Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks once again to everyone who helped me with my previous advice request.
I have now made an informed decision which is as follows:
I want to go to Courcheval 1850 on 28th Jan and stay in a Catered Chalet. I know it is more expensive than other resorts but since this is my first time I want to give myself the optimum chance to really enjoy it.
The advice I need is how do I go about booking somewhere? I have looked at loads of travel operator websites and they are all extremely unhelpful and difficult to use - a lot of them you can't specify 1850 or because there are only 2 of you they shove you into a self catered apartment!
Anyone have any ideas? I don't mind putting in the donkey work to book chalets and flights seperately, I just need an idea where to start!
Look foreward to replies
Kos
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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have you tried www.iglu.com ?
it's sort of an aggregator for lots of tour ops
my advice (make of it what you will...) would be to dig around and find some smaller operators. my experience is that you get more personal attention and better service and they aren't necessarily more expensive. mind you, I self arrange everything these days so i am sure there people with more upto date info
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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try the following:
mark warner - www.markwarner.co.uk - good quality Chalethotels Dahu and Bon Sejour
Although I have never been with Mark Warner I have heard good recommendations and may use them in the future and the idea of a chalethotel is a good mixture of the informality of a chalet with the services and standards of a hotel.
I do not think that the Ski Club of GB does holidays there although with effect from last year they now have a rep in place at Courcheval 1850. If you are a member you can ski with them during the week or if not a member you can ski for one day with them free. Check out www.skiclub.co.uk
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Good choice of resort. I've only stayed in budget accommodation in 1850, but friends stayed with www.supertravel.co.uk and were impressed with their service. They seem to have a nice range of catered chalets in Courchevel. For ski school I would highly recommend either http://www.supremeski.co.uk/ or http://www.skinewgen.com/ Both are British-run schools, offering first class instruction. You can book online through the websites of both the schools.
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kosciosco, this may be too obvious but have you tried getting the tour ops ski brochures? I find them easier than the websites, when I use these companies, as you can go through them quicker.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Thu 8-09-05 10:57; edited 1 time in total
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I'd agree with slikedges, there's nothing like a paper brochure: fast, easily searchable, available in any room of the house
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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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slikedges, Ian Hopkinson, yes but igloo.co.uk is less stress on the thumb, and amalgamates in a single search virtually all high street TOs known to man.
kosciosco re: tour ops websites - if you mean Crystal & Thomson, yes they're a complete ar$e unless your booking conforms exactly to their sales requirements. But if you can be bothered to persist with their websites, they can give you a reasonably sensible idea of what/where/when availablity the TO acutally has, even if their website won't let you book it. Once I've worked out whether they've got what I want, I then ring them directly to book.
Last season I tried www.skiworld.ltd.uk for the first time, who are comparable to Crystal & Thomson in terms of resorts & accomodation standards, except that Skiworld's service is actually good. So much so that I'm intending use them for my next trip. Skiworld's "online brochure" is rather clunky, but they list about 4 catered chalets in 1850. The best thing I found with these guys is that, once the season is underway, they list online on an easily interpretable format, all their last minute deals. Which brings me to costs: don't forget last minute TO deals. Assuming 28 January doesn't ring any "high-season" bells you won't have much difficulty finding a last minute deal for Courch 1850.
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kosciosco, as it's just the two of you going for that week, I would leave it until the last minute and make a massive saving.
Someone mentioned Mark Warner in an earlier thread, yes they are good, but Scott Dunn are better.
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brian
brian
Guest
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Agree with Kramer if you want to go with a tour op you'll get big savings last minute as that's a pretty quiet week.
If you can't stand being treated as part of the herd, then diy via easyjet/ba/ryanair/airline of choice, transfer via bus/taxi (see www.natives.co.uk/travel/transfers.htm ), find a chalet on the web (chaletfinder.co.uk or just google for Courchevel and chalet), betcha loads comes up.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Inghams also have a lot of chalets in 1850 http://www.inghams.co.uk/ski/FRA/CVL/index.html# & I'd agree you should find lots of availability for late bookings for that time of year especially if there's only the two of you. The bargains tend to be found in chalets and apartments as the tour operators try to sell off their surplus spaces - IMO.
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Good choice kosciosco, it's a classy resort and it shouldn't be too crowded that week.
First a word of warning: there is a notorious restaurant in Courchevel next to the Altiport. Every time I have visited Courch, someone has come back to the chalet ranting about how expensive it is. The key to its continuing success is that it sits at the bottom of a longish green/blue slope and as I recall, it comes into view about half way down just as newbies and beginners are starting to tire: "Aha, I could do with a rest and a drink, lets stop at that place down there" they think ... and ze trap is set
As mentioned above, u could do worse than check out Iglu.com. If u do though, make sure they know u came from snowHeads as we will earn a (meagre) commission for it. One of the Tour Ops they deal with is Ski France who have some places in Courch 1850 - check them out via our snowShops and if u tell them you're a snowHead, you'll get a small discount and we get a (slightly better) commission - well U gotta live
Have u considered getting there by Train? It's the most civilised way IMO. Leave London Waterloo early Fri evening, dinner in Paris then sleep your way to the mountains. Wake up, breakfast and ski! Gives u 8 days on the snow instead of the usual 6 too!
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You know it makes sense.
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admin wrote: |
First a word of warning: there is a notorious restaurant in Courchevel next to the Altiport. |
Cap Horn. It has a wonderful selection of local cheeses, but as Admin says, it is a bit pricy!
For a reasonably priced hot chocolate/vin chaud on the final run back to the village try the bar in the Hotel Courchneige on the Belvedere piste. Huge fireplace, great big comfy sofas and chairs and friendly service. After a few pre-dinner drinks it's just a few minutes slide down a very gentle piste to get back to 1850.
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