 Poster: A snowHead
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Firstly hi to all!
I’ve had a very quick search and not found a real answer so thought i’d post for advice/thoughts
I’m about to book first family ski trip….me, the wife and two kids, 14 & 15.
I’ve skied a couple of weeks before, the rest of the family never have
I’m looking at flying out on boxing day (or the 27th) for a week from Gatwick or Stansted. I know it’s an expensive week, made slightly worse by the fact i do like somewhere nice to stay and will spend an additional few quid if I can avoid queueing with hordes of people to get a room key or ski boots…
i’ve been on the phone to Igluski who have suggested club med Pragelato Vialettea at a cost of £8000 plus c£250-400 for ski hire (total for all of us). I like the look of the resort, the accommodation looks wonderful, large and clean & modern and of a high quality. Reviews of the resort are good and the food and entertainment seems also to match our requirements….However, some reviews suggest this isn’t the best resort for beginners and i’m spending at such a cost I want to get it right….
I would like to ski in and ski out ideally….
Others that look ok..Tignes has been suggested as a decent beginner/family resort and Mark Warner have a great looking catered chalet here for about the same money http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g196714-d572345-Reviews-Hotel_l_Ecrin_du_Val_Claret-Tignes_Savoie_Rhone_Alpes.html
I’ve also found a couple of other catered chalet options in Alpe d'Huez again around the same budget as well as another club med in Les Deux alpes
it’s a 10k investment by the time i go and kit us all out, so any thoughts views that could improve the experience would be hugely welcomed!!
Cheers in advance guys (and girls)
ps, if there are other threads that have already covered this that i haven’t found, a point in the right direction would be good
pps, i don't have to spend so much! if i can achieve my desires and save on the quotes i've had i'd be delighted!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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That's a hefty budget and you will be able to get something really great.
I've introduced the family to skiing having been a skier myself and skiied a lot at New Year and can offer the following advice.
New year can be cold and bleak. Choose somewhere with some tree lined skiing for shelter. Tignes, Val Thorens etc. can be very bleak when the weather closes in. Lifts can shut in high winds too.
Decent snow doesn't always arrive by New a Year. Make sure your resort has some high altitude skiing and high nursery slopes.
A member of your family may not love skiing. Choose a resort with other things to do. Towns rather than purpose built resorts are better for this though generally lower and harder to get ski in ski out.
Choose a resort with easy runs at the top so your wife and kids gets to ski the whole mountain. The first resort my family skied was Risoul and it was the best resort choice I ever made.
New Year is very busy. Choose a quiet resort if you don't want crowds.
Research ski schools and get something decent. Private lessons are great, Dry slope or Snowdome lessons before a first ski holiday are worth their weight in gold.
Carrying skis, walking in boots is more of a pain for first time skiers. Accommodation near the lifts is a good idea. Ski hire shop near your accommodation is also a very good idea.
Your budget is high and you should be able to eat really well on the mountain. When you've chosen your resort, ask this forum for great places to eat that are easy to get to. Book in advance if you can.
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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 second the recommendation for some dry slope or snowdome lessons before you go.
Once you have identified a resort, book your lessons asap, as they get booked really early for New year. For your first ever trip a catered chalet is always fun, especially if you get yourselves into a medium size one-with any luck there will be some other teens for your two to hang out with.
New year week is about as busy as it gets. The brings with it a bit of a dilemma-the bigger more popular resort with the Brits often have the good native English speaking ski schools (Courchevel, Meribel, Tignes, Val d'Isere). Smaller places which will be more than adequate for your purposes given you won't need huge ski areas, may limit your lesson options to ESF in France. Your shortlist of resorts sounds about right (though I am personally not a fan of Les Deux Alpes). To that I would add-Courchevel 1650 (English speaking ski schools, nice gentle local slopes, some trees for snowy days). Altitude usually means a sacrifice on alpine charm and trees and it's nice to have a mixture if you can get it. I've only been to La Plagne once, but others may be along with recommendations for there.
Take a look at Igluski.com for a broad range of options for your dates. There seems to be plenty out there still!
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I've done La Plagne a couple of times at New Year. It was very very busy. The transfer to any of the Albertville resorts will also be very very busy. Although that could be said for most of the Alps.
Have you considered Cortina? brilliant for beginners, very classy with some wonderful accommodation, some great tree lined stuff with Dolomite style snow making. Plenty to do in resort, stunning scenery, amazing places to eat on the mountain.
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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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If you've got 3 absolute beginners in tow then ski-in ski-out doesn't really matter. It's highly unlikely you'll get somewhere right on a nursery slope and so anything else means the leaving and arriving back to the accommodation could become a really difficult and stressful part of the day - much better for the beginners to simply jump on the ski bus or a short walk to the lift / nursery slope where they can then learn in the comfort of a controlled and purpose made environment.
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@jamesforclaire, Hello. As everyone has said New Year is busy and expensive. I have had to look at ski resorts/accomodation to accommodate beginners in our group as well as experienced skiers over the last few years. Access to nursery slopes seemed best at http://www.mountain-lodge.co.uk/ in Les Crosets. Out of our price range over the Xmas period given we wanted 2 weeks but somewhere, as far as I could tell from my online research and talking to the Lodge manager, a pretty good place to take beginners, with access to the whole PdS ski area for those more adventurous. With a spa tub, games room and cinema it also seemed a good place to be if you did not want to ski too much.
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Welcome to SHs
As others have said New year can be bleak and the base may be a bit thin (like last year). Austria might have some advantages over France. From Gatwick you have Munich, Innsbruck and Salzburg flight options
1. The runs are mostly on meadow, this means that a thin base is OK compared with resorts on rocky ground (most in Savoie) which may still have limited opening if the snow is a bit thin. Most resorts have great snowmaking so as long as it is cold you will have skiing.
2. Being further North and East you don't need to go as high to get good snow so there are lots of choices with tree lined runs and shelter which is good if the weather is iffy (being a learner in -10 and a howling gale is not fun)
3. Ski schools have a pretty good reputation, good English spoken pretty much everywhere.
4. For a decent budget there are some great hotels with all the bells and whistles and they are mostly located in the villages not in purpose built resorts so there is more to do off the slopes
5. Austrian Apres!!!
I can't comment on the Italian options (yet!!) heading there this year but have heard only good things.
If you like a busy resort then Soll is popular with Brits. The area is so huge that even peak season crowds are manageable. Other local experts will come up with more suggestions I am sure, there are some great smaller resorts in Salzburg area.
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Personally I would go pre-christmas / christmas rather than new year. Here in Austria at least the 24th is a family holiday and the slopes are deserted, it is only from the 25th that the locals really hit the slopes. Generally speaking the slopes and everywhere else are less manic in xmas week - new year can be mighty busy. Have fun whenever / wherever you go.
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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 go somewhere snow sure at Easter instead. You will get at least as good a holiday for substantially less and can buy all your gear in the sale in Feb.
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@snowymum, nice logic!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The more I think about this one, the more I agree with other posters.
High altitude Framce is great later in the season when others are softening up or losing snow but Italy and Austria are probably better for New Year as you don't have to go so high to get snow and risk the bleak/cold/windy factor. I wish I'd been told this in the nineties when I skiied a French high resort every year at New Year.
I'm not sure what catered chalets you'd get in Austria or the Dolomites though.
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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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@jamesforclaire, Welcome to snowHeads! 
Have you considered the Italian Dolomites? The scenery is breathtaking, the pistes are fantastically well maintained, and the lunchtime mountain restaurants have delicious food at very reasonable prices. There are several places on the Sella Ronda circuit which would be a good base for beginners e.g Colfosco or Corvara.
As you're looking for a catered chalet type accommodation I've heard good reports of Colletts who have several accommodations in Corvara (although I've no personal experience of them). Might be worth seeing if they have any vacancies for the dates you want.
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I'd second the previous post. If you go to the Dolomites you might never want to go anywhere else!
- we've been with Colletts three times. Great set-up, small, friendly, professional, well-run company
- Dolomites is beautiful (& we've been many of the usual suspects (3-Valleys, Portes du Soleil, Saas Fee, Grand Massif etc)
- Snow-making facilities are probably the best in Europe and historically their consistently cold temperatures means they can (& do) use it effectively
- the mountain restaurants (Refugios) are a class above most things in France or Switzerland (and cheaper)
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You know it makes sense.
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I'd strongly agree with advice to go anytime other than new year.
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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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You have a good budget and should have many options. Try to choose a resort that was not purpose-built and as a precaution it makes sense to look for one with higher altitude easy accessible cruisy gentle skiing and nursery slopes. Last season around Christmas beginners had to learn on real slopes from the first day, which was hard for them and instructors, in resorts where only nursery slopes were down in the village, because of lack of snow there; it was also too warm to make snow. Same applies to Easter when snow can be already gone from nursery slopes. It's not always the case, and last season was the first one in a while when there was so little snow in December, and almost none all November, but you can take a precaution. I wouldn't worry about ski-in, but choose somewhere not too far from the lifts. It will be busy, so you want to avoid buses when possible, but as beginners you will also appreciate the possibility to take a lift down instead of skiing. Book lessons as soon as you book your holiday.
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Poster: A snowHead
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wow! what a receptive and informative bunch!! credit to the forum, thank you....
Advice taken on board and some things in there i hadn't even considered (bleak weather for one)....
So Italy it is....no feedback on the pragelato resort? Corvara and Cortina look good (Cortina seems to be less expensive than Corvara after initial searches)....the Collets looks wonderful but i think will break the budget just on initial looks!)....
Currently focusing search on the dolomites and will report back with findings....
it has to be New year week, despite the fact i know it would be cheaper and less busy at other times...
thanks again all, as mentioned will give you heads up when i've identified some potentials 
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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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You won't regret the Dolomites. Corvara and San Cassiano are lovely with quiet skiing off the Sella Ronda. Cortina offers more off the slopes with a very grand town to walk and more places to eat if you don't go half board. Booking.com still has some lovely places in Cortina available at new year if you hired a car and drove up from Venice or Innsbruck.
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+ 1 for Cortina, but I also love Courmayeur, not cheap, but you have a generous budget plus its a lovely town which I'm sure your wife would love. Have fun wherever you end up. Oh btw welcome to 's
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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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Just bear in mind that Cortina is not joined up with the main Dolomite ski area (Sella Ronda, Marmolada glacier etc) - it's a decent bus ride away so it would be a pain if you wanted to go out of the Cortina area for more than one day. on the other hand, from Corvara you have direct access to hundreds of miles of very well connected skiing from your doorstep.
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With your budget you could try a smart hotel in Obergurgl or Hochgurgl. Crystal for example have the Hotel Hochfirst on offer. Very snow sure. Just throwing that out there as another option to Italy.
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I stayed in Pragelato 5 years just before it became a Club Med resort. It was a lovely hotel and chalets. There is a very small ski area in Prag itself but in order to access the Milky Way you either have to take a lift which operated every 30 mins or the free skibus to Sestriere. When we were there those who had lessons were given priority on the bus in the mornings, but that may have changed with Club Med. The lift isn't really suitable for beginners though as you are deposited way up the mountain with a choice of reds or blacks to get down to Sestriere. I would rate Sestriere as being much better for beginners that Tignes or Les deux Alpes. The pistes are always well groomed and there are enough blues to keep any beginner entertained for a week
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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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Wow. There are so many choices for you and your family but as the others have mentioned it's going to be crazy busy as NY is the busiest week of the year. I did a season in Sainte Foy last year and really liked that as it was so small and relatively quiet apart from HT and NY. Alp D'Huez is also a really nice resort and typcially more sunny as it's the souther Alps.
Hope that helps a little!
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I also rate Sainte Foy, love the place. Great for beginners as well, so would be a good start. The Tarentaise can be a tad challenging to get to and from though in NY due to the weight of traffic.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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For a first trip with a family in ski school (different classes, presumably) I'd not go anywhere which required either a bus or a lift to get to and from the starting area (so that would rule out Courmayeur and I think it would rule out Cortina too - the only time I skied in Cortina the snow line was way above the town).
Look for accommodation close enough to the ski school meeting place to tell the kids to meet you back at the hotel/chalet/whatever. They're old enough to carry their own gear but probably won't want to carry it far and busses can be a complete PITA at busy times (as can the lifts up from a centre like Cortina - rammed, when I was there in March some years ago).
Corvara would be good. How about this chalet in San Cassiano - http://mountainsunltd.com/skichalets/albergo-frohsinn/
MUCH nearer the slopes than most accommodation in the Dolomites though I don't know where the ski school meet.
BUT - most places will already be booked up for New Year. Don't delay.
Pila? Haven't skied there but it gets good write ups here on SHs, very easy drive in a hired car from Turin. Where flights might be cheaper than the very silly prices probably now being charged to most ski destinations for new year.
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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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Dolomites are awesome, but not the most snow sure, which could be a factor at NYE...
I'd look at Westendorf. Lovely village, a quieter corner of one of the biggest ski areas in Europe, lots of long blue runs, and probably the best nursery slopes I've seen.
Can't recommend this hotel (and the family that run it) highly enough: http://www.glockenstuhl.at/ueber-unser-hotel-in-westendorf.html One minute walk from the hire shop (with storage depot), which is right next to the nursery slope lift.
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The Dolomites have massively invested in snow making and pretty much all resort runs are very likely to have snow by New Year.
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You know it makes sense.
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| pam w wrote: |
For a first trip with a family in ski school (different classes, presumably) I'd not go anywhere which required either a bus or a lift to get to and from the starting area (so that would rule out Courmayeur and I think it would rule out Cortina too - the only time I skied in Cortina the snow line was way above the town).
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Although I agree with the sentiment of not wanting to lug skis and boots to the start of the skiing. Courmayeur is actually not that inconvenient as you can leave both skis and boots up the mountain walk to the lift in normal footwear not having to carry anything, attractive area as well but I have no idea what the nursery slopes are like. The Mark Warner chalet sounded like one to avoid from those I met who stayed there.
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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: |
The Dolomites have massively invested in snow making
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snow making was no help last Christmas - problem was warm temperatures across considerable swathes of the Alps.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
The Dolomites have massively invested in snow making
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snow making was no help last Christmas - problem was warm temperatures across considerable swathes of the Alps. |
And tbh, if the only option is man-made snow, the pub is a lot more appealing. Stuff is awful to ski on.
Avoriaz would also be a good option - IIRC there are some good nursery slopes right in the 'village thing*, high but with quick access to trees and longish mellow blue runs, and will almost certainly have snow.
*Too much of an eyesore to really be a village. Building cluster may be the most accurate.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| clarky999 wrote: |
| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
The Dolomites have massively invested in snow making
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snow making was no help last Christmas - problem was warm temperatures across considerable swathes of the Alps. |
And tbh, if the only option is man-made snow, the pub is a lot more appealing. Stuff is awful to ski on.
Avoriaz would also be a good option - IIRC there are some good nursery slopes right in the 'village thing*, high but with quick access to trees and longish mellow blue runs, and will almost certainly have snow.
*Too much of an eyesore to really be a village. Building cluster may be the most accurate. |
New Year is a slight risk all but the very highest resorts which could be very bleak. Avoriaz is high but is totally surrounded by low resorts. If snow is sparse and Avoriaz has it, you will not be able to move. If you want high altitude France with lower skiing below, then La Plagne would be a better bet.
Cortina has a lot of skiing above 2000m and tops out at quite a bit higher than Avoriaz. Yoou would be very unlucky not to get good skiing.
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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 visit Austria, consider as the other firends already suggested, the time befores Christmas
Find a resort near Innsbruck or Salzburg, so you will have the opportunitiy to visit Christmas Markt etc
Otherwise if you want to dedicate definitely to ski then i will suggest Serfaus Fiss Ladis...mostly ski in ski out, or at leat with a little walking, but it is one of the best family ski resorts in Austria, with a huge area for some more experienced skiers, and almost all the lifts detachable or gondolas....one of the best places for children in austria in order to learn skiing
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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With a budget like yours you could go across the pond to North America. You will experience a far better standard of accommodation & service levels both on & off the mountain. The instruction is in very small groups provided by native English speakers which will give your other half and children the best start to skiing. You would however need to pick the resort carefully due to weather conditions to ensure you don't all freeze at that time of year but if done correctly you'll have an amazing first experience for your family which will open up future ski trips and therefore the most important factor to consider.
We have used Ski Safari (excellent website and Rupert is brilliant) for Whistler but they cover most NA resorts. Ski Frontier, Ski Independence, Crystal & Inghams all do NA so good for comparing costs.
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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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some fantastic advice guys, although each time i read another set of comments instead of being a step nearer i am a step further away lol
pam, i am not wishing to delay, want to book just can't decided!! snow monkey ha just thrown another spanner in the works and another night of searching online shall ensue!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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If you go to Whistler I would advise on 10-11 nights. That long flight and 8 hour time difference is quite tough to get over though the resort is amazing.
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@jamesforclaire, I suspect that a simpler solution, in Europe, would be best for your first holiday.
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if I can avoid queueing with hordes of people
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if you don't like queueing, you had better not go to a ski resort at New Year. Is it really absolutely the only possible time you can do your first trip? Easter no use? Or Christmas week?
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having had square eyes for weeks now and still undecided, each time fixing on a resort or hotel only to change my mind, i am sooooo tempted just to book the club med pragelato knowing that its all done on my behalf, board hire,lift passes, lessons etc are all organised for me on site, the rooms are lovely and indeed spacious and from what i read even at NY it will only be as busy as the resort capacity.....its high and says the snow will likely be good and the weather ok?????
or am i missing a major trick????? it is heavy on the cost but to be honest by the time i book somewhere else (nice) and add all the other costs up, it racks up anyway......ohhhhhh...i don't think I've ever had such indecisiveness when purchasing/booking anything!!!!!!!!
aaaaaarrrrrgggggggg
(i'm gonna end up booking a week in the seychelles lmao!)
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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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Obergurgl had very few queues outside of one lift at ski school times last years NYE. It's a bit bleak and exposed if the weather is bad but on the upside it's pretty snowsure - which was quite handy for last season at that time! 
Quite pricey for ski rental, no idea on lessons etc but someone else mentioned it and thought it worth a +1. Accommodation is mostly all sorta-ski in ski out - and the ski-in-ski-out-ness would also be accessible for beginners if you picked the right hotel (near Rosskarbahn / Hoche Mut 1 lifts).
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@jamesforclaire, Go for it then. It's your first ski holiday with your family and having things taken care of will be useful.
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