 Poster: A snowHead
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I like a challenge.
Have a look at Snowtrex. Not used them myself, but the prices look very good. For example:
7 nights self catering in Valfrejus, inc lift pass, equipment hire and lessons from 7th March seems to be £395pp.
Flights jet2 East Midlands to Chambery £137pp inc hold luggage.
Transfer with Altibus 60euro return (I think).
Looks like the whole lot would be under £600pp.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Crystal website seems to have loads of availability around £500pp departing this weekend from Birmingham to Austria or Italy! Loads of better options than Pamporovo.
Already found Pila, Niederau, St Johann all reduced to under £500pp, all departing this weekend from either Manchester or Birmingham.
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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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@AthersT, @pam w, @Hadge8,
The deal is 7th of March 1150ish to Hotel Perelik in Pamporovo, all inclusive with use of Malina Restaurant on the slopes, lift pass, lessons rental, from Gatwick - Sofia..
But as mention the resort is only 1900 so was worried about snow pluss being further south.. When 1st looked on skiresort.info it was 85cm valley and mountain now it says 50cm valley 70mountain.. Hearing its hotting up worries me even if it does say ski cannons covering 90% of runs
But in all fairness i'm not being offered anything close to thus kind of deal but is it wort risking for slush!?
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| shaunyski wrote: |
@AthersT, @pam w, @Hadge8,
The deal is 7th of March 1150ish to Hotel Perelik in Pamporovo, all inclusive with use of Malina Restaurant on the slopes, lift pass, lessons rental, from Gatwick - Sofia..
But as mention the resort is only 1900 so was worried about snow pluss being further south.. When 1st looked on skiresort.info it was 85cm valley and mountain now it says 50cm valley 70mountain.. Hearing its hotting up worries me even if it does say ski cannons covering 90% of runs
But in all fairness i'm not being offered anything close to thus kind of deal but is it wort risking for slush!? |
Ditch that. The All Inclusive part is masking the fact that Pamporovo has limited skiing and snow condition is risky.
Are you set on what date you want to go? 7th will be cheaper still for Austria and as the forecast suggests the snow will still be pretty darn good even on low Austrian resorts.
If your gonna DIY - book the flights for the 7th today and then sort resort/accom etc over the next few days.
If you want a package deal you should plenty of good options for that week aside from Bulgaria.
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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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Agghhhhh! lol
@sugarmoma666, @queen bodecia, @AthersT,
Thanx for advising me too put pamporovo to bed... Thought it would be to good to be true!
Snowtrex was where i originally started look back end of last year..
Ok will go back to the drawing board n start again..
Wish i loved this holiday planning as much as you! Hehe
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@shaunyski, have you checked flight prices? A useful starting point - anything to Salzburg or Innsbruck? Or Geneva if you fancy France. Some of those catered or half board deals in Austria look pretty good. But if they're too expensive you are going to have to wait till much closer to the time. Nerve wracking.....
Don't forget transfer prices - can cost you more than the flights sometimes. At this late stage flights won't be cheap and a package will probably get you close to your target price.
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@pam w, look on page 1.
I found London Stansted -> Salzburg this weekend for £90rtn before baggage and next week Gatwick to Salzburg for £62rtn before baggage. So plenty of choice for DIY, but I think the OP wants a package.
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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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Apart from the school run ksy had a lool at some flight to chamber from leeds/Bradford... Bonus!
But then luggahe was dearer than the flight. Wtf!?
Carried on regardless... Get to arranging transfers.... OMG quid ish pp for a 1 hour 10 min drive to Valfréjus..
This is an adventure before we even get abroad, lol
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@shaunyski,
Surely this would be good?
Add £60 for ski and boot hire each = £120
Add £160 for lift pass each = £320
Plus package £780 = £1220 between the two of you.
That includes your transfers, breakfast and evening meals.
If you were considering £1150 for pamporovo then this is a no brainer...?
Sort out the lift pass and ski/boot hire yourself as crystal add a premium to both.
Thats Soll btw.
Plenty of skiing
Plenty of Apres
Plenty of Snow
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@shaunyski, see my post above re transfers. I think it's 60 euros return from Chambery to Valfrejus with Altibus.
On the luggage front, if you've got 10kg hand baggage, surely you don't need hold baggage as well? Or at least you only need one hold bag between you at most. You really don't need much stuff for skiing.
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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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@shaunyski, Crystal are probably saying there is nothing because you specifically asked for a first time skier package. Such packages are probably limited in number hence why there aren't any available. As Athers has said there are plenty of other deals around. We stayed opposite the Chalet Mounty in Soll earlier in the season and had friends staying in the Mounty, they really enjoyed it - as did we. It's a bit of a walk to the lifts, but we did it every morning in shoes and left all our kit at the lift station - works really well. At the end of the day we just stayed in town having a few drinks until it was time for dinner.
Go back to Crystal and see what they can do to get as close to £1000 for anywhere inc. hire, pass and tuition - there'll still be able to get you in a beginners group Even if the first time skier packages have gone. Possible reason nothing is coming up for Bansko travelling this weekend is because the World Cup is there, I'd imagine accommodation is at a premium.
Another alternative is RocketSki, their website isn't listing much for your dates, but call them and see if they can do anything.
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skitracer.com are another specialist agent. Their website seems a bit tricky to find the total price, but they will give you a call back if you request one and that may be easier and also you can negotiate. May be worth a shot?
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You know it makes sense.
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I was chuffed we got a deal with lift pass in tignes for 650 with ski cal. Looking at the prices I've seen unless you go for some of the ski bound club hotels the best you are going to achieve is about 400-450 excluding lift pass. R,member these are French half term weeks. You might get better deal 14th or 21st March
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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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the chalet mounty deal 1/2 board flights and transfer to soll must be favorite my rec if your 1st timers is def austria for the whole round exp
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Poster: A snowHead
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Have a look at skiworld.co.uk. They are still offering chalet board up to £200 discount.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@shaunyski, just thought.... didn't you say you've had ski lessons in the UK? Those "beginner ski" packages are normally only suitable for "never evers".
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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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@pam w, I don't think a couple of lessons at Xscape really counts does it?
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@pam w, nah, we did a beginners package after a couple of hours at Castleford. On the coach transfer, the rep asked everyone about their ski level and the next morning we were sorted into at least 3 groups, from never put skis on, to ok on blue runs (there may have been higher than that too). The snow dome experience meant we skipped the first group and didn't spend the first morning learning to put skis on.
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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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I think the main difference is the lift pass with a lot of beginner packages, usually a local lift pass rather than an area pass. I'm sure I saw a beginner offer where they only provided a lift pass for 3-4 days as the first couple of days were spent on free lifts! This is where some of the cost savings are.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanx for everyones advice and hints to get something sorted.. Back on it today hopefully with better results 
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@Hells Bells, A couple of lessons at Xscape makes a big difference!
My nephew did that (3 lessons I think) before coming out with us last year. It meant he was not in the "never ever" starters group so that meant he was up the mountain day one instead of walking sideways up the nursery slope. I tracked the areas they were skiing and took him round the same runs in the afternoon so as not to knock his confidence. He made great progress and was skiing a red run with me at the end of the week.
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@shaunyski, might as well pitch you something!
£726 per person, catered chalet (all food and drink included) in Sainte Foy, including lessons, lift pass, ski hire and a transfer from Chambery or Geneva (assuming it fits in reasonably with transfers we're already running) for the week of 7th March.
Staying at www.whiteroomchalet.com/win_accom_morion.htm
PM me if you're interested.
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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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Good god, how indecisive is the OP about booking a holiday? Any of the posted options will give you a relative 5* compared to bulgaria.
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@homers double, lol. Looking at a few of these options I'm thinking of skiving work for a week and taking them myself! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@AthersT, haha i have been doing the same!! lol! its just ashame that i have things on at the weekends i can't get out off! 
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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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@shaunyski, if your not sorted......
Try Orso Bianco in Sauze d'Oulz in Italy.
Flight to Turin......
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@Hadge8, atm I'm near to the end of my current job/contract so trying to juggle work, sorting out a new job or contract and restraining myself from going to the airport.
I wish I could earn enough and convince the OH that we should live in the alps. We've got no ties, just a cat!
Got a few days near the end of march in Santa Caterina Valfurva booked already but want something before then!
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
how indecisive is the OP about booking a holiday?
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to be fair, he's got a very very tight budget which many of those deals - good as some of them are - will blow.
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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 long since learnt that you can forget budgets where skiing is involved.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| homers double wrote: |
| I've long since learnt that you can forget budgets where skiing is involved. |
Disagree with that statement. Sure the budget that you need is more than if you were just going sightseeing or something, but I did an all in trip to La Plagne last year for under £700 (which includes food, drink, flights, transfers, room, pass, equipment and driving to Gatwick and paying for car park).
That said a budget of £500pp is probably too tight.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Alright Captain Pedantic!
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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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@Hadge8, Last easter I got an apartment in the normally very pricey Ischgl for 4 people for 800 euros, £100 flights each, 80 euro rtn transfer each, lift pass was 160 euro (low season price), ski hire was 120 euro.
So thats about £550pp for a week. Just food and alot of drink were bought on top 
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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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@AthersT, Nice one!! I'm going to have to work hard to beat that over the next year or so! 
@shaunyski, how is it going? any luck yet?
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| Hadge8 wrote: |
@AthersT
I reckon you can do a week for around 700 if you aren't to crazy and outside of peak time. |
The mrs and I can usually do it for sub £750 each.
OK. We're not big drinkers, but we're there for the skiing after all.
(We go beginning of January and/or march to the French alps)
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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
how indecisive is the OP about booking a holiday?
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to be fair, he's got a very very tight budget which many of those deals - good as some of them are - will blow. |
No, he doesn't have BUDGET. He had a target number based on an earlier offer to Bulgaria.
1) for a bit more, he could pick up many of the suggestions at far better resorts for a ttiny bit extra
2) but he seems fixated at Bulgaria
3) as many others had pointed out, last minute bookers need to be flexible. That requirement suits better skiers than ranked beginners. Not all resorts are good for 1sst timers.
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@abc, I will attempt to steer clear of xenophobia with what I say. In my opinion people only go to Bulgaria for a skiing holiday because it is cheap and offers affordability.
I have found with experience, although some of the hotels are great value for money. In order for the ski areas to be cheap severe oversights, compromises and overcrowding occurs. Lift systems need more investment, piste management needs more investment and because of low prices they have a lot of people on a relatively small number of slopes.
I have no doubt that in optimal conditions at quiet times of the season Bulgaria can be a great choice but I think the area is well past saturation point and now caters to way too many people.
Its like getting Scotland's four largest ski resorts and throwing a whole bunch of 4-5 star ski hotels and then filling them by using very low prices. It just wouldn't work, there would be too many people on piste, unreliable snow and weather conditions (in many seasons) and lots of bottlenecks and lift queues.
That's why Scottish resorts limit lift ticket sales at peak times and don't over develop (besides the national park restrictions) to avoid this. I think eventually after a period of boom and bust Bulgaria will eventually become a viable choice. Survival of the fittest for the ski/tourism industry.
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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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Just to keep everyone up to date i decided to have a day off scouring for an "impossible" deal and reevaluate my options..
As mentioned bby
| abc wrote: |
No, he doesn't have BUDGET. He had a target number based on an earlier offer to Bulgaria. |
This statement is spot on...l
Not knowing anything and originally looking on snowtrex thought i was quids in to get a cheap deal..
So i'm going to be realistic about what i can find.. Go back over all the options metioned on here and hopefully have something sorted in the next couple of day
| homers double wrote: |
| Good god, how indecisive is the OP. |
If i'm honest this is probably also true..
@stevomcd,
That offer looks quite apealing, very beatiful place...
There's been plenty of other usefull coments to help me see sense. Thanx everyone watch this space hehe
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As a few others have said if I lived in Manchester (or the UK for that matter) I'd take up one of these deals myself! The flights for my next trip will cost more than many of those deals.
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