 Poster: A snowHead
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As always, I'm looking for advice.
Trying to sort out a 3 night short break on a budget with a friend as I have to take these days off when my office is closed.
I've identified reasonable flights to Geneva that allow us to ski half the day we get there and all of the day we leave, so 3.5 days. But I'm struggling with accommodation in any of the resorts within 1.5hrs of the airport; lack of availability and cost.
Given the numbe of resorts close to Geneva, is it worth booking the flights and gambling on getting something last minute? Open to flats, hotel or B&B.
As always, cheers in advance.
BB
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Badbobby, I`ve been looking for a few days too, though near Val d`Isere. At present everything around there is looking rather pricey and not for less than a complete week.
If you are willing to drive in the mountains and can add car hire into your budget you can drive to a resort each day from Geneva or its outskirts. You`ll probably have more luck finding short stay accommodation in that area. We have driven to various resorts on day trips from Geneva but it does need a slightly different mind set from being based in, or close to the actual resort.
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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'd say taking the risk is feasible, but you might well end up as @CaravanSkier, suggests.
That said, we have one apartment free for the period and if it weren't to sell, we'd not be unreasonable. I am sure there are others in the same boat.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks both
We're looking at Wed 28th to Sat 31st - so I was thinking that anyone not filling that week due to Xmas and NY being inconveniently on Sundays might accept us taking it from Wed to Sunday so we can check out late on the Saturday.
Just didn't want to rely on that assumption if it's not sensible.
Probably will avoid car hire to be honest, just too much hastle (I think). We are two guys who'll want to apres etc.
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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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@Badbobby, your big risk of course is that we have bumper cold snowfalls and you have problems 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Badbobby, book a rental car and a room in the IBIS budget hotel in Sallanches - lots of choice within striking distance.
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| Quote: |
@Badbobby, book a rental car and a room in the IBIS budget hotel in Sallanches - lots of choice within striking distance.
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agree that's what I'd do
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But, @pam w, @jedster, almost certainly for the hotel you could do that totally last minute.
I'd book car hire now just to get that done and that covers transfers too.
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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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Thanks for the help - car hire is very expensive over new year from Geneva and transfers for two shared with the usual suspects is only c.£60-70 pp return.
Decisions! If the flight was £100 i'd take the punt and just not go if I couldn't get accomodation, but £220 (whilst not expensive per se) is too much to throw away.
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Booking.com has a bunch of places in Chamonix for <£300 for those dates, and some £<200.
Then you can use alpybus or mountaindropoffs for the transfers, and you're sorted.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@snowdave, aye, a few but the trick is finding something that will let you change pre check in and leave your bag (to ski day 1) and then shower after a day skiing on the last day, technically after checking out.
Potential to book a cheapo rental but they might not let us check in early and certainly would have to pay for an unused 4th night on the last day.
I'm more trying to manage my mate's expectations as he's reluctant to book without accommodation visibility.
Whereas I'm unwilling to book until I know where there is snow!!
Whilst on that topic, presume Chamonix would be the best bet were I to book this week?
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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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The fundamental requirement that you want short term accommodation at a reasonable price is deliverable. If you want an extra day at either end for free in one of the busiest periods of the year then you might just be going beyond what's achievable.
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Air B'n'B in Chamonix for less than £300 on those dates and €48 return on the Chamexpress, other option could be Bride Les Bains for less than £250 on booking.com for access into the Three Valleys.
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You know it makes sense.
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almost certainly for the hotel you could do that totally last minute.
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You'd have thought so, but that hotel is often pretty full - and actually not that cheap for an Ibis budget either. superb location though, right there when you fall off the autoroute, easy to Flaine, Chamonix, Combloux, Megeve.
IBIS's investment in that building is probably one of their more lucrative ones.
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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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Just to throw the cat among the pigeons, what about Innsbruck?
The City Centre is 2 miles from the airport, so transfers would be a 10 min ride on a local bus. Book a hotel in the centre (there'll be plenty of availability as they'll have no business guests during that period) and catch the free daily buses out to the various resorts surrounding the city. The Nordkette lifts are almost spitting distance from the centre, a bit further to Igls, Glungezer, Muttereralm or Axamer Lizum.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@luigi, flight availability & price?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @luigi, flight availability & price? |
If he doesn't mind Thurs 28th -Sun 1st, Squeezyjet from Luton is showing on Skyscanner at £112.
Gatwick options for a little more.
You gotta spend New Years Eve in the Alps, if you can!
4* Hotel Alpinpark £87 per room per night on Amoma via Trivago, so £261 for 3 nights.
There are some cutesier Hotels in the villages for similar cash on Booking.com, but you'd need a car to get around.
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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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@luigi, that's pretty reasonable!
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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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Once when I stayed in an apartment in Austria, the friendly owner offered to store our luggage and let us come back after skiing and use the shower (for free) to freshen up and get changed before heading off to the Airport, they're usually pretty good like that.
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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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| under a new name wrote: |
| @luigi, that's pretty reasonable! |
Looks quite a bit cheaper than what the OP had found...cheaper flights, reasonable hotel during peak holiday period, minimal cost transfers...unless I'm missing something! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ah, flight times...there's early flights out to INN, but nothing (reasonable) in the evening coming back, so that would cut down skiing time. 
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If prepared to stay in valley have a look at interhotel at scionzier. Super accommodating - even let me leave skis and boots there for three weeks between trips with only one night stay at either end. Would need a car though
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@luigi, thanks for your input Luigi.
As you note at the end, the issue is late flights back. Just booked flights now for £191 for 28-31st to Geneva.
As you all helpfully point out, I'm sure we will get something sorted.
Also booked the 17th for 3 nights. Lots of availability, but got to hold my nerve to see where the snow falls!
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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 may be renting out my apartment in Montriond ( Morzine/ Avoriaz) @Badbobby, if you're interested PM me
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car hire is very expensive over new year from Geneva
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Jeez, you're not joking. We paid £242 for an 'intermediate class' car through autoeurope.co.uk from 24th December - 4th Jan from Lyon. Looking on their site just now for your dates from Geneva (french side) the same class car is £312. 70 quid more for a third of the time.
Anyway, have fun wherever you end up!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Aye, a fortune for something too small to get my skis in.
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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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Thing is, a short ski break is always more expensive, per hour skiing, than longer trips. And this one is going to take place at the most expensive and busy time of the season.
'snot going to be cheap, is it?
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You know it makes sense.
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@pam w, I am aware of these facts.
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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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Got something booked - via Morznet search - £175 each for 3 nights and access to spa on last day - free cancellation until 15 Dec if snow looks ropey.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Whilst I have people's attention - what's Chamonix like for short breaks vis a vis the buses to get around? Is it pretty smooth going? Thinking that i don't want to waste 30mins getting buses when I get there at midday and ditto on the last day when leaving.
Also, in a nutshell, what's the skiing compared to say Morzine/PdS area (noting the PdS is clearly a bit massive - so comparing it to the Morzine/Avoiriaz only area).
Cheers!!
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