 Poster: A snowHead
|
| km0193 wrote: |
| Shivx5 wrote: |
| Mo24 wrote: |
Hi All - brand new to snowHeads and grateful for any thoughts - really want to get our kids aged nearly 6 and 3 learning. I may need refresher lessons as been so long since I skied and OH is a rusty snowboarder.
Looked at Snowbizz and Ski Famille as a last minute booking this season, hamstrung by school hols. SF only had 6-13th April available and Snowbizz had Feb half term 10-17 Feb and Easter 31/3-7/4 available.
I think SF chalets are in Les Menuires and Snowbizz apartments in Puy St Vincent. What do people think about likelihood of decent snow in these two resorts in either Feb or April? I know you can’t forecast the weather but given that both companies seem to cost a couple of grand more for the Feb half term week vs Easter week I thought it might be because they expect snow to be more reliable in February?
I’m no expert skier so don’t expect powder but also don’t want to have to ski on ice or slush.
Do the kids’ learning areas have snow cannons to help create snow lower down or will they need to get a lift to learner slopes higher up in either resort?
Does it tend to be much greyer and colder in either resort in Feb as opposed to April? As we’d love to ski in the sun but wondered if Puy St Vincent gets much sun as it’s north/northeast facing?
I know the above might be considered a weather question but also relates to the kids’ learner slopes and why it costs notably more to go in Feb. Both companies told me they’ve never had a problem with lack of snow/poor conditions in April. So it seems tempting to go in April cost wise but it might not be worth the saving if conditions are poor or everything’s started closing at the end of the season so might lack atmos or happy staff? |
Easter falls pretty early this year, we went to La Plagne (1800) Easter 2022 the weather was amazing and skiing was great until the 4/5th day when ski in became difficult but that Easter week fell mid- late April. Les Menuires is the same altitude but far more shaded in the afternoons that Plagne 1800.
Which les menuires chalet are you looking at? We went to Coco de niege and it was the best holiday we've ever had. |
Hi, I am staying in Coco de niege with Ski Famille this Saturday for a week. I am therefore delighted you have given it such high praise!
I presume you are not long back? What did you like about it? Any tips?
Many thanks in advance.
Edit..just noticed you were there in December. Very keen to here you thoughts on the hotel. |
We loved it, we’ve been once before with SF to la plagne in a chalet and liked that but we were with a big group of friends so that made it great. The staff were a bit iffy at times but it was the end of the season and I think they were all just ready to relax. Also the food was a bit crap but again we still had an amazing time. It was just that there was room for improvement.
We went with just our family to cocon de niege and reall y liked the hotel/ chalet thing and you could keep yourselves to yourselves or be really social if you wanted to be. The food was excellent, staff were brilliant and so helpful. The location was truly ski in and the Bruyeres lift up to the top of col de la chambre and access to the rest of tbe 3Vs is 30 seconds from the boot room. It gets very busy first thing so avoid that time if you can.
Are you going with kids? Have you skied a lot before?
EDIT- just realised it’s Saturday so you may already be there. If so, I hope you have a great week and enjoy as much as we did!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
I would also consider the famillien hotels in Austria too, having stayed in serfaus (hotel furgler/post hotel) the food quality was good a 5 course dinner lunch/snacks/breakfast and unlimited childcare between 8.30am-9pm, no pre booking either just drop your kids off whenever you want. Hotel had loads of great kids facilities like climbing walls, splash areas, really nice indoor/outdoor pools, play areas, soft play. Posh adults only spa. This seemed to be a good couple of grand less than club med even once you buy your ski passes & lessons & a reasonable high resort so hopefully will have snow. You have to organise all parts yourself though as no tour operators go there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
@Rh2205, sounds like the Hotel Ellmauhof in Hinterglemm, where my niece, her husband and three very young kids go every ski season. Must be good or they wouldn’t keep going (especially as her uncle has a couple of apartments in Saalbach  ). It’s genuinely ski-in ski-out too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
@tatmanstours, yes I looked at the Ellmauhof in Hinterglemm as my friend always goes there in Feb and it looks very tempting - as well as Furgler in Serfaus thanks from the reccy @@Rh2205, they are both cheaper and seem to be better value than Club Med in Alpe d huez - although I thought the two Austrian regions might be lacking snow at Easter as they are lower down than Alpe d huez?
Is Hinterglemm only at 900m? I know that snow at Easter is a lottery but what put me off booking the Elmauhoff was that it was the only hotel offering the first week of April (as their last week open). The other similar Kinderhotels advertised on Trip Advisor in Hinterglemm all seemed to be closed that week - their last week offered was the last week of March. So I thought that was because they were closing for the season and the resort would either have no snow or feel a bit dead?
Is Serfaus a bit higher up so has more hotels open in April? As well as ‘potentially’ more snow sure? The Furgler seems to say it is snow sure.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@Rh2205, do you know what is the difference between the two hotels Furgler and Post as they both look good! Why did you go for the Furgler as opposed to the Post please?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
@Mo24, “ I thought the two Austrian regions might be lacking snow at Easter as they are lower down than Alpe d huez?
Is Hinterglemm only at 900m? I know that snow at Easter is a lottery but what put me off booking the Elmauhoff was that it was the only hotel offering the first week of April (as their last week open).”
Altitude is not comparable between the SW Alps of France, and the eastern Alps of Austria. The snow line gets lower as you travel further away from the maritime influence.
Hinterglemm is slightly higher than Saalbach, which is at 1,003m. The Ellmauhof is in an elevated position above the village, so should retain its ski-in ski-out status.
Normally this area starts to wind down at the end of March and closes entirely after Easter - around the second week of April - owing to lack of people, rather than lack of snow (people don’t plan their ski holidays for the middle of April, at least not in sufficient numbers to make it viable to keep running).
Obviously by then it tends to be typical spring conditions.
But I’ve never yet been unable to ski back to my accommodation (which is at village altitude in Saalbach) right up to the end of the season. Investment in snowmaking infrastructure has ensured adequate snow at both extremities of the ski season (early December to mid-April). Snow quality is a different matter, but early April generally tends to be surprisingly good.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ