 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, new to this forum so like most people when they first rock up, I am looking for something! (I will also hopefully be able to contribute when others are in need  )
I am planning a group trip for March 2016 (well in advance I know) which must offer some good accomodation, good skiing with the option of heli-skiing and a hotel with a spa for the ladies. We are over in N. Ireland so are very limited with operators-Crystal from Dublin is basically our only option so we are limited to their offering-unless of course we try and go DIY.
So, can anyone offer any advice on Gressoney (this looks good but very limited accomodation), Cervinia, Courmayeur, La Thuile, Sestriere or maybe even Pila?
This is a special trip, a 50th birthday no less and a few of us have long said that we want to heli-ski for our 50th's, so we are prepared to pay more than we normally do, thus wanting a spa for the ladies!
I will be researhing researching and more researching over the next few weeks, but any advice will be gratefully received!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi,
Ive been to all the places you mention, but for some reason had not visited the dolomites before this week ((n Corvara now), and I have to say with the possible exception of the Heli Skiing (maybe other SH can help there), this place has it all. The scenery, the vastness of the ski area (we have barely scratched the surface), the food (WOW) and the hotels are outstanding. Can highly recommend. The hotel Perla (5*) looks like the top hotel in Corvara but its v pricey. We are in a humble 3 star (Villa Eden) but its better than any other 4 star Ive stayed in lol...
We will be back to the Dolomites next year for sure...
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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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Thanks Neilkav, unfortunately Corvara is not on the list of resorts the operator is offering us, though it sounds great. If you get time, let me know your thoughts on the others I have listed, enjoy the Dolomites!
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Ok understand, but IMHO I would still suggest you look at DIY to any Dolomites area, we mostly do DIY. You can flights to Innsbruck from Belfast via LHR.
Of the resorts you mention (this is just my opinion, others will have much more info),
Gressoney - great for off piste and food but VERY quiet and not sure any top level hotels.
Cervinia, great for crusing, snowsure and linked to Zermatt, can't comment on high end hotels as we were in B&B, town ok but not a huge amount of life. Courmayeur, pretty good skiing but not my favourite (npy as much scope for variety) also the town is kind of away from the lifts, bus or taxi needed for most accom, some v good hotels.
La Thuile, famiy oriented resort, pretty good skiing also linked to La Rosiere - so plenty of options and virtually no queues. Not pretty though and felt more like a French resort to me, not sure you would find top end hotels?
Sestriere, part of the milky way so huge ski area, we skiied to Motgenevre and back easily - lots and lots of options, Town itself is ok but again lacked charm for me. Pila - only did day trip, wide open bowls could get exposed, again family oriented resort, pretty sure good inters and above would get bored.
If I had to choose from your list it would probably be Cervinia if you can find a nice hotel, good luck!
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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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+1 for DIY to Dolomites. Worth looking into
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Thanks again Neilkav, good info and a lot of it confirms what I had thought-i like the look of Gressoney for the skiing or Cirvinia (Champoluc also sounds like a lovely place)-we are getting a bit past hard partying so aren't too concerned about nightlife-we did it the Austrian way in Saalbach/Hintergemm last year-party early, bed early, ski early! As you say, difficult to find the right accommodation in Cirvinia. We can fly to Milan or Turin from Dublin, so maybe DIY is still an option, it will just take a lot more research (and time!)
Cheers
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Definitely Gressoney. Hotel Ellex in Stafal is very nice, ski-in/out and has a Spa. It's not super-luxurious but you'll have more to spend on guides & amazing lunches. Just fly to Milan, hire cars & then 2 hours drive.
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@Rikster,
You might want to check out La Thuile. By all accounts cheapest and most convenient Heli skiing in the Alps. Wasn't confident enough to try it but couple of guests at the hotel said it was just superb experience.
The Miramonti is a lovely hotel - friendly and food was superb. It has a spa but is fairly small and limited. However, there is a fantastic, luxurious thermal spa just down the road from the resort at Pre St Didier. Not cheap but they do great deals for anyone arriving after 4pm. €3 return by bus. Ladies could easily lose themselves there for a day or two.
La Thuile has fantastic skiing area, linked to La Rosiere in France but is a fairly quiet resort with limited après ski.
Courmayeur further along the valley is a much bigger town, lovely town centre and seems to be bit of a party place. May be hotel there with better spa facilities and you can ski La Thuile for a day on the same lift pass if you want to do the heli skiing. About 30 minutes by bus between the two resorts.
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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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How about Champoluc-over the hill from Gressoney. It's a bigger place and has more going on than Gressoney, but is still charming- a few more restaurants and a handful of friendly bars. You can definitely do heliskiing from there (i think the same outfit as the one based over the hill in Gressoney). Crystal had some reps in town when were there at Christmas. They have a few hotels on their books, including the Relais Des Glaciers where we stayed. The hotel has an excellent spa-probably the best in town, though the food and rooms may not quite be up to proper 4 star standards.
Inghams have taken over the Breithorn hotel, which looks very smart and I think has a spa.
You could also look at www.ski-2.com; you have to book your own flights but they will do the rest from a choice of all the hotels in the village and will pick you up from the local airport of your choice (milan, Turin, or even Geneva!). Very good-not heard a bad word about them from anyone. Their UK based staff are incredibly helpful-tell them the sort of thing you are looking for and they will do the legwork for you They run their own ski school too with native english speaking instructors.
Courmayeur is a nice place to stay, but the on piste skiing is so limited for the non powder hounds, I wouldn't go there for a week.
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Cheers guys, great info, especially the advice about www.ski-2.com-this is something I have been meaning to research as Crystal offer limited acommodation and resorts. It seems that we can get flights from Dublin to Milan with the lovely Ryanair, so doing it DIY or partial DIY could be the way to go!
Thanks again.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Anyone any experience of Canazei?
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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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If you do Courmayer you can do La Thuile and Pila as day trips away. Either organised with the operator or on the ski bus. You can even have a shopping afternoon in Aosta as the gondola station is right in the town if some people don't want to ski Pila all day.
Courmayer is a nice resort and has the added benefit of being able to leave your skis/boots up on the mountain and getting the cable car back into town so no walking in ski boots. The skiing is a bit limited though so the days away are a must if you don't want to get bored. I'd say La Thuile was the best from a skiing point of view but the resort didn't look to be very nice.
Crystal go to Madonna di Campiglio which is where I'd go for my 50th (not far off so I'd better get planning and saving!) as the skiing and scenery is amazing. I've never managed to get into the resort itself as I've only done it as days away from Passo Tonale (good but not the sort of place you'd to go for a special trip) but the sort of people you see there don't look to be short of a few quid so I'm guessing it's pretty smart!
I've used Crystal a few times and have no complaints.
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| Rikster wrote: |
| Anyone any experience of Canazei? |
I have not stayed in Canzei itself, but once down the road in Campitello.
Both are well positioned for large amounts of piste skiing via Sella Ronda. Plus there is guided off piste if you want it. Great area.
There have been threads around here on Canazei beforehand, it is a larger village/town with more "action" than some of the others.
You may need a ski bus or similar to get to the bottom lifts in the morning as it is a bit spread out, plus skiing back lands you in one part of the place and so getting back to your base might need some planning.
Not sure about the heli-skiing.
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You know it makes sense.
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Canazei (and Campitello) are cheaper than resorts directly on the Sella Ronda. Both have one main lift out the the resort taking you onto the ski area and the Ronda. You can ski back to Canazei, but with Campitello you need to take the lift back down. A free bus service runs up and down the valley (Alba, up the valley from Canazei is a 'peach' of an area to explore..)
Not sure how they measure up to your othe requirements - never been in a Spa !!
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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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Cheers for all the info guys, a great help!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Stayed in Canazei but about 7 years ago. There is a reasonable swimming baths with good sauna etc (steam room / kneip baths / etc) underneath. (Sauna is as usual mixed / nude).
Most people want to take the same lift up in the morning so there was a major crush at peak times. But they did seem to get people moved fairly quickly and the queue did keep moving. That lift took you towards the Sella Ronda. There was a second lift taking you in an entirely different direction that was much quieter.
Don't know about Heli Skiing. Can't remember the name of the hotel I'm afraid, just that it used to be the Kaiser's shooting lodge. That is the Kaiser and Kaiserin of Austria. Food was good.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
never been in a Spa !!
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I've never been in a Spa either, @albob. I think there was one in the hotel I stayed in at the Birthday Bash in Arabba last week but my life seems to be complete without one. 
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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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We stayed in Stafal (the best place to stay near Gressoney) a few years ago. Chalet du Lys. Family run place, right by the main lift and it had a spa (not sure we used it) and an Irish Pub as part of the complex (I kid you not! -nice leather sofas and the occasional band). Crystal had clients staying if I remember rightly. The only bar in Stafal showed your off-piste heli-skiing footage on a big screen to the local clientele. Neat. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@pam w, -- I've stayed in the Portovescovo a couple of times and never discovered the SPA (or swimming pool......!)
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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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Thanks for the info, a Spa wouldn't normally be high on the list of priorities but as this is supposed to be a 'special' trip, the laydeez have said that after all the years of being dragged onto early ski lifts for a week , they are taking things a bit easier next year and a day off the slopes in the spa is on their list of requests 
I think we are narrowing down to Cervinia, Canazei, or Champoluc/Gressoney-looking at the piste map for Gressoney, the ski area looks a bit spread out and not all linked by lift, anyone know if that is correct?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Rikster, if you mean the Monterosa area, there are a few "satellite" areas, e.g. Antagnod, that aren't linked to the main circuit.
If you have party members who are looking for things to do other than dawn to dusk skiing, I'd still suggest Champoluc has a bit more to do. Staffal has more hotels than it used to, but it's tiny.
Incidentally, friends were staying at the Relais des Glaciers last week and thought it a little under-whelming for 4*.
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@Rikster, yes I stayed in Canazei in a Crystal Chalet, had to bus or walk 15 mins to the lift but the ski area is fantastic, no idea about heli skiing though? Also been tomLa Rosiere which links with La Thuile, affordable held skiing there definately.
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Cheers folks!
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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 have been to most resorts on your list and would say that Cervinia ticks most boxes best. IMHO. It has everything you require and more with no ifs or buts.
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@Rikster, I would say Pila has no Heliskiing or Spa so that would be out. You could stay down in Aosta and then get the whole valley to choose from but quite a pain with busses to each resort being at least 30mins (gondola up to Pila 20Mins). Pila is great for cruising around, easy for learners and very few queues. Cheap for everything once you get there, with good on mountain food & Drinks. We use Carole at Pilaski.co.uk who is very honest so you could ask her. Get there via Turin (easiest) or Geneva; if you have flights to there?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@northantsred, did you have any issue with the tow lift back from the Zermatt side to Cirvinia? I read that it is a massive long drag lift but it looks like the lads would definitely prefer the steeper skiing over that side, for a few of the day's anyhow!
@Jake43, yes, we can tly to Turin from Dublin or Geneva from Belfast which would be preferable but as you say, Pila is probably out but thanks for the info.
@under a new name, I presume the Monte Rosa area has plenty of variety and KM's without seeking out the unconnected areas?
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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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@Rikster, RE the tow lift - you would only need to use that if the Cable Car back was closed (usually due to high winds) : I've been to Cervinia several times and have never had to use the Tow/Drag lift.....
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@Rikster, absolutely
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You know it makes sense.
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If staying in Aosta, Courmayeur, or La Thuile spa (Therme) at Pre St Didier is outstanding. Outdoor pools with superb views of Monte Bianco.
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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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| Kenski wrote: |
| If staying in Aosta, Courmayeur, or La Thuile spa (Therme) at Pre St Didier is outstanding. Outdoor pools with superb views of Monte Bianco. |
Agreed. Excellent facility that can seem expensive but can be used cost effectively. Obviously more convenient for the resorts further up the valley than those closer to the Turin end.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Sounds fantastic, I'll look into that!
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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, now that we are all back from our respective ski trips, it looks like the winner for next year is Champoluc!
Thanks for all the advice and tips, much appreciated!
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