 Poster: A snowHead
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Just wondering about people's holiday-buying habits and how it works out for them. After booking in Sept 2014 for Whistler March 2015 and experiencing something akin to the green green grass of home for more $$ than I'd care to admit, I've since tried to leave it later to book to see where the snow is and (in theory) get some last minute deals. In practice this seems to mean higher lift ticket prices and lack of availability in accommodation with not much difference in flight cost.
This year we're likely to be in Europe so I am not sure that the accommodation is such a concern especially if we're willing to go to a monster resort like Val T etc. However, in others' experience, is it worth it? Do you really get cheaper deals by leaving it last minute or do you just end up with a lack of choice?
Thoughts welcome 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Lack of choice and not much difference in price in my experience so I've gone the other way and look out for the early bird offers + cash back sites. It's all swings and roundabouts really, you gain and you loose.
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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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As above, there's no magic formula for this, because you’re at the mercy of the weather whatever you do. Stick or twist? Your call.
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Depends on so many things – like where and when you want to go, what kind of accommodation you’re looking for, whether you are looking for good off-piste or are happy to remain on-piste, and how many are in the party. When I used to organise large chalet parties, I used to book in the March/April of the previous year – it had to be a resort that catered for all standards and expectations, as well as a good chalet. When it was just for a few people, I would sometimes wait for a late deal, but that was on the basis that we weren’t terribly fussed where we went, provided that the resort had a reasonable reputation and the accommodation was okay.
I’m now looking at it from the other end of the telescope, as it were. Many of the people who contact us have very specific requirements: a certain week, ski-in ski-out and central location, the right size of accommodation, the right number of rooms, and the right mix of double and single beds, and proximity of other suitable accommodation if the party is to be split. Skiing being a sociable sport, there are always people looking for accommodation for groups of 8 or 10 or more. Conversely there are also plenty of couples, who sometimes prefer self-catered accommodation but struggle to find apartments for two people. Most of the enquiries I receive after mid-summer are for weeks that have been booked several months before – amazing how many people think that they can delay booking Christmas, New Year or half term weeks.
So, if there are strict requirements, and especially if it’s a popular resort and a popular time of the season, my general advice would be to get booked before mid-summer. If it’s good accommodation in a good resort, the price probably won’t be much different from later on; also the accommodation provider may well be just as willing to bag your booking and if necessary negotiate on price, especially if you come across as the “right” sort of person that they want to attract.
The lift pass prices shouldn’t vary in price, according to when you book – at least not in my experience in Europe. Waiting “to see where the snow is” might appeal to some people, if they’re happy just to take the best of what is available at the time. However most people seem to want to know in advance where they’re flying from and to, and how much it’s going to cost. If you particularly want to fly from your nearest regional airport, it pays to bag flights when the price is right.
Unless you’re taking your holiday very early or late in the season, delaying booking may not be of much benefit. Conditions can change overnight, and any successful resort should be able to provide decent skiing during the main season – even at the extremities of the season a resort with extensive snow-making should be a safe bet. I regularly get enquiries about the typical conditions at various times of the season, and I’m always willing to give a full and honest answer, and to provide reassurance if appropriate. So, if you want to avoid your Whistler experience but get something booked, and in so doing bag your choice of resort and accommodation, you could do worse than speak to someone knowledgeable, as well as checking the historical snow reports on the usual websites.
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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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A good indicator of places to go and dates when there is likely to be snow is by looking at the bashes on here.
Even if there is the green green grass of home on the sides, you can be guaranteed perfect pistes on the sella Ronda in Italy after Dec.
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@Rosie Ski, late booking often works well for me, either as a single, or part of a couple or small group of up to 6. I've got to understand how the market works over the last 30+ years, which helps. Don't really go for cheapest offers but best value instead. Savings usually to be had if flexible enough. More important for me is knowing snow conditions we will have.
@tatmanstours, explanation above is a great guide. I've been meaning to produce a 'late booking algorithm' for years, but been too busy researching, booking or being on holidays. 
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@Rosie Ski, snow is the most important feature, surely?
You will get a cheaper holiday if you leave it late to book and go when the kids are at school and you will have plenty to choose from.
But lift passes, equipment hire and lessons will remain the same price.
If you are flexible you can save by late booking but as to how much you will save depends on lots of other criteria.
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Do not rely on finding last minute accommodation in Val T early or late season. But looking to book late allows you follow the snow. I used to keep watching the weather forecasts snow reports and last minute availability.
SkiWorld has an excellent page showing what is available and where. Keep your eye on it and if the deals start to go BOOK.
I think the age of last minute deep discounting is gone. But I have often found good snow at the last minute.
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If you aren't bound by school holidays then late booking may well work, provided you really can take the time off at your discretion. Our apartment in the 4 Valleys is booked mainly by Dutch and Germans (although increasingly by French as well, oddly). They seem to leave it fairly late and wait 'till the conditions are OK and then contact agencies in the resort. We always get the school holidays booked well in advance, but not so much weeks outside them. I suppose they don't have to book flights, ferry or Eurotunnel, so it's easier for them to wait and see: they can just jump in their car and drive direct.
If you only need up to 4 bedrooms and you go for an apartment (i.e. self-catered, external catering or eating out) then in our village I would think you'd get somewhere right up to the last minute, but don't expect discounts. We also increasingly get requests for weekday-to-weekday bookings, which outside of the school holidays, we're usually amenable to, provided we can work out a rate that's mutually satisfactory. Flying through Geneva or driving is so much easier on a Weekday that I'm surprised more people don't do it if they can.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Rosie Ski,
Depends upon which week. As indicated from other Snowheads, well outside school holidays is best for deals.
I've sorted ski holidays out on a Thursday for the Saturday and got great deals.
Middle Jan..... loads of choice, Middle March maybe not so much but still good, very start and very end of the season also works well.
I'm pretty easy to please though.
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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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| @247snowman wrote: |
@Rosie Ski,
Middle March maybe not so much but still good |
Not last year so much! Mentioned this on another thread but for several years, have booked a late deal for the 2nd ish week of March depending on snow. Always got a nice resort at a competitive price Last year booked the week around the 11th March off and had real difficulty getting somewhere that fit the criteria (and those were fairly broad). Not school holiday anywhere and not usually a popular week. A travel agent I know suggested it was mostly due to the poor early season snow leading to people without kids waiting and booking for later in the season. Did go somewhere nice in the end but not somewhere I would have otherwise chosen and for more than I expected to pay.
This year, booked up a trip for the same week a few months to a snow sure resort (that we wanted to go to anyway). Got the rooms we wanted at the hotel we wanted for less than the asking price now. There are only a handful of rooms left there now so won't be many/any for late booking.
Might have just been a strage year but for Dec/Jan trips outside of Xmas and NY or if there are only a couple of people and are very flexible then last minute is probably the way to go.
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@mmgg1988, your experience of last year mirrors mine. Inexplicably, there were no late deals for hotels 2nd week in March. We paid more than we expected for a middling hotel but, as we already have Dec, Jan and Feb holidays in the pipeline, I'm still gambling on a March late deal!
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You know it makes sense.
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I think demand increased for March 2017 because a) snow conditions were generally very good in Europe and
b) the season got off to a poor start, with many regulars delaying their trip until March or later.
We'll no doubt hear from snowHeads who had a different experience but those factors affected the mass market IMO.
Hoping for a return to good snowfalls at regular intervals this coming season.
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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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Thanks for all your comments, really helpful 
We are a couple and not bound by any particular time constraints, which helps. We have our own gear so cost of carriage is likely to be the same regardless. I suppose the takeaway is if I see a good deal for a likely snow-sure resort, just get on and book!
@northantsred snow is definitely the most important but that's what puts me off early booking. I know 2015 was a freak year but we had grass (as in, closed runs, not just edge of runs) from mid mountain down in WB in early March and that was a bit galling - with that and all of the bowls etc off limits, there were relatively very few trails open for the mega money we spent. But skiing as a whole is a gamble on the weather and one really bad experience in 15-odd years of skiing is good going I guess!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Rosie Ski, can you avoid February and Easter? Are you reasonably flexible about country, resort, accommodation? If so, I think you're best to book resort and accommodation late.
Are you starting from N. America? If so, is there any advantage to booking flights to Europe earlier? I don't know how the flight market works in N. America. In Europe, booking just flights well in advance is usually cheaper than late bookings.
It is ski holiday packages booked late that often give best value...and knowledge of likely snow/weather conditions. By late booking, I mean no more than 1 week before departure.
Does that make any sense?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I pretty much always book accomodation last-minute, but as a single with time flexibility I'm able to avoid peak periods. I've mainly flown to Geneva and skiied in Tignes/Val or Grand Massif, or Zurich or Innsbruck and the Arlberg. I'll book the flights in advance if I see a good deal, knowing that all of those airports offer many different skiing options. I then wait to see what the snow is like and book either a Zimmer in Austria/Italy or apartment in France. Never done catered chalets. This has worked well for me and I've scored powder on most ski trips.
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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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We set out with the idea of booking last minute, but I also kept my eyes peeled on deals in the resorts we were interested in. As a result we got a 10 day catered chalet holiday for €450 each - chalet had what we were looking for so we booked, seems like a win to me.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| intermediate wrote: |
@Rosie Ski, can you avoid February and Easter? Are you reasonably flexible about country, resort, accommodation? If so, I think you're best to book resort and accommodation late.
Are you starting from N. America? If so, is there any advantage to booking flights to Europe earlier? I don't know how the flight market works in N. America. In Europe, booking just flights well in advance is usually cheaper than late bookings.
It is ski holiday packages booked late that often give best value...and knowledge of likely snow/weather conditions. By late booking, I mean no more than 1 week before departure.
Does that make any sense? |
Yes, that does make sense. We can avoid February and Easter, and we're relatively flexible but would prefer Austria if possible, or Canada but I think it'll be out of our budget. That said, the snow is the most important thing so we would consider elsewhere in Europe if necessary. We're starting from the UK and have four reasonably accessible airports so I'm hoping that we can sort out flights relatively last minute too.
I'm keeping an eye out for where gets some decent snowfall over the next few weeks and then will probably book for January mid-late December unless my nerves can hold out any longer and I wait until a few days before
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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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@Rosie Ski, if you can avoid February and Easter and are relatively flexible I can see no reason at all to rush to book without waiting to see what the weather is up to closer to the time. There will be space in good resorts for those dates, no matter how good the weather is. As others have said, in Europe ski passes for one week do not rise in price if you book late.
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If you are talking about a TO package at non-peak times and you are flexible then definitely last minute.
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