Alternatives to Esprit...?

A snowHead

Hello all - help, please...

Having just had a very successful 1st experience of using Esprit, we're now thinking about next year's trip. Oddly the Easter prices are around the same or actually more than Feb H/T. Things that worked well (for us) with Esprit were:

- easy to drop kids outside the accommodation - their staff dealt with transporting skis (simple but great idea)
- kept them entertained until lesson time
- the supervised lunch (collecting them at 2pm was a great idea)

Based on the collective knowledge of this group, who would you recommend (that won't break the bank!)? Based on posts I've seen, Family Friendly Skiing / Mark Warner / Ski Famille etc. all get a mention - but prices seem on the upper end (vs Esprit) or there's the faff of organising own transport etc. And Snowbizz already seem to be full on the dates I was looking at!

We'd prefer Easter (sunnier / warmer / theoretically less busy etc.). Am not precious about where to go, either (so long as it's got a decent claim on reliable April snow). Our kids are under 10 - there's a possibility we'll go with an extended family group next year with a couple of novices including a 15yr old.

Thanks in advance!

A snowHead

@schnitzel_skier, what age are your kids?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

They're currently 8 & 5 - this year was their first experience of it. Thanks

You need to Login to know who's really who.

We've had 2 good trips with Family Friendly Skiing if you are ok with the 3 valleys area.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@schnitzel_skier, thanks. With those ages I think you may struggle to find better value than Esprit. Other snowHeads will say if their opinion is different I'm sure.
I do know one or two family friendly hotels, which would be cheaper, but not with the same 'wraparound package' that the likes of Esprit offer. They'd be more suitable when kids a couple of years older and more experienced I think.
Note, if you go with extended family group, I doubt whether most 15 year olds would find Esprit 'cool' if you know what I mean.
Don't know whether hiring services of an individual child-carer in resort is an option, especially if large family group? I've no experience of that but others may have.
IME, although not cheap, we had 10+ weeks with Esprit and thought every one worth the cost!

You'll need to Register first of course.

@Richard_Sideways, thanks for that - happy with that area, just looked like an expensive option? Also looked to be some faff factor with arranging transport (although perfectly doable I'm sure)

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@schnitzel_skier, what are your Easter dates? As I have booked Esprit for the second week of Easter holidays for next season (16th April) and found it very good value much cheaper than we paid for going out on 2nd April this year (again the second week of Easter school holidays).

After all it is free

@NickyJ, thanks for replying - ours are the 2wks running up to Easter (they go back on the Tuesday) so we'd be looking at the second week. We were lucky this year as our Easter hols were late so we did 10-17 April in Arc2000. Good value and quiet

@intermediate, thanks for that - agree they were good. Seems we just have to brace ourselves for the same holiday costing considerably more!

I know what you mean about the "cool" factor but a sole use chalet could perhaps avoid that. My assumption is we could arrange totally separate lessons for him.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@schnitzel_skier, no problem. If your group big enough to book a whole chalet you should get good early booking discounts. Conversely, with Easter 2017 being quite late, you may need to brace yourselves for the cost of higher, snow sure resorts.
Should be fine booking separate lessons for 15 year old during main holiday period. If he's a novice, still likely to need some shepherding to/from meeting points.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@schnitzel_skier, ah, I see.

Another one to check is the week before Christmas? They go on the Friday that my school breaks up and is cheap for that week... But I know some schools don't break up until part way through the following week. Given my school break up at lunch time on the Friday I personal wouldn't have an issue missing that one half day....

Other operators that do have some kids clubs are Neilson and Crystal. Haven't used those ourselves so can't recommend

We did try Mark Warner one year and actually preferred Esprit.

snow reports

@NickyJ, Xmas is a nightmare - they don't break up until 23rd! Then not back until 9th - meaning either of the weeks carries the Xmas or NY cost loading. February is not out of the question (think ours is later than some) but horror stories of how busy France is make me wary

@schnitzel_skier, when our kids were your age, we used Esprit and, like you, were generally happy with the service provided. The downsides were that the accommodation was a bit basic, the ski classes were a little too large, and, if we were honest with ourselves, we'd really have preferred to have eaten dinner with our own kids but definitely not with other peoples' kids.

The following year, we did it completely differently and this might be a useful thought experiment for you. We went to Big Sky in the States, and, instead of relying on a tour operator to sort out the child care, we relied on the resort. At the time (12 years ago now), the total cost for a family of five was slightly lower than with Esprit in Europe and we even managed to slip in a day touring Yellowstone park to give the kids' tired legs a break from skiing.

Like many North American resorts, Big Sky offered pre and post ski-school childcare, including a supervised lunch. The kids club was free to resort residents and was based in our hotel, the Huntley Lodge. We found that we didn't use this every day, though, as the kids often wanted to show us what they'd learned in their lessons.

The accommodation was far superior to a typical European chalet - very spacious rooms with an outdoor swimming pool that the kids absolutely loved while we sipped beer in the hot tub. The ski school was also great as it's rare to find a class size of more than 4 in the States, and it's hard to beat the rapport that can be built up by a native English speaker.

It's a long way to travel, but we thought that the trip was definitely worth the effort. I would consider going at half term in the UK as, unless it clashes with President's Weekend, mid February is rarely busy in North America. You might also be able to shave your costs considerably by taking 1-2 days off school to avoid weekend travel.

You know it makes sense.

@Jonny Jones, well that's something I'd not contemplated - hmm... Definitely a big adventure for the kids. The non weekend travel is a no though as Mrs Schnitzel is a teacher.Maybe an Easter consideration though!

If Trump gets elected then I'd steer clear!!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

We've used Crystal twice (La Plagne 1800 and Tignes) and can't fault the childcare. They do a really good wraparound style thing if you want it, whereby you drop them off in the morning and pick them up in the early evening and they take them to/from ski school etc. You have the option - of course, they're your children! - to take them out for an afternoon if you want. The standard of childcare in both clubs was extremely good, especially in Tignes for my son with autism - they really went above and beyond.

Sure, you don't get the bedtime stuff, although I think they're starting to offer that in some places now. And you can get them to babysit for ten euros an hour I think it was on a private basis. I found Crystal to be cheaper than Esprit anyway, but we have quite a large family - four children - so perhaps that's why it works out better? Who knows..

A snowHead

Ski Hillwood Zauchensee austria. Excellent ski in, out, good hotels with pools etc, good ski school, been the last 2 years at easter

A snowHead

@schnitzel_skier, I noticed via facebook that they have increased the child discounts for new year.... Don't know if that helps make it more affordable (I didn't look at the new year prices as they are normally rather pricey)

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@schnitzel_skier,

You need to Login to know who's really who.

It is very hard to beat Esprit for value. I've had 3 successful trips with Esprit and my now 8 year old son. However, I think we are now beyond them and next year we are doing DIY. The problem is that once you go beyond their "Advanced" classes they don't have anything else to offer. While I could have booked him in to an external providers classes one of the benefits of Esprit is the take to/from the slopes and also the socialising between kids in the group. That is lost when you go external.

We are doing something very different next February. My son is very much in to his racing so we are doing the English Alpine Champs in Bormio. Other kids from his race club will be there so he will have company. We've even convinced my non-skiing wife to come out for some of it as there will be things for her to do in Bormio.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Gaza, I noticed in the preview brochure they now offer take to / pickup service as an option for if you aren't using sprites classes. I am assuming it is in response to just that short fall in their offering.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Thanks @NickyJ. I must have missed that. Embarassed

I assume it will be chargeable. Toofy Grin

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Of course

I seem to recall thinking it was reasonable. We are in Val d'Isere next season so they have sprite advance (first time I have booked my eldest onto that), so wasn't an issue for us so didn't look too closely I must admit.

After all it is free

Thanks for all thoughts / comments so far - appreciated!

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@Jonny Jones, you make some good points in favour of NA and we've enjoyed our skiing there, as my positive points demonstrate. Referring back to the OP, the kids have 1 week skiing experience and aged 8 and 5. I'm sure Europe has enough challenge for them next year.
I'm pleasantly surprised by your positive information on prices being broadly similar. I'd have thought with strong USD, more expensive flights, lift passes and insurance, NA would cost much more than Europe. Must agree though that especially in Val D, particularly in school holidays, they certainly know how to charge!

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

We are not long back from Champoluc in Italy and booked through ski2.

I would highly recommend them. They are very family focused, the ski school is excellent (mostly native british speakers too), they have ski lockers at the bottom of the gondola, they pick you up from any nearby airport, they run a taxi service in the resort (for free), give you lunch vouchers each day and you have a free visit to the fantastic new spa in Champoluc included too.

Champoluc is a lovely mountain village. There is a bit of a jump from the nursery slope to a red run (no blues in the vicinity), but having said that my son of 4 and a quarter was skiing down a red on his second/third day (he had been taking lessons back home though and it was his third ski holiday).

Five hours lesson each day for the children and lunch in a mountain restaurant at a very reasonable rate.

We will quite possibly return next year. Speaking to other parents in the hotel that we were staying in, they do seem to have a lot of repeat custom - make of that what you will.

snow reports

VIP do wrap-around childcare. Family member of mine has used them with her offspring (2 and 4), as have their friends, and were happy with the level of childcare offered. Not sure how prices compare to esprit.

You know it makes sense.

@always29, If you have school hols starting 26th March next year I think you are in the lucky minority.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@snowymum, utter div that I am, it's the week after, got my weekends confused!

A snowHead

@schnitzel_skier,
We've used Skiv02 in the past (based in Le Praz, 3V). They do transfers, childcare, ski lessons, in-house ski equipment, catered chalets. You just have to book the flights. Pretty reasonable too in terms of cost. We stayed in the very lovely Sapin Bleu.

A snowHead

Thanks all - some good food for thought

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

. . .we did L2A with Neilson at the Aalborg this easter with 3x kids - 11,8 & 6 . . without going into detail it was pretty much perfect in terms of location and service - and the kids loved it. Easter is late next year . . the L2A glacier is pretty much guaranteed snow - worth getting a quote for your dates if nothing else . . .

Help!!

Alternatives to Esprit...?

snowHeads Forum Index >>> The Piste