This guide is built from Iglu-Dorf’s own pages, prices and conditions — what is included, how the villages work and what each igloo is like come straight from the operator, never invented.

What the Family & Friends Igloo is

It is one igloo — about four metres across — where everyone sleeps together on a snow bed with thermal mats, thin mattresses and sheepskins, each person in an expedition sleeping bag with a cotton liner. In Gstaad it takes up to six people; Iglu-Dorf lists a basic rate that covers three adults and charges each additional guest separately (the exact add-on is not published on the page we read, so you will see it at checkout).

Everything else is the standard Iglu-Dorf evening: aperitif tray and welcome drink, igloo tour, night walk or snowshoeing, all-you-can-eat cheese fondue, use of the whirlpool and sauna, morning tea and breakfast. The toilets are shared dry toilets in the village centre — there is no private toilet in this version (the “Plus” version has one, but it is not part of our deal).

Why Gstaad suits families and groups

Of the three Swiss villages in our deal, Gstaad has the lowest altitude (about 1,900 m by the FAQ), the shortest walk from the lift (five to seven minutes for day guests, against about 20 in Davos and Zermatt) and running water and showers. Iglu-Dorf says that for children under six, Gstaad or Kühtai are the recommended villages, and recommends the overnight stay for children aged six and above in general.

That does not make it a toddler destination. Iglu-Dorf is explicit: there are no changing tables, highchairs or childcare. We would book Gstaad for children from around six or seven who like adventures, and for teenagers and friends who want a story. Our family guide has the wider picture: family igloo night with kids.

The evening with children in tow

Check-in is at 4:30 pm at the bar in Gstaad village, where you get an aperitif. A train takes you to Saanenmöser; from there you walk about four minutes to the cable car valley station and ride up to Saanerslochgrat. The cable car only runs during normal ski hours, so arriving on time matters. Tickets are bought at the valley station and the regional pass is valid there, according to the arrival notes.

The checkout form splits guests by age band: adults 16 and over, teenagers 10 to 15, children up to 9. Add everyone — it keeps the booking correct and the safety information accurate.

For kids the highlights are the snowshoe walk with headlamps after dusk, the whirlpool and sauna (bring swimwear and flip-flops) and the fondue, which is lactose-free and contains less than 0.1% alcohol. Vegetarian guests who avoid cheese can request pasta with tomato sauce when booking.

Cold, toilets and the honest bits for parents

Inside the igloo it stays between about −2 and +2 °C. Children sleep in the same expedition bags as adults; fleece blankets are available on request. Pack dry thermals, socks, two hats each and spare gloves, a headlamp per person and a change of clothes for the morning.

Parents often ask about the night-time toilet trip. It is a walk to the shared dry toilets in the village centre — plan for it, give older children their own headlamp and agree a “wake me” rule. If that feels like too much with a young child, consider the heated TinyLodge for two adults, or wait a year.

Safety matters in the mountains: Iglu-Dorf has trained guides on site, a first aid kit and a defibrillator, and sends a safety instruction PDF after booking. In extreme storms or if the cable car stops, it may be impossible to reach the village; Iglu-Dorf then offers an alternative date, a voucher or a refund, usually decided by midday on the day.

Friends' trip or birthday: how it works for 4–6

The Family & Friends Igloo is also the natural pick for four to six adults. The price logic is a base rate for three plus a charge per additional person, so a group of six shares one igloo and one fondue table rather than booking three Romantic Igloos. Ask Iglu-Dorf about private events or exclusive rental if you want the village to yourselves — those are on request via the booking office and not part of our code.

Group planning is half the fun. Decide early who is organising the booking and the payment, because Iglu-Dorf takes payment in advance by invoice or card and the organiser carries the cancellation terms: free up to 60 days before the stay, then 10%, 50% and 100% in staggered steps. Travel insurance is recommended. Tell everyone about the walk and the packing list a week ahead so nobody turns up with a wheeled suitcase.

Group etiquette that helps: agree on a bed order before dark, share one power bank, and keep a bag for wet clothes. The sauna slot is per igloo, so everyone gets the same time together. Birthday add-ons such as a surprise cake (CHF 15) can be added in the Gstaad checkout.

Which nights the code works in Gstaad

Our code covers stays from 4 January to 4 April 2027, Sunday to Thursday nights only. In Gstaad the hotel is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays after 3 January, so in practice the code nights are Sunday, Monday and Thursday. For families that is a neat fit: a Sunday night leads into a Monday morning start, ideal for school holidays when you can choose the day. The live calendar shows which nights are really open, and we cannot promise others.

School-holiday weeks sell out first (Iglu-Dorf notes weekends and holidays go quickly), so look at the calendar early. Read about the rule in the Sunday-to-Thursday guide.

Family & Friends Igloo or something else?

If your group is two adults, the Romantic Igloo — Gstaad5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 has the same programme for the lower price of CHF 538. If one of you wants a bed and a heater, the TinyLodge — Gstaad5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 starts from CHF 438 for two. If you are travelling with a child under six, we would ask Iglu-Dorf directly before booking. See also romantic vs family igloo.

How to book your igloo night with HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5

Bookings are tracked by the code only — there is no special tracking link — so the code is the only way your 5% and our small commission get registered. We are Iglu-Dorf’s affiliate partner; it costs you nothing extra. Here is the whole process, in order.

1. Pick the village and igloo. Family & Friends Igloo in Gstaad sleeps up to six. Open Family & Friends Igloo — Gstaad5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5.
2. Open Iglu-Dorf’s own booking page (the link above, directly on iglu-dorf.com) and add your guests. The date calendar appears after that.
3. Choose a night between 4 January and 4 April 2027, Sunday to Thursday. In practice that means Sunday, Monday and Thursday nights in Gstaad — the hotel is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays after 3 January. The live calendar shows exactly which nights are open — if a date is not offered, it is not bookable.
4. Scroll down the checkout page. You will see two boxes: “Voucher” and “Promo-Code”. Use the Promo-Code box, type HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5, press Add and check that the 5% reduction appears before you confirm. (Not the Voucher box — that one is for gift vouchers.)
5. Fill in guest details, pay as the checkout asks and confirm. Cancellation is free up to 60 days before the stay; after that Iglu-Dorf’s staggered fees apply (10%, 50%, then 100% inside the last week), so a travel insurance is worth a thought.

FAQ

Our Honest Final Word

For a family with children from about six, or a group of friends, the Family & Friends Igloo in Gstaad is the easiest Iglu-Dorf night to say yes to: the shortest walk, a shower nearby, the same fondue and hot tub as everywhere. We have not stayed ourselves — we researched it and partnered with Iglu-Dorf — and we would be honest that it is cold, simple and not for toddlers.

If it fits, book directly with Family & Friends Igloo — Gstaad5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5, enter HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 in the Promo-Code box and take 5% off a Sunday-to-Thursday night between 4 January and 4 April 2027. More options are in our igloo hotel guide.

5% off · code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5

Where we would sleep in an igloo

Tap an igloo to see live dates and prices on Iglu-Dorf’s booking page. Enter HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout for 5% off — stays 4 jan – 4 apr 2027, sunday to thursday nights.

Gstaad · sleeps 3–6Family & Friends Igloo — Gstaadfrom CHF 627 per night for 3 people, each additional person charged separately (as shown on iglu-dorf.com, Nov 2026)Check dates with 5% off →Davos Klosters · sleeps 3–6Family & Friends Igloo — Davos Klostersfrom CHF 627 per night for 3 people, each additional person charged separately (as shown on iglu-dorf.com, Nov 2026)Check dates with 5% off →Gstaad · sleeps 2TinyLodge — Gstaadfrom CHF 438 per night for 2 (as shown on iglu-dorf.com, Nov 2026)Check dates with 5% off →

Code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 gives 5% off the public price when you book directly with Iglu-Dorf (Stays 4 Jan – 4 Apr 2027, Sunday to Thursday nights; Friday and Saturday nights excluded). We are Iglu-Dorf’s partner and earn a small commission when you book with our code. Our igloo guide →