 Poster: A snowHead
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@rdk, comparing half-board prices is not very useful. It works that way in all of Europe.
At Gasthof Post***** in Lech you get a 5 course halfboard menu at 50 euro, at Michelin star level....
Gluten free burgers...Zermatt attracts a lot of American hysteria...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Zermatt is comparable with any top resort in Swizerland. My problem there is with altitude sickness above 3000m
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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 don’t remember equivalent 3V, EK, St Anton après prices being higher than Verbier/Zermatt? They’re all expensive
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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 been to Switzerland (cities & resorts) a few times over the last few years and found it to be more expensive than other Ski resorts. The supermarkets are more expensive than France or Austria, a cup coffee is always more expensive. In my experience, you can pay the same for meals out in 3V or EK but that's if you eat at fancier places, Switzerland doesn't really seem to have budget options (due to the minimum wage stuff mentioned earlier).
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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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There is minimum wage in the Netherlands too.
Main courses in NL are approx. 20-25 euro, not 45 like in Switzerland
It’s the CHF that’s causing the ridiculous prices in CHwitzerland
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
At Gasthof Post***** in Lech you get a 5 course halfboard menu at 50 euro, at Michelin star level....
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And even if you order off the menu, it's not the worst in pricing either. I remember the first time there, we literally stumbled upon it in a snow-storm. Definitely not dressed-up for the place, but was an incredibly pleasant surprise and very tasty.
My feeling is that Zermatt is more expensive than Arlberg though. At least because alcohol is by default eye-watering expensive. And being a bit on the gourmet side doesn't help - because what you can get as gourmet food or haute cuisine in France or Austria, the same price is often a risotto and a main in Switzerland (exaggerating a bit, but in places like Zermatt very much on point).
Think that in Switzerland more often than not a glass of wine is 8-12EUR whilst in Austria (and France) you get plenty a good glasses at 5. (I'm not mentioning per-bottle pricing since that doesn't make much sense)
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Verbier, Zermatt are waaay more expensive for food than Arlberg
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| Ricky B wrote: |
| I found my old passport from the 1960s the other day, with our currency transactions in the back - we got 10 Swiss Francs and 20 French Francs to the £ back then... |
Wow, that was when Sterling really did rule the world!!
I remember as a kid in the early 1980's getting around 10.5 French Francs and 3.5 Swiss, the pound has slipped even more since then.
CHF has appreciated vs Euro almost to parity and £ has weakened almost to parity vs € mainly due to Brexit uncertainty, hence prices in Switzerland seem doubly high to sterling earners.
Never mind, those green uplands of Global Britain are just around the corner! 
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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 paid 13 euros for a pint in Courchevel - I have a hazy memory of paying 20 euros in a club later than night
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I haven't skied in Zermatt since 2008. But I made a fleeting visit to Verbier to ski for one day a couple of years ago, first day of opening. Drinks weren't too bad at all for a couple of beers and wines. The dinner was eye wateringly expensive though, £200 for 2. But to be fair it wasn't modest and it was very, very good.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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I know it's Wengen rather than Zermatt, but as a guide, a standard takeaway curry would set you back around £22. That's for a dish I think would cost £8 at home. Admittedly you can't see the Jungfrau from my home so there's pros and cons.
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You know it makes sense.
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Here’s the menu from Chez Dany, an excellent restaurant n the slopes in Verbier. From recollection Chez Vrony in Zermatt has similar prices
https://www.chezdany.ch/page/menu
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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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| BobinCH wrote: |
From recollection Chez Vrony in Zermatt has similar prices
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Stopped for a hot choc at Vrony's about 10 years ago. 8CHF (£4.80 at the time) didn't seem excessive considering generous size, presentation, surroundings & view.
Probably could have got one for less than half that on Italian side at one of the ski-past kiosks, but would have been a splash in a disposable plastic cup
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hot chocolate can be quite special over the Italian border!
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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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| Ricky B wrote: |
| I found my old passport from the 1960s the other day, with our currency transactions in the back - we got 10 Swiss Francs and 20 French Francs to the £ back then... |
That said, you also got 240 pence to the pound back then, too. 
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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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All good feedback, I’d say if your going and watching your wallet for every pound you probably won’t enjoy it. If your going accepting it’s expensive and avoiding excessive spend then you’ll have fun.
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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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| Levi215 wrote: |
| All good feedback, I’d say if your going and watching your wallet for every pound you probably won’t enjoy it. If your going accepting it’s expensive and avoiding excessive spend then you’ll have fun. |
Very well said - what I have learnt about Switzerland is that there is usually no low-cost options. The economics of going half-board works well in nearly all cases. We have found that a great balance is picking up a baguette in the evening from the supermarket and some cheese to make sandwiches for lunch on the slopes is a great balance.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Also point of note: Get chocolate from Laderbach (spelling could be wrong) found all over Switzerland but every penny spent is worth it!!
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From receipts in Feb 2018 here are the prices we paid in CHF or (£GBP) in the Swiss 4 Vallées (Verbier, La Tzoumaz, Nendaz) for food and drink:
On piste
- Beer 330cl: 8 (£6.62)
- Coffee: 4.50 (£3.75)
- Fruit tart: 5.50 (£4.55)
- Fries: 8 (£6.62)
- Soup or Goulash, bread & cheese: 12 (£9.93)
- Large Veal Sausage & chips: 15 (£12.42)
- Medium Pizza: 15 (£12.42)
- Croûte aux Champignons: 20 (£16.60)
- Fondue: 25 (£20.70)
- Large Plate of local meats & cheeses: 25 (£20.70):
Restaurant in La Tzoumaz
- Main course: 25-35 (£21-£30)
- Glass of wine: 8-12 (£7-£10)
Luxury restaurant - Chalet d'Adrien in Verbier (browsing the menu while waiting for the navette)
- Main course: 30-60 (£25-£50)
Skipass (Téléverbier)
- Adult 4 Valleys 6 days incl. ins: 590 (£490)
- Adult 4 Valleys 4 days incl. ins: 300 (£248)
Equipment Hire 6 days, La Tzoumaz
- Adult Skis/Snowboard Standard-VIP: 136-190 (£113-£157)
- Adult Boots: 80-110 (£66-£91)
Heli-ski
- 1x Person in a group + guide: 480-530 (£400-£440)
I don't see these as particularly expensive for a large Alpine resort with extensive skiing. But it would be a different matter if we frequented some of the notably pricier places like the Carlsberg (right in the middle of the main run down to Verbier) or La Vache (James Blunt's place up the mountain in Verbier). It is easy to get caught out if you're unfamiliar with the place, but then the same is true for places like Courcheval 1850 and definitely true in Vail.
And when my notoriously budget-conscious brother-in-law came out with us, we just self-catered and did packed lunches. Actually, it worked out well, as we could have a quick snack on piste and then press on if we wanted, or bypass crowded caferterias and have our lunches in the picnic room in the bowels of the gondola station.
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Out of interest from the above, I challenged my recollection of Zermatt, could be wrong but I think Grampi's is an institution so may well be in the bucket of notably pricier places as above...
Grampi's Meal - https://grampis.ch/en/ :
Bruschette - 18.50
Jalapeno Poppers - 22
Pizza Diavolo - 25.50
Spaghetti Grampi's - 29.50
Wine local 0.75cl - 34.50
Beer local x3 - 22.20
CHF 152.20 (£123.65) - based on XE exchange rate as of now Exchange rate: 1 CHF = 0.81244 GBP)
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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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| Levi215 wrote: |
| Jalapeno Poppers - 22 |
<-I think I had these in a club in the 90's.
I am finding these prices eye-watering. I usually ski in Austria and it is pretty standard across all places. Beer 500ml E4-5. Wine E4-5. Soups E6-8. Mains E10-15.
I wouldn't go to CH based on this pricing, I can't see what would be better about it.
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| LaForet wrote: |
I don't see these as particularly expensive for a large Alpine resort with extensive skiing. But it would be a different matter if we frequented some of the notably pricier places like the Carlsberg (right in the middle of the main run down to Verbier) or La Vache (James Blunt's place up the mountain in Verbier). It is easy to get caught out if you're unfamiliar with the place, but then the same is true for places like Courcheval 1850 and definitely true in Vail.
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Here is the La Vache menu. It’s not particularly expensive 25chf for a god quality oven fired large pizza is pretty standard Swiss prices. 30chf for the burger but it’s massive.
http://www.lavache-verbier.com/menu.html
Also 8-12chf for a glass of wine is expensive. Usually the entry level wine (good standard) is 5-7chf for 1DL. 7-9chf for large beer. Coffee is expensive at 4-5chf
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Klamm Franzer wrote: |
| I wouldn't go to CH based on this pricing, I can't see what would be better about it. |
Indeed, Zermatt is a very different place than anywhere else I've been apart from maybe Chamonix, it's a mountain town with history outside of Skiing so there is a town feel as well as a ski resort feel. Maybe like some of the Austrian resorts but very different from the likes of the Tarentaise French resorts.
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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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OK, so looking at the menu for my local gastrobar 'round the corner here on the South Coast vs (CH) - Beer £4.15-£5.90 (£6.62), coffee £2.55 (£3.75), Ploughmans £10.95 (£20.70) [but really, a gastrobar ploughman's is not even close to the quantity and quality of the assiette in the photo']. I could go on, but I simply don't see the Swiss prices I've paid in the Verbier 4 Vallées are high for somewhere 2,000m up an Alpine mountain with a total ski area over 400Kms and a base of 1500m.
I'm sure you could get a ski holiday with the food and drink cheaper, but I actually don't see it as a big factor given the other costs. In the context of already paying out for travel, transfers, accommodation, equipment hire and ski pass, how much of a premium are we talking about here? £200? Would you really go to somewhere else with a lot fewer runs, less certain snow, and inferior scenery just to save £200?
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