 Poster: A snowHead
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I am trying to choose a holiday from the Swiss Travel Service Brochure (no other option, using tesco vouchers). I have had plenty of feedback form DGO with regards to Wengen. We will be travelling probably late Jan - early Feb, and are both Intermediate skiers who like mileage, varied piste and Alpine ambience and I would like to hear from other  's who have stayed in any of the following resorts:
Lenk & Adelboden
Zermatt
Crans Montana
Saas Fee
Klosters
Flims
I have deliberately left off Villars as we have been there, and Verbier as we can visit that on a day trip when staying in France.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Saas Fee is very pretty, but low on mileage. Crans Montana though has plenty of intermediate mileage. Klosters, have only skied it from the Davos side, I don't know about the town. Are you planning to stay in hotels?
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brian
brian
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IncogSkiSno, I wote a trip report for Zermatt here:
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewpost.php?p=95538
It's major disadvantage is the poor interconnect between its main ski areas, although there are new lifts planned to ease these, not sure if any will open for next winter. However, its upside, especially in alpine charm and awesome mountain scenery, more than makes up for it, imo.
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snowbunny, Yes we will be staying in an Hotel as we don't have any other option.
Saas Fee, I thought, looked very pretty. I was a bit concerned by the amount of drags and it might be cold and not too sunny, but seriously tempted by it.
Crans I haven't heard mentioned on here so that is a bit of a mystery to me. 
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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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IncogSkiSno, Tons of hotels in Crans Montana. Choose carefully, as it can be a long way to the lifts. South facing resort, but at around 1500 metres, usually snowy and sunny into April. Big spread out resort, plenty going on, here's a link to the Tourist Site.
http://www.crans-montana.ch/hiver/index.cfm?&Langue=en
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You did mention mileage and that you are intermediate skiers - then I think that Zermatt ticks all the boxes. It has 250kms of piste and you really do feel that you are travelling around the mountains without too repetition of pistes ( I assume that you mainly ski on-piste ). You can also do a day rip to Cervinia over the border to Italy - do remember to bring your passport and ensure that you get to the top of the lift station on your return to Zermatt to avoid a very expensive cab ride from Cervinia!. The scenery is devastingly beatiful, there ae many excellent mountain restaurants and the resort is linked. In late season it is usually not possible to ski down to the village.
Snow relaibility at altitude should be good for the time of year you said you are going.
Have also stayed in Wengan - has the same good points, but the its major minus points are that it takes a bit longer to get up onto the mountains on the railways and although the Jungfrau region has 213kms of pistes they are not all, unless you are staying in Wengen, as easily accessable IMO, than those in Zermatt.
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hibernia, I think that's fair about the Jungfrau Region, if you stay in Wengen you can pretty easily get to the other resorts of Murren and Grindelwald, but if staying in Grindelwald or Murren it's not quite so easy
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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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We've done Crans Montana and Zermatt with tesco vouchers.
Crans - dont think on piste is very challenging - but others may know more. Stayed at hotel St George - 5-10 min walk to gondola - nice hotel
Stayed at Hotel Admiral in Zermatt - amazing food, and nice hotel - Zermatt is a great resort for atmosphere. Real mix of skiing - agree some is not linked - but still plenty of terrain in each section. We kept commuting between Zermatt and Cervinia for the best snow (end March). I would pick Zermatt - no contest.
Went to Saas Fee independently early Dec last year. Only higher runs open - we found it limited - and the drag lifts were thigh burningly ghastly. Pretty resort though. Would only go again early/late when conditions need a glacier.
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Crans Montana is great if you want to cruise red runs. I've been twice (end of Jan) and on both occasions there was loads of snow. Last time (2 yrs ago) we lost one day due to high winds...all the uplifts from village level are gondolas. It's not somewhere I would rush back to, because I want more challenging piste runs (there are two blacks, but both are really difficult reds) but otherwise is okay.
Saas Fee can be cold, has a lot of drag lifts, and when I went (with a school group) several of the party had problems with the altitude.
Flims is a great resort. I've only been the once, but would definitely have it on my list of resorts to try again.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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hibernia, D G Orf, Murren is great for walking out the door and jumping on the skis compared to Wengen where you have to walk to Mannlichen bahn or the train station.
The down side is that Murren only has 53kms of piste and 12 lift facilities........for now 
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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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jayne durham, It's nice to hear from a fellow voucher user. I had the Admiral as 1st on my list if we do decide to opt for Zermatt.
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IncogSkiSno,
Second the suggestion for Zermatt which is an intermediate's...and above..paradise. Not for beggiiners though..!!
Another gem you haven't listed is Engelberg which can be anything you want it to be. You will never outski it.
Don't want to say too much more...!!
Also check out Lenzerhide -spelling--?. I have looked at it many a time but never got around to it...!!
Anyone been there..??
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You know it makes sense.
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IncogSkiSno, I have been to Klosters, Flims and Zermatt of the resorts listed above. I would agree with the others, Zermatt really is one of those must visit resorts. Great skiing and really attractive with plenty of intermediate runs and great mountain restaurants. The main drawback is that it can be a little pricey. The others are good resorts with excellent skiing but if you haven't been to Zermatt it is well worth it.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I've had weekend breaks at Crans-Montana, Flims and Klosters. They are all very good resorts that have their own appeal. Klosters is a compact, pretty village, Flims is more spread out into small hamlets and Cran-Montana is much bigger than the two as it's now two villages that have merged.
On the slopes, I'd rate them in the order Klosters, Flims, Crans. Although the Klosters/Davos area is split into four, so it helps to have your own transport.
Whichever resort you choose, you'll enjoy - at least I did.
Never been to Zermatt, but I will be going one day.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Having been to both Zermatt and Wengen I'd honestly have to say there's little to choose between them, Both have dramatic scenery, both are effectively car free, I think Wengen is slightly prettier but not by much, Zermatt has a slightly bigger piste area and offers you the opportunity to ski over to Italy, Wengen is slightly cheaper to stay in (Bars & restaurants slightly cheaper).
For what you have described as being your requirements I'd choose either Wengen or Zermatt, neither are likely to disapoint you
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Went to Saas Fee last year - it is a very pretty, car free village with some very high pistes, but it is really limited (only 100kms of pistes). There are a few too many drag lifts too, especially one near that top that takes about 15 minutes to get from start to finish on. The resort is close enough to Zermatt to go there for the day though (which we did) and we had a great time there.
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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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| Quote: |
both Intermediate skiers who like mileage, varied piste and Alpine ambience
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Both Crans and Zermatt offer plenty of intermediate mileage, but when it comes to alpine ambience Zermatt wins hands down. The only reason to ski over to Italy from Z is for a cheap lunch: the skiing in Cervinia is v dull compared to the swiss side. Sorry, can't remember where I stayed in either.
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| marc gledhill wrote: |
| Never been to Zermatt, but I will be going one day. |
It's on the cards for a long weekend early October, fancy a trip over?
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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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ah, the pre-pre-season bash  still hoping for the pre-pre-pre-season bash, half way into this bottle of wine and I feel much better.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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ise, when you've finished your bottle of wine, perhaps you could offer some advice, especially as your location is Switzerland 
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Lenk and Adelboden or Zermatt would be my choice. But, I don't know Klosters or Flims at all. I've only ever stayed in Zermatt and Saas Fee and that was on courses which is not really the same as being on holiday really. I know a few people who take the whole season in Lenk on the grounds it has some fantastic off-piste.
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IncogSkiSno, Is ise, pi$$ed do you think?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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IncogSkiSno, Clearly not then:lol:
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ise, Thank you, I hope I didn't disturb your evening tipple, enjoy the rest of your wine I hope it's a good vintage.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I have a mix of jet lag and some bug I must have got in the US. It's a Dôle from Sierre though.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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PG, Fancy? Yes.
Chance of going? No. I'm in Lanzarote 
snowbunny, not pi$$ed, but mellow I'd guess.
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marc gledhill,
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snowbunny, not pi$$ed, but mellow I'd guess.
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Has to be a 1st. Give the man another bottle, no, make that 2
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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PG, I'm not sure, off key karaoke singing maybe
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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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I'm saying nowt. I did hear some strange noises rather late on, could have been karaoke I suppose...
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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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PG,
Hhhhmmmmnnn..!!!
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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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It was a downhill walk home though PG, that may well have helped.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I was still going strong after midnight....before Linds dragged me home 
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jayne durham, sorry, I am getting confused here, as this comment you made on the 'Ski Hire Shops' thread, contradicts the comments you have made on here. Have you stayed in The Admiral Hotel Zermatt or did you mean you will be staying at The Admiral Hotel Zermatt?
jayne durham,
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thanks again... will certainly look out the pub! We're staying at the hotel Admiral - courtesy of Tesco clubcard vouchers!... so evening meals will be in the hotel - and if Zermatt is as expensive as we've heard - it will probably be a mars bar and water for lunch (except I've promised myself a trip to Chez Vrony - recommended by a number here)
... sounds like you know Zermatt well. We've never stayed there - we skied over to the near side from Cervinia last year.. cant wait... but then it will be a long wait till next season....
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We've done Crans Montana and Zermatt with tesco vouchers.
Crans - dont think on piste is very challenging - but others may know more. Stayed at hotel St George - 5-10 min walk to gondola - nice hotel
Stayed at Hotel Admiral in Zermatt - amazing food, and nice hotel - Zermatt is a great resort for atmosphere. Real mix of skiing - agree some is not linked - but still plenty of terrain in each section. We kept commuting between Zermatt and Cervinia for the best snow (end March). I would pick Zermatt - no contest. Went to Saas Fee independently early Dec last year. Only higher runs open - we found it limited - and the drag lifts were thigh burningly ghastly. Pretty resort though. Would only go again early/late when conditions need a glacier.
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brian
brian
Guest
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IncogSkiSno, confused me too !!
... but check the dates. The ski shop thread is from last year, been recently resurrected for some reason. So Jayne has been and come back
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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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IncogSkiSno, Thickie baton anyone? 
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FAQ
very confusing.
