 Poster: A snowHead
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This is a feedback thread for lynseyf's resort report:
Jasna (March 2007)
Feel free to add, comment, or write your own report...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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that actually looks like a cracking wee resort and could be worth a look for a cheap(er) break away as a 2nd ski holiday. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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We're always after new places to ski - but there are seemingly a few ski areas in that vicinity  Can anyone provide an idiot's guide or answer the following?:
1. Is there a main town or resort recommended as a base?
2. Any recommendations on accommodation? (No name of digs specified in lynseyf's report....)
3. Is Poprad the best/only place to fly to?
4. Are the ski areas very near to each other?
Cheers.
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We never went to any other resorts, had great snow so stayed in Jasna
Booked accommodation through here
http://www.slovakotour.sk think it was one of the Zahradky Bungalows, also check out propaganda snowboards, they looked to have good deals when we went, have never stayed with them but worth a look
Poprad is much closer to the mountains but obviously Bratislava is the main airport, no idea what other airports are near
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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We flew to Bratislava as it cost less than Poprad, but the drive to Jasna did take two and a half hours. There is enough skiing in Jasna alone for a week, due to the large freeride areas. There are other ski areas within an hour, of which Donovaly looks best for intermediates; others are generally smaller but seem to have some interest and are close enough for day trips.
We stayed in the Hotel Druzba on the slope in Jasna and had no complaints.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I don't think there are flights to Poprad since Sky Europe went bust. Danube Wings were flying there from Luton but on just checking I think they may have pulled the service. I think it's the same for Kosice (about an hour to the East of Poprad).
Car seems the best bet as the train to Poprad takes 4 hours (although I guess if you are going to Jasna you may get off before Poprad). The trains are good if you go that way and first class isn't expensive.
As a base I guess Poprad would be the one as it has access to the High and Low Tatras but it would still be 30-40 mins to any resort. There is also a mountain train from Poprad which goes past the resorts in the High Tatras.
The ski areas in the High Tatras are small and not linked so what you find is that a mile down the road will be another small ski area. In that regard it looks as if Jasna may be your best bet and if you wish to see other bits of Slovakia hire a car.
I've been across to Poprad a couple of times and really liked it and the country (Poprad is my mate's home town) but I couldn't get the hang of the language at all - I just gave up when he continually took the wee wee out of my pronunciation (getting his own back I guess for me taking the wee wee out of his English  )
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Liveezy
Thanks for that - very helful.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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An article from the Metro yesterday.. http://www.metro.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/842952-slovakia-get-piste-on-the-cheap
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Slovakia: Get piste on the cheap
If funds have gone downhill for you this year there's no need to put your ski trip on ice – just head for Slovakia's slopes.
Jasná run Skiers tackle the Jasná run in the Low Tatras (Lonely Planet)
Once upon a time the annual ski trip conjured up a number of images: quaffing fine wine in a rustic restaurant, savouring all-you-can-eat fondue and swooshing carefree down the piste.
Thanks to a strong euro and a long stint crunching the credit, the reality is now somewhat different.
The big European resorts are more expensive than ever and have turned ski trips into a penny-pinching exercise that would make even a student wince.
However, while hard-up skiers and snowboarders weep into their home-made baguettes on the French slopes, the savvy few are heading east to the untouched and quietly hip resorts of Slovakia.
If you yearn to bump into a Gucci-clad Victoria Beckham, forget it – Slovakia is all about relaxed, low-key fun.
There’s no need to panic if you’re wearing last season’s gear, either: in Slovakia, you can expect to see one-piece ski suits and 1980s fluorescent jump suits Borat would be proud of.
Anything goes on these slopes. There are five main ski areas in Slovakia. Jasná, in the Low Tatras, is the main resort and despite its name is anything but low – it peaks at more than 2,000m, allowing for consistently good conditions.
The High Tatras and Low Tatras are less than an hour apart by road but the latter offers the best skiing and lift infrastructure. Multi-area ski passes enable visitors to cover both areas.
Jasná has 96 static snow cannons covering 12km of the slopes and allows skiing on both the north and south of Chopok mountain.
The snow-making system guarantees snow for five months of the year and creates a further 15km of negotiable piste while 2km of the slopes are illuminated for night skiing during this time.
Snowboard manufacturer Burton has not missed Jasná’s growing appeal to clued-up boarders.
The Burton Snow Park Jasná may not be the biggest but it is becoming increasingly popular with those who want to meet like-minded boarders and avoid huge crowds.
Having been involved for a few years Burton has promised that this year’s snow park will be even better. The final details are still to be confirmed but a company spokesman told us there will be an impressive kicker-line and a jib-line.
Last year’s park surprised most boarders with its progressive approach and its appeal to beginners and expert riders alike.
In total Jasná hosts 31km of trails, 22km on the north and 9km on the south of Chopok, with a wide variety of levels: 27 per cent of the tracks are easy, 49 per cent medium and 24 per cent difficult.
There’s easy-to-find freestyle terrain at the back of the mountain, where you discover the more adventurous boarders looking for fresh powder.
One of the main draws of Jasná, admittedly, is the après-ski. For many the soaring prices of the big European resorts have turned a night on the town into an evening in the corner nursing half a Kronenbourg.
In Jasná there is no need to skulk around rueing the end of happy hour – a pint costs about 50p and cheap shots abound.
Jasná is working hard to take on the might of Austria when it comes to après-ski and there are a number of decent drinking holes just off the slopes.
The big news is that the Après Ski Disco Bar at Biela Put, five minutes from the lifts, is set to open this season. Nice.
For the same price as a plate of chips in Europe (as much as €7 in some resorts), in Jasná you can get a proper meal and it’s brought to your table instead of a canteen-style affair.
At Pizza von Roll, a stylish mountain restaurant fashioned from the old cable car housing – the cogs and mechanisms are still visible at ceiling level – you can get a freshly made pizza for €8.
Bizarrely there’s also good fish soup available (on a mountain?) and excellent risotto, all for a reasonable price. The après-ski bars at the bottom of the slopes also do a cracking hot chocolate all day.
Slovakia A hot chocolate from the après-ski bars won’t disappoint (Alamy)
Getting to Jasná isn’t as easy as it was when SkyEurope flew direct to Poprad, around 50mins away by car. It now entails flying to Krakow and getting an easy two-hour transfer. I met some adventurous British skiers who took a low-cost flight to Bratislava, followed by a five-hour train journey.
Two of the best hotels are the Grand Hotel Jasná, right on the slopes, and the Tri Studničky, only ten minutes away by transfer bus.
Both offer four-star accommodation at three-star prices.
Slovakia: Best bits
Best Autumn Festival: International Film Festival Bratislava. Held from November 5 to 11, this festival offers a diverse programme of contemporary cinema on screens across the city. www.iffbratislava.sk
Best Night Out: Sparx, Bratislava. One of Bratislava’s busiest nightspots, located in a building that was once the largest beer hall in central Europe.
Best Run: Bratislava City Marathon, March 25-27. If you don’t fancy the heat of summer marathons, this scenic March race rarely sees temperatures above 10°C. www.bratislavamarathon.com
Best Castle: Bojnice Castle, near Prievidza. Looking like something out of a Disney movie, this castle is one of the most popular attractions in the country. www.bojnicecastle.sk
Best Market: Christmas Market, Bratislava. Slightly more low-key than Germany’s versions but still a great place to soak up the festive spirit and shop for unusual gifts.
Best Soak: Thermal pools, Liptovský Ján. Set in the picturesque heart of Slovakia, the natural springs here have long been favoured by locals and tourists alike. |
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