 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi fellow snowheads,
My wife and I (and little cub) went to Plagne 1800 this year and had a great time. We travelled with Crystal who had a brilliant nursery for our 12 month old at the time which was part of the package. We were looking to go back until my wife informed me she doesn't particularly enjoy the communal dining experience in the Chalet. In La Plagne, Plagne 1800 is the only place that Crystal offer with Childcare so if you're in Belle Plagne or Plagne Centre etc you're out of luck. We've also noticed that all of the Crystal apartments are already gone as expected.
In a nutshell I'm looking for a recommendation for Winter 2018:
1) Great resort with really good intermediate skiing
2) Really good apartment or hotel (prefer mid to high end)
3) Really good childcare preferably a nursery or creche
4) Would prefer France but definitely want to stay in Europe
Can anyone ping me some really good Tour Operators and recommendations please?
Cheers
KB
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@kid bwapo, Les Arcs 1950 apartments are good quality. The area has great intermediate skiing. Childcare in the village at Cariboo club. Can't help with tour operators but expect other snowHeads 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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@kid bwapo, dates?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'm looking at either 24th Feb or 3rd March as it stands. I'm also looking for a resort with good altitude which is why I like La Plagne.
I'll check Les Arcs 1950, I hadn't heard of them 
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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 are many threads on good tour operators for people with children - a few searches will likely give you lots of different avenues to explore. A couple that I think (from memory) get regularly recommended for people in your situation are Espirit, Ski Famille, and Family Friendly Skiing. Apartments with childcare are probably harder to come by than chalets or hotels with childcare.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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you might want to check www.ski2.com fro Champoluc? Great intermediate skiing, Italian ambience, etc.
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@kid bwapo, what specifically are you after with respect to the dinning?
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@NickyJ, I'd guess it was the sharing with unknown people in a chalet larger than their party, if that's the case then there are a couple of options.
Smaller Chalet - finding a 4 person catered chalet is not so easy
Take over the whole chalet - It'll cost more, but you could take friends to offset (or snowheads)
Chalet hotel - You don't get the place to yourself because its errrr more like a hotel.
Hotel - well it's err a hotel so above also applies, unless you get a suite which will cost more.
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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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@kid bwapo, Snowbizz in Puy St Vincent do self-catering apartments and childcare, how old is the little cub?
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We'd prefer ordinary hotel dining or self-catering with the occasional babysitter to allow us to go out. Communal dining can be a little forced and at the end of the day we prefer to chill. No offence to anyone it's just what we like!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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She's 16 months. Will be just gone 2 when we travel.
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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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Thanks very much. I'll have a look
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You know it makes sense.
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| kid bwapo wrote: |
| We'd prefer ordinary hotel dining or self-catering with the occasional babysitter to allow us to go out. Communal dining can be a little forced and at the end of the day we prefer to chill. No offence to anyone it's just what we like! |
Esprit in the chalet hotels tend to sit you on tables with others though if you ask for a table just the two of you the lay do accommodate you. Mark Warner have you as tables of two or whatever number your party is.
One huge selling point for Esprit for us with that age of child is you can put them to bed at your normal bed time, sign them into baby listening service and go down for dinner knowing there is a babysitter checking on them.
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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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Ah that sounds like what I'm looking for. I assume Esprit are a good operator? We liked Crystal they just can't offer what we want.
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Poster: A snowHead
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They are fantastic from child care POV. There chalet hotels are a little rough around the edges but when the kids are happy we are happy! Our first holiday with them our girls were 1 & 4, we have been with them 5 times now April just gone the girls were 7 & 10.
In terms of catering the food isn't bad, for evening meal you get a choice of 3 dishes for starter and main and two dishes for dessert.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| NickyJ wrote: |
They are fantastic from child care POV. There chalet hotels are a little rough around the edges but when the kids are happy we are happy! Our first holiday with them our girls were 1 & 4, we have been with them 5 times now April just gone the girls were 7 & 10.
In terms of catering the food isn't bad, for evening meal you get a choice of 3 dishes for starter and main and two dishes for dessert. |
Agreed. Not perfect from the adult snobbery point of view, but a happy child = happy parent. So in that respect we found it perfect when we took our 11 month old last year to St Anton.
We've self booked a child friendly hotel in Austria to keep the cost down (now we've got 2 kids) but if money were not an object then I would go back to Esprit and just get a larger room/suite.
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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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Agrred with the above re esprit.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@kid bwapo, Esprit is a good operator in my experience. Their better hotels include Belle Plagne, Courchevel 1850 and Meribel, if you prefer France, higher altitude and lots of intermediate skiing.
Mark Warner also good, probably more expensive than Esprit. Their Aiguille Percee in Tignes is a comfortable chalet hotel. Lots of intermediate and more challenging stuff.
You probably know those are French winter school holiday weeks, so busy in those areas.
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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, certain weeks are very affordable with them we went second week of our school holidays in April and they were great value. Similarly 15th Dec to Gressoney looks great value as well for this coming season.
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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 check out Le Ski who have a number of chalets for 4 and even (I think) one for 2. They also offer childcare I think.
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In January stayed at Mark Warner Aiguille Percee as mentioned by Intermediate above. This is a chalet hotel. Their default is to provide you with your own table based on your party size (hotel style) but there was always an option every night to sign up to sitting with others ( in a more conventional chalet style) if you ever wished to do that.
We didn't have children but spoke to those who did, although I think a bit older than yours, and they seemed happy enough with the services. An early children's tea was provided and I seem to think that adults could have a meal at the same time but perhaps not the full range/menu offered for the normal evening meal service. You could also choose your own time to dine moving it more from the chalet to hotel style.
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| NickyJ wrote: |
| @Badbobby, certain weeks are very affordable with them we went second week of our school holidays in April and they were great value. Similarly 15th Dec to Gressoney looks great value as well for this coming season. |
Agreed in that esprit really hits all the buttons if you're kids are all under 4 so you can avoid the peak weeks and get big discounts.
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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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@kid bwapo, As suggested by @intermediate, Arc 1950 is a great option.
I've stayed been there he last two seasons, with kids (older than ours though) and I have to say it is faultless.
The downside is the cost but the upsides outweigh he cost - it is high, loads of intermediate slopes over a massive are (paradiski), quaint (some say Disney) pedestrianised ski-through village, lots of lifts, pretty snow-sure, secure parking under your apartment. Etc.
I wouldn't bother with a tour operator myself, go straight to Pierre et Vacances, but I know friends who have used Crystal to stay there.
I think, for a family-resort, Arc 1950 is untouchable in the Alps.
If you do go, give my regards to George in George's Bar.
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