 Poster: A snowHead
|
My main experiences with TO's were 20+ years ago. Did a couple of DIY trips then but mainly TO's after which I lived abroad where there were very few packages and DIYed everything largely from necessity. Since returning I have used TO's a couple of times but the decreased flexibility on 'boys trips' and increased price on family trips largely have precluded it.
But when I used to go coach delays (often secondary to charter flight delays) were the norm rather than the exception. Early 3am rises were common. Most resort reps were pretty useless, though why anyone after a couple of weeks skiing actually needs a resort rep I am unsure. Self catering accommodation was generally pretty dire. On the upside chalets particularly late booked were often great value the food generally good, the accommodation standards a bit variable but sometimes excellent. Generally good food, cheap drinking and usually freindlty and helpful staff.
I have only used a TO twice in recent years. Both times self catering, the accommodation was poor once and acceptable once there were still earlier rises than I particlularly enjoy on holiday There were a couple of flight delays but more of the 1-3 hours than some of the horror 12 hour plus delays that I have endured in the past. We still had to wait in obscure freezing car parks waiting to shuffel coaches. Not exactly the biggest hassle on a skiing holiday but it does not endear me to the TO concept unless I am getting a particularly good price for the holiday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
We used to go tour operator, sometimes with freidns booking in advance, but often as a couple booking last minute.
Then once we had the kids we went DIY mainly because I couldn't contenance the idea that my kids would travel without a seatbelt/car seat in the transfers. Many large family friendly opertors couldn't guarentee me a seatbelt and so I stopped going with them!
Still went with some companies, but tended to book flights and transfers my self to guarentee seatbelts.
Still got amazed that Esprit , the leading family tour operator couldn't offer what I think is a decent safety standard for the coach journey............................................
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Mainly Inghams. 4 times to Banff and next week  to Saas Fee.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Its been said but whatever suits
I DIY as it works for me
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| hyweljenkins wrote: |
Du Glacier Hotel in Saas Fee with Crystal - £1,100pp inc. flights and transfers. Book direct - £2,300 before flights and transfers. Based on two people.
Residence du Floret in Flaine with Crystal - £370pp. Book direct £350 inc. flights & transfers. Based on 7 people.
Silvretta Park, Klosters with Iglu - £773pp. Book direct - £730 inc flight but exc transfers. Based on four people. |
The whole point of DIY is the options TO don't offer: Sat-Sun skiing for 7.5-8 day skiing for the "same" price of 6! (and as others mentioned, late/early season skiing to lessor known, hence less busy resorts)
So, if one divides the total cost by the number of SKIING days and apply that to DIY, DIY'er often found it comes out being less expensive PER DAY OF SKIING!
I can see there's a certain smuggness of DIY'ers. And in this cases, they ("we") have the right to be!  We get to go to places TO don't go, on times when TO's don't offer!
I can see why some think DIY NEVER beats TO: when you do exactly the same routine as what the TO offers, you will most likely lose on prices! After all, they have the marketing power for big discounts while an individual can't. But by going at times TO don't, e.g. flying on Friday evening instead of Saturday, and/or returning on Sunday instead, the flights are less busy so a DIY'er can get much better prices! (not to mentioned TWO quiet Saturdays on slope while the TO troups are still in transfer!  )
Yeah, I'm feeling increasingly smug about DIY! (except I'm going with a TO this Saturday for a week! haha!  )
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 24-02-10 18:10; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Monium, my experience of Neilson is completely the opposite!
A couple of weeks before my january trip to Les Deux Alpes, i read a horrific review of my chalet from someone who had just returned.
I contacted Neilson with my concerns and got a response from some senior Neilson management... in short, they then acted on each of the points that were raised - one of which involved a complete change of the chalet staff.
I arrived to find all the issues sorted and had a fantastic holiday - all because i contacted them after seeing a bad review, and all within 2 weeks.
I've also done a Neilson windurfing/mountain biking summer trip, and that was fault free as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I used to use TOs but for a long time now I have DIYed. I wanted more than 6 days skiing from holiday which usually involved 8 days, Saturday to Saturday. So I began by just organising my own travel so I skied on the Saturdays.
I got into organising off-piste holidays with a group of friends and a guide. Guides are not cheap, even shared between 6, so I started looking for good deals with hotels and hotels which would give me an extra night so we could go out on the Friday or come home on the Sunday. I started looking for places with good off-piste but which weren't much known for it (so it didn't get skied out, as places like Chamonix tend to do). Sometimes, also, a guide will take us to more than one Ski Area in the course of a week.
I also occasionally go on off-piste holidays organised by the Ski Club of GB.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| magic_hat wrote: |
Monium, my experience of Neilson is completely the opposite!
A couple of weeks before my january trip to Les Deux Alpes, i read a horrific review of my chalet from someone who had just returned.
I contacted Neilson with my concerns and got a response from some senior Neilson management... in short, they then acted on each of the points that were raised - one of which involved a complete change of the chalet staff.
I arrived to find all the issues sorted and had a fantastic holiday - all because i contacted them after seeing a bad review, and all within 2 weeks.
I've also done a Neilson windurfing/mountain biking summer trip, and that was fault free as well. |
Still no response to my complaint other than the automated response. That was sent 22nd January.
There has been another horrific review posted about the place on Tripadvisor, so obviously Neilson just don't give a toss and have done nothing to address the problems.
I would have been ok with it if it hadn't been an expensive trip to a 4 star hotel, which turned out to be just crap. Evidently others feel the same. Neilson did nothing in the resort to try and resolve, and have done nothing on my return to try and resolve. They've not even phoned or e-mailed to get further details or to apologise.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| abc wrote: |
| alex_heney wrote: |
| clarky999 wrote: |
| I can't understand why everyone gets so hung up on transfers when DIYing. Yes public transport is shite in the UK, but in Europe (Austria, Germany and Switzerland anyway) it's great - usually faster and much cheaper than hiring a car. |
But the cost of transfers usually outweighs whatever savings you would have made no the flights & accommodation, at least when travelling solo as I do.
I have several times tried to see if I could match the deal I was getting from the TO, and wouuld have been about the same, if not for the transfer costs. |
Funny, I found traveling solo is when DIY via public transport wins.
As a solo traveler, hiring a car is never going to make sense. Having to bear the entire hiring cost simply blows the total cost out the window.
|
Of course.
I'm not sure where you got the idea I might consider hiring a car - I most certainly wouldn't, because it would, as you say, be way more expensive than public transport in most cases.
But the point I was making was that I have never been able to do much better than equal the TO price before transfer costs. It is rare to then have a ski resort close enough to the airport that transfer costs are less than £30-£40 even by Public transport, and that is enough to tip the balance.
| Quote: |
| queen bodecia wrote: |
| clarky999, public transport alternative to my TO transfer for my forthcoming trip would involve a bus, two trains, another bus and a bit of a walk, not to mention carrying all my gear between each stage. TO door-to-door bus in half the time is going to win every time, not to mention the cost factor as described by alex_heney. |
So far, all the lodging places I've booked send a car to pick me up at the train station. So walking while dragging my gear was never an issue.
And I've been lucky in that my destination was never more than a train ride away. No bus involved, not even once.
I used to send my skis with the railway. But ever since I got a hard case with wheels, I've been content to drag it along with me instead. |
As you say, you have been lucky (or maybe you just choose your resorts well). The only resort I have been to that required no bus at either end was Schladming. Zell am Ziller would have needed a bus from Innsbruck airport to the train station, and then a change of train at Jensbach. Everywhere else I have been would have needed a significant bus journey after the train.
Although the Dolomites have bus transfers at a reasonable rate, so I could have done Campitello without any changes of transport.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Thu 25-02-10 23:28; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| andy wrote: |
| Quote: |
And before someone gets on their high horse about TO’s losing the skis/boards, it was the carrier who offloaded them, nothing to do with Crystal
|
You have a contract with Crystal. The underlying reason of delayed baggage/skis may be the fault of one of their subcontracted suppliers, but you have paid Crystal for the shipping of the skis. Therefore it is up to Crystal to put right.
|
It is indeed. Which is one good argument in favour of using a TO if all other considerations are close to equal.
But there really is no one answer as to whether DIY or TO is better, nor as to which TO is better if you are using one. It all depends on just what you want, your personal circumstances, and various other factors which vary between individuals, and even with time for any one individual.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Monium, I conducted my complaining through here: http://www.neilson.co.uk/View-Forum.aspx?forumID=40
And got responses within a day or so from the Operations Director and the Head of Neilson France.
Maybe post your complaint on there and mention that you contacted the email address and have had no response.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It all depends - I'd agree there's no "one size fits all" answer. It's irrelevant for us now, as we have our own apartment, but we did mostly catered chalets (cheap ones) when we did family holidays in the past, so DIY wasn't an option (though we didn't always use TO travel - for example one very last minute booking required going by train under our own steam). But for apartments, DIY will almost always be worth investigating because it's much easier to see what you're getting - and the bargain basement TO prices always assume 6 people sharing a tiny space. But for someone wanting no hassle, and to stay in hotel or catered chalet, especially when they're not experienced skiers, then I think the TOs can offer an excellent service. But I'd agree that the big ones can be disappointing - our only foray with a big operator (Inghams) left quite a lot to be desired. Ski Olympic was the best of the bunch, in terms of value for money - it's good to hear that people are still finding them so reliable.
Our first DIY effort arose because my sister and family were borrowing an apartment in Mottaret from a friend, and we decided to go too - but we had to have an apartment nearby so we could get together for meals etc. Also, we were 6 people and wanted an apartment where nobody had to sleep in the living room. The only way to achieve that was to go DIY. It was pre-internet and I really can't remember how we did it - I suppose I telephoned the tourist office? I do distinctly remember getting off the bus in Mottaret in quite heavy rain, and having to trog around finding the agency office - only to discover that we couldn't get the key till 4 pm, several hours later. That was a drag! You live and learn with DIY though everything is now infinitely easier with the internet (and snowheads...  )
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| hyweljenkins wrote: |
I take my own skis, but have started to wonder if I can be bothered with taking them just so I can avoid all that additional aggro at check-in. |
I can understand that, but from a personal point of view (and I stress this is personal, we all have different things which we feel cause us aggro), I would prefer any aggro there may be to be at the airport where it doesn't impinge on ski time, than at the resort, where it does.
My memories of ski hire shops is rather more hassle than just dropping off the skis at an oversize bag drop.
Plus, I have managed to get an hour or two skiing on arrival day on three of the five trips I have taken since I had my own skis. That, to me, completely outweighs any airport hassle.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Scud wrote: |
| hyweljenkins wrote: |
| ...Unless you have specific requirements for departure dates, smaller resorts, etc,... |
And most of the posts from OP's above would suggest that he is also right with this point. |
My last 4 trips have been Aspen, Val d'isere, Val Thorens and Avoriaz. I looked at TOs every time, would have no problem going with one if they were cheaper, but they never have been...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
DIY during school holidays can work out a lot cheaper... although we did get a great late chalet deal with ski total to Lech last Easter. I always look at each trip individually... check the brochure prices with any discounts applied and then see if I can do it cheaper myself. For short trips of 3 or 4 days I can usually DIY cheaper but for a full week outside school hols the TO's often come out cheaper.
If you do go independent it can often be the transfer price that kills the deal if there's just 2 of you.... whether thats a taxi or car hire. Some resorts can be reached by train which can be a lot cheaper eg Zell, St Anton Schladming etc. For larger groups the transfers can be quite reasonable on a pp basis if you shop around.
On balance I much prefer DIY as I'm in control....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
DIY during school holidays can work out a lot cheaper... although we did get a great late chalet deal with ski total to Lech last Easter. I always look at each trip individually... check the brochure prices with any discounts applied and then see if I can do it cheaper myself. For short trips of 3 or 4 days I can usually DIY cheaper but for a full week outside school hols the TO's often come out cheaper.
If you do go independent it can often be the transfer price that kills the deal if there's just 2 of you.... whether thats a taxi or car hire. Some resorts can be reached by train which can be a lot cheaper eg Zell, St Anton Schladming etc. For larger groups the transfers can be quite reasonable on a pp basis if you shop around.
On balance I much prefer DIY as I'm in control....
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| alex_heney wrote: |
As you say, you have been lucky (or maybe you just choose your resorts well). The only resort I have been to that required no bus at either end was Schladming. Zell am Ziller would have needed a bus from Innsbruck airport to the train station, and then a change of train at Jensbach. Everywhere else I have been would have needed a significant bus journey after the train.. |
Loads of resorts I've been to you can just arrive by train with no transfer bus or taxi needed. Off the top of my head: Grindlewald, Wengen, St Anton, Zermatt, Verbier, Andermatt, Engelberg, Les Arcs 1600.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| snowball wrote: |
| alex_heney wrote: |
As you say, you have been lucky (or maybe you just choose your resorts well). The only resort I have been to that required no bus at either end was Schladming. Zell am Ziller would have needed a bus from Innsbruck airport to the train station, and then a change of train at Jensbach. Everywhere else I have been would have needed a significant bus journey after the train.. |
Loads of resorts I've been to you can just arrive by train with no transfer bus or taxi needed. Off the top of my head: Grindlewald, Wengen, St Anton, Zermatt, Verbier, Andermatt, Engelberg, Les Arcs 1600. |
Add to that Davos, St Moritz, Kitsbulh(sp) and loads of Swiss/Austrian resorts. Pratically the majority of resorts in Switzerland and Austria, with only a few rare exceptions, can be reached directly by train without involving any busing about.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
I wasn't trying to suggest that there aren't plenty where you can get there just by train, I am sure there are.
But there are even more (even in Austria) where you can't, particularly if you are using an airport that doesn't have a train station (such as Innsbruck or Salzburg).
Incidentally Kitzbuhel from your list can only be reached without a bus if you fly in to an airport outside Austria, since neither Salzburg nor Innsbruck have train stations. And the best time by public transport from Salzburg is around 2 hours - involving two buses and no trains The options involving trains are all around 3 hours total. A TO transfer is about 90 minutes. From Munich you can do it all by train, with the best being 2 changes, 3.5 hours - and €36 one-way. If I were doing DIY to Kitzbuhel (or anywhere else in Salzburgerland/Eastern Tirol) though, I would use one of the bus transfer services that are now available from Salzburg http://engl.salzburg-airport.com/bus_840.html
And for all the Swiss places, yes you only have to take trains (both Geneva and Zurich airports have stations), but you will always have to change at the city centre, and for me, I don't care whether it is bus-train or train-train, it is the changing with heavy luggage that makes for hassle.
If the overall cost was less even including the transfer costs, then I would do it DIY, unless there were more than a couple of changes, that aspect isn't particularly important to me - but I can see it would be to a family with small children. But I have never yet found the cost to be less (for the same standard of hotel) by the time transfer costs are included.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
The bus form Innsbruck airport to the train station takes a whopping 10 minutes, and then around an hour on the train. And it really isn't that much hard work to take a suitcase and boardbag to the frontdoor of the airport for the bus, off the bus and onto a train.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| alex_heney wrote: |
I'm not sure where you got the idea I might consider hiring a car - I most certainly wouldn't, because it would, as you say, be way more expensive than public transport in most cases.
But the point I was making was that I have never been able to do much better than equal the TO price before transfer costs. It is rare to then have a ski resort close enough to the airport that transfer costs are less than £30-£40 even by Public transport, and that is enough to tip the balance. |
I got the impression you were comparing hiring a car with using TO transfer. Using public transport, the difference would be much smaller.
As to whether that smaller difference still "tip the balance", see my earlier post about getting 8 days skiing out of a weeks time off. Your comparison is for 6 days as the TO's offer:
| Quote: |
| I can see why some think DIY NEVER beats TO: when you do exactly the same routine as what the TO offers, you will most likely lose on prices! After all, they have the marketing power for big discounts while an individual can't. |
Naturally, for 8 days of skiing many DIY'ers doing, the TOTAL cost are naturally more expensive than 6 days! It's 20-25% more skiing, wouldn't it be fair to be 20% more expensive in total cost? 
Many DIY'er conclude we come out ahead when our cost/SKIING-days are less than that of TO's. I do agree it would be much more difficult to spend less TOTAL cost on a 8 day holiday than a 6 day holiday.
| Quote: |
| As you say, you have been lucky (or maybe you just choose your resorts well). |
Yes, I indeed choose my resorts with that requirement in mind. I was more responding to QB's complain about multiple transfers between bus and train.
One doesn't fly to Zurich in order to reach Chamonix. Geneva would have been a much better option. Same when one is traveling solo and intending to utilize public transport, care indeed need to be taken to filter out resorts base on public transport accessibility. So picking a resort in random and saying it would have required insanely complex public transport to reach is rather irrelavent.
Having said that, even many of those resort that do require bus, the bus station are quite often right outside the train station! And many cases, the bus schedule are timed to match the train schedule!
It's one thing to PREFER a seemless TO transfer. It's something else to say DIY by public transport is such a hardship it isn't worth considering. It's a smuggness exhibited by those ignorant of the varied options available beyond what the TO's offer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| alex_heney wrote: |
| And for all the Swiss places, yes you only have to take trains (both Geneva and Zurich airports have stations), but you will always have to change at the city centre, and for me, I don't care whether it is bus-train or train-train, it is the changing with heavy luggage that makes for hassle. |
Actually, often but not ALWAYS.
What's more often, is you may have to choose between a train that change in the city central station immediately. Or to wait for another half an hour when a direct train will come by, eliminating the transfer in the city. The Swiss Railway time table have all those relavent information. It takes a bit of pratice to figure such minor detail out.
So yes, the immediate next train may end up requiring 3 changes to get to the resort. Or with a bit more careful examination of the time table, one realize there's another train that only change once and actually arrive within 20 min of the first one. And the later departure even allows time for a quick coffee before getting on the train!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| abc wrote: |
It's one thing to PREFER a seemless TO transfer. It's something else to say DIY by public transport is such a hardship it isn't worth considering.
|
I couldn't agree more.
| Quote: |
It's a smuggness exhibited by those ignorant of the varied options available beyond what the TO's offer. |
Not necessarily smugness. Some people don't like travel in unfamiliar places at the best of times, and for them, it might well feel like a lot more effort and worry if they have changes of transport.
And as I mentioned above, I would hate to be doing it with a couple of under 10 year old kids plus all the luggage that entails.
And for some people, it is just an excuse for the real reason which is that they just can't be bothered trying to DIY.
Incidentally, while I have not yet done DIY for a ski trip, mainly due to cost, I usually do for my summer trips, but then I am usually travelling with my wife, and sometimes others as well. And we would usually be hiring a car even if we went with a TO.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
And as I mentioned above, I would hate to be doing it with a couple of under 10 year old kids plus all the luggage that entails.
|
Quite understandable. Skiing trip in particular having more luggage.
| Quote: |
And for some people, it is just an excuse for the real reason which is that they just can't be bothered trying to DIY.
|
I was struggling to find the words. You nail it! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
There are plenty of reasons why I wouldn't consider a DIY trip. Reasons not excuses. But like I said before, it clearly works for others. I'll stick to the convenience, value and security of the TO offerings thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Have travelled with various tour ops including Inghams, Neilson, Thompson, Simply ski, Snow Bizz. More laterly accommodation booked through Ski Collection, Peak Retreats
Snowbizz - fantastic if holidaying with young children. Highly recommend!
Inghams good apart from antique British Caledonian Tristar plane with faulty door! (this is going back over 10 yrs!). I would recommend Inghams for their resort service just check what planes they use these days!
Neilson and simply ski had awful chalet hosts and have put me off chalet holidays for ever!
Ski collection and Peak Retreats - very friendly. Would recommend if you want to book self catering in france and DIY with transport.
The main reason we are moving to DIY is that TOs mainly use charter flights and we like to go by train. There are plenty of resorts that can be reached by train without an expensive transfer - eg Les Arcs, La Rosiere, Montgenevre, Puy St Vincent and lots of others we haven't yet tried.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| queen bodecia wrote: |
| I'll stick to the convenience, value and security of the TO offerings thanks. |
Convenience, most of the time.
Value, sometimes.
Security? Just look at the other thread!
I'm currently stuck in a situation still developing. Bad weather had cancelled our flight. Most of us knew about the storm coming since yesterday. Had I been a DIY traveller, I could had changed my flights to a later part of the day when forecast was more optimistic. But as a group, I'm not free to make such a change on my own. Not only that, the TO is trying to change the booking of 50 people as a block, which isn't easy at all.
There're others in the group who would have preferred to fly out the next day to eliminate all the uncertainty, even if it means they have a shorten holiday.
I'm sure we'll all be sorted in the end and get to ski. But not neccessarily to satisfy everyone's preference. Such is the benefit and drawback of a TO trip.
DIY has more flexibility. But the benefit of such flexibility comes at the cost of more time spend at keeping track of all the arrangements. A lot of people don't have a strong preference one way or the other. For them, it's not worth the bother.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Because i can only get to the slopes in school holidays ( I'm a teacher) i find it much cheaper to drive and do a DIY holiday. This easter for example I've got a 4-6 person apartment for 320 euros booked it direct with Odalys. It will cost me around 500 pound to drive down to the French alps including the ferry and two overnight stops. I'll also get in 8 days skiing instead of 6 for around £200 per person in total exluding lift passes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
abc, that does sound like a rare example though. I think here even when the weather caused chaos, the TO flights were only delayed by a day and due to circumstances completely beyond their control. The security is that they did organise replacement flights/transfers and people weren't left high and dry to their own devices. That's what I want to avoid. I'm a lone woman traveller, being stuck somewhere with no one to help does not appeal to me at all. I want the security of knowing that someone is organising things for me in the event of a problem. I certainly don't have spare money lying around to buy alternative flights.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Don't understand why some SHs are aginst DIY.
I am arranging everything myself and been Colorado 4 days so far.
Day 1: Spent in Vail
Day 2: Heavy snow, no skiing so drove to ckeck out Copper Mountains, Breckenridge and keystone
Day 3: Skied Beaver Creek
Day 4: Tried Copper Mountains.
Yet to explore : Aspen, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe.
If one does DIY one can ski many resorts in a trip. This is our first time to ski USA and found a few eye-openers! Skiing Vail and Beaver Creek were like skiing in someone's back garden. These two resorts have their own TV channels and seem to aim at building expensive holiday properties for the wealthy folks. The skiing facilities appear to ne parts of the toys to attract buyers. We were told Aspen is even worst.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
When booking DIY I have usually found that most apartments and hotels only take bookings for Saturday to Saturday arrivals. I'm really interested in being able to book so that we could get 8 days skiing instead of 6 but surely this would mean getting an early Saturday morning flight and returning on a late flight the following Sunday.
What is the best way of booking accomodation with a Saturday check in and checking out the following Sunday?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
have done both diy and TO, Silverski are my favourites followed by Ski World, on the DIY side Ski Amis, More Alps, Sixt Mountain chalets were among the best. I love driving the rest of the family don't so we tend to do TO.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
I'd book DIY or TO depending on my circumatances at the time. Last year, we went to Colorado and booked exactly what we wanted for much less than any TO could do it for. This year, money was more of an issue but I found a trip to Cananda for £777 for 2 of us through Inghams so I booked that.
It depends on what I fancy doing, I always check out both options and see which works out best price wise. I do have friends who would never consider anything other than a TO package for any of their hols, which I think is a bit silly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| saikee wrote: |
Don't understand why some SHs are aginst DIY.
|
Because they aren't you.
Your pattern of skiing is pretty unusual, and is quite outside of what TO's offer normally.
But there are very few who are "against" DIY, it is just that for some, it doesn't work out as good as TO, on whatever grounds they set their priorities on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cheers re Inghams as bad as i have been hearing? A few people slagging them off like hell!...
We are all meeting up tomorrow to have a look over the internet and figure out a rough price ect ect!.. They just got back from Italy... Lucky gets!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
I'm still witholding my judgement of my one and only TO trip in recent memory.
20 of us made our own alternate flight arrangement so we don't have to lose TWO days of skiing. It's now 2 weeks to the day, I'm still waiting to get the refund of flight ticket which the TO promised us...
Had we accepted the TO's arrangement, we would have missed two days of skiing while still paying for 2 nights of hotel which we wouldn't have used. Only two in our roup did nothing and accepted the TO's arrangement. They would be getting NO REFUND from the TO. Talk about being "left high and dry to their own devices"! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I continue to use both TO and DIY. There's pros and cons to each of them but I don't think there can be any blanket application of one being better than the other.
At Christmas it was a DIY trip to LDA. Got caught up in the channel tunnel mess and ended up taking nearly 30 hours to drive there in total. In January it was a TO late deal to VDI. This time we caught up with the bad weather at Chambery and got diverted to Turin. Ended up taking 24 hours in total to get there. Both were comparable on cost but the VD trip was catered chalet whilst the LDA trip was self-catered apartment. There was no question that the TO trip was better value (and a better trip overall) but it doesn't mean it would be the case for all other trips.
Simple lesson from this is not to travel when I'm travelling
PS, off to Arabba soon (TO late deal), so watch out...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
