Last Minute Ski Trip this Christmas - where though?

A snowHead

Looks like I have persuaded husband and teenage daughter to take an extra cheeky ski trip over Christmas (saves me all the hassle of cooking, cleaning and being nice to all the relatives!) The question is, where to go? We need somewhere with decent amount of runs open after a disastrous pre-Xmas trip to St Anton last winter. The snow forecast looks good for Swiss resorts by the end of next week, but we would prefer Austria, or France (3 Valleys is a favourite). I would love to go back to Saalbach-Hinterglemm after an absence of some years, but am worried about the snow coverage.

We are looking for a package deal, under £1000 each as this is a bonus trip. Teenage daughter will need her own room (or a two-room suite). We are prepared to pay a single supplement, but we don't want to pay over the odds for this. A chalet would be our preferred option, as it is more sociable. Ski-guiding would also be good (but obviously no longer available in France), but not a deal-breaker. Plus, a hot tub/sauna always goes down well.

I know this is asking a lot, but any recommendations would be gratefully received and may prevent some family squabbles!

Thanks all.

Fiona Puzzled

A snowHead

You have some very specific requirements, I would suggest posting exactly what you have just posted on the Chalets Direct solutions room.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@FionaG, the weather is uncertain at the moment. Some places have had some snow - most haven't had a lot, really, and very mild weather now is seeing some of it disappear (and temperatures too high to make snow).

There are signs that there will be some snow before Christmas but they are too far off and uncertain to make booking now very sensible.

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I guess it depends what's most important - plenty of runs open with good snow, or the precise bedroom arrangements. Needing two rooms in a catered chalet is not that specific!

Yes, you could aim for somewhere with a glacier etc etc but if conditions are bad, they'll be rammed. In our resort (Les Saisies) last year conditions were horrible, but everywhere else around was even more horrible, and the open pistes were not only icy and unpleasant, they were also far too busy with people bussed in from lower resorts around. My niece and family (in St Anton, like the OP) also had pretty nasty conditions, with the same number of pistes open as Les Saisies and even more people! They were in an otherwise empty chalet and liked the chalet staff very much, and had an enjoyable break, but as a ski holiday it was pretty hopeless.

Fingers crossed that it'll all be much better this year but the signs are that there might not be significant new snow much before Christmas.

You'll need to Register first of course.

The SkiWorld website it currently showing up deals of ~£1,300 (total) for 3 people, in 2 rooms in a chalet in Les Arc, Mottaret etc, with flights from Gatwick, which seems amazingly cheap for Xmas week. (I can't help wondering if the website is broken, as that sounds very low for Xmas week, with an underoccupied room.) Personally I'd expect prices to rocket if the snow arrives.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

£1000 per person should easily be possible.

We stayed in a place called Chalet Brigitta in Arabba for Christmas a few years ago and whilst we had a room for 3 it actually turned out that it was two adjoining rooms and a bathroom which worked great. It used to be on with Inghams but I don't think they have it any more.

I know it's a few weeks away, but based on current conditions I think Saalbach and other Austrian areas have better snow than many other resorts in the Alps (although I don't think it's too great anywhere yet!).

Today's report on Saalbach thread says only artificial snow though some good skiing. Very warm. Like many areas more snow and colder temperatures needed for decent skiing at Christmas. Forecasts looking more promising but too far off for much confidence.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

You'd probably be best to wait a week to find out were's going to have good snow. However, it will be expensive and crowded unless the whole Alps getsa good dump.

Strangly Val Gardena could be a good bet. It's had little or no snow but the snow making is amazing and lots is open. They have the world cup downhill before Christmas and they invest millions in making sure lots of it is open with artificial snow.
We were compaaring VG ona thread with Ischgl yesterday. Ischgl has had more snow but VG has better snow making. I think Vg will be in better condition in a week's time if no new snow arrives.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I'm in Tignes and loads of runs are open. Not huge amounts of snow, but runs are in good and very good condition.

snow reports

Can do you a cheeky 21st to 26th here in Morzine. Two rooms. Take a look at the website below and contact management (Nina) if it sounds of interest.

@FionaG, snow conditions not looking good in Austria generally, although still time for that to change. Shame you had a bad experience in St Anton as it's usually great. If keen on a chalet and late deals I'd do a resort specific search on a site like Alpine Answers and see what comes up. We also prefer a separate room for our teenager and have a few specific places that do that without it costing an arm and a leg. As mentioned by others, much easier to get deal 19/20 Dec than a week later and much less crowded too.

You know it makes sense.

Check out the webcams and reports on Zell Am See / Kaprun. We went for new year last year and it looks like they've already got more snow this time round. I bet Zell is a magical place at Xmas. Such a picturesque resort with superb apres too. Plus you've got the glacier at Kaprun to fall back on if the high temps get the better of the snow lower down on the Schmittenhoe.

We stayed in a wonderful hotel, Daxer but that is not ideal if you need to go to Kaprun.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@FionaG, conditions in St Anton/Arlberg are probably about the best in the Alps right now. That's not necessarily saying much, mind, but there's a lot more snow there now than this time last year.

A snowHead

Silver Ski had some good deals for Xmas week (£359pp) in La Plagne (and maybe La Tania if you want 3V).

A snowHead

Wait...

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

But if you want to book there are 70 runs open in the Espace Killy plus a glacier on the spot

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Go and look on the Baqueira Beret (Spain) web cams.They have top to bottom coverage.probablybetter than most lower resorts in the Alps.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Hotel Jenwin in Obergurgle.... wifes favourite place

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Last Minute Ski Trip this Christmas - where though?

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