 Poster: A snowHead
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ok so flights are booked, car hire is sorted. now its just down to which village.
I have accommodation picked out within our price range in each village and they are pretty much all similar in standard so no big differences there.
so the question is which resort?
We are a mid 30's couple. skiing wise I'd say we are all right, we have about 14/15 weeks under our belts. on the inside out skiing scale were a 9 (advanced) pretty much happy on anything on piste and stable but a bit less confident off piste.
I like any kind of skiing I can get and will use cruisey blues to work on carves if that's all that's available, I do enjoy the challenge of steep terrain but its not how I define my holiday. While my wife is the same, she will prefer blues and reds and she feels very confident on them.
Nightlife wise, we don't really do partying anymore but enjoy maybe 1 or 2 mad après days per trip, the rest of the week its either a nice walk at night or a movie on the laptop after a steam / sauna. or maybe dinner and a trip to a local bar just for a couple of beers, but not looking for nightclubs or table dancers.
previous trips for me have been all over the place but my wife has only ever skied Scotland and Austria so Alta Badia should be a nice change.....but which village.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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No tips from me but interested to see the answers as you sound exactly the same as me and my OH, right down to the '1 or 2 mad apres'!
Although, having nearly gone to the Dolomites last year, I had San Cassiano down as being pretty, foodie, and having lots of nice red/blue skiing (we've only got 5 week skiing under our belts) - but may have been entirely wrong on this!
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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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@enduroaid, We found Corvara very quiet. The skiing will suit but the apres was chalet based. Recommend Colletts
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Covara would be my choice. But not up in the old village but down by the lift area - makes life much easier. 
Covara is NOT a party village
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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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@enduroaid, out of the three, I've only stayed in San Cassiano but have skied a lot in the area and am familiar with Corvara and La Villa. If accommodation is equal, I'd probably pick Corvara. Being on the Sella Ronda, it is well connected to other areas and is a fair bit bigger than the other two. I think San Cassiano and La Villa are quite similar – both very small and quiet, maybe one or two bars and restaurants, one main gondola out. You can ski from either to Corvara in about an hour.
The black run at La Villa is steep but not mental. It's groomed every day, like everything in the Dolomites, but there is an alternative red (still quite steep as it follows roughly the same line) and an easy meandering blue road if you want to give it a miss later on.
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thanks guys, yeah definitely not looking for a party village.
Just don't want to be somewhere, where you cant even wander into a small bar if your out for a walk.
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@enduroaid, there are a couple of bars in Corvara
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Stayed in San Cassiano lots of times, and while I've skied around and through Corvara and La Villa lots I've not stayed in either. My impression is that they are all much of a muchness. Quiet villages, with one or two bars. San Cassiano has a couple of very upscale restaurants (both Michelin 2*) if you fancy a blow out meal. I like the slopes around San Cass as I fancy they are marginally quieter than the other villages, being just off the main Sella Ronda circuit, but well connected to all the areas. One thing which is fun to do in San Cassiano is a midweek ride by pistebasher up to the Las Vegas mountain restaurant and ski home after midnight down the easy blue back in to the village. Always a fun experience. But overall not a huge difference between the different villages, so chose on the basis of whatever accommodation option you prefer.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Accessed Sella Ronda via La Villa a couple of times when starting from the bus to Alta Badia from the Kronplatz area - to me Corvara or San Cassiano much better located - La Villa is a bit out on an edge - nice to go over to and there are a couple of nice runs in Alta Badia but as a start and finish place - not so sure. Also peak (Italian) time queues at the gondola there - so 9am should be fine but 10am was dreadful.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@enduroaid, great choice of area. I don’t think there’s all that much to choose between those 3 villages.
I’d have a slight preference for Corvara. Open and sunny, well positioned for Sella Ronda connections, attractive village.
Sounds like at your level you’ll be skiing each of those 3 areas and more.
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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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As said Alta Badia is a fairly quiet area, Corvara is bigger than San Cassiano and La Villa. I have stayed in Colfosco (just down the road from Corvara) and San Cassiano and San Cassiano was really quiet but a nice village and good base if you don't want nightlife. Having a car helps!
The skiing especially over to/from San Cassiano has some nice long blue cruisy runs.
Maybe Corvara offers better access for a skiier of your ability to the Sella Ronda circuit and there are some nice cruising reds down from Passo Gardena back to Corvara or over to Selva.
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I have stayed in Corvara and La Villa, but not San Cassiano. All three access the same Pralongia blue run heaven area just as easily, and can get onto Sella Ronda easily from each (Corvara actually on it). All three good for accessing Hidden Valley, Santa Croce etc. Easy to get to the harder skiing at Arabba/Marmolada from each (Corvara probably quickest as actually on Sella Ronda).
Comments on the two I know:
Corvara, slightly larger and more of a real village feel. Right on Sella Ronda (allows quicker access over to Selva, meaning you could do a day skiing La Longia down to Ortisei and that area). A little more apres/nightlife, but not exactly rocking. Important to find accommodation near the lifts - most of the main village is OK for that, and there are one or two pretty close to ski in/out.
La Villa, small and rather strung out along road. Little if any nightlife. Again, important to find accommodation near the main lift (we stayed at Savoy, which is just across road). The runs down to La Villa at the end of the day (the red and black) are a blast - good way to finish (there is a long blue alternative). The bar/restaurant at the top of the hill before skiing down is lively for apres in the afternoon (I forget the name). Contrary to comment above, never experienced a queue for the main lift, and this was half term week. La Villa hotels seemed a little cheaper.
From skiing past only, San Cassiano has more upmarket hotels, well located for access to Pralongia area, Hidden Valley etc, (but all three are easy to link into). Nice runs down to San Cassiano at end of day. From previous hotel searches, seems more expensive than the other two and hotels are (generally) further from the lift.
All three good - not much in it from a skiing perspective - depends whether nightlife is more important. Personally, the one I would go back to stay in is Corvara, staying near lifts (we stayed at Arkadia, which is as close to ski in/out as you can get - just cross the road and put on skis). Corvara has better balance of (quiet) nightlife and location (and is also the prettiest IMO).
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You know it makes sense.
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Go with what @rg1, stated. We have stayed in Corvara twice and loved it, its ideally located on the Sella Ronda and the perfect location to explore. I always felt La Villa to be out on a limb, and the snow in March 2017 was not so good. Have not stayed in San Cassiano so cannot comment, but it looks smaller than Corvara.
We did fit in 2 nights apres ski, albeit that the bar shut at 9pm....good job really!!!
Apreski L'Murin at the back of the Hotel Perla, good laugh and lots of Euro dance music...starts at 4pm and finishes at 9pm.
As most other people have stated, try and get in the old town as its nearer to the slopes/lifts, we stayed in Albergo Pradat and couldn't fault it, but had to catch the bus to and from (only 5 minutes or so)..
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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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+1 for Corvara
Not much to add to whats already been said
There are several nice bars in the village:
- bar in Col Alto hotel is really nice
- Iceberg bar attached to Col Alto hotel is more lively
- L'Got. A nice cafe/wine bar
- Toccami. Another nice bar in the marmolada hotel
Apres bars:
- L'Murin. Already mentioned in Simon94's post. If good snow conditions, you can ski back to any accomodation from Hotel venranda to Col Alto Hotel
- Capanna Nera. Busy Apres hut (loud music but little dancing). Easy ski back to village ob blue run 8
- Boconara. Good apres hut just above the village near the Arlara hotel. SKi back to village
- La Baita. Nice hut with apres music (though not many people there whenever i stopped). Ski back to village on blue run 8
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thank you for all the tips guys.....think we are going to go with Corvara, it seems the better connected of the areas and has a bit more life about it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@enduroaid, interested to hear what you think of it in due course and any tips you have.
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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’re in Colfosco now. Seems the best village for ski in ski out and on the Sella Ronda but for those reading who aren’t great skiers I would go for San Cassiano or la ville. There are a couple of stretches of piste that make it a pain to get to the easier long blues over towards the Sam Cassiano end notably the dreaded 8 so next year we are staying on the San Cassiano side. There’s lovely runs in Colfosco but as soon as you want to explore with only 4 weeks of skiing I found the 8 or the alternative route via the col alt bubble meant a nasty bit of 14 . I am a bit of a wimp. Nightlife in Colfosco is quiet we had drinks every night in Mathias restaurant at the top of the Soldalisa chair lift as that was opposite our hotel. We are staying in Hotel Borest which is lovely and you cross the road from the ski room and you’re on the piste. There’s a party night at the Colfosco ski hub (ski school/restaurant bar) so we’ll see what that’s like. Otherwise apparently there’s apres in the mountain huts, Edelweiss was mentioned but were not good enough to ski after partying although maybe it would improve my skiing.
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| Arwhine wrote: |
| We’re in Colfosco now. Seems the best village for ski in ski out and on the Sella Ronda but for those reading who aren’t great skiers I would go for San Cassiano or la ville. There are a couple of stretches of piste that make it a pain to get to the easier long blues over towards the Sam Cassiano end notably the dreaded 8 so next year we are staying on the San Cassiano side. There’s lovely runs in Colfosco but as soon as you want to explore with only 4 weeks of skiing I found the 8 or the alternative route via the col alt bubble meant a nasty bit of 14 . I am a bit of a wimp. Nightlife in Colfosco is quiet we had drinks every night in Mathias restaurant at the top of the Soldalisa chair lift as that was opposite our hotel. We are staying in Hotel Borest which is lovely and you cross the road from the ski room and you’re on the piste. There’s a party night at the Colfosco ski hub (ski school/restaurant bar) so we’ll see what that’s like. Otherwise apparently there’s apres in the mountain huts, Edelweiss was mentioned but were not good enough to ski after partying although maybe it would improve my skiing. |
Yep the good ol run 8 and 14 are certainly problematic for quite a few. Trouble is if you cant do run 8 it restricts you a bit in this area
Advice i would give is to do ski lessons and preferably invest in private tuiition. I was probably the same as you for 6/7 years and struggled on anything a bit steeper. On the 8th trip I done 2 private lessons. During the second of these I was told off for snowplough turning down a steep red run and told to paralell turn. In the past I would have freaked at the thought of doing this. But I literally said "Sod it, I'll go for it and I'll do it". And I did go for it and completed the remainder of the run by paralell turns. And that was it for me. A few seconds of bravery and my confidence and subsequent ability jumped ten fold. This year in Alta Badia I skied all the slopes I missed the first time. I skied all the steeper sections rather than walking down or sideslipping. The tuition was the best money I ever spent on a ski trip. If you can kill your fear like I did and then do top of run 14 with no issues, then you'll be able to ski any blue run in this area.
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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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Yes having lessons and they are definitely a big help I’ve stopped having tantrums and hitting my husband with ski poles on the 8. Even cheekily following someone else’s lesson helps just the site of the jacket is reassuring even if their 4 year old pupils are skiing better than me.
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I think you’re going for corvara
My main reason for that is that it has 4 lifts out of it in the morning
La villa and San cass have one each so I imagine the initial queues are dreadful
We went to colfosch this year for the first time and found it really was no different from corvara and easier for vg
So if you still haven’t decided I think you should look there and eidelweiss Hutte is good up the mountain for apres
Have fun I’m back 4 days and missing the place already
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Corvara is on the SR so that bit gets very busy.
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La villa lift up is not busy
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I found the queues for uplift in San Cassiano to be small. Mostly 5mins or less to get up the Gondola for 10am ski school and there were few noteable queues during the day.
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| what...snow wrote: |
| I found the queues for uplift in San Cassiano to be small. Mostly 5mins or less to get up the Gondola for 10am ski school and there were few noteable queues during the day. |
On a Thursday a few weeks ago, we skied down to san cassiano and there was a massive queue for the gondola. I wonder if they issues with it before we got to it?? Took at least 10 to 15 mins queing and this was just before lunch time
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@jimmybog, I think thAt is reasonably common in my experience
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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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Returners from their Hidden Valley trip ??
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You know it makes sense.
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Do you have to do hard reds to get to and from Selva? I know a lot of the good skiers we met were out that way.
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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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@Arwhine,
I have to say I think for a lower intermediate (me and my family) getting to selva is ok dantecepes is a bit nasty at the top but then fine
The problem is the next lift and the slopes off ciampinoi. They are knarly reds and busy but if your don’t do that you can’t access the other interesting parts
The question I have for those who know selva better can you get to Col raiser and the other side without going on a black
I’d love to ski over there while I’d be ‘happy’ with getting my self down a black side slipping the whole way
My family would mutiny and I would have tears and a row with my wife - and given its meant to be fun I don’t want to do that
But if there is a way then I would be interested to hear and this is why to me I would never stay in selva and vg
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Poster: A snowHead
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@HugoC,
Yes, Sasslong B ( right split before Sasslong A starts proper) is a beautiful, usually quiet tree lined mild red.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@HugoC,
It is perfectly acceptable to use the valley bus service if you want to avoid Ciampinoi. If staying in Selva, most Hotels provide their guests with a weekly bus pass
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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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@albob, the only thing worse than sending mrs c down a black is putting her on a bus.. in that she would say why am I on a bus when I could in on prolonga or enjoying lunch in Col pradat etc.
I will try saslong b next year first on my own then risk the family!!
Thanks
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@HugoC, "..the only thing worse than sending mrs c down a black is putting her on a bus..." !! 
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