 Poster: A snowHead
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Top blog. While the bluntness and intimacy can shock (no one has to read it), it takes guts to put your life out there for all to see. And in a way that is entertaining and informative and so, grips the reader. She is one helluva writer which is probably the career she doesn't know she's got yet.
There's enuff corporate bland cr@p out there as it is.
Speakiing of which - as protectors of democracy, will the Sunday Times and the Mail put their "top investigative teams" on her case (like they did with Belle du Jour ) and "expose" her so we can all be saved from such filth?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Seeing as she's been telling people who she is at some ski expo, they won't have to look too far. As I've said it's a pretty good read, but odd that she sneers at the 18yo chalet kids for being rather Jack Wills. Her 14th century cottage and druggie country raves, along with the rather social-climbing references to being descended from Lady Hamilton put her pretty firmly in the rah category. Along with the early down-size and rejection of tedious bourgeois life and trundling off to find herself in the mountains.
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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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| Alans deep bath wrote: |
It wasn't an offensive read but I won't be going out my way to click on it again. I don't understand the love that Lizzard's blogging gets either, or why it deserves a new thread every time there's a new post  |
I agree. I don't find the solipsism and scornful style which they share either attractive or more than intermittently funny. But they are both funny from time to time.
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To be honest I'm massively impressed that Bella manages to find the time to write at all -
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| solipsism and scornful |
style or not.
Working a management job for a TO is massively hard work without adding several hours a week to write, edit and post a blog that it's free to subscribe to!
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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 liked it... but I think some of the criticisms made above are apposite... and solipsistic and scorn-filled certainly would be...
Anyway - I can't see why people are so surprised at "Chalet and resort staff treat punters like they are getting in the way of their holiday" - I mean - Shock, Horror or what?
Ok - I'm only going to say this once - I think Lizzard writes quite well actually..., this may be because she seems generically grumpy and cynical about such a range of things...
Anyway - didn't we look at this blog last season? 
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stoat of the dead,
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Ok - I'm only going to say this once - I think Lizzard writes quite well actually..., this may be because she seems generically grumpy and cynical about such a range of things...
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Thought I'd better preserve that...... 
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several hours a week to write, edit and post a blog
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Takes about two hours or so actually, and probably less for Belle de Neige because she doesn't use a lot of media.
stoat of the dead, if I write well it's because a) I am bursting with natural talent and b) I have some training/experience in it. But mostly the talent thing, obviously.
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Well I enjoyed it ......
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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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Me too, thanks Belle.
We have a chalet booked and may be it would have been better not to have read it.
I have had several chalet holidays and am generally surprised by how conscientious the young hosts are. I would want to max out on skiing and après but don’t think I would last long sucking up to the punters. Doing a ski/ beach season, Glastonbury, gap year back packing should be a rite of passage to gain survival skills, perspective and experience before signing up to a life a corporate drudgery.
As I punter I also want to max out. I am especially obnoxious when drunk but still have some empathy (jealousy) for the staff and cut them some slack as long as I get food and drink. You need to factor in how much you have paid as what to expect. I have little sympathy for guests who book with a low budget operator and behave like prima donnas expecting luxury.
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and it might be worth remembering that most chalet hosts get paid between £65 and £80 a week. Doesn't go far in the eurozone mountains.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Lechbob wrote: |
| I have little sympathy for guests who book with a low budget operator and behave like prima donnas expecting luxury. |
Crucial point this, in that expectations amongst many are elevated to a laughable level by the ski industry itself. Standard chalet brocher picture has beautiful people lounging around huge open fires with a large table in the background groaning under the weight of gourmet food. Well you might get that if you're paying upwards of £1,500 for your week, what you'll get for your £600-800 standard place is some clapt-out flat pack furniture arranged around a portable telly that Baird would have laughed at. The food will be functional, in a road-side cafe sort of way, and the 'fine wine' will do a fine job of stripping the enamel from your teeth, getting bearable only after you've gagged your way through the first bottle. Your fellow chalet guests will peddle a solid line in laying around in their base layers, picking their nose before helping them selves to an entirely unnecessary 3rd slice of cake, before coughing crumbs all over the sofa you didn't want to sit on in the first place. It never fails to amaze me (and the chalet girls and boys that I've spoken to), that no-one expects to turn up as a beginner and start carving reds, but they apparently expect complete luxury, restaurant standard food and silver service for a price per night that would get you a basic B&B in Bogner at best.
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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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...and i've learned a valuable lesson about toothbrush defence - it'll be in the hotel safe from now on.
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| Lechbob wrote: |
| I have little sympathy for guests who book with a low budget operator and behave like prima donnas expecting luxury. |
I had quite a few of these last year always going to the one particular chalet, Trying to do gold star on the cheap - which summed up the guest. I found these to be the worst problem and started to despise them towards the end.
| Dr John wrote: |
| Crucial point this, in that expectations amongst many are elevated to a laughable level by the ski industry itself. Standard chalet brocher picture has beautiful people lounging around huge open fires with a large table in the background groaning under the weight of gourmet food. Well you might get that if you're paying upwards of £1,500 for your week, what you'll get for your £600-800 standard place is some clapt-out flat pack furniture arranged around a portable telly that Baird would have laughed at. The food will be functional, in a road-side cafe sort of way, and the 'fine wine' will do a fine job of stripping the enamel from your teeth, getting bearable only after you've gagged your way through the first bottle. Your fellow chalet guests will peddle a solid line in laying around in their base layers, picking their nose before helping them selves to an entirely unnecessary 3rd slice of cake, before coughing crumbs all over the sofa you didn't want to sit on in the first place. It never fails to amaze me (and the chalet girls and boys that I've spoken to), that no-one expects to turn up as a beginner and start carving reds, but they apparently expect complete luxury, restaurant standard food and silver service for a price per night that would get you a basic B&B in Bogner at best. |
While I agree with the thoughts behind this post particularly the wine issue, the chefs and staff will try their best to make it as enjoyable as possible with the tools and budget at hand.
You do get what you pay for.
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You know it makes sense.
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There are a lot of quoted extremes in this thread, every chalet we've stayed in has been excellent, from a standard 3* in meribel to a 2* in courcheval. The 2* was basic but the hosts more than made up for it with effort in cleanliness and both presentation and standard of food.
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Tue 22-11-11 12:38; edited 1 time in total
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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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Belle de Neige, Fair Fu*&s to ya coming on and sorting the negative head to bottom inverted types. Your blog is brilliant and a perfect take on the realities and surreal nature of a season in a ski resort from many perspective. Also just like Lizzard, you are obviously well read and have a talent for writing but, you choose a more informal approach with the use of more apt day to day on the ground Language.
I look forward to reading it as you ressume your time in the alps I hope.  Both yourself and Lizzard, blogs have never ceased to amaze me and make me wish I had the ability and talent to do the same. Have shared it with a number of people and they have all loved it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Dwarf Vader, the rant wasn't meant as a criticism of the chalet staff who, by and large, have been perfectly pleasant in all the chalets I've stayed in. As I've said before in this thread the worse people in any chalet are the guests. The staff do their best with a budget that would make most guests gasp at it's meanness.
You get what you pay for (and should set your expectations accordingly and not take it out on the staff when the reality doesn't match up to the advertising)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've no complaints about the blog - I read it periodically and it mainly confirms what I already know about TO staff. If anyone takes a chalet holiday then the quality of the off-snow experience can be directly related to the talent and attitude of the chalet staff. I've stayed places with excellent staff who worked no harder than anyone else (& probably got in more ski time) as they had experience and organisation. Equally I've stayed places where the staff made a very poor effort at hiding the fact that it was all about their social life & a chunk of food budget (including my cake every afternoon!) was going down the throats of assorted mates and hangers on. Luck of the draw really.
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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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fatbob, I've not had the negative experiences you have. The worse I can think of was when some friends used to visit and drink some of the wine, but then we were allowed to drink it all night as well so it didn't matter.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I found belle's blog to be an interesting read, didnt agree with it all, and parts of it did make me think she's probably her own number one fan, that said though I still read on....
I'm firmly in angrys camp when in comes to seasonnaires though, your not a local, you dont live here, your on an extended holiday.....Your a snow carny 
http://www.angrysnowboarder.com/life-of-the-snow-carny-part-1-the-invasion/
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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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| Richard_Sideways wrote: |
| ...and i've learned a valuable lesson about toothbrush defence - it'll be in the hotel safe from now on. |
don't kid yourself hotel staff are any better ;oP don't forget the force field...
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cantridepete, good shout although the labyrinthine politics about who gets to call themselves "local" in US and Canadian ski towns is a challenge all in itself. Especially when lots of the said locals are just snow carnies who forgot to ever move on and eventually happened into a real job or the town itself is an artificial construct like Whistler.
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Just read the blog. Most fun thing I have read in a long time.
Mind you I don't get out much these days.
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| fatbob wrote: |
| cantridepete, good shout although the labyrinthine politics about who gets to call themselves "local" in US and Canadian ski towns is a challenge all in itself. Especially when lots of the said locals are just snow carnies who forgot to ever move on and eventually happened into a real job or the town itself is an artificial construct like Whistler. |
haha yeah, he covers that off in part 2 or 3 of the snow carny series
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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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| Belle de Neige wrote: |
| Richard_Sideways wrote: |
| ...and i've learned a valuable lesson about toothbrush defence - it'll be in the hotel safe from now on. |
don't kid yourself hotel staff are any better ;oP don't forget the force field... |
Will have to be polite, leave copious tips AND lay off the tartiflette then... Rats.
Maybe i'll just have to get used to bad breath.
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Dwarf Vader, I'd cut your price/expectation figures by about half, personally.
If you're not getting great quality service for £600-£800, book with someone else next time!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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stevomcd, you, presumably.
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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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Thing is I'd imagine a lot of these people did get great service... What goes on behind the scenes doesn't necessarily show through to the customer.
Our hotel was generally very well reviewed by guests but the kind of things going on with the staff were accurately reflected by Belle's description...
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Lizzard, well yes - but I wouldn't claim to be particularly unusual! 
That sort of money should be getting you great food, a comfortable chalet (if not a bling one), decent wine & good service.
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You know it makes sense.
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But I'd agree with bobmcstuff too, just because you're having a good time and wanting to maximise that, doesn't mean you're not taking care of the customers too.
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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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stevomcd, it's been my experience of catering for British holidaymakers that most of them wouldn't recognise great food if it bit them.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| sequoiaboard wrote: |
| and it might be worth remembering that most chalet hosts get paid between £65 and £80 a week. Doesn't go far in the eurozone mountains. |
If you are good, you can easily make £150-200 a week in tips from a chalet of 10-12 people. No food or drink to buy, and free lodgings. Not many people have £250 approx a week disposable income in their pocket.
As for Chalet Hosts and Chalets, from my experience it's a lottery. You can book the best Chalet but have a poor host. Or have a poor chalet and a fantastic host.
I know of one mainstream company that put their best hosts in their 'poorer' chalets.
Some Guests behaviour is just as bad as some of the poorer Chalet hosts. That also can be a lottery if you are sharing with unknowns.
As a host i experienced, Used Condoms on the dining table, Unbaked Croissants thrown and sticking to the walls and ceilings, Sick and crap in every bathroom, Drugs and Alchohol in the bedrooms, Theft, physical fights and the threat of Police action, to name just a few . All this carried out by Guests. I made every guest that did these things clear up after themselves, and embarrassed them in front of their peers.
I also experienced some wonderful guests. Some were so impressed with my hosting and cooking that i got offered positions working in Restaurants they owned.
In fact my comments book is the best CV profile i have.
Treat people how you would like to be treated, is a good philosophy in my book.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Lizzard, I plead the 5th...
Our guests are all awesome! 
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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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| spud wrote: |
If you are good, you can easily make £150-200 a week in tips from a chalet of 10-12 people. No food or drink to buy, and free lodgings. Not many people have £250 approx a week disposable income in their pocket. |
Really? When and with whom? maybe if your working the top end e.g. Scott Dunn.
I'll also assume it was not last season where the tips were lower, which I would expect from this season to.
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spud, I once threw one out of a chalet in Courchevel for snorting coke off the dining table, frightening the chalet staff and sexually assaulting the resort manager. His name was Nick something or other and his website went to great lengths to tell everyone he wasn't a hedge fund manager. So ........ a hedge fund manager then. He told me on leaving that he'd met lots of people like me (conspiratorial wiggle of eyebrows) in some club in New York. This was a tad baffling until we Googled it and realised that he was trying to tell me he 'knew' I was a lesbian.
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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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Lizzard, Good on ya. I took no prisoners in my Chalet. No one should be treated like dirt.
Dwarf Vader, It wasn't top end. TUI infact.
Get yourself a chalet for 10-12, requesting that you would prefer not to work with kids, then you end up with couples or groups of single friends.
Most people gave between 20-30 Euro each. If it were couples 20-30 Euro per couple. Family of 4, 20-30 Euros per family. So it's better to have singles stay.
Group of 12 lads from Glasgow over New Year. 30 Euro each. Plus you get all the booze that is left over, each week. Which you trade with the local Ski shop to get massive discounts off kit.
Simples...
Just have to make sure you can cook well, and be polite, and friendly.
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| spud wrote: |
Most people gave between 20-30 Euro each. If it were couples 20-30 Euro per couple. Family of 4, 20-30 Euros per family. So it's better to have singles stay. |
This was not my experience of last season nor any other seasonaire I knew.
The worst one I can remember was a chalet of 15, leaving a €25 tip in total and that was between 3 staff. It was off a father and son.
The main group of welsh Fitzwilliams left nothing and before you commented on quality of service they left left good reviews on their feed back form.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Tue 22-11-11 20:13; edited 1 time in total
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| Dwarf Vader wrote: |
| spud wrote: |
Most people gave between 20-30 Euro each. If it were couples 20-30 Euro per couple. Family of 4, 20-30 Euros per family. So it's better to have singles stay. |
This was not my experience of last season nor any other seasonaire I knew. |
Well it has been mine, and for every seasonairre I know.
Who and where did you work?
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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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spud, when did you last work a season? was it last year? if so well done. If not you would have been in for a shock.
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| Dwarf Vader wrote: |
| spud, when did you last work a season? was it last year? if so well done. If not you would have been in for a shock. |
In the past 3 Seasons, Winter and Summer.
I've got mates who work every season, and they never do less than 250 a week in tips and wages. That included last season.
There are way's and means of making your guests know, that other 'guests' have left a nice tip. They then feel obliged to do the same. And so they should imho, unless the service is poor. Then a host shouldn't expect anything.
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FAQ
