 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm not at all keen on the chalet holiday, a peculiarly British invention that is not very popular with other nationalities. Personally I think it's all tied up with the British fear of staying somewhere English is not the first language and the food may actually be interesting, and the idea of stopping for soup (for God's sake) instead of apres ski is just hilarious!
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A chalet holiday is the most intimate type of ski holiday available. You are virtually forced to socialise with complete strangers. Could it be that non British people find it difficult to take part in this "in yer face" type of holiday?. Apart from that, the stat ement by Blitzen is complete tosh.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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nbt, If I was, I'd be making more money 
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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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Masque, I was being a quite tongue in cheek with the t-tree comment. I found I. H.Mass easy to learn, all my training done with the opposition IIHHT taking a full academic year. Off topic I know, but I wonder if t-tree has been pitched against MRSA in the labs yet? Back on topic, i would like to be able to lock my bedroom door in a chalet 
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I don't particularly like the chalet holiday thing either, the local hotels and restaurants are much better.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| A chalet holiday is the most intimate type of ski holiday available. You are virtually forced to socialise with complete strangers. Could it be that non British people find it difficult to take part in this "in yer face" type of holiday?. Apart from that, the stat ement by Blitzen is complete tosh. |
The image of the British being the most social people in the world takes some believing. It might be other European nationalities have more respect for each others space and privacy and a higher expectation of standards of accomodation that explain the lack of popularity of chalet holidays. They might also have an extreme distate for spending their holiday on a version of the Big Brother set or not be terrified of meeting some Johnny foreigner type if they ventured out alone.
It's a personal preference obviously.
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I had some great chalet hols when I was in my mid 20s. Lots of chums, filling or nearly filling a chalet, free/duty free booze, a great time was had by all. Food varied from excellent to poor.
I'm a bit old to take advantage of the booze benefits now, and I'd need to know that the food would be first class, the company excellent (which it always was) and the facilities very good. We're staying in a small one in Courchevel over Christmas with some chums which I am assured meets these requirements.
Blitzen, there are better places to go than ski resorts to absorb local culture, I think. I've never really noticed much local culture in the resorts I've stayed in; the local culture tends to be skiing.
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richmond, depends on where you choose to ski, I've not stayed in many 'resort' type places, I prefer places off the beaten track and slightly out of reach by transfer coaches! Thank heavens we are all different and have varied tastes or those chalets would be even more crowded!
Apologies to Ben Wright for veering off piste, but on the other hand you have been given loads of sensible ideas that people would like to find on their next chalet holiday, so all is not lost! 
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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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snowbunny, It forms part of a new anti-bacterial barrier cream that's been trialed (I hear, very effectively) and is now on sale through ASDA. I don’t know if any of the SH medical members have been involved in the reviews,
I heard about it last year on a radio report, a retired train driver(?) knocked it up in a bucket in his shed to help treat his wife's skin problem. I hear it's extraordinarily effective both as a skin anti-bacterial and as a long tern water/wash resistant barrier to x-contamination to all bacteria including MRSA.
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Masque, yeh, he made it for his wife who has eczema.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks to everyone for their input, you've given me a few new ideas and confirmed some things that I'd been planning.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Thu 7-07-05 17:02; edited 1 time in total
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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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Richmond reminds me - I have a friend who's stayed with Silver ski before, their "ski guiding" service included off-piste runs. That would be a bonus
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>> their "ski guiding" service included off-piste runs.
Was this "official"? I've never found a UK company who would do this officially for insurance/liability reasons.
regards,
greg
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You know it makes sense.
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gregh, couldn;t say - I can only report what I was told by by friend. Specifically, he mentioned they did the Vallée Perdue and another run (the name of which I can't remember) off the back of Grand Pré, in Val d'Isere.
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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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ise wrote:
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It might be other European nationalities have more respect for each others space and privacy and a higher expectation of standards of accomodation that explain the lack of popularity of chalet holidays.
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It might be that other European nationalities, like us, have varied tastes (and pockets). Those "vacances villages" and "gites d'étapes" places seem like pretty matey options, with modest standards of accommodation and privacy. They exist to give less well off families the opportunity for a holiday, and seem to be very popular. And many French kids seem to grow up doing those annual "ski camps" which perhaps give them a taste for such youth hostellish experiences (or put them off for life). And the French invented Club Med - very like a big chalet hotel, I guess. And I still have nightmarish memories of German youth hostels, full of hugely bouncy, brown, German girls running around with nothing on half the night (yes, I know.....).
Few generalisations about nationalities hold good.
I enjoyed chalet holidays, but confess that they were always chosen as the cheapest and easiest option with kids. The sort of hotel rooms we could have afforded were no place to spend an evening. I suppose the key requirement of a chalet is to offer good value for whatever money is being spent and 100% honest descriptions of what is on offer.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| ise wrote: |
The image of the British being the most social people in the world takes some believing. It might be other European nationalities have more respect for each others space and privacy and a higher expectation of standards of accomodation that explain the lack of popularity of chalet holidays. They might also have an extreme distate for spending their holiday on a version of the Big Brother set or not be terrified of meeting some Johnny foreigner type if they ventured out alone.
It's a personal preference obviously. |
Mostly I have stayed in really friendly chalets with good quality food and a mix of European guests because of the chalet's focus (ski teaching). It's always the really bad one that is memorable, it was nicknamed "Heartbreak Hotel" by the locals. My fellow guests titled themselves "The Dangerous Brothers". Your comment about the Big Brother set....Appalled,I packed up and left after the 1st night. For me it highlighted the reality that anyone can set up in business running a ski chalet.
Do you really believe that Continental Europeans don't relate to the chalet concept? I am certain that I have seen Dutch/Belgian/Scandanavian TO's signs on chalet buildings?
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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 can only say that having lived in France, Germany and Switzerland I know of no one that goes on chalet holiday and only a very few who'd even know what they are.
I have to say comparisons with Club Med are highly dubious, it's not the same thing at all. There's some excellent chalets around, I've friends who own and run various operations in fact, but it doesn't really excuse the lamentable state of that particular market segment.
To an extent it's a lifestyle thing, I've no inclination nor compulsion to stay somewhere and share a bathroom, breakfast or anything else with people I don't know, or have my food prepared by someone on a year out from the local vocational college. Obviously stripped of the post I was replying my comments lost some context.
I do think given the even worse state of French hotels that chalets in France probably aren't a bad bet though, I'd rather use an Austrian or Swiss hotel hotel if I wanted something catered though.
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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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At their best, chalet holidays can be an excellent way of going skiing. At their worst they can be beyond the pale. They're not everyone's cup of tea, to which I say thank God. It would be pretty boring if we all wanted the same thing from a holiday.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Kramer, that sums it up really. At the EOSB people who mostly had only maintained cyber-relations got on like a chalet on fire. Can't say I fancy the idea of the cuisine though, in the 'real thing'. Not that I've ever tried a chalet holiday, so what would I know.
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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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PG, the cuisine is like roulette (or even Russian roulette in some cases), the chalet host can vary from some kid on their gap year (v-bad), through to professional chefs out for the craic, via couples who've decided to start their own chalet.
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| Alastair wrote: |
| Helen Beaumont, the best test is arive in your own chalet with a suitcase and see how you get on. That way you will soon find out about missing coat hooks, etc. Try hard to be really critical! Make sure you sleep in each bedroom in turn. |
Alastair there's only one so it won't be too difficult. We'll be our first 'guests'anyway over Christmas and New Year, so after 2 weeks, I think we'll notice what's missing.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 8-07-05 10:38; edited 1 time in total
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| Kramer wrote: |
| At their best, chalet holidays can be an excellent way of going skiing. At their worst they can be beyond the pale. They're not everyone's cup of tea, to which I say thank God. It would be pretty boring if we all wanted the same thing from a holiday. |
Quite, that was my point above really.
I've tried chalets and not been impressed, the worst would be Crystal, not a nice building, poor food and I found the chalet staff unpleaseant. The best I've used would be YSE in VdI though.
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I have found TO run chalets uniformly poor, whilst privately run/owned operations vary greatly. It is a lottery when booking can rely on the glossy brochure and sales bumf. Some of which is utter b0ll0cks which has left me feeling as though I have been robbed.
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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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Past 2 years, Ski Olympic X2, Silver Ski x 1, chalet holidays- Uniformly very good.
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ise, My apologies, I did not intend to quote you out of context. My point was that groups of european nationals do gather together,stay,socialise and ski together in their individual nation groups. They have no interest in getting along with anyone else. I think we are insular unless we make an effort. (Broad assumption-you are clearly not!) 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| snowbunny wrote: |
| I have found TO run chalets uniformly poor, whilst privately run/owned operations vary greatly. It is a lottery when booking can rely on the glossy brochure and sales bumf. Some of which is utter b0ll0cks which has left me feeling as though I have been robbed. |
That was my impression, I've not been to enough TO run chalets to be sure though. It's consistent with the way TO's operate of course though.
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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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| snowbunny wrote: |
| ise, My apologies, I did not intend to quote you out of context. My point was that groups of european nationals do gather together,stay,socialise and ski together in their individual nation groups. They have no interest in getting along with anyone else. I think we are insular unless we make an effort. (Broad assumption-you are clearly not!) |
Yes, but it's done in a different way, those groups you see will typically be pre-organised, work trips, ski/sport/social clubs etc. They all knew each other to start with and chose to go away on holiday.
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Frosty the Snowman, I was referring to the biggies, who see us as a cash crop. I know that Silver Ski in particular has a solid good reputation going back 20 years (I think).
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You know it makes sense.
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snowbunny, Ive only ever had one poorish (still a fab holiday) experience in a chalet, and that was with Neilson in Tignes.
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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 think you need to copy these guys...now this is a serious Chalet Holiday!
www.thepowderco.com
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Poster: A snowHead
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A very glossy brochure I admit, lots of positive statements, but your trip there could be ruined by a mismatch in the guest list, lousy cooking, drunks or a hundred and one other potential probs  I now prefer a little more control over my environment to get the best from my ski trips.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Frosty the Snowman, A biggie then, and you were that weeks crop, (or self loading baggage as the airlines like to call us)
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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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I always find that as a week goes on my child-like spring out of bed (a-la Xmas morning) diminishes due to the effects of lactic acid and upped booze intake. An alarm clock then becomes very important, as opposed to the alarm on my phone which by now is flat as I left my charger in London.
No don't want a phone charger, but perhaps clock radio?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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That reminds me, back to the original post, enough power points. When I use hotel rooms I can never find enough power for the various battery chargers, computers and gadgetry I have.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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snowbunny, Bought the holiday on an internet auction £300 each for me and thhe Mrs at the end of Feb 02. Met some ABSOLUTE characters in the chalet. Transfers, the 2 staff, chalet, food, and room were all very poor, The company we met, the chalet position, the craic, the snow, the skiing, the lunches etc etc were all top notch.
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| ise wrote: |
| That reminds me, back to the original post, enough power points. When I use hotel rooms I can never find enough power for the various battery chargers, computers and gadgetry I have. |
ise, I always carry a multiple adaptor and extension lead for that very reason.
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ise, plus, they're always hidden away behind pieces of furniture, and there's not enough room to plug in adapters, etc.
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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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The grb is usually the weak point in chalets. You can check out the accomodation and facilities reasonably well from the brochure, but the grub is a real lottery. The large TOs don't seem to give adequate training to their staff. Although I've had a couple of excellent grub experiences in chalets, more often it's been disappointing and once or twice, pretty bloody.
ben wright, if you have cracked the grub side of things (and your attention to detail suggests that you probably have), I guess that you have pretty satisfied customers.
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Richmond - we've had an embarrassingly large number of compliments about the food. I can take little credit for this as I only do breakfast (cooked) each day and the fondue night the rest is down to my girlfriend, Pru Leith's Cookery Bible and The Ivy Cookbook.
I remember meeting a couple of fellow chalet owners last year and talking about food, they both served tartiflette as a main course as well as having a fondue night. I think I'd be a bit cheesed off (guffaws) at this, we serve tartiflette as a side dish not a main course!
On the electrical front - we have plenty of sockets, extension leads if people want them and adaptors. We've only got a charger for Nokia mobiles so maybe I should think about getting a different sort although one of the guests has always had the right one for any fellow guest who forgot to bring theirs.
We can't offer plasma screens in every room and use of a skiddoo and driver 24 hours a day (our top price is only £440 and the average about £300) but little things like this are easy to provide and are usually appreciated. Strange that more chalets don't do them.
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