 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi guys,
So I am planing on trying to fill a small chalet next season and was wondering if anyone has ever arranged one before or know of good companies to go to?
Also any tips and things to avoid would also be good to know.
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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done it a couple of times - wasn't a problem. Once with a tour operator (Inghams), once we rented a chalet with 6 bedrooms in Les Gets (self catering) and organised flights and rented cars.
The latter was the more successful holiday, really, provided you have sensible friends who can produce an evening meal for 12 people without drama!
At the high end of things you rent a chalet, put in however many you want (typically less than the bed numbers) and separately pay for a chef (that's what my son sometimes does) but that's serious money - several thousand pounds a week per head, accommodation only (chef, food, extra.
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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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I think this would be done via a TO (ski total / Crystal).
I see they offer group discounts which means the savings can be passed on to the entire group for more beer tokens
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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've just recently come back from a trip with Neilson. We filled Chalet Reberty in Les Menuires with 19 people. In almost twenty years of skiing, it's been the best experience in terms of booking a holiday, the help from the team at Neilson's group helpline was great, we got a really good deal, the chalet and holiday was pretty good and they did a good job of sorting out problems. I'm not related to Neilson in any way but will certainly be using them for future trips
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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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@chrisrawles, I think all the TOs will do that - your problem will be getting your group to commit to paying the money, then trying to please everyone.
With my Inghams chalet, brother in law, based in Africa, wanted to take his family skiing but had no idea how you arrange a ski holiday. the deal was that I would make all the arrangements - consulting them as I thought appropriate - and he would pay the basic package costs for my family (2 plus 3 kids) as our Silver Wedding present. We only paid passes, lunches, etc. Extraordinarily generous of him.
There was one non-skier, my sister in law, who wanted a pretty alpine village so we went to Alpbach though it wasn't the best choice from all points of view. You can't please everybody on that sort of trip!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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One piece of advice. Ask the group who wants in, to get numbers. Take 20% off the number of people who say they want in. Find chalet that fits group, experience levels, preferences, suggest searching through Iglu and similar sites to find what you want, get a quote from them.
Then as soon as you have quote e-mail everyone asking for large deposit. If supplier wants £100 per head, get £200 per head deposit from the group. At this point your 20% will drop out.
Next when the deadline is due for balance payment, usually 3 months before you leave, tell the group it is due 6 months before you leave. The latest payers will manage somewhere between 3 and 4 months ahead (i.e. 1-2 months late) and at that point anyone in the 20% dropouts who has not dropped out will drop out.
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Small groups are easier to sort and you can easily DIY. Book your own flights and find a chalet. For larger groups a TO will take care of some of the grief.
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Cheers guys. I am aiming for a group of 10 max. Luckily the people I have mentioned it to so far will stay true to their word. I do wonder though if it will be cheaper just to all book in pairs but try to get the same Chalet. Its not essential we all stay in the same building as we can meet after dinner etc. Need to work out Group booking vs booking in pairs.
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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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@chrisrawles, it's nice to all stay together, if you are friends. When I've done chalet holidays all the good intentions about going out after dinner tended to evaporate.... Should be as easy as pie, with ten of you. You should get a group discount.
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@chrisrawles, What I normally do is use the group size to acquire the relevant number of rooms and any available discounts, take a deposit from everyone and secure the booking. Then I pass on the contact details to all party members, tell them the due date and leave them to sort the balance payments themselves directly. It saves you having to handle large amounts of other people's money.
Organising a group does tend to involve some cat herding, so I generally just try to find a much information to pass on and let other people sort out their own finer details rather than booking every last thing for them.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Scarlet, Yes I can imagine it could be a nightmare. My plan is to do as you say, pass on as much as possible. As mentioned above the people in the group as all good for payments etc, so hopefully it will be relatively pain free
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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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There aren't huge numbers of TO chalets as small as that, and smaller chalets tend to book up fairly quickly. Have a look here for a possible, good ski in/out location and Inghams have been ok for me recently - though sleeps 8 I'd consider if the price is ok, looks like some work has been done over last couple of years
http://www.inghams.co.uk/ski-holidays/ski-resorts/france/espace-killy-ski-area/tignes/chalet-isabelle
One reason I've tended to go with catered chalet TO for group trips is that everyone eating together (preferably at one table) is a great way to socialise and catch up, and means you don't end up out until 2am chatting and drinking, and eating separately or trying to co-ordinate dinner plans every night.
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@Mistress Panda, thanks will will check it out now. i am not bothered who we go with, although Crystal offer the snow train which gives an extra 2 days on the slopes.
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You know it makes sense.
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chrisrawles Good luck with it all. As has been alluded to, no matter how good people's intentions or initial enthusiasm, there will be dropouts and grief. Just be prepared for it.
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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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Panic over, after talking to a few of the guys up for the idea, we have decided we will just wait till nearer the time and all book independently. Basically keep a look out for a good deal, can also watch the snow as this season has been a late starter for many resorts.
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Poster: A snowHead
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There were no dropouts on the 11 person trip I organised - the OH and I, one of our kids, 2 separate couples of friends who had not met each other previously, my mother, my brother, his 9 year old and his then partner. My mum had a room to herself, and paid for both "beds". No dropouts, no arguments about the catering arrangements, happy sociable evenings with a good meal, and only one evening when you needed to cook (we went out the last night to make it easier to clean everything up).
3 hired cars from the French side of Geneva airport - some tense moments getting back, we managed to catch the plane by the skin of our teeth and only because I took an illegal doorway out of the baggage hall and legged it to the easyJet check in desk 41 minutes before departure, and assured the nice man that the rest of them were "just coming". That was a bit stressy....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Not to sound smug but I've organised a few of these type of trips and although putting myself through stress I've never had a problem.
Most was 17 bodies including 3 young kids.
That was chamonix, and even with my irrational aversion to France, was still my best trip ever.
I suppose it depends on the friends but I've never had one drop out.
In fact I've had the opposite this year hen organising the annual boys long weekend in that what started as 6 of us is now 11 heading off to Mayrhofen a week today!!
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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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If you want catered try catered ski chalets (interactive resorts), they will do all the hard work for you using the TO. We managed to bag a chalet for 12 of us this January for a cheaper rate than the TO was offering. If you can be bothered to cook then do a DIY.
I prefer the catered option, I'm on holiday....no one cooks on holiday!
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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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@chrisrawles, you have a PM 
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