 Poster: A snowHead
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Morning all.
Not long now before I am off to the hopefully snowy climes of ADH.
Everything is now sorted apart from do I take a shed load of euro's with me, or use some plastic?
When my wife and I go to the sun, we take euro's as in all the hotel rooms there is a safe.........However I have never seen one in a ski hotel 
As we will be buying our ski pass when we are there................I might even be buying separate days.........I know this works out more expensive but due to the weather they appear to have been closing a lot of the slopes what is the best way to do it
(we have our own ski's and staying HB in a hotel)
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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I use a mixture of the two. Most things are paid for so I take cash for lunch and apres, but I use a Santander Zero credit card for any unexpected purchases - good exchange rate and no fee.
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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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kiteman69, a FairFX card (a MasterCard, but I only use it for getting cash, otherwise I use my Nationwide credit card) which I load with Euros in advance. I was caught out in Austria recently, though, since I didn't load it sufficiently - very few places accepted credit. Most places in ADH will, though.
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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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both/either
confused by the "paying more because the weather might not be good"
surely, buy a 6 day pass and ski 5 of them is much more economic than buying a day or 2 at a time. Actually for the 1 site i did check before, if you definitely know in advance that you're not going to be skiing on Tuesday or Wednesday then you can save a tenner over the 6 day pass.
If the lifts/pistes totally shut, the insurance will pay out.
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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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Mixture, probably have 50-100 euros in cash at most times and both a credit and a debit card (usually different card issuer and card scheme so as to avoid any potential issues).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The real secret is what cards and where you get your cash from - so called zero commission foreign currency cash deals just give you a lousy exchange rate very often. There is a great website called Martin's Money Tips which tells you the best cards for which purpose etc.
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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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card for lift passes, cash for everything else (E150 each usually), there is usually a cash machine if needed late in the week 
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I take cash -- and cards for emergencies/large purchases/lift pass (Halifax card)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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kiteman69, You have probably already looked, but a six day pass that includes one outside swimming pool visit, one ice skating session (extra for skates) and one other activity in the sports centre (including the inside pool), is 238-50 but a daily pass is 47-00 which does not give you any of that. I am sorry but none of the passes are any use whatsoever for bar sessions  (as far as I am aware anyway...)
You are right, I have never known them totally close the lifts. They have given some, small, recompense when nearly everything has closed for at least a day in the past, such as free access to the outside pool or a bit of a discount on a lift pass in the future or something.
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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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I use a Halifax Clarity card for travel - good exchange rate and no extra charges. I load it up in advance (in sterling) to avoid interest charges on cash (from any ATM), tho the interest after a week is way less than the charges on most cards.
For cash to take with you it is usually better to get it online for mail delivery. worst deal is changing money at an airport.
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Cards for everything for us - take €100 max to buy hot choc in emergency for kids.
Points all stack up on credit card to pay for the next Eurotunnel trip
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You know it makes sense.
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I bank with the halifax so I will give them a buzz.
probaly take a £200 in euros to tie us over on the 1st day so we are not unduly panicing about anything
(8 sleeps and counting  )
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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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kiteman69, take with us whatever euros are left from last time, stick debit card in ATM in resort when needed and take out a wad (so only one transaction fee) for small items, coffees, lunches and use credit card for bigger stuff. Think of the points!
We have recently got a SAGA credit card (I know, I know) but it has really low fees (even zero!) which has to be one of very few upsides to being over 50...!
We have a electronic ticket for the car for French motorway tolls which is costing I think it was €3 per annum. Saves any fees on road tolls paid by card.
Have fun!
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Poster: A snowHead
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I take cards and draw money from cash machine in resort on day 1. No idea if this is cheaper (given HSBC exchange rates and £5 fee per transaction) than doing it at airport, and I'm too disorganised to get the cash online ahead of time. I never change at airport though - the FX rates are extortionate!
Halifax clarity seems like a great idea to look into, though.
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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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Points all stack up on credit card to pay for the next Eurotunnel trip
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This makes sense. I really CBA to worry about the marginal differences between different ways of paying for stuff - a ski holiday costs so much anyway! I have a French bank account and use my French bank card to get cash, provided there's enough money in the account, which there isn't right now - reminds me that I need to make a transfer today if possible. Unless you are dealing in mega-bucks the difference between exchange rate fluctuations isn't too significant.
Buying a 6 day pass doesn't cost much less than 6 one-day passes in our area - I expect that varies from resort to resort though. If weather (or wife) is a bit flakey, and in a quiet week without big queues at the lift pass office, it could well make sense to go day by day. However, if someone is reluctant to ski anyway the argument that "it's a pity to spend all that money just for a few hours" gets trotted out.
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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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I have on a small number of occasions been caught out by small places not accepting cards - especially in Italy, though not for a while: with the one exception of a pension in Montgenevre where their card machine had broken down.
Guides prefer cash too.
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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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A mixture but try to do more cash than card to avoid the high fees and poor exchange rate my bank charges for overseas transactions.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I might just have the best credit card going, but my standard first Direct visa card, always gets a top exchange rate, with no other charges. Skiing in France, Austria, and Switzerland. I then use Cash, for lunch and drinks if required.
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Worth mentioning a news clip of yesterday, that a few French resorts are having issues with cash in ATM's. Bit of a dispute of an industrial nature.
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FAQ
