rookie trip

A snowHead

So I am sure this must have been covered before but I cant find anything on it. I am organising a trip for myself and some friends (guessing about 8 people) to go skiing for my birthday. The plan is to go either on the 14th December or early January for a week. At the moment Austria looks good value and like it is suitable for beginners and the more experienced skiers. Is this reasonable? also one friend has sad that he would be up for coming if the cost of the holiday is less than £700 in total, I am guessing with UCPA that would be possible but probably not other companies as he needs lessons and hire of skis and boots.

Please provide some guidance much as I know this is a bit of an open one which wont help that much.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Thanks for the reply Pam. In terms of dates I guess I liked it being the same year as my birthday but if January is likely to be better I will look at that more seriously, my first and last trip skiing was to Tignes which was a good experience in December but didnt really suit my ability so trying to learn from that experience.

Ideally I would like a catered chalet but I think I can be happy with a hotel or apartment too. Is one option typically more expensive than the other? I am not too fussed about the apres ski as I am thinking we will make the evenings fun wherever we are. I agree that £700 to try and include everything with lessons is rather ambitious, may result in him sadly not being able to join us.

As regards to experience we have some people who havent skied before and will spend some time in a snow dome before hand getting some idea. Others have done one trip before and some enjoy black runs. My view is that if we have a decent selection of blue runs and some reds for the more experienced I think that would probably be good.

I hope that helps a bit and I really do appreciate your help.

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That budget is quite tight, but probably doable Dec/Jan (not holiday weeks though) if you can get a deal with one of the big tour ops. I would suggest leaving it until the prices drop, but that might be a risk for 8 people. In a catered chalet, you usually get all your tea, coffee and wine included, so this is worth considering over a hotel.

Don't forget about Italy, some good value holidays can be had in La Thuile, Cervinia and the Aosta Valley, and the beautiful Dolomites.

Maybe have a look on some of the TO websites (Crystal, Neilson, Ski Total, Inghams...) and see what's available from your local airports, then we can give you specific info on anything that catches your eye.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Scarlet, I do aplogise again for my lack of knowledge. I have looked and will look again, I was quite liking the look of some of the Crystal and Inghams venues but will also look at Ski Total and come back. The catered chalet especially if we take the whole thing or most of it I think is my ideal solution.

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Pete_Berks, Sorry, forgot to mention, the big companies often do a "beginners pack" add on that includes lessons, ski hire and a local lift pass which might be suitable for any newbies in the group, but you it's not always easy to check the price of this until you proceed through the booking process a bit. However, ski hire and lift passes for everyone else may be cheaper booked independently.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Pete_Berks, one of the advantages of UCPA is that it's full board - so you can save a lot of money on eating on the slopes - and bar prices are reasonable. Really good tuition for your beginners and for the rest, too - up to very high standards.

Apart from UCPA, renting an apartment and cooking for yourselves, buying beer and wine in the supermarket, would be cheapest option - for 8 people you might do better to book an apartment separately as most of the tour operators offerings are for smallish apartments, and unless you cram people in you pay under-occupancy charges. Also, look carefully at bed/bedroom logistics, if you don't have many couples or others willing to share.

Tignes is generally a good bet in mid December but you'll have hugely more choice in early January - look at the way the prices fall once New Year is over.

As Scarlet says the inclusion of tea and cakes after skiing, and wine with dinner, helps a lot to keep prices down. Buying every single thing at hotel bar prices bumps up the bill.

Your beginners will need to have lessons in a snowdome - they can't just go and bimble around on their own. Snowdome lessons are extremely useful but not cheap.

If you are having to organise everything and haven't done many ski holidays before, it's probably best to go with one of the tour operators. There's plenty of time, you are going (wisely) in low season, so you can read the brochures at leisure.

After all it is free

I was thinking the snow dome lessons are very much a nice to have, I went on the old style dry ski slope in Bracknell before my first trip and while it wasnt the same it did provide some value to me. As you say the experience is not comparable with being on a mountain, but the step up when you arrive is nice.

I was thinking £800-900 is still doing it on a relative budget but should allow me to enjoy the holiday and relax too.

While I am happy to look at Crystal, Total Ski, Mark Warner and Inghams and have been doing so, however are there any resorts you would specifically suggest are good to focus on or to avoid for the lower ability members of the group (including myself)? I know UCPA will be cheapest but this is meant to be for my 30th too!

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

You should try some independent chalet companies, they'll usually be much more flexible on pricing. But saying this, you should be realistic about pricing, which means you shouldn't expect Gold bullion in exchange for Peanuts! you know the old saying 'you get what you pay for'

I don't recommend Tour Operators, I don't like the idea of paying top dollar for some 18 year old who's never cooked in their life cooking me dinner! Small companies are generally better, particularly if you're all adults (i.e. no children to put in with the Nannies or Creche etc) I've stayed in some amazing chalets, even one where the company owners hosted - 1 was a chef with 10 years exp! the other had hosted dignitaries!!! and was less than £4500 for 8 of us!!

You will more than likely be able to negotiate a 'deal' on an independent catered chalet company you should still be realistic about your budget. January, like everyone is saying is generally the best value. The skiing top notch.

Once you've decided on a ski area think about ALL the resorts in said ski area, don't limit yourself to looking in 1 place. Once you consider other places in the that Area you can always ski around the other villages etc... it's all snow... Very Happy

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DIY trip to a nice resort in Salzburgerland, Austria (e.g. Zell am See/Saalbach/Maria Alm/Leogang), dep. 11th Jan.

Gatwick - Salzburg - £108 p.p. return with Easyjet

In resort:
Accommodation: 2 self-catering apartments each sleeping 4 (may be single beds, but usually Austrian Twins) - €600 per apartment, so €1200 or €150 p.p
Ski school for those that need it - 5 day group lesson - approx. €150
Ski & boot rental - €100
Lift pass - €200 (beginners may be able to save by buying carnets with points rather than a full lift pass)
Airport Transfer to/from resort with Holiday Shuttle VIP 8-seat minibus - €210 each way, so €420 or €52.50 p.p.
Total costs in resort - approx. €650 per person, or £590.

Total cost for trip - £590 + £108 = £698 p.p. plus food.

You know it makes sense.

Last year Neilsons, Inghams etc. were offering a discount 25% of one adult holiday from the total (in Jaunary for a part of Cool

. When I used to organize bigger trips of 15-20 people we would usually end up getting 1- 2 free places thrown in.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

It all depends on your priorities really. If you don't mind a cheap catered chalet, wait until you can get a booking with a TO for around £400, add a beginner's pack and your mate's sorted. For instance a Crystal chalet in Canazei, Italy (used due to personal familiarity rather than specific suitability, though it wouldn't be a bad choice for you) is about £550 mid January. Risk waiting until they knock £200 off and you're in budget. Depends on your nerves, I suppose Toofy Grin

I agree that you'll generally get a better, more personal service with independent operators, but I'm not sure that you get it within the £700 budget because you will be paying the same for your accommodation and food as you would for a package from a TO. This evens out at the point where TOs put their prices up significantly, but smaller operators less so, so you pay the same or less to DIY but for a better service.

Is 4-star food important? Or would you rather all your mates can come too? Figure out the must-haves and it will be easier to narrow down your search.

Edit: Mucking about on TO websites made this take longer than expected and resulted in several cross posts! I'm not deliberately trying to contradict you all!

A snowHead

Well from what you have all said I am thinking maybe Flaine with UCPA in January is a good UCPA resort, affordability is good, some social life. The only concern is any couples in the group who may want their own room or something. One day another year when money flows more freely I will get a chalet with a hot tub and things!

So I guess my view is having the friends there is more important than 4 start food and price does play a part, ideally I would be in a chalet or hotel with twin and double rooms but people matter more.

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and you can travel to flaine by coach, which is another cost-saver - so different members of the group could travel separately if they have different budgets.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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Pete_Berks, your mate on a tight budget will probably not be able to get a flight and transfer within his budget, I reckon, even with a UCPA holiday.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Sorry I didnt mean to be off with you at all Pam_w. You make a good point and I may consider the coach if it makes a big difference for myself.

After all it is free

Pete_Berks, Are you set on catered of some description? £700.00 should be fairly doable if you are prepared to cook and eat pizza a lot.

Copy of our spring slide (Les Contamines) this year with current prices

Gatwick-GVA - £60.00 return
Car hire - £160....takes 4 peoples, so £40.00 each
Self catering apartment - £275 sleeps 5 (4 really) so £70.00 each
Lift passes £155.00

6 morning lessons - £100.00
ski and boot hire - £55

so £480.00.....leaving you £220.00 to eat drink and be merry. Drinkable wine is about 2 euro a bottle, take out pizza was about 7 or 8 euro, so you can have pizza and 6 bottles of wine every night and still have £100.00 for lunch/snacks/more beer

edit ......or you could cook some nights Puzzled

Thornyhill, Self catering is an option but I my current thinking having looked at flights the £60 ones Gatwick to GVA don't include baggage so about 80-100 with bags. The car hire is an interesting option as that would reduce the transfer cost for people. However I guess at the end I look at the cost of UCPA £500~ for a week in Flaine and I am not sure I can get the lessons, accommodation, ski hire, lift pass and food all in for that price independently. Also it makes the group more manageable for me.

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Hi there,

I can suggest Chalet Chardons in Tignes @ £150.00 Which is half board!

Snow express from London @ £150.00

Ski hire £80.00

Ski Pass £200.00

That should leave you with enough money for lessons

If you'd prefer the security of a tour operator, go direct to the likes of Crystal and phone their "Groups" section for the keenest price. Their ski hire and ski pass can be booked at not a bad cost but has to be done while booking. We went to the Challet Vanadis in Selva or to the Hotel Baita in Sauze D'Oulx at keen prices. Soll in Austria might suit you too.

You know it makes sense.

Thanks for the help but it is looking like I will probably either do the PSB or something independent with Action Outdoors - if anyone wants company and fancies Flaine then let me know!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

May I suggest that you have a look at snowcoach. From what I can see from their brochure they offer trips to Places like Valoire and Val Cenis, ski resorts that very much meet your requirements. A quick glance at their brochure shows the week beginning 4/1/14 to Valmeinier costs £418, ski hire etc £54 for beginners skis and I guess about £180 for a lift pass. Add in £60 for your ski lessons and you are pretty close to the £700 budget. To shave more off the budget only ski for 7 days instead of 8.

It appears that 7 evening meals are included in the price and there appear to be lots of discounts and free places available. You will need to phone them or visit the ski show and talk to them.

A snowHead