and a blue slope, it's time to move over there.

On top of the regular pistes there are five arenas. The Snowpark at the end of Älvåsbacken is for older kids, somewhere between blue and red level. JoyRide in Gaphalsen has banked turns and gentle rollers, and there's a slalom course at the top of Badhusbacken.

Bennys Skidland and Bäverstigen

The mascot is Bäver Benny (Benny the Beaver), which is why the kids' area is called Bennys Skidland. It's on Bäverbacken, with a magic carpet for the very youngest, courses, figures and flags. There are also jumps and boxes for kids who want to try a bit more. The barbecue area and the warming hut are right next to it.

From Benny's home patch, Bäverstigen winds through the forest and comes out on Bäverbacken. It's a forest trail with figures along the way, and it teaches kids to ski on uneven terrain without them noticing they're practising. Bäverstigen opens as soon as there's enough snow.

Let the kids ski Bäverstigen a couple of times before moving on to Skidtorget. If they can handle the forest trail, they can usually handle the blue slopes too.

During the sportlov weeks (the Swedish February school break) and Bennys Weekend, there are treasure hunts, a disco, kids' après-ski and Benny's ski race. Inside Lodge Hassela there's a playroom opposite the pool entrance and a craft room to the right of the main entrance.

Ski school – from age four

The group ski school takes children from age four and splits them into two age groups with three levels each (see the table). Courses run on three consecutive days, Monday to Wednesday or Friday to Sunday. During some periods there are two-day courses on Saturday–Sunday, which fits a normal weekend. The instructors also go through where to stop on the slope and what to keep in mind when skiing in the forest.

Even in the beginners' group, your child needs to be able to take part in the lesson without Mum or Dad alongside. There's no group for three-year-olds, but private lessons are available from age four, and more family members can join the same lesson for an extra charge.

Lift passes, helmets and keycards

Skiing is free up to and including age six, and a helmet is required. From age seven, a youth pass applies, which covers ages up to 17. Everyone needs a SkiData keycard to load their pass onto. If you don't already have one, you can buy a ski pass with a keycard online and collect it from a ski pass machine. Keycards aren't bought back, so keep them for your next trip and don't store them next to your phone.

For days when you're only skiing on the kids' slope, there's a cheaper day pass valid on the button lifts. If you're staying at the resort, you can choose the Multipass, which is included in several of the packages. It covers alpine skiing, cross-country trails, the pool and the gym from your day of arrival to your day of departure.

Two rules are worth knowing. You're not allowed to ride a lift or ski a run with a child in a baby carrier, and sledges aren't allowed in the ski area. The sledging hill by Bennys Skidland is free, and you can borrow a sledge or a bob sled from reception against a deposit.

Badpalatset, mini snowmobiles and cross-country trails

Badpalatset is in the middle of Lodge Hassela, with an indoor pool, an outdoor cold pool, a sauna and a pool bar. It's the afternoon plan when legs are tired. Bring your own padlock for the lockers.

On a fenced track between Hotelltorget and Skidtorget, kids can drive mini snowmobiles. A ride lasts five minutes, the times are in the weekly programme and kids need to wear a helmet.

There are 14.5 kilometres of cross-country trails. Bennyspåret above Lodge Hassela is only 400 metres, and the floodlit Mattesspåret trail, 2.5 kilometres, is lit from early morning until late in the evening. Up on the mountain are the Stormyran and Knallen trails, 4 or 8 kilometres. Kids ski the cross-country trails for free, and the rental shop has touring pulks (towable sledges) for those who can't manage the whole way themselves.

The 2026/27 season and the snow guarantee

Hassela is planning ski and pool opening weekends on Friday to Sunday in weeks 49 and 50 and on Saturday–Sunday in week 51, with skiing from 9 to 15 if snow conditions allow. The snow guarantee applies from 23 December 2026 to 4 April 2027. It promises that the Badhusliften lift and Badhusbacken slope will be open and that there will be at least 1,000 metres of lift-served skiing from Skidtorget. If the guarantee isn't met, you can rebook or cancel.

Ahead of the winter, the snowmaking system is being extended in Luråshalsen, and the Bäverkojan warming hut is getting more seats.

Accommodation

The resort has around 900 beds. Lodge Hassela has hotel rooms and apartments with their own kitchens, and the Bävern and Björnen cabin villages have cabins with four plus two or eight plus two beds. There are also large cabins for groups, and winter camping. Most of the accommodation is within walking or lift distance of the slopes.

The family cabin package runs Sunday to Thursday in weeks 2–7 and 11–12 and includes the Multipass and Bäver Benny's children's book. Sportlov, weeks 8–10, has its own package. The grocery shop is in Hassela village.

By car and by train

From Stockholm it's 350 kilometres. The resort reckons on about three and a half hours, but with kids and breaks it usually takes longer. Take the E4 north and turn off at Jättendal towards Hassela on road 307. From Gävle it's 180 kilometres, about two hours, along the same route. From Sundsvall, take the E4 south to Jättendal, 60 kilometres and about an hour. Hudiksvall is just as close.

Without a car, take the train to Hudiksvall and then the X-trafik bus to Hassela village. The bus stops about seven kilometres from the resort, so plan on a taxi for the last stretch. Sundsvall-Timrå airport is 75 kilometres away. There's more on choosing between car and train in guide to getting to the ski resort.

Hassela or Järvsö?

Järvsö in Ljusdal municipality is the natural alternative in the same province. There, the ski school takes children from age three, and the train stops right in the village. Hassela's advantage is that the kids' area, pool and accommodation are all in one place. That makes things easier with small children who need a rest in the middle of the day.

From Stockholm, Kungsberget is a shorter alternative. The rest of the country's ski hills are listed in ski trips in Sweden. If it's your first time, the guide to taking kids to the slopes for the first time and the packing list are good reads. Which weeks Gävleborg, Västernorrland and the other counties have sportlov is in sportlov 2027 (Swedish February ski break).