 Poster: A snowHead
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 Never been skiing before but really want to give it a go. We are a couple in our 40's with no kids. We don't want to go too far from UK if poss. Although we dont want to spend the earth, we would like somewhere half decent. Self catering is fine. Would like some bars nearby etc and would definitely need some lessons. I also know nothing about what you do about equipment hire and lift passes etc.
Sorry I am so clueless, but I've no one to ask! Help.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Bulgaria on a budget, France for skiing but can be expensive, plenty of self catering accommodation , Austria a good variation of prices and resorts, small/friendly to lively party towns and a good mix of skiing and relaxing mainly hotel/chalet based. Cant really comment on the rest of Europe as Ive never skied there personally.
Most tour company's do "packages" of lessons/ski hire/lift pass. But best get some lessons in the UK to grasp the basics first.
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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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You've come to the right place! You're sure to get a lot of advice here.
Do you have an idea when you'd like to go? And where will you be travelling from? It's pretty easy in a lot of ways if there are just two of you.
DIY trips are great when you've been a few times, but for your first trip the tour operators like Crystal and Inghams will make things a lot easier. They'll do airport transfers and you'll be able to book your lessons and lift passes through them. Again, if you've done a few trips you'd probably want more choices, but for your first trip you just want it to be easy.
Is your work reasonably flexible? You'll get great value for money booking last minute at a quiet time such as the end of January.
It's great if you can do a few lessons in the UK in a snowdome or dry slope to get through the boring bits of "this is how you put your boots on, this is how to stand up when you fall over" but don't worry if that's not practical.
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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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Aesquires1 As others have said, a tour operator package will make things really easy for you. And, as also stated, if you are flexible and can go in low season (ie January) that would make it even better in terms of cost.
While eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia) can offer rock bottoem prices (especially for first timers), in terms of ambience and pretty villages, Austria could well ensure that you become hooked for life  - and food and drink are very reasonably priced when compared to most tour operator destinations in France and Switzerland for example. A late deal for somewhere like Mayrhofen (or other Ziller Valley resorts like Zell am See or Lanersbach), Soll (or other Skiwelt resorts like Ellmau or Scheffau) or Alpbach would do you nicely.
(Edit  The above should, of course have read Zell am Ziller - though Zell am See is lovely too and would also fit the bill for beginners  ....)
Italy is reasonably priced too but I'd go for Austria purely for the ambience.
So in basic terms, and in summary, you would need to sort:
- A tour operator package hol (including flights, transfers and accommodation).
- Ski lessons.
- Ski and boot hire.
- Passes for use of the the ski lifts.
Your tour operator will be able to book all of these for you - and, once in resort, your friendly holiday rep will keep you right in terms of arranging your lessons/telling you where to go to meet the instructor and taking you to the shop to arrange/pick up your hire equipment.
Have alook at Igluski website. That should bring up a few possibilities. After that, you can check back on here about what's on offer and its suitability for you .
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Tue 26-11-13 13:28; edited 1 time in total
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Aesquires1, get a taster session at a snowdome or even a dry ski slope before you book your holiday, just to see if it's for you, if it is get some more lessons before you go otherwise in a week you are unlikely to get much beyond the nursery slopes in whatever resort you end up in.
Before you book (and a first ski holiday is easiest through a tour operator) find resorts that will give you plenty of easy to low level intermediate runs, you do not want to end up somewhere where they have a huge ski area but most of it is too hard for beginners or once again you will spend the majority of your holiday on the nursery slopes.
Make sure wherever you choose has plenty of English speaking instructors taking adult classes of beginners unless you are fluent in French/German or whatever language is native to the area you choose.
Bear in mind that many ski schools only teach half days so choose somewhere with plenty of other activities, window shopping after the first day is a bit tedious.
Lastly get as fit as you can before you go, cycling is good, but anything that will mean you can keep going for a good 4 hours without stopping is a plus.
Now other stuff.....
Skis, boots and sticks can all be hired in the resort beyond that you need suitable clothes Ski trousers, a Waterproof and Windproof Jacket, and then various layers of clothing (don't forget waterproof insulated gloves), I think Lidl ski has ski wear this week well worth it for beginner kit, you probably want some thermals, ski socks (not tubes which are heel less socks) a good pair of sunglasses rated for high UV Bolle or Oakley ae excellent but expensive and a pair of goggles with a yellow to red lens (increases contrast in snowy conditions and keeps snow out of your eyes) Hi factor suncream and lip salve also essential.
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Yep Lidl this week for kit, Aldi next week and Decathlon, Mountain Warehouse, Dare2Be, TK Maxx any time. Lidl/Aldi sunglasses and goggles are fine as well and cheap enough to have a spare pair or two for when the inevitable happens and you loose or break them. A lot less heart breaking than loosing a pair of Oakleys!
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Aesquires1, as above - the kit in Aldi and Lidl is fine and - as a family - we've got/had lots of bits and pieces. My friend kitted herself out entirely in Aldi stuff before her first ski trip, wore it for 6/7 years and then passed it to her daughter for HER first trip! You have a PM (top right Send/Read Messages)- and welcome to SnowHeads 
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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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+1 for all the above excellent advice. I always find its nice to have a swim after skiing, relaxes the aches and pains but a nice warm bath will do
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Lots of good advice above. One more bit.... when you are a beginner, clomping round in ski boots carrying skis is no fun at all and if possible find accommodation which is VERY near where the ski school meets. Tour Operator brochures will say things like "only ten minutes from the Hochgletschsteiger Lift" but that could be a long 10 minutes and that lift might still not take you where you want to go. If it says "only five minutes from the ski bus which takes you direct to the HGS lift", ask a lot more questions.
I wouldn't worry too much about which country you go to - there are more and less convenient places in all. Packages specially for beginners can be good value BUT if you can get to a snowdome for some lessons (a very good idea but not cheap) you won't be in the complete beginners class and they might not be suitable.
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Bear in mind that many ski schools only teach half days so choose somewhere with plenty of other activities, window shopping after the first day is a bit tedious.
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true of France but not, I think, of Austria where ski school is usually morning and afternoon. Pros and cons to both systems - if you are keen, and quite fit, all day ski school can be quite a good idea to start with, though some adult beginners are pleased to take a rest. The smallest resort would normally give you a choice of cafés, in which to enjoy some coffee and cake and plenty of prepared and signposted walking tracks in beautiful surroundings.
What sort of budget do you have and why do you not want to go far from the UK? There's certainly no need to go beyond the Alps, but finding the right holiday is more important than worrying about whether one resort has a 45 minute longer transfer or a 15 minute longer flight than another.
Finally, it's good to find somewhere with beginner slopes both down in the village AND up a mountain. The former is easy, and nice in cold, windy, weather but they can become very slushy if weather is warm - and being up the mountain, though it seems intimidating before you get up there, is a wonderful way of learning just why it is that people get so hooked on skiing.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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A lot less heart breaking than loosing a pair of Oakleys!
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 I've been skiing for many, many, years and have yet to have a pair of sunnies costing more than £20. And those were the posh ones!
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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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| mountainaddict wrote: |
| A late deal for somewhere like Mayrhofen (or other Ziller Valley resorts like Zell am See or Lanersbach), Soll (or other Skiwelt resorts like Ellmau or Scheffau) or Alpbach would do you nicely |
mountainaddict, Zell am See is a pretty resort and suitable for beginners, however it is not in the Ziller Valley! (You were thinking of Zell am Ziller  )
Aesquires1, Welcome to snowHeads! A lot of useful advice has been given here. If you are considering Austria I would also recommend Alpbach - it is in my view an ideal beginner's resort with its nursery slopes right in the centre of the village, and the village itself has been voted by the Austrians themselves as the prettiest in Austria, see this website
As others have said, for a first timer going with a tour operator (e.g Crystal, Inghams etc) is the best option as they arrange everything for you. Also maybe having a couple of hours beginner lessons in an indoor snowdome is a good idea as it gets you familiar with puttting on the boots, getting the feeling of having skis on your feet, and if you get to the point where you can slide a short distance on skis without falling over that's the point where most people get hooked! You've not given your location, but there are snowdomes at Hemel Hempstead, Milton Keynes, Tamworth, Castleford (Leeds), Trafford (Manchester) and Braehead (Glasgow).
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Oh one important thing go out of school holiday time and save a bundle
My favourite resort of Wengen in Switzerland is great for beginners with the nursery slopes right in the middle of the village but Switzerland is not cheap, should you look however I'd suggest the Hotel Bernerhof which is usually the cheapest hotel in the tour ops brochures currently flying from London and including transfers a week at the Bernerhof arriving Jan 11 would be £422 per person half board with Crystal Ski.
The Bernerhof is a small hotel at one end of the high street, it's less than a 5 minute walk (even in ski boots) to the nursery slopes, cablecar station or railway station (all on the flat) and I'm told has good food though I've never stayed there I know people who have.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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| Quote: |
| I've been skiing for many, many, years and have yet to have a pair of sunnies costing more than £20. And those were the posh ones! |
High roller eh Pam W ? I share the same approach - my current Karrimor glasses are UV-safe etc etc and cost £8 in the Sports Direct sale. The job's a good 'un!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Aesquires1 wrote: |
Never been skiing before but really want to give it a go. We are a couple in our 40's with no kids. We don't want to go too far from UK if poss. Although we dont want to spend the earth, we would like somewhere half decent. Self catering is fine. Would like some bars nearby etc and would definitely need some lessons. I also know nothing about what you do about equipment hire and lift passes etc.
Sorry I am so clueless, but I've no one to ask! Help. |
Read a book such as 'Where to Ski' and see which resorts get recommended for beginners. It will list the pros and cons of each resort.
It is a fairly regimented holiday. You have to get fitted for your hire kit and get to lessons on time. You will get exhausted by the end of the day but hopefully you will have fun.
If concrete station de ski is acceptable, Plagne Bellecote has nursery slopes right outside your door. You could go back indoors for lunch. Snow is reliable. Bars not so much..
Austria is pretty and can be great with good snow. Smaller resorts are ideal for beginners and not overrun with show offs.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Aesquires1 wrote: |
Never been skiing before but really want to give it a go. We are a couple in our 40's with no kids. We don't want to go too far from UK if poss. Although we dont want to spend the earth, we would like somewhere half decent. Self catering is fine. Would like some bars nearby etc and would definitely need some lessons. I also know nothing about what you do about equipment hire and lift passes etc.
Sorry I am so clueless, but I've no one to ask! Help. |
Welcome! If you want to give it a go, the first thing to do is to try it somewhere localy. I believe there are places in the UK, if not come to snowworld.nl close to Maastricht / Aachen. Skiing in Alps is a completely different sensation - much much better. When you try and think you could 'get used to it', the second thing to do is to find a good ski school and a convienet resort to experience it on the spot(Morzine, Les Gets to name just a few). Both Morzine and Les Gets are close to Geneva, it has lots of gentle skiing and is good for pedestrians if suddenly you do not like it that much ...
The costs of skiing are basicaly 'standard' except for accomodation (prices for the same accomodation differ substantialy depening of school weeks off accross the EU, but mostly FR, BE, NL, AT, DE and UK). Lift passes go from 120 to 300 EUR per person for 6 days, skirent 60-150 eur (including boots and skipoles) , transportation to the resort - self driving of flying is more or less the same, but more depends on how many people would be traveling. For the first timers, try to either book something that is close to slopes or is actualy ski-in/ ski-out.
Equipment is easy - (a) helmets - could be rented together with skis, (b) base layer - merino wool or synthetic, if you jog, chances you have something suitable already (c) ski socks, (d) mid layer for warmth, which you have most probably, (e) gloves, (f) goggles, (g) outer layer - ski jacker and trousers - these two have to be water and wind proof.
As you see, the equipment list is not short, especialy if you have not decided if you like it or not - try some of the indoor ski arenas. But most importantly you have to have a good instructor - this is by far the most important, don't try to learn by yourself, no matter your fitness level, you DO need an instructor to start skiing - for safety sake and in order to be able to enoy it.
When you are not constrained by children school holidays, go in January. Just received an email from Tignes where they have good offers 350-399 EUR including week's accomodation, lift passes and ski rent.
Go for it, it is fun. I started myself 'only' 5 years ago and already consider myself an advanced skier[/b]just to add on ski-passes- most resorts have free beginers slopes/lifts, so for the first few days this could be sufficient, so you would need some sort of a ski pass for the rest of the days. Pay that difference for a good instructor instead.![b][/b]
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Tue 26-11-13 14:53; edited 1 time in total
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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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Almost any mainstream resort would do – you could try Andorra as this is meant to be a bit cheaper or Austria is nice for a first trip - just go through one of the websites such as Thomson ski you can filter resorts based on “good for beginners”
I would recommend a hotel with half board or a catered chalet – you could potentially be knackered in the evenings so having someone else cook is good - plus it is better from a social aspect
March can be a good month for a first trip as it should be a tad warmer
If you live near an indoor slope (such as the chill factore) then it may be worth trying it first – but this is not necessary as there is nothing wrong with turning up on the first day clueless – there will be plenty of others – bon ski 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Go in early-mid March, the sun should shine, the snow is fine then and it won't be too cold.
Italy is good for food. Austria is good for welcoming. Go for a small resort - as beginners just a few lifts will do for you and it saves a bundle. Andorra?
Check out Mountain Warehouse "all your kit for £59" offer and TK Maxx. Do not skimp on gloves, though.
Get down to your travel agent and pick up a few brochures, also watch the weekend papers for deals.
Have fun!Aesquires1,
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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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Aesquires1, You've had some sound advice so far I just put together a quick country guide which for reference you may find useful.
Best bit of advice is to get as much time on an artificial slope as possible prior to your holiday-be this an indoor or outdoor slope. +1 for letting a tour operator some do all in packages with lessons and gear hire-some also include clothing.
You can of course ski on real snow in the UK so that would be your closest! There are regional hills in England that have some infrastructure but the closet thing to ski area/resort is in Scotland. On a good day IMO it's as good as anywhere in the world if a little limited and lacking in the amenities you'd find on the continent. However depending on your location in the UK it may be quicker getting to the Alps and the biggest negative is I would NEVER suggest booking ahead of time-you could turn up to great snow, you could turn up to muddy fields, rain and high winds.
Here's a quick guide to the ski countries with some very broad generalisations!
Bulgaria-never been never will BUT it seems to be fine for the budget conscious and/or those who don't need a large area.
Andorra, learnt to ski here so will always have fond memories. It used to be cheap, not so much anymore- the lift pass in the largest area is now one of the most expensive in Europe. Skiing is great for beginners to intermediates-not a great deal of challenges beyond that IMO. Transfer, well it's relative to where you land and where else you've been and what you're willing to put up with? Smoking still permitted in bars and restaurants-some ugly and pretty bases. All things being equal I think the alpine countries are the better choice, snow has come later and there's been less off it in recent seasons.
Italy, good food, good infrastructure, cheap(er) but not cheap in terms of on slope prices in town etc. Dolomites would be a good shout and Cervinia is the only other I can think off that would meet your requirements if you want mileage and a large selection of runs. La Thuile may be worth a look as it's connected to the French resort of La Rosiere to give about 150 km of pisted runs. I've worked for years in the Aosta valley and know all the resorts. Courmeyeur may get a bit samey for a week, Pila will tick allot of your boxes if you stay up the hill après is limited and the ski area while has great variety normally a decent skier will 'ski it out' in 3-4 days tops
Austria, my favourite destination for 'a ski holiday' Emphasis on the holiday part-I like to ski all day and then have rather a few beers on occasion. No one does après like the Austrians IMO and prices on the hill are not prohibitively expensive generally. Ski in/out not as prevalent as in say France but it does exist. Skiing is accessed in the main from working towns rather than purpose built resorts, many of these are pretty and have a wonderful Austrian charm about them. As others have mentioned check out the SkiWelt area, Mayrhofen, there are many others-Kitzbuhel and Saalbach as starters for 10.
France, shouldn't be discounted, it has a huge variety of ski areas from small 'off the radar' areas to a large selection of interconnected ski domains offering more skiing than you could hope to ski in a week. Some resorts are a bit Fugly, newer developments tend to be low rise chalet type buildings/hotels which are aesthetically more pleasing. Also you won't struggle to find accommodation offering ski in ski out but is dependent on conditions in the main.
I'd recommend looking at accommodation with some catering, if you've not been to a ski area before the prices may come as a bit of a shock depending on your chosen country and ski area. Chalets and chalet hotels provide most of your meals and wine and sometimes beer with dinner, and sometimes a packed lunch-this really helps to keep a lid on costs.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Grizwald wrote: |
| Aesquires1, I'd recommend looking at accommodation with some catering, if you've not been to a ski area before the prices may come as a bit of a shock depending on your chosen country and ski area. Chalets and chalet hotels provide most of your meals and wine and sometimes beer with dinner, and sometimes a packed lunch-this really helps to keep a lid on costs. |
to be honest, never did catered chalets, but do not feel like I need it. In France, Italy, Austria and Switzerland you can have a decent dinner at normal 'big city' prices - some are very OK, some are on high-end. But there is usauly a choice.
Self catering usualy worked best for me and my groups - breakfast - cereals, eggs etc to one's personal preference, lunch something light either on the mountain or at the bottom of the lifts, dinner - either something simple by yourself, or going and exploring local restos and bars. A dinner for 2 should be OK for 30-50 EUR depending on wishes and tastes. It could also be 200 EUR per person. I vote for flexibility What if you do not like the food type/style/chef of your challet? And more importantly - it is holidays, go and explore local cuisine - AT, FR, CH and IT has a lot to offer
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Lots of good advice here, but I think a key point is your ages. DO NOT DELAY. You have already wasted half your lives not skiing. Get started. Now seriously, I started skiing at the age of 47 and it is not too late. Skiing is one of those things that is a lot easier than it looks. Go for it now and be prpared to have an awful lot of fun learning. It matters little where you go but I agree that the Alps is the place to start and you should look out for TO "beginner" packages (I think Crystal...and maybe Neilson's do these.) If you have the slightest attraction to skiing - and you obviously have - then go for it
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Check out Soll, you'll meet lots of other middle-aged (Is that PC?!) English couples, and as others have said on here, you can't beat the Austrian apres! It's laid back, suitable for beginners and you'll meet hordes of people who've been returning for 25 years and more. Google it and see what you think- there are nice hotels right in the village (check out the Postwirt, Greil & Feldwebel), or there are plenty of cheaper B&B, S/C options around the town
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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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I would like to suggest a nice little place in Italy called madesimo. It suited us 20 years ago when we had similar criteria. Small ski area, nursery slopes at top end of village and some tree Lined runs by the end of the week. Quiet with a babbling brook down the middle. Couple of shops, couple of bars. Good ski school at the time. It's worth checking out, might not be what you want but we liked it.
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mooney058, I've only ever done HB, FB and the rest were catered chalets. If you can fill a chalet with your own group it's a great laugh and if not you can get to know some new people. The food I'm not a picky eater and have never had any complaints-always good 'home cooking' standard-I just want to be filled so I have the energy to ski the next day, the staff getting a night of mean you can wander out into the resort/town and get a meal for a change. I guess it's down to personal preference and budget in the end- on non-ski holidays eating out is an important part of the holiday to me. In the OP's case they're wanting to keep a lid on costs, so I reckon pre-paying for some of their meals before travelling isn't a bad way of doing this.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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To echo many of the suggestions above, I'd advise a package. There are some really good deals on the usual Crystal/Inghams/Neilsen websites at the minute.
Just a word of warning though, be careful with the brochure recommendations on 'beginner friendly' resorts. I took a friend of mine to Panorama in Canada a few years back and she was a complete beginner, there were very few runs that were suitable to learn on and these were quite short and that was it. The poor lass spent a full week going up and down the same run pretty much!!
So the suggestions here on the resort could help you with that.
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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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Bene, I don,t see how paying in advance helps to save money! Cooking for yourself is cheapest though catered chalets are nice if budget allows. Going out in the evening can get expensive.
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pam w, I didn't say that it would save money rather help keep a lid on costs to someone new who won't have an idea of costs. At any rate the postwas aimed at mooney058, who likes to eat out.
Naturally eating in and cooking yourself will be the cheapest way of doing it but I'd also say if you took a catered chalet or FB option your costs are allotmore fixed IMO.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Bene wrote: |
pam w, I didn't say that it would save money rather help keep a lid on costs to someone new who won't have an idea of costs. At any rate the postwas aimed at mooney058, who likes to eat out.
Naturally eating in and cooking yourself will be the cheapest way of doing it but I'd also say if you took a catered chalet or FB option your costs are allotmore fixed IMO. |
thanks Bene, I like flexibility (eating out as well, but I do control my costs). TO is not always cheaper and keeps costs under lid. In Jan 2013 I stayed in Les Almes1 in Tignes, we had a daily delivery of fresh bread, croissants, we made breakfast ourselfes, went out 2 times for dinner. Have also to admit that a group of friends I am traveling with love cooking, we could have easily done without restos in the evening, but why to mis on a chance to try something nice? Altogether (ski rent, accomodation, lift passes, food, traveling from Brussels to Tignes and back) I spend 660 EUR (550 GBP) altogether. Considering I did not starve, skied the whole EK area, stayed in a nice accomodation with 3 saunas - that was a good price/quality ratio. And I had all the flexibility you could wish.
In Feb 2013 I skied with my family in Les Menuires - standard dinner for 2 adults and 2 kids could be done below 100 EUR including drinks. Some days we simply took pizzas to out hotel (kids favourite anyway) and the 'cheapest' dinner (although quick one as we headed to torhc descent) we had was 46 EUR.
If you know a way arround, TO, HB or FB are not necesarily the best answer.
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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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mooney058, I think you've hit nail on head. If you like sorting things for yourselves, and are flexible, DIY makes a lot of sense, whether you are on a very tight budget or a very loose one. But for a first time ski holiday there's something to be said for not having to worry about food shopping and cooking as well as all the other stuff - provided you can afford it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Aesquires1, I took 26 non-skiers to Andorra (El Tarter) 6 years ago. This year I'm taking the same lot (now proficient skiers) to Switzerland (Wengen/Murren). We're also all in our mid 40's so it's never too late to learn! El Tarter was a good place to learn as the nursery slopes are on the mountain rather than at the bottom like some resorts. This means you get the views, you get to watch others (a valuable lesson in itself) and you'll have the mountain restaurants to hand for meeting others if you go in a group. As a tax free principality it was also fairly cheap in comparison to other European resorts
Personally I learnt to ski in Mayrhofen, Austria which has a mountain (The Ahorn) which is definitely more beginner orientated and therefore tends to be quieter and less crowded than the main Penken mountain which connects with the rest of the surrounding ski area. This can offer a more relaxed learning environment. Austria generally is very picturesque compared to some French purpose built resorts. The Italian Dolomites are also extremely picturesque, with Austrian influences on the architecture and unique mountains.
If there's only two of you and you're fairly flexible with dates, you can leave the booking 'til the last minute, as you'll get some good discounted offers. As others have suggested I'd go with a TO for your first experience as it's quite a steep learning curve, knowing where to go and what to get etc can be daunting - but the TO can remove all the hassle.
Chalet board is also great for a hassle free holiday and a great way to meet some new people and can be good value as it normally includes wine with the evening meal. Also great for getting some free advice and tips. (everyone loves to convert a non-skier to a skier!) A great way to socialize with others who share a common interest and gives you a chance to relax whilst others do the cooking etc. Food tends to be "homely" 3 course meals.
If you want a quieter more romantic holiday for the two of you then a hotel is good option. Half board food tends to be buffet style.
Again I wouldn't recommend self catering for a first ski holiday as you will be more exhausted (in a good way) than you're likely to have been on any other holiday and trudging to the supermarket for food/drink and then cooking can become a real chore. Eating out in restaurants is the alternative to cooking but that can become costly and negate some of the savings made over chalet or half board hotel.
My final recommendation is to look at some of the smaller resorts as you won't need an extensive ski area for your first week, even if you have had some lessons in the UK. Passes will be alot cheaper also and you may get a good deal last minute as small resorts don't tend to appeal to more experienced skiers. I learnt to snowboard in Finland (Levi) which is a tiny ski area but perfect for learning on. It was a magical place to go but I would have been bored senseless if I'd had to ski.
Good luck with wherever you go - I'm sure you'll have a great time!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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mooney058, Sorry, I obviously didn't explain it very well - What I was trying to say was that whilst bigger resorts do have local area passes some of the small resorts are ideal whilst you're learning but would be too small once you've become more experienced. Therefore it's a perfect opportunity to make the most of the small resorts and therefore have a wider choice of places to visit. The bigger areas are more popular particularly with experienced skiers and are therefore busier irrespective of whether you only have a local pass or not. Smaller resorts tend to be less crowded although if Aesquires1, can go out of high season, crowded slopes shouldn't be an issue anyway.
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FAQ
But after day one, surely most people feel like "I can ski!" - and then stay out all day to hone their new-found skills? Or is it that the 'First lift until ski patrol follows you down at dusk' approach something that is either in you at day one or it isn't 
for some ...
