 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi All
Thanks in advance for your suggestions on this topic. I've read a lot, but cannot seem to find what we are looking for, hence my first post.
We got married in September last year and would usually go skiing for a week in March each year, but would like to double this up with our honeymoon as well, so we are hoping for something a little bit special. My wife is a low intermediate (3 weeks) (mostly blues) and I've been going on & off since school, so both reds & blues, not keen on blacks.
I've been to Courchevel without my wife, but together we usually go to Soldeu (Andorra)...Grandvalira is our yard stick. My wife would love to go to Italy (I think for the quaint little town squares, coffee, and italian food), but I'm not sure any ski resort would be like this? Hence also looking in to Austria and France. We like cruising, not mileage so the ski area doesn't necessarily need to be large.
Our criteria would be:
- Varied ski area with blues & reds, with some tree skiing
- Picturesque resort with ability to wander when we don't ski
- Accomodation to have quality but not really £££ hotels, would consider chalets too
- Ideally, ski in and/or ski out, but definitely no ski buses
- Off-piste activities such as sleigh rides, snow mobiles, huskies, etc
- Fair amount of apres ski i.e. not just the odd bar in a hotel, but not rowdy '18-30' style either
- Budget is approx. £1100pp to include travel/transfers/accomod/hire/lift pass, would consider more if it was worth it, e.g. Canada
We would go for a week, but could look at an excursion on the way home, e.g. Venice for a night or two.
I have read lots in Where to Ski & Snowboard but seem to make a beeline for the negative points first which put me off the rest of the resort! So any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
Scott
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Note: any excursion would be additional of course. We know we couldn't get the ski hols and a trip on the way home for £1100pp 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
I'm sure there are plenty of Italian places that would fit your description - Cortina, Corvara, Ortesei I think, maybe even Canazei.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
@srdenny, if you go to Italy, make sure you tell them it's your honeymoon. Good for a few freebies IME.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
I'd agree Italy - and very easy to do Venice too (if you've never been, it's a must). Lots of people here who know the Italian resorts very well who could advise on specifics.
The Dolomites are stunningly beautiful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Thanks for the replies so far. It doesn't have to be Italy - that and the Venice excursion were given as an example. We would consider Austria and France also (providing in-resort costs weren't too high). If Italy though where would you suggest given our criteria?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corvara in the Dolomites fits your description, blues & reds, wooded runs, picturesque, some apres...but very few package options. You could DIY from Venice and arrange a stopover afterwards, Cortina Express do transfers if you don't hire a car. Quite a bit of accommodation is near the lifts, some is ski-in, ski-out, but not all. Ski-in, ski-out plus picturesque is rare...and pricey!
Or maybe Zell am See in Austria, followed by a stopover in Salzburg....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Like others I think the Dolomites tick several of your boxes. Selva/Val Gardena is a bit larger than some of the other resorts mentioned and may offer a bit more apres ski. If your criteria are listed in priority order ie variety of skiing /trees most important then the Dolomites would be right at the top of my list and will suit the type of skiers you describe yourselves as. Add in the Italian attitude and food and you won't go wrong . Good luck with whatever you choose for your honeymoon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Thanks again for your replies. Is Selva / Val Gardena linked ski areas? When I've looked on a piste map before it seems very spread out, as though you would need ski buses etc?
On another note, what do ppl think of Livigno or Madonna?
Cheers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@srdenny, yes, Selva is on the vast circuit of skiing called the "Sella Ronda". Huge amounts of linked skiing. There are some side excursions which involve a bus, but these are "extras".
Never been to Livigno or Madonna but from what I've read here and elsewhere I'd like Madonna but not Livigno. (High, a bit bleak, not picturesque - but maybe that's biased). But really you can't go wrong with somewhere on the Sella Ronda.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Serre Chevalier?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Madonna has great skiing, with lovely mountain restaurants. It's not really a picture postcard resort though.
Lech might fit what you're looking for.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks everyone so far. This is really difficult. We've been back to the same place for a few years now, and we do want to go for somewhere else, but I would like to know that we would enjoy it else I would feel that we should have just gone back to Soldeu. 
We are going 1st/2nd week of March. Would snow levels be good for the Dolomites then?
@sugarmoma666 I've looked at Lech a little already. How good is this against my criteria? Is it pricey in resort?
Cheers[/code]
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
If I was going on honeymoon, I would choose Wengen or Zermatt. Absolutely stunning locations, one at the foot of the Eiger, the other at the foot of the Matterhorn. Neither particularly meet your criteria, but it's a honeymoon who needs criteria, it's memories you need. The Dolomites, again stunning. You can't go wrong with any of those locations to tell your grandkids.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
+1 for Zermatt. Views, atmosphere, train on Gornegrat, ski to Italy. It's not cheap but would be a special place.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
+2 for Zermatt. It is truly breathtaking
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| mcg wrote: |
| +2 for Zermatt. It is truly breathtaking |
Especially the top station at the Klein Matterhorn, I walked through that tunnel and I bent down to tighten boots and when I stood up my head was spinning and I was really out of breath...the air is thin at 3800m!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
We won't be doing Zermatt...too expensive!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
