 Poster: A snowHead
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Has anyone stayed at the Alta Pura, Val Thorens?
Is it worth the money??
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My wife & I got upgraded there once when our booked accommodation wasn't ready. It is amazing in many ways; good food, plush decor, nice spa. But a little soulless - bar is generally empty, and you are a little detached from the rest of the resort (though there is a gratis minibus service). I certainly wouldn't have paid the rack rate on the suite we had!
Any specific questions, just ask.
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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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DidierCouch, Thanks for the feecdback. Nice place to be upgraded to! Were you with Inghams? They seem to be the only UK operator that offers rooms there.
I've just been quoted 500 Euros per night by the hotel, half board, for a family room for me and the 2 kids. Sounds a bit steep for what it is... Maybe we'll stick with the Mercure again, which was reasonably good value last year.
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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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Is this the place with the swimming pool that's half indoors half outdoors? Looks lovely and the chairlift goes right last it if its the place I'm thinking of.
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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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Yes, the Plein Sud chair goes right past it and you get a good view of the pool etc. Each time we go on that lift the kids say they want to stay there one day!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Does look very nice now it's finished.
Just adding up 7 nights isn't really that bad for a good hotel. Personally would prefer to spend less and ski more if budget is a constraint.
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It looks very nice, I was going to have a wander in, but never got round to it.
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stephen buck, I think we were with Crystal, and were supposed to be in Hotel Tango. The hotel hadn't finished their renovations, and it was a French and UK school holiday week, so presumably the Tango was caught between a rock and a hard place attempting to find somewhere to put up the guests they couldn't accommodate. We didn't find out our hotel was changing until the day before travel.
There was a curious incident on the first morning - I knew Alta Pura was at the lower end of the resort, it wasn't clear that we would be able to ski to a lift pass office on the first morning, so I purchased our passes from the rep on the coach (not our usual practice). We arrived in resort quite late, so the rep said they would drop our passes off at the reception first thing in the morning, which was fair enough. When we attempted to pick them the next morning, the reception staff tried to tell us we had already collected them! It appeared some randoms took our passes, either by accident or design, either way I would have expected better from a luxury hotel like that. The hotel staff were as much use as a chocolate teapot in the circumstances, it fell to the Crystal rep to go to the lift pass office, cancel the 'stolen' ones and get us replacements. We lost a couple of hours of skiing through the shenanigans. There was very little by way of apology from the hotel.
The indoor/outdoor pool is a nice feature, not sure the hotel has much else to interest small kids. Dining-wise you have 3 options in the evening, a buffet-style restaurant (that description probably doesn't do it justice, chefs will cook dishes fresh for you, etc), a more formal a la carte restaurant, and La Laiterie serving traditional Alpine fare.
Anyway, let us know what you decide!
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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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DidierCouch, Thanks for the further info. Sounds like a frustrating experience re the lift passes. I quite like the look of the Tango, too, since it's been renovated. Used to go there in the old days, when they had a lively bar full of Swedes.
We called in to the Alta Pura for hot chocs at Easter, just to take a look. Agree that it seemed a little soulless, but the kids think the pool would be good fun - a lot of money to spend, though, just for that novelty!
Will have a further mull before making a decision.
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stephen, we popped into the Tango to see what we had gained or were missing, and found it extremely convivial - busy and chatty bar, plenty of banter between groups, helpful staff. Its makeover didn't seem to have affected its charm. At the risk of looking a gift horse in the mouth, the Tango would have been more what my wife & I look for in a ski holiday.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Windymiller and I were fortunate enough to spend a couple of nights there before the EoSB last year.
We liked it.
The ski-pass story is a shame as I thought the service was excellent on all fronts - very attentive without being overbearing. The breakfast buffet is absolutely phenomenal - Windymiller uses it as a reference by which all other breakfasts are measured now and accordingly starts each day a little disappointed.
The pool is a lovely feature and indeed the spa area is very extensive.
We only had a chance to eat there one evening but I thought the restaurant we used was excellent.
It's fair to say that it was more 'designer-cosy' than actually so but Windy and I tend to be looking more for decent wifi speeds than foyer-ambience. It was only their first season so maybe it just needs to mature a little.
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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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€500 seems relatively cheap for a week in a Hotel in Val d'Isere.
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snowball, per night, not per week!
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You know it makes sense.
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...and Val Thorens, not Val d'Ispair 
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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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 Oops I should read the question. OK, that's a stupid price then. I'd normally be looking for €600 per week (but that's each for 2 sharing).
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