 Poster: A snowHead
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I imagine like last year most higher places will be busier if the snow if not so good lower down. The pass gives 2 days in Les Deux Alpes and there is a paid bus or helli over. The area stretches quite a long way across and up/down. The higher runs more difficult and probably half the blacks would normally be unpisted from my previous experience and some quite tricky. The runs around the town itself are all very nice and easy but the more interesting slopes for 2nd week beginners/intermediates are towards the extremities of the area. Les Deax Alpes has good intermediate/beginner slopes but on the Glacier/higher areas and down to the town on the opposite side.
I think Kitzbuhel/SkiWelt or similar areas would be riskier for Christmas. There seemed to be some deals to Mayrhofen which I think would be a better location as it gives access to the Glacier if needed via free bus. Val diIsere would not be my choice for a beginner or intermediate as you're not getting the most from the area. Cost of food will be high too unless you cook in all the time.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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In respect to La Plagne I think that offers quite good options across the board if you're not a good intermediate/expert or haven't been there loads of times before and want a change. Going over to Les Arcs takes time and therefore best for people skiing quick and not best accessed from La Plagne centre anyway. There are some flat bits for everyone to avoid (even learners) but there are also a good mix of runs for everyone, great tree skiing on piste (better than Les Arcs in my view), some good off-piste, and a Glacier if required.
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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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Oh don't tempt me! I would describe myself as an intermediate boarder, I can get around quickly and cover entire resorts I just don't enjoy unpisted mogul fields or really steep icy blacks probably like most snowboarders I imagine 
I've been to Les Arcs before but never went over to La Plagne, I was thinking the snow might not be great below 1800 the week of the 13th as the next week looks pretty mild so justified it to myself as thinking I could pop over to Les Arcs and cover the high parts of both resorts so having seen the Vanoise is not opening till the 19th I talked myself down from taking the plunge as it were.
So do you think there is enough in La Plagne abover 1800/2000 to last a week?
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@japes1275
Regarding taking your non-skiing wife I could recommend Briancon old town (Serre Chevalier), Granada (Sierra Nevada), Zell am See for the lake, Salzburg (ski bus transfers go to different ski areas daily there and back), perhaps somewhere in the Dolomites for the views, Basel (like Salzburg you can travel daily to ski areas by direct ski bus but it's a long trip so you'd only want to do a couple of times during the week), Zurich (options to travel to a few ski areas quickly by train with snownrail), Innsbruck (ski bus options to a number of local ski areas and the ski area directly above the city), St Wolfgang (for the lake although the only very cheap option is no more), Annecy (ski bus to local areas), Lucerne (train to local ski areas snownrail), Vercors France (ski bus to local ski areas), Nice (ski bus to local areas) and also Colmars (Vosges ski areas) although I've not been there myself.
Favorite: Annecy
Undiscovered: Briancon Old Town
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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 advice Millom, I'm going to seriously think it over and make the decision tomorrow I think.
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Crystal offers such as in Ape d'Huez finish tonight. I guess the other options should still be there.
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| japes1275 wrote: |
That's a very good point Minion, the more popular places tend to be the ones where it is hard to find no single sup hotels, probably because they have no problem filling them.
One thing I did once was leave it right to the last minute and then search on the usual sites for deals for two. By then all the single places have gone but there are usually loads of cheap last minute deals for couples. I then just booked for two using my wife's name - though obviously knew she was going to be a 'no show' at the airport! I think that time I ended up paying about £600 total but it was still cheaper than the few remaining single places and was cheaper than the brochure price at the start of the season for two sharing. I also ended up with a nice big double room!
It's worth a try if you can stand the thought that you have 'wasted' the price of someone's holiday! |
Why would the single price be more than for a couple? 
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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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| Millom wrote: |
I imagine like last year most higher places will be busier if the snow if not so good lower down. The pass gives 2 days in Les Deux Alpes and there is a paid bus or helli over. The area stretches quite a long way across and up/down. The higher runs more difficult and probably half the blacks would normally be unpisted from my previous experience and some quite tricky. The runs around the town itself are all very nice and easy but the more interesting slopes for 2nd week beginners/intermediates are towards the extremities of the area. Les Deax Alpes has good intermediate/beginner slopes but on the Glacier/higher areas and down to the town on the opposite side.
I think Kitzbuhel/SkiWelt or similar areas would be riskier for Christmas. There seemed to be some deals to Mayrhofen which I think would be a better location as it gives access to the Glacier if needed via free bus. Val diIsere would not be my choice for a beginner or intermediate as you're not getting the most from the area. Cost of food will be high too unless you cook in all the time. |
Thanks, appreciate your comments. Looks like the Crystal Alpe D'Huez option may be off the table already though, tried clicking through it but it said it was fully booked. I've got no problem with eating in pretty much all the time, I'm happy to live like a student if it means a week skiing. I'm also aware that I pretty much won't get the best out of any resort due to my ability. Like Minion I'm happy on most but moguls and really steep, icy stuff...but I'm keen to develop my skills on bumps over this trip.
I was looking at Mayrhofen but was put off by some of the accommodation being so far out from centre, my trips so far have basically been ski-in/ski-out (or at most a 5 minute walk in ski boots) so that's what I'm used to and gravitate to.
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I don't think it's necessarily about being cheaper than a single person (though he mentioned that) it's just the TO search engines if you search for a party of 1 you get back very few results, if you search for 2 people you get a lot more back with some of them being similar in price to the single person deals. I just tried it on Iglu for the week commencing 12th December and I indeed got a lot more results for 2 people which would work out a total of £600 -700.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| mikeycharlton wrote: |
| Why would the single price be more than for a couple? |
It opens up a whole load of options that are cheaper per person than looking for a single. Variety is a bit better too.
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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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| SnoodyMcFlude wrote: |
| mikeycharlton wrote: |
| Why would the single price be more than for a couple? |
It opens up a whole load of options that are cheaper per person than looking for a single. Variety is a bit better too. |
But if you've booked it for 2 people (and only one goes), you're not going to get refunded for the person who isn't (never was) going are you?
I'm confused.
I don't see what you gain by pretending that 2 people are going? What do you gain?
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You don't get the refund but suddenly you have say 20 different options for around £700 rather than 3...
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You know it makes sense.
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@mikeycharlton, I've come across this scenario many times. The tour operators pile on the single supplements and rarely offer cut-price or late deals for single skiers. So, with a special offer, you can pay less for two than one client. By initially pretending two are going, you may pay £500 in total for a late deal. The cost for a singleton for the same holiday could be £600. No need to worry about a refund... 
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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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| mikeycharlton wrote: |
But if you've booked it for 2 people (and only one goes), you're not going to get refunded for the person who isn't (never was) going are you?
I'm confused. |
If you're on your own then there are only X number of chalets/hotels/ditches that have one person rooms, however there are many, many more that have 2 person rooms. These 2 person rooms are often cheaper PP than the 1 person rooms (which come at a premium because there are less of them). Therefore you can sometimes book a 2 person holiday for roughly the same price or a little bit more than booking a single room. Therefore you don't need a refund, you just pay as if there are going to be two of you. The advantage is that you open yourself up to either better accommodation options or more resorts.
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Poster: A snowHead
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£500 to £700 (flights + transfer + hotel) is not a good last minute deal though is it (if only 1 person is going and paying all of it)?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| mikeycharlton wrote: |
| £500 to £700 (flights + transfer + hotel) is not a good last minute deal though is it (if only 1 person is going and paying all of it)? |
This clearly isn't making sense to you, but trust me, there is more variety at similar prices EVEN if you are effectively paying for another flight and transfer.
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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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Mikey - it is not necessarily about getting a great deal it is about having more options for roughly the same price point maybe a little more. Have you spent much time looking for single person ski holidays? Some sites don't even allow you to search by a party of one! The choices are limited.
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I get that it opens up many more options. That's clearly an advantage. I'm just pointing out that for £500 to £700 you could get something similar months in advance.
I've spent a lot of time searching for single person ski holidays, Yes, the choices are limited with the well known operators. I started this thread after spending hours and hours trawling through the websites of all the main players and lesser known ones too, who all wanted £600+
I finally realised that if you put together a DIY trip, you could get it all much cheaper.
I'm booked to go to Chatel (yes there are bigger, 'better', higher resorts than Chatel) in January for £500, which includes flight, transfers, accom, lift pass and ski hire).
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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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I think it's also worth asking the company if booking in the one or two weeks before the travel date whether the supplement is waved. Although some may not advertise it (some do but as you say not always searchable) I think most sensible places would give it that late in the day (one person is better than none). I did many an early holiday with skibeat and always had no supplement (and lots of others were getting the same). I've done less TO trips of late so don't know if this has changed much but silverski I mentioned above obviously look like they will wave supplement just before the date. If you are booking a little earlier and not very last minute then also ask what the single supplement is as it can just be a 100 or so which is not so bad for use of a double room. I've also asked that for this season and recall one talking of +150. This is obviously a preference to booking 2 places and only using 1.
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| mikeycharlton wrote: |
I get that it opens up many more options. That's clearly an advantage. I'm just pointing out that for £500 to £700 you could get something similar months in advance.
I've spent a lot of time searching for single person ski holidays, Yes, the choices are limited with the well known operators. I started this thread after spending hours and hours trawling through the websites of all the main players and lesser known ones too, who all wanted £600+
I finally realised that if you put together a DIY trip, you could get it all much cheaper.
I'm booked to go to Chatel (yes there are bigger, 'better', higher resorts than Chatel) in January for £500, which includes flight, transfers, accom, lift pass and ski hire). |
Sorry Mikey I didn't realise you'd started the thread, I certainly didn't mean to sound patronising when I asked if you had spent time looking it was an honest question. As for bigger, bettter, higher the only reason I try and go to higher resorts is I usually go in Mid March as it's around my birthday so conditions can be very poor in bad years at lower resorts like I experienced in Serre Chevalier last year.
DIY is definitely a good way to go but it seems easier to do this for Chalets (Chalets direct solutions room is very useful) though I have a preference for Hotel accomodation as I've had some disappointing experiences in Chalets. Out of interest are you staying in a Chalet? Has anyone done self catering on their own? It's not something I've tried yet.
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@Minion1980, no dramas.
I'll be staying in self catering accommodation, so I won't have the luxury of somebody else cooking my meals for me. Obviously that brings the price down (a lot), but I prefer self catering anyway. I find the idea of sharing a house and sitting around the same dinner table with a bunch strangers a bit weird to be honest.
Here are a couple of decent websites for finding self catering accommodation. http://www.thefrenchskiresort.com/ and https://www.homeaway.co.uk/
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I've been doing single trips for the best part of three decades and I can say, without hesitation, independent arrangements are by far and away the most economic and best way to arrange a holiday. I find using resort website booking systems reveals far more single room availability (mostly without punitive single supplements) than the popular hotel booking sites. There appear to be more single rooms or single use of doubles in Switzerland and Austria than in France or Italy - and the hotels are more flexible when it comes to length of stay.
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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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@LOTA, which companies/websites do you use?
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@speachmaus, I tend to use resort websites. Most have an English translation and an accommodation booking service (also dial in booking.com or hotels.de for a price comparison!). I have used the Solden, Engelberg, Alpbach and Arosa sites very successfully in the past. This week I've been looking at a post-Easter trip to Saas Fee and there are loads of single room options on their website.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@LOTA, interesting. Thanks
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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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@LOTA, do you stay in a variety of accommodation types (chalet/hotel/ SC apartment), or stick to one particular type?
I've found resort websites useful, although some of them of them don't filter/sort/display the results particularly well.
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Some good tips there, I actually just remembered I booked a holiday for myself and a friend by finding a very reasonable Pension in Arraba back in 2008 using the resort website, I had to get an Italian speaker at work to actually confirm the booking which was interesting but it was a great deal, albeit not a single deal. I think I will look into self catered as another option - Mikey do you find you eat out a lot when doing self catered?
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You know it makes sense.
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| mikeycharlton wrote: |
| SnoodyMcFlude wrote: |
| mikeycharlton wrote: |
| Why would the single price be more than for a couple? |
It opens up a whole load of options that are cheaper per person than looking for a single. Variety is a bit better too. |
But if you've booked it for 2 people (and only one goes), you're not going to get refunded for the person who isn't (never was) going are you?
I'm confused.
I don't see what you gain by pretending that 2 people are going? What do you gain? |
For me it's not always about the best deal, it's getting to the place I want to go to in what I hope to be a decent hotel. The time in question when I booked for two I'd left it quite late and it was the best option in the resort I wanted without going in a cheaper hotel that I don't like. I paid a bit more than I needed to but it was a really nice hotel. As I pointed out, paying the price for two at that time still worked out cheaper than the brochure price for that hotel for a single traveller. When I turnred up at the airport I just told them my wife was unable to travel and they were happy and I just told the rep in resort the same. No problems.
I realise that doing things independantly can work out cheaper, though I think it's difficult if you want half board. When I look a lot of the hotels want more for 7 nights half board than the cost of a package from the UK.
For me it has to be half board - don't want to be cooking, it has to be a hotel as I'm not into chalets, I'm pretty much stuck on Italy though will consider Austria, the hotel has to be in town and it pretty much has to be a fairly big tour operator.
Basically I'm quite fussy with my requirements, it's my one holiday and I want it to be right!
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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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@mikeycharlton, I've stayed in them all, but my preference now is for B&B-type places, particularly in Austria, or small hotels in Switzerland. I've had some fantastic bargains and found some real gems. I prefer B&B board as that gives me the flexibility for dinner and/or a large lunch. Hotel dining rooms on your own can be a soulless experience. I forgot to add Grindelwald to my previous list - found what could be the cheapest, yet perfectly clean and comfortable hotel room in the Jungfrau, through the Grindelwald website (Hotel Bel-air, if I recall correctly)
Travel with Swiss to Geneva or Zurich (free ski carriage) or on a Wednesday with Easyjet or BA to Innsbruck. Then transfers by postbus/rail. Helps keep the cost down and much more pleasant than the overcrowded Altibus to the French resorts!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Millom wrote: |
@japes1275
Regarding taking your non-skiing wife I could recommend Briancon old town (Serre Chevalier), Granada (Sierra Nevada), Zell am See for the lake, Salzburg (ski bus transfers go to different ski areas daily there and back), perhaps somewhere in the Dolomites for the views, Basel (like Salzburg you can travel daily to ski areas by direct ski bus but it's a long trip so you'd only want to do a couple of times during the week), Zurich (options to travel to a few ski areas quickly by train with snownrail), Innsbruck (ski bus options to a number of local ski areas and the ski area directly above the city), St Wolfgang (for the lake although the only very cheap option is no more), Annecy (ski bus to local areas), Lucerne (train to local ski areas snownrail), Vercors France (ski bus to local ski areas), Nice (ski bus to local areas) and also Colmars (Vosges ski areas) although I've not been there myself.
Favorite: Annecy
Undiscovered: Briancon Old Town |
Thanks for that Millom, I'll take a look at those places for a possible week in March. I've been to Zell Am See in the summer and liked it and I also like the idea of Salzburg for somewhere to visit. 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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@Minion1980,
I like to keep the costs down so I'm pretty strict with myself and rarely eat out. Perhaps the odd hot drink or baguette bought on the slopes.
In fact I pack a fair bit of food in my suitcase. Partly to keep the cost down but also to deter me from walking into a restaurant rather than using the local supermarket which may be 'a bit of an effort' if it's not close to your accommodation.
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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 usually hit the supermarket for nibbles for the room and chocolate for the slopes, other than that it's mountain restaurants or the resort for lunch and I'm yet to go hungry from the evening meals and breakfast in the hotel! I usually put on a few pounds over the week even with all the skiing exertions!
One of the reasons I like Italy is the price of eating out and about is very reasonable. I'm probably the opposite of Mikey in that usually RETURN with food in my suitcase from the local Italian supermarket!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Money saved on accommodation and transport goes towards food and drink - I'm on holiday after all, and I see little pleasure, in scrimping and saving. But, of course, each to their own!
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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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| tim000 wrote: |
| the pramstrasller in mayrhofen has 2 single room with no supp |
FYI via Crystal the Pramstraller want a 30%supplement.
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I hadn't heard of Friendship Travel until I met some of their customers last week. They offer both shared rooms and single. Although single has supplement it seemed significantly lower than direct booking with TO.
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I've now booked a single room in Arosa for five nights (fly Swiss early on Monday, leave late Saturday afternoon so six days' skiing), rail transfer booking Swiss Supersaver tickets. No single supplement on the room, no costly car hire or transfer to worry about.
And it has snowed significantly over the last week or so!
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FAQ
! The ski areas are in many ways comparable. Obviously the Alpe d'Huez one is a week later so more chance for some extra snow to arrive but also more crowds.
