 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi guys/gals, first post.
Me and around 9 friends are planning to go away on a ski holiday for the first time next year. We're all in our early 20s and I'm looking for resort recommendations. We're not set on any location just yet, so I'm totally open to suggestions.
We've been going to the Snow Centre up in Hemel Hempstead to have lessons to get a taste for it. We're also planning to have some sort of lessons on the real slopes too!
I also wanted to know how much we should be (roughly) paying each for a chalet (that sleeps 10) and ski passes and any other costs we might overlook whilst we're planning this. I'm sort of hoping that the large group number might help us reduce costs *fingers crossed*.
Any help or suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Look at any tour operator website and they'll give you an idea. For your first trip it's probably just to ignore DIY hassle and negotiate as hard as you can based on party size - you'll obviously have more leverage outside of peak season.
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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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Do you have any links to good tour operator websites? And where do you recommend us going, because we're relatively young we're thinking to go somewhere that does Apres Ski.
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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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realph, try igluski.com also. The website carries quite a lot of resort information, perhaps more than others and can give you a good idea of where to go. They are really agents and sell lots of other TO holidays but they are very good at bartering down other TO prices and are prepared to wheel and deal over the phone.
My first ski trip was to Austria as my experienced ski friends recommended it to get me hooked on the classic idea of picture perfect resorts and authentic Alpine towns etc and I must say that was sound advice and so I too would recommend Austria...........but to be honest where ever you go you will have a great experience if you put plenty of thought into planning it well.
As a rough guide expect to pay £150 - £200 for most 6 day ski passes, I have found Austria and Italy to be a bit cheaper for passes than France in general. Food and drink on the slopes is cheaper in Austria too.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Add to [b]Corky['s/b], list
http://www.wtss.co.uk/ - to help you make the choice
http://www.skiworld.co.uk/ - did a really good catered chalet deal last season
http://www.snowcoach.co.uk/ - going by coach is a lot cheaper than flying and often gives you more time on the slope
http://www.action-outdoors.co.uk/ for ucpa who will supply every thing you need for the holiday including lift passes, instruction (which you need) equipment hire, full board (IIRC even including wine with lunch)and good company at a very reasonable price.
Enjoy the holiday but be warned skiing is highly addictive and you will need to budget for at least one and probably more ski trips every year for the rest of your life.
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I had a look where we first took to the slopes, but could only book for 9
Our first ski holidays were to Pamporovo in Bulgaria, nice compact area, not too busy, reasonable prices on the mountain and the best instruction we have had, (also had lessons in France and Italy) and the instructors like to ski all day, although it states on the booking 4 hours tuition, the instructors we had just kept asking if we would like one more run !!
This resort has been adopted by the Bulgarian Presidents wife as a pet project, so has had some cash placed in infrastructure, although we have not been for a few years, people we met there are still in contact, and report they are still loving the place.
Downsides are quite a long transfer as TO appear to only fly to Sofia 3+ hours away, and the food in hotels can be a little bland, East European cuisine is not noted for culinary excellence, but the restaurants serve good food at reasonable prices.
Your holiday details
Total party price(details)
£5211.00
Accommodation
Hotel Snezhanka
Crystal Ski Rating 3.5
9 Adults
7 nights Half board
Travel
London Gatwick to Sofia
Sat 4 Jan 2014
Dep: 14:55
Arr: 20:00
Sofia to London Gatwick
Sat 11 Jan 2014
Dep: 21:10
Arr: 22:35
Return transfers by coach
Rooms
3 x Hotel room
( Sleeps 2-4 )
9 Adults
Extras
Pre-bookable bundles
9 x Improver ski package (12-99 years)
Travel insurance
No insurance selected.
Please note it is a requirement of travel that you have valid insurance for the length of your stay.
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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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In addition to the TOs mentioned Earlier also check Ski Total owned by the same parent company as owns Inghams but they seem to have more catered chalets in their brochures. Haven't been with directly but have used their two sister companies Esprit and Inghams.
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If you are set on a catered chalet then that pretty much determines that France will be your destination because they are rare in other countries, I know that St Anton in Austria has some but it is not a learner resort.
I would suggest somewhere like Saabach in Austria, big learner area and lots to progress onto, and jumping après.
Although I have never experienced Bulgaria I have had plenty of advice to put me off ever to consider it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just for info
London to Munich flights january £109 return and that includes baggage.
Easy to organise own transfers to many resorts in Austria. Picked up direct and transfered without waiting at airport for other flights to come in.
Deal with hotels/apartments direct and save a fortune - check out the hotels first if necessary in TO brochures.
Many hotels take TO guests as well as direct booking guests - and direct bookings often get better rooms and cheaper prices.
Pay in euro cash for ski hire and get discount - cheaper than the TO.
And dont forget the big wait for ski hire as everyone from the TO arrives at the shop at the same time!!!
Generally dont get deals on lift passes unless 20+
Everyone to their own but after many skiing holidays know what I would do!!!! (unless I needed child care facilities - but cheaper option often bring along a relative!!)
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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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realph, I would have a look at the big tour operators and give them a ring with your numbers. Go 18th or 25th Jan as it will be cheaper. The advantage of a package when it is your first trip is that there are people on hand to point you in the right direction. Once you have been a couple of times DIY becomes easier as you know what you are looking for. If you go for a chalet you are more likely to go to France, Neilsons have offers on lift passes in January - ring them rather than go online. Tour operators like the whole chalet going to one party, as spare rooms are sometimes harder to sell later, so as a group you might get a good deal.
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| northantsred wrote: |
| If you are set on a catered chalet then that pretty much determines that France will be your destination because they are rare in other countries... |
such rubbish.
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You know it makes sense.
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Moved to Austria, But for the first time I would still say go with a TO.
northantsred, I had done catered chalets to Selva (Italy) and Zermatt (Switzerland) as well as St Anton. So although there maybe more options in france I wouldnt say you are limiting your self.
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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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| northantsred wrote: |
If you are set on a catered chalet then that pretty much determines that France will be your destination because they are rare in other countries, I know that St Anton in Austria has some but it is not a learner resort.
I would suggest somewhere like Saabach in Austria, big learner area and lots to progress onto, and jumping après.
Although I have never experienced Bulgaria I have had plenty of advice to put me off ever to consider it. |
Plenty of resorts with catered chalets in Austria, so wouldn't call them rare, for example Inghams have catered chalets in Soll, Kaprun and Mayrhofen in addition to St Anton. Likewise there are a number of them in Italian resorts such as Selva and Arabba.
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Poster: A snowHead
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after many skiing holidays know what I would do!!!!
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yes, after many skiing holidays so would I, but that doesn't necessarily make sense for someone trying to plan a holiday for a group of 9 having their first ski holiday ever.
realph, there is endless and confusing choice out there. Maybe you should all agree on a budget for travel, accommodation, ski hire, lessons and pass (leaving only lunches and booze). You could price up a holiday with an operator like Crystal and see how the group react.
Austria has livelier apres ski and cheaper lunches and booze on the slopes (on the whole) but I don't think there's a consistent difference in ski pass prices. You can always economise on lunch and buy booze in supermarkets, but the ski pass is always expensive and inescapable.
The suggestion above of holidays in France through Action Outdoors is worth a look as their prices genuinely are all-inclusive - and exceptional value. You almost certainly won't find any cheaper option.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Bode Swiller,
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northantsred wrote:
If you are set on a catered chalet then that pretty much determines that France will be your destination because they are rare in other countries...
such rubbish.
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I've always thought that catered chalet style holidays was a "French thing"? Obviously you know better.
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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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| northantsred wrote: |
I've always thought that catered chalet style holidays was a "French thing"? Obviously you know better. |
Maybe more a Brit thing to be honest! And due to the rising costs among other things, there are now catered chalets and chalet hotels a long the tried and tested French model in many other countries. I can think of at least 5 in the Sport Amadé region without breaking into a sweat: 4 out of the five I would not hesitate to recommend. The fifth is the infamous "Fawlty Towers" which I would only advise Xenophobes to visit if they really were desperate for a Horray Henry/Henrietta home from home, including all the braying! 
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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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northantsred, started by an Austrian student in the 1930s by the name of Erna Low. She advertised in The Times
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| Young Viennese graduate invites other young people to join her Christmas skiing |
and took a group to Solden, Austria. It is a peculiarly British thing and, yes, lots of chalets in the shruggy-shouldered garlic-reeking end of the alps, but mainly because tour operators worked out how to make more profit from renting properties and turning them into chalets. Austria, Switzerland and Italy have these amazing things called "hotels" that are reasonably priced and where you don't need to put up with slop fashioned by student-level cooks. Tour Ops have chalets everywhere though, including USA and Canada, because, apparently, that's what the market demands. Give me a 3 or 4 star Austrian hotel any day... for less money.
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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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well, actually, I do think it is wrong to make such daft generalisations as to suggest that in a catered chalet you will eat
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slop fashioned by student-level cooks
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Apart from being silly this is pretty insulting to some Snowheads who themselves run catered chalets and, I am sure, serve up good food.
You will not eat brilliant food in a budget chalet but you won't eat brilliant food in a budget hotel either. Many chalets, especially independent chalets, offer very good food indeed and some expensive ones will include a chef who will phone you the week before your holiday to learn about the way you like to eat and concoct a menu just for you.
I think the reason people have talked about chalets was, reasonably enough, because the OP said he was looking for a chalet - but yes, hotels, or an apartment, might well be worth looking at.
And, I repeat, if cost is an overriding concern I doubt whether any of the other alternatives suggested would get near the price of an all-inclusive holiday in one of the French UCPA centres, through Action Outdoors, but I think they are still in full swing of the summer holidays and haven't yet started selling their winter trips. Unless you want to go in peak (expensive and crowded) time, there is no rush to book. There are quite a few reports on snowheads about UCPA holidays and AFAIK they have all been positive.
One factor the OP should keep in mind is how to get from the accommodation to the ski school meeting place - it can be difficult for beginners to cope with long walks or crowded buses. But sometimes you have to choose between being close to the skiing or close to the town or village centre for evening outings.
Choosing a ski holiday is always a compromise - you have to decide which elements are the most important for you. The resorts and accommodation which come closest to "having it all" tend to be amongst the most expensive!
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Bode Swiller, I am now duly enlightened!
It is an education on here at times . . . . 
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Having done exactly what you are planning not so long ago, I would suggest that the best thing is to try and find a chalet that fits your group of 10. Having 10 of you in separate rooms in a big hotel can be a pain when trying to organise a few beers, and with your own chalet you have an area for drinks and dinner before enjoying a few beers in the evening.
10 is actually a fairly small chalet, couple of reccomendations from me: http://www.skiolympic.co.uk/ski-snowboard-holidays-tignes-espace-killy-chalet-isabelle - comfortable enough, staff tend to be well trained and capable, but not the cheapest holiday on earth.
I'd use the search facility at Iglu to narrow down you options, put in the size of the group and max budget etc and you will find some options.
Ballpark the trip will cost £500-£700 depending on when you go, which will include flights, transfers, accommodation and half board food. Costs for beginners on top of that will be ski hire (about £100) lessons (budget £100 for group lessons) and ski passes (assume £200). Basically every ski holiday I've been on works out at £1K. You can try and save in one place, but will cost you more in another, if you go for dirt cheap budget holiday you can do it for £800, but personally I'd spend very slightly more and get a decent quality of trip.
Whatever you do, expect to haggle. With a group of 10 you are a fairly interesting booking to a travel agent or tour operator. So ask for a discount, and don't be afraid to walk away if they aren't cutting a deal. There are loads of options out there, and you are still fairly early to book on.
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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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You should easily get beginners skis for £50, I know I did for my first couple of trips and the most I have ever paid for intermediate skis is £65. There are loads of good deals online for ski hire so don't go paying over the odds. I think generally speaking equipment hire from TO packages is expensive as are lift passes. (that said I have had two for one on Paradiski Adult passes the last two years booking early with Crystal so bargains can be had.)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
You should easily get beginners skis for £50
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but need to budget for boots, too - still should be a bit less than £100 though. I agree with Mistress Panda though, will be difficult to come in under £1000 - and if you intend to hit the apres ski too that could push up costs a lot, even in the Austrian resorts where beer is a bit cheaper.
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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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My first two trips to St Johann in Tirol and Sauze d'Oulx I got beginners skis and boots for £50 each time ( I like to haggle!! The worst they can say is no, right?  )
pam w, you are bang on re après costs. I have to be pretty frugal on budget but without fail every lads trip I end up overspending as once the après gets going its tough to say no and such good fun especially in Austria!
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| Moved to Austria wrote: |
| On a separate subject - why catered chalet!!! Nothing wrong with an apartment when you can decide when you eat and where you eat and what time to finish apres ski etc etc. Cook your selves and keep the cost down, buy a take away or eat out. |
Because they are first timers who like apres they will be knackered and not want to organise lists, shop, cook, clear/wash up etc. They will end up arguing because someone hasn't done their job and there is nothing to eat/drink etc when they get up in the morning. They will end up eating out all the time and spend much more money than they would have if they had booked a chalet.
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You know it makes sense.
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They will end up arguing because someone hasn't done their job and there is nothing to eat/drink etc when they get up in the morning. They will end up eating out all the time and spend much more money than they would have if they had booked a chalet.
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+1. I have organised several group "self catering" holidays but with reliable friends who could be relied upon to pull their weight. 12 people, 6 double rooms, 1 evening meal each and the final evening out all together in a restaurant. Evening meal responsibilities to include ensuring everything necessary is ready for breakfast and clearing away so that there is nothing to stop people getting a swift breakfast and out to the slopes.
1 evening of work (leavened by chat and vino) in exchange for 5 evenings of good and varied food provided entirely by others. Low cost. What's not to like? BUT - they were reliable friends!!
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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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UCPA last year in Val thorens via action outdoors
£570
included;
23 hrs lessons with young, good humoured french instructor, not the usual sour faced old esf
local area lift pass
full board accommodation
skis and boot hire (we were given brand new skis)
Transport to hotel not included
Andorra? lively apres ski and if you go self catering you can eat out every night and still cost less than hotel
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FAQ
My smallest group was 15 people and my largest was over 80 we still all managed to meet up and arrange things with no trouble! 