 Poster: A snowHead
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abc, there's two ways that comment could go...
so for sake of decency , and unlike many other  thread, I'll assume you don't mean being in the bar in your birthday suit.
I just like to kick back after a hard day's exercise, not feel as if I need to get changed and spruce up, just to wander into a crowded reception area for a nice glass of something. Much happier on the sofa in the apartment, or lounge area in a chalet. Socks 'n all.
speeeling edit
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 11-03-10 22:15; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rob@rar, snap
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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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If I were going on a "no expense spared" ski holiday I would choose an upmarket private chalet like the ones my son worked in. Stunning furnishings (in the Meribel one, owned by a Parisian banker, all the decor had been done by his wife, an interior designer. When Nick went for the "interview" in Paris their house there gave him a taste of what was to come). Very, very, few hotels could provide that kind of ambience - very comfortable, beautifully furnished, superb food cooked to your own tastes and preferences and you don't have to put up with disagreeable guests (unless they are in your own family, bien sur)
If it were a holiday on a more modest budget, when a 4 star hotel was an option, I would still choose to rent an apartment, but sample a range of restaurants and drink more expensive wine on the evenings I cooked myself. 
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| abc wrote: |
| ... albeit minus the "socks & base layer" bit. |
Naked? |
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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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Bambini 1 and 2 just gone to school. Sig.ra Wayne gone to office early to sue some other poor bug ger, so left here on my own.
As I was doing to breakfast washing up I was thinking about the hotel v apartment discussion.
No choice really. To me, family holidays are meant to be a break from all this sort of stuff. But of course some people don’t mind washing up
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Wayne, with you all the way on that one. A holiday is a break from the things you do every day. Having someone hoover your room and make your bed for you every day (without her telling you how lazy you are) is a real luxury!
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I'd prefer 4 star but would want to see it.
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| Quote: |
But of course some people don’t mind washing up
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good apartments will have dishwashers - and you can always eat dinner out! Different restaurant, different style of food every night. If you have half board and the first night's meal is not enjoyable, what do you do then?
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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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So the OP asks about preference for a 3* or a 4* hotel - why are people arguing about apartments and chalets?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Samerberg Sue, you've more or less described my favourite ski hotel - 4* in Chamonix, has been in the same family for 107 years and has 2 Michelin stars (though I haven't been since they were awarded the second one and the prices have risen since I stayed there.) Not slopeside, but then that's not really possible in Chamonix itself.
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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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| abc wrote: |
| ......Add to that, to be picked up from the train station (at no cost) on arrival. Restaurant staff speak to you in your language of choice (within reason). Though it's "only" 4*. ....) |
That's not unique to 4*, certainly in Switzerland
| The Holtel Perren, Zeramtt wrote: |
| Our hotelporter will pick you up at the trainstation or the parking area in Zermatt and will take care of your luggage. |
And being Swiss, they speak something like 5 languages. How many do you want?
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You know it makes sense.
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| achilles wrote: |
| abc wrote: |
| ......Add to that, to be picked up from the train station (at no cost) on arrival. Restaurant staff speak to you in your language of choice (within reason). Though it's "only" 4*. ....) |
That's not unique to 4*, certainly in Switzerland
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Agree on being (almost) universal in Switzerland. And that's another reason I personally prefer hotel over apartment: "service". It's not so much a cheezy smile (though it doesn't hurt). But someone to help collect the body and luggage from (train/bus) station and cart it up to the room.
In my most recent trip, we stayed in apartments. It was really nice and large, with plenty of amenities (fireplace, big screen TV etc). But, we had to drag our own suitcases and ski bags up 3 flights of stairs to get to our room!
| Quote: |
And being Swiss, they speak something like 5 languages. How many do you want? |
Actually, I'm told a lot of the wait staff in Swiss hotels are from Italy.
Judging from the accent of many I've met, I would suspect that's indeed the case. But I'm guessing they must be functional in German and French for them to get hired.
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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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| abc wrote: |
Actually, I'm told a lot of the wait staff in Swiss hotels are from Italy.
Judging from the accent of many I've met, I would suspect that's indeed the case. |
Quite funny that. In the hotel that I always use in Zermatt the staff always speak Italian to me and congratulates me on how good my English is. Mind you Zermatt is v close to Italy so everyone speaks it.
I am still haggling with the 4* but think it may be a little dip-of-the-toe for next year, if I do it at all. Maybe 15 or 20 rooms only.
Someone said on here that the client base is different for 4* so will need to look at that as well. (Sorry can't find the post so can't give credit).
Main thing I’ve noticed (may not be a 4* thing but more of a Southern European thing) is lots of pictures of nude 20 somethings, thin and fit girls in the sauna on the hotel's website. Someone from Thompsons marketing dept. once told me that it's normally the wife who had the final say in where to go for a family holiday so not sure that’s a good idea. We won't be cut-n-pasting those pictures as an advert.
From the responses here it seems that location is more important than *’s. As this is opposite the gondola, it should be ok. Just have to try and get the price down to something that we can actually sell. If we can't, it it's a non-starter
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Poster: A snowHead
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Wayne, Definitely me who has the first and final say in our house 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
lots of pictures of nude 20 somethings, thin and fit girls in the sauna on the hotel's website. Someone from Thompsons marketing dept. once told me that it's normally the wife who had the final say in where to go for a family holiday so not sure that’s a good idea.
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 agreed. that's exactly the kind of naff "4*" image which isn't going to sell to yer discerning Brit lady. And the lads don't generally do 4* hotels, do they?
Pictures of happy children being entertained after their early supper whilst parents eat sophisticated meals in a quiet dining room would be more like it.
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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.
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So where is this 4 * then? Me 'n the lads fancy Italy next year. we normally do 3 or 4 * and naked 20 something girls in the sauna can only be a plus. how much for four single rooms? (plus flights and connections, end of Jan)
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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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| Wayne wrote: |
Anyone got any thoughts ??
Do you like posh rooms / suites ? |
Not for me as the law of diminishing returns applies. Pay extra for a nice hotel, yes possibly. Pay even more for a more spacious room/suite in the same hotel. Nope, not worth it for me.
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Wayne,
For me these days if I'm away with Mrs Axs we want some comfort. That means nice rooms in a nice hotel ideally with some facilites (like sauna/pool/jacuzzi and defintely with a decent restaurant. 5* would merit consideration but depending on price I would also want ski in ski out and hot and cold running chamber maids.
When I'm with the lads I want somewhere that lets us get drunk in the bar and karakoe until 2.00 am. This is rare in 4* and 5* hotels. (Unless it's Austria of course  )
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Have to bear in mind that 3* in France would probably be 1* in Austria/Italy. I suspect that most ski hotel rooms in France would be illegal in Austria on size grounds.
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Ghost Dog, Actually I suspect many would fall foul of the geneva convention on 'cruel and unusual punishment'
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Anyone booking less than 5-star is from loserville.
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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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I'd love to go back to Madonna at some point (skied one day there when in Passo Tonale in 2006), but it would have to be a 3-ish star hotel to fit within my budget I reckon. Location doesn't matter to me if there are ski/boot lockers at the lift station so I can do the walk without gear in comfy boots (and take in a bar or two on the way back).
I don't really hold a great deal of faith in hotel star rating systems, they seem to vary so much from country to country. The hotel I stayed in La Thuile this past season was supposedly only two star and that rating was probably only held back because it was a small hotel with no bar or lift. However, the rooms were clean, all ensuite and well furnished and the food was delicious Italian home cooking with a good menu choice. So it got a big thumbs up from me. I've definitely stayed in worse 3 and 4-star hotels in this country.
But anyway, back to the original question, I'd definitely pay a bit more for a proper hotel rather than a chalet (in my experience chalets tend to have small rooms, basic furnishings, no privacy and I've even known some where the room doors don't lock and with no ensuites, not to mention no choice of menu). But when it comes to hotels, I don't really have a preference towards location and luxury, some of the best I have stayed at have been small and friendly with great food.
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I'd pay a bit extra for the 4* but need a pool for SWMBO wherever we stay so this would be the clincher.
Pete
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You know it makes sense.
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In most places, I'd go for the 4* - unless it is Andorra, in which case 4* means crapper than a Travelodge, and not a good Travelodge that has been done up, one of the crap ones in the back bottom end of nowhere that hasn't been cleaned in months and isn't due to for refurb until 2020. Honestly, I didn't find a hotel in the entire place that could be described as 4*.
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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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Skiing is not a holiday I will skimp too much on accommodation. It's a strenuous and intensive activity and the nature of the weather makes skimping not worth it for me.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hmmmmmm
Thanks for the feedback.
I will leave the 5* for 2k11 and look at taking say half the hotel for 2k12 as it's a bit late in the day now for the coming season.
I have taken 12 suites in a 4* next to the cable car for 2k11 - we'll see what happens.
There is another thread the talks about the reduction in numbers of people going skiing. This is having another effect (not just on the big TO's), in that it is freeing up accommodation blocks for medium sized TO's (I would put us as a medium TO as - summer and winter combined - we take 20K+) due to the inability of the small operators to pay for advertising, deposits, etc.
Don't worry, not forgetting the core market as have also taken over a full 3* as well that had been block booked by a French TO.
I noticed that we are getting more and more e mails from hotels (and even hotel chains) asking us if we need any rooms as they have plenty of availability (even during UK Half Term) , due to some smaller TO or other dropping out of the booking or just disappearing. In our resort there is one small UK TO that whizzed around last booking anything and everything. Not only do they not have any bookings for next year and can't pay the (relatively) small deposits required by the hotels. Basically some hotels next year are going to have a problem.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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"Basically some hotels next year are going to have a problem."
Sounds like 2011/12 could be the season of the cheap last minute deal? I understand this might not be ideal for the TO's but for us punters - could be a good thing.
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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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Wayne,
The 4* must be the Caminetto............yes, am I right?
Great hotel & would love to go back there ( had a week in Jan 2009).
Mitch
PS watch the stairs to the boot room .........................bloody lethal in ski boots!!!!
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Mitchell yeah it is, I have booked the whole hotel, but I jibbed out at booking the suites as I don't think people will pay that price. May be wrong but took all the room except the suites.
Mind you just took a "really" big punt, and added yet another hotel to our option and block booked the whole of the Hotel Alaska for 2012, piste side so ski/out, etc. But will "definitely" NOT be using some of the photos they have on the hotel's website (  NOT safe for work). Not really even sure if they have anything to do with the hotel and are not just a joint perve by the hotel director and the photographer.
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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 appreciate i am a little late in commenting on this, but I value proximity to the slopes most of all, and as long as the hotel is functioning and clean wouldn't mind what star it was. (to be fair i would stay in a youth hostel if it was close to the slopes).
so i would definately take the close to slopes option, and not mind too much about anything else.
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I have made this point various times about hotels, IGNORE STAR RATING. I travel a lot with work and have stayed in hundreds of hotels, I book hotels on how they look and seem, not what their star rating is, it's not reliable, I've stayed in beautiful 2* places and had to demand my money back in 4* places. If it looks really nice on the pictures, if it has good reviews, I will pay a little bit more. If it looks mediocre but has a 5* rating, I won't stay there because they claim to be 5*
Reviews are the only way to go, I've even stayed in hotels rated 1 on trip advisor and enjoyed it, because the main source of complaint was the food, and it was cheap enough to just not eat there (I was in Turkey)
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Mosha Marc, yeah, but is that because they don't ski all day everyday and therefore on the non-skiing days they want to use a pool or gym or something?
Reason I ask is, one of my (keen skier) friend's wives is like that, she doesn't ski everyday but he does, so she wants the other facilities to use when he's out skiing etc, and so they have to have something that has these facilities each time. Luckily though, he can afford it and keeping his wife happy is high up on the agenda or else she might not want to go skiing at all!
Wayne, I think you might get away with the 5 star in Madonna. Do you deal with mainly British clientele or lots of other Europeans too?
See what you mean about the photos on the Hotel Alaska website!  They have to be the weirdest/most unusual hotel webpage photos I've seen. Apart from the obvious-there were a few odd photos, the one of the two gents stood talking only from the waist down, the one of some bloke yanking his dreadlocks ponytail thing, and the one of the suitcases springs to mind! Never seen hotel keys with a squash ball as a key fob before today either 
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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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| VolklAttivaS5 wrote: |
| Mosha Marc, yeah, but is that because they don't ski all day everyday and therefore on the non-skiing days they want to use a pool or gym or something? |
Not really, they do ski most days, but if the weather closes in or they get tired they do like to go for the spa stuff. They're just turned on by nice rooms, smart appearance and a decent pool I think.
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anotherproblem, sorry to state the bleedin' obvious, but the worst poo-poo-hole in the word can be made to look good by even the most amateur of photographers. I specifically do not judge by the photies, but do a google search and take the aggregate reviews, discount the best and worst because they are either driven by competitors or, more likely, nutters withouth a clue who expect 5* for 2* prices (tripadvisor is especially bad for this). The only consistently reliable method is to go by word of mouth, from people who's opinion you trust.
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FAQ
