 Poster: A snowHead
|
Flights are booked to Innsbruck for 14-21 December 2013
Hoping to go to the Dolomites. Will be booking late to ensure there's snow. Could be booking very late.
Went to Kronplatz 2 years ago which was great but want to try somewhere else.
Family trip with non skiing wife and two kids 12 (fine on all runs) and 7 (progressing to reds, just)
Requirements
Hotel half board
Decent wellness including a pool
Short walk to lifts
Ski in if possible, or something close
Paid €360 (for a family room) per night HB in Obergurgl last year for the same week, happy to pay similar.
Any recommendations as to village and hotel much appreciated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Hmm...
I would suggest Cortina from the wife's point of view: beautiful town with nice shops etc. The skiing is a bit fragmented though and someone (skiers or non-skier) would have to do a bit of walking or bussing. Back on the positives, the slopes should suit the skiers.
For better access to skiing, I'd suggest Selva, but the Mrs would have less to do during the day. We stayed in the Genziana Hotel (half-board) which is, as near as damn it, ski in/out on the Sella Ronda and has an OK spa. The hotel is pleasant enough, though perhaps without a 'wow' factor.
This year we stayed in Arabba, at the hotel Evaldo. That did have a 'wow' factor: excellent food and good pool/spa. Although it is walkable to the lifts, it couldn't be described as ski in/out. However, they have a more-or-less on-demand minibus shuttle. Arabba is even smaller than Selva though, and the 7-year-old might be quite challenged if you wanted access to the majority of the excellent skiing in the area.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Personally I'm not keen on Cortina - it is quite a large town with posh shops and dislocated chunks of skiing around it (much requiring down-loading by cable car), though the situation is quite spectacular.
It should be said that some years there hasn't been that much snow in mid December in the Dolomites (especially 2006-7 and 2007-8, and the 2011-12 season it was thin and wouldn't have been enough for the serious off-piste it does have). Personally I don't think I'd choose the area for so early though I haven't actually been there at that time and my emphasis s on off piste, so there may be others who feel differently.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Quote: |
| the 7-year-old might be quite challenged if you wanted access to the majority of the excellent skiing in the area. |
I raised this issue earlier in the year when we took our 5yo and 7 yo to Arabba. Turned out to be one of the best skiing holidays we'd had. I think I'm right in saying there is only one lift you can do from Arabba without going on reds. However the ski school took both kids on the reds and so had access to loads of stuff in the direction of Corvara.
It worked out fine but if you have a choice and the 7yo isn't that good then there may be better places.
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=2230945&highlight=arabba#2230945
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Blastfromthepast, You could do worse than consider Madonna di Campiglio. A big enough village, good snow-making in case natural snow is in short supply. We had a great time there this year albeit in late March! Our hotel wouldn't suit you. Wellness, but no pool. B&B, not half-board. If you are interested, try talking to Dominic at www.enchantedholidays.co.uk He could definitely point you in the right direction and, although a TO we couldn't get the accom any cheaper going direct. He specialises in MdC and knows it extremely well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
If I had the budget, I might choose this hotel:
http://www.colraiser.com/
Wife would have to download in the Gondola to the village if she wanted to shop, on the upside, should mum hang around the hotel a bit, you could have the odd hot chocolate with her throughout the day, bringing her more into the picture...
Loving that outside jacuzzi at 2000 + meters...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Arabba has most of the harder skiing in the Sella Ronda. In general it is an area for the blue run skier.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Try Sporthotel in Arabba. Literally a few seconds from the Burz lift. We stayed opposite, but while we were there fellow  Chasseur was in the Sporthotel and said it was lovely.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
That said Arabba is pretty small and quiet, so not a huge amount to do for your OH apart from the wellness stuff at the hotel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I posted a similar question last year pre-season (except no kids) and Collett's were recommended by some snowheads - http://www.colletts.co.uk/winter/
We stayed at their Chalet Verena in Corvara and had a fantastic time - they provide organised walks/snowshoeing as well as ski hosting which was ideal for us as I had people to ski with and my wife had people to walk with. They have an extra place, Chalet Angelo, next season with its own little spa. It's next door to the Hotel Panorama which has a pool.
The hotels they use seem to fit your criteria - http://www.colletts.co.uk/winter/hotel-panorama-corvara-south-tyrol-italy/ - or (at a price - Michelin starred restaurant) http://www.colletts.co.uk/winter/hotel-la-perla-corvara-south-tyrol-italy/ both practically on the piste.
Transfers available from Innsbruck, too.
If you wanted to book direct with a hotel I'd still recommend you look at Corvara - well placed on the Sella Ronda, stunning scenery plenty of blue and red runs locally. There are a couple of blacks including a World Cup GS piste but nothing really difficult.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
agw, agreed, Corvara has some excellent terrain for the intermediate and plenty of runs that will get 7yo's confidence going.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
not a huge amount to do for your OH apart from the wellness stuff at the hotel.
|
 why would someone surrounded by some of the most beautiful mountains in the world want to spend all their time stewing and sweating in a "wellness" (sic) suite? I imagine there is plenty of good walking, or snowshoeing. Or sitting up a mountain somewhere in a nice restaurant with a drink and a book, if the walking gets too tiring.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
pam w, I couldn't agree more. Even the term 'wellness centre' makes me feel ill. 'Wellness' isn't even a proper word.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
| pam w, I couldn't agree more. Even the term 'wellness centre' makes me feel ill. 'Wellness' isn't even a proper word. |
I dislike the word and thought it was recently made up by the leisure industry. However, it appears that the first recorded use of the word dates back to the 1650's... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
wellness - yawn - if I couldn't ski I'd be on snowshoes, or learning to slide somehow. When I wrecked my knee a few weeks ago in Italy and couldn't ski or walk much, I nearly went insane and started chewing the chalet walls. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
I love a swim and a sauna/jacuzzi after skiing. Wellness? Well, it keeps me out of the bar for an another hour so it must be healthier .
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
maggi, ha ha! Me too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| Quote: |
I dislike the word and thought it was recently made up by the leisure industry
|
So did I. Except |I thought it was made up by all those bonkers alternative medicine loonies.
On a different note I was very pleased to see the new Chief Medical Officer stating categorically that homeopathy is nonsense and ...... "Dame Sally, who is England’s most senior doctor, concluded by remarking that homeopathy “is rubbish”."
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| hammerite wrote: |
| Try Sporthotel in Arabba. Literally a few seconds from the Burz lift. We stayed opposite, but while we were there fellow Chasseur was in the Sporthotel and said it was lovely. |
I have stopped at the Sporthotel twice now, once in the winter, once in the summer. Not the cheapest option but in my opinion the best value for what you actually received, genuine 4* hotel (by this I mean it doesn't just tick the boxes for minimum requirement) food is fantastic quality and the hotel has a great location. The wellness facilities don't match the rest of the hotel, but as someone has already pointed out it doesn't really matter, but you can have a relaxing sauna and jacuzzi at the end of the day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Few things to note:
1. Original poster required decent wellness facilities including a pool. Sporthotel in Arraba does not have a pool or at least it didn't last time I looked at it
2. To suit a non skiing wife, you probably want somewhere close to walk to a gondola lift so everyone can meet up at lunchtimes. You could try the Sun valley hotel in Selva which is near both the Dantercepies and Ciampinoi gondolas. In Corvara, probably the most convenient hotel with a pool would be the Posta Zirm hotel. THis is near the Col Alto gondola and a short walk or ski bus ride to the Boe gondola.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Thanks all -some interesting ideas. Pool for the kids much more important than Wellness piece.
Corvara looks very interesting and the snow walking may be an attractive bonus.
Will research further. Many thanks
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corvara is lovely but not a huge amount to do fo rnon skiing wife. Cortina would provied more for her to do (spend). Madonna, in the Brenta Dolomites is also lovely , and expensive, for the non skier.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
