 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, we are avid skiers and go every year, sometimes 3 times in a season.
We missed out last year as I was pregnant with our first baby.
We want to go skiing next season.
With the exception on the normal tour operators Neilson, Crystal etc. Does anyone know of any good family resorts/tour operators/creche facilities in the resorts?
What we are looking for is:
Decent hotels 4 star and above, creche facilities (our little one will be 11 months), activities to do off piste, walks etc and not too expensive.
We are quite good skiers so also require a large ish ski area. We are not bothered about going off piste or doing blacks.
We normally go to Austria but are open to other suggestions.
An area with a village feel is a must. We wont consider going to any concrete jungle i.e Avoriaz.... horrific!
I looked at Esprit but the accommodation looks very basic the same with Mark Warner.
We are looking to spend about £2500.
We have to fly from either Liverpool or Manchester.
We want to stay in Europe as the flight would be too long with little one.
Anyone have any suggestions?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hotel Alphubel in Saas Fee is a fantastic place to take kids. It doesn't meet the 4 star criteria, but otherwise it's good.
I've been there for the last 3 years on the trot. The childcare is in the hotel and is as flexible as you need it to be. It's run by a lovely Swiss family, although their daughter in law is from England (she usually works at the bar in the sister hotel) so they speak very good English.
Saas Fee is a reasonable area. Perhaps a little on the small side depending on where you usually go. But there is a lot of other stuff to do. The walking is almost as popular as the skiing for one thing. I've met a few people there who were there simply for the winter walks in the Saas valley. The Feeblitz alpine roller coaster is really good fun. The swimming pool has a nice area for babies and small kids. The village itself is car free and very nice to walk around.
The transfer if you go DIY (Crystal go there but charge an arm and a leg) the transfer is pretty easy, even if it is fairly long. From Zurich the train station is in the airport. You can catch a direct train to Visp then change onto Postbus (bus station and train station are right next to each other) up the mountain. I think it's fairly similar from Geneva, though I've always gone via Zurich.
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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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heidi1, have you looked at Ski Famille - they have chalets in Les Gets and I have heard good things about them - the children always looked well looked after, but I am afraid I don't know how basic you might find the accommodation, I know people go more than once so it must be OK. Friends of our daughter stayed with Ski Esprit in Les Gets last year, a couple of families, and they had a good time and found the childcare excellent - again I am afraid I don't know what the accommodation was like. The children always look happy when I see them around the village.
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heidi1, hi Heidi, welcome to snow heads? We have also used Esprit and I am wondering what about what you have seen makes you say their accomodation seems basic? We stayed have stayed in the Crystal 2000 in Courchevel and the Les Deux Domains in Belle Plagne. One of the things that for me made quite a difference with Esprit was the availability of those "little" extras, steps in the toilets (ok not an issue with under ones) providing changing mat in the room along with the travel cot, the parents station available 24hrs a day with milk, baby food, bottle warmers, microwave, having high chairs and booster seats, plastic cutlery, cups, beakers and plates. The baby listening service on evevnings meaning you can go down for evening meal knowing somebody is outside your room checking in on your baby as per your instructions, and will come get you if they are unable to settle your baby if they wake. The nicely equipped nursery and nannies which nicely engaged your baby - while you actually have a few hours of you time doing something you love (skiing).
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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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Don't have kids myself, but friends have stayed with little ones at the >Lengauerhof< at Lengau (top end of Saalbach/Hinterglem) - I joined them one Xmas when the kids were a bit older, and it was a nice spot.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Serfaus in Austria is wonderful for kids, we stayed in St Zeno kinderhotel which had fantastic facilities in-house for kids with child care from 6 weeks old. They have baby chairs and even cots that hook over chairs. They even have child formula and babyfood - I was really amazed at all available. Great indoor pool with smaller baby ones too.
Have a look at www.kinderhotel.com
I got the advice for going there from here on Snowheads, and still thankfull as it was one of our familys best holidays.
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Ski famille, either 3valleys or Les Gets.
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heidi1, if you know of a hotel you would be happy to stay in, book it, and then use a private nanny service such as Snow Angel Nannies for the childcare arrangements. http://www.snowangelnannies.co.uk/ . Club Med have some very good creche facilities too.
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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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Hi Heidi- welcome to snowheads...
A fair few questions there and good ones....but
the criteria you have- although seemingly not unreasonable are very very stringent and it looks like you are looking for the Holy Grail of ski holidays for keen skiing parents with a young child.
| heidi1 wrote: |
4 star and above
creche facilities
activities to do off piste, walks etc
large ish ski area.
village feel. We wont consider going to any concrete jungle
looked at Esprit - the accommodation looks very basic the same with Mark Warner.
not too expensive
We are looking to spend about £2500.
We have to fly from either Liverpool or Manchester.
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We have 3 kids and live in the North West- we ski 2-3 times a year (this year 4 though). We have tried; DIY with a Grandmother, DIY small operator chalet no childcare (swapping), DIY small operator + nanny, Crystal, Mark Warner, Esprit, First Choice (in Andorra).
Real sorry to say but I think you need to recalibrate either your expectations or your budget.
We have been to lots of Esprit places and they are variable in terms of standard of decor / catering- but they always deliver on the standard of childcare. In general the Chalet Hotels have better food with a professional kitchen staff and the Chalets have chalet staff who may or may not have much experience. All in all Esprit are very good indeed- we go back year after year and have a great time- our kids love it and the other skiers are always very good fun. Mark Warner can be good but the mix of groups with and without kids doesn't really work that well.
It can be possible to find French / Austrain run hotels with 4 star service and a creche but - it is unlikely that the creche staff will be English speaking / they are usually quite expensive.
If you liked off piste then Chamonix could possibly provide an answer- look at the Hotel Grands Montets (but- no restaurant / the restaurants in Argentiere all open quite late so if baby is alseep at 7.30pm- there will be tears) or the Hotel Eden- both are very nice places with great staff who would probably be able to sort out a nanny for you. But budget wise (flights , car hotel, food and nanny would easily push your budget- and Chamonix might not float your boat anyway).
Have a look at Obergurgl there are some very nice Sport Hotels and it is a good area (but perhaps not big enough?) and pricewise it may also be tricky.
Club Med is super expensive if you book from a UK address, have a look at Ski Peak (dare I say Vaujenay) although price wise it is on the steep side IIRC.
Of course if I am completely wrong and you find a great hotel- 4 star with creche / a big ski area, a quaint village, with easy flights to Manchester / Liverpool all for £2500 please please tell me. Or maybe don't I might cry.....
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heidi1, I have never heard a bad word said about Ski Esprit if the number one priority is child-friendy holiday in a good resort and for you to actually do some skiing. Collegues and family have all used with small children and can't rate them enough.
I think a budget of £2500 for luxery acomodation plus really decent childcare is a little low?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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many thanks for the replies.
We are looking into all the options suggested.
Really like the look of Serfaus/Fiss and Ski Famille.
thanks again
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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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Another option is familyski, our friends raved about them but to be honest their website is pretty naff and IMO doesn't really sell them very well.
We used them for the first time this year and stayed in their chalet in Les Coche and it was fantastic. What they don't seem to sell well is their service, but apparently they have a massive return customer rate so maybe that's why they don't change it.
The other families in the chalet were all on their 3rd or 4th season with them and swore they would only use family ski, these families also had more experience of other operators (Esprit, Mark Warner etc) than us, as this was our first holiday with our 16month old.
What was good is they have their own on site crèche staffed entirely by them, and it's just like a mini nursery you'd find in the UK. So the whole experience of them taking care of the little ones is very seamless. Even on the chalet staff night off they provide babysitters and even order in pizza for the kids so you can choose to go out to a restaurant whilst they take care of the kids!
For us the fact they cater exclusively for families and the seamless nature of the service (they certainly hire way more people per chalet than I've ever seen) made it really relaxing so you could really get out and explore the great Paradiski area.
Everything was readily available such as travel cot, changing mats, baby bath tub, a myriad of kids cutlery, high chairs etc.
I can see why they have a good repeat customer base and we'll definately be looking at them again next season.
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