 Poster: A snowHead
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We're driving to Tignes to stay 9 nights, Friday 7th April to Easter Sunday. We think it is probably best to stay in Tignes Le Lac or Val Claret and have narrowed our choice according to availability, cost and guide book recommendations - in ascending order of cost Hotel Arbina (2 star) is by far the cheapest with Hotels Levanna and Les Campanules (3 star) a step change upwards in cost. Would be happy to pay the extra if there were a step change also in terms of quality and facilities we might use. Any first hand experiences would be very welcome since this will be our first time in Tignes.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Colin Bell, will be able to tell you on April 1st when we arrive at le Levanna  .
It is the only truly ski-in ski-out one I think.
Always bear in mind that you only get what you pay for. You didn't mention it, but Alpaka (in le Lac) was not given a very good "write up" on another forum.
I hope that my son (who for some reason has chosen to cross over to the dark side after 15 weeks of skiing) has not pushed all the snow off the mountain byt the time that you arrive!
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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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Nick L, Alpaka Lodge was on my original list but didn't have any availability. A blessing in disguise, perhaps?
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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 was given the impression that it was a bit "tired"
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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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We've stayed at Le Paquis who are usually happy to let you book direct. Haven't been there for a few years, but the food always used to be very good, and it seems to still be the same people running it now.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I stayed in the Levanna at half term. Very nice and right on the piste as Nick L, says. It is at the bottom of the black Trolles (which is not a difficult black), or you can pole the short distance across the flat if you come back via the blues under the Chardonnet chair. Alternatively, the bus stops outside the door.
We were upgraded there as our original hotel was flooded out and for some reason linked to that, we didn't eat there at night, but went to the restaurant over the road. Breakfasts were buffet style. The rooms were very comfortable and not at all cramped, we had a balcony looking over the slopes.
Not sure what else to say, but we were very happy there 
Some friends were staying at the Paquis, mentioned above, which I think had less nice rooms than the LeVanna, but a good restaurant that our friends were very pleased with.
We went for apres to the Alpaka almost every day and while that was good, we were very happy to be staying at the LeVanna 
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Colin Bell, . We stayed for a week at the Campanule a couple of years back.(booked thro' Inghams IIRC). It's was owned and run by a french family (think it still is) and we really enjoyed it. We were the only Brits in the place that week. The food was excellent; lots of local fayre, and a mega buffet dinner one evening.Breakfast was a cracking hot and cold buffet affair including all the ingredients for a full english if you fancied it. It has a nice but small spa room which looks out across the aeroski towards Val Claret and Grand Motte.
It can be a bit of a trek back up the hill at the end of a full days skiing but if you stop in the Alpaka or the Loop bar for a bit of Apre it's not far to stagger back.We'd give it a thumbs up but it was a couple of years ago. Maybe other snowheads have stayed there more recently????
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Colin Bell,
Just back ( last week ) from a week in Les Campanules. We had booked through Inghams. The service was top notch and facilities excellent. The spa area has an outdoor pool with current generator if you want to really swim, a sauna, jacuzzi and steam room ( very good for warming up after a cold days skiing in white outs). They also do several different types of massage, but if you stay book your massage sessions on arrival ( it got booked up very quickly for evenings later in the week) a massage was 50€ .
The food ( as mentioned by George) was excellent french fare. Several large starter buffets ( provencal, and superb fish on friday with langoustines and fresh oysters). They appeared to be very flexible with peoples ( and kids) requests to eat outside the standard fixed HB menu. The wine list is very good and has some crackers ( and plenty of good wines in the 20-30€ catagory). A cheese course was always served. One night was a fondue night ( meat or cheese) and the food was always seved in good portions - I never went hungry ( usually stuffed) and I am 180cm and 90Kg . Most of the staff speak good english if you want them to, but we were encouraged to speak our rubbish french without a wince. The breakfast was an excellent buffet covering every possible requirement. The dining room also offers great views up to Tignes VC.
One excellent thing is that the restaurant in no smoking , but you can smoke in the bar ( which did good Billecart Salmon champagne at 10€ a glass and canapes ).
The rooms were good and comfy in a slightly austrian chalet style - lots of wood. Great showers and large baths, bathrobes etc. Reasonable storage and hooks on the large panel radiators to allow you to dry kit easily.Sattelite TV in the rooms is pretty comprehensive and has a french cartoons channel and a few BBC world channels. The ski room has a locker per room and they have boot driers , but I thought they were a little low powered and never got my boots totally dry ( probably my only complaint from the whole week).
We spoke to one couple and they were staying 10 nights so the hotel is not totally geared to 7 night only packages, and we found reception very helpful ( I think it is still familly owned). There were a few brits in the place , but also a lot of french residents, so a good mix.
Its not ski in ski out, but its a 5 min walk to the Palafour chair and from the Aeroski side you can just about ski to the door.
All in all - I would go back in a moment , but I would stay for 8 or 9 days
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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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stevepick, great review, many thanks! I take it the resort didn't disappoint either?!
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Colin,
Tignes was excellent last week. I don't know how much snow fell, but it must have been around a meter that week. We skied "off piste" all week "on piste" - there was no need to go off piste to find fresh tracks. The visibility was crap a lot of time( but learnt to ski at glenshee so this is not a problem). Knee deep powder almost anywhere you cared to look( on piste) , empty runs . We had a great time. We spent last friday skiing a run called Fontaine froid above Vdisere, there were about 4 other people on the run, the snow was light fluffy powder ( -10 temp) and your tracks were geting filled in between runs - it was magic!
My only issue with tignes is the number of older chairs they have on the go - they really do need to upgrade to detatchable faster ones, but that s a minor gripe. Enjoy your week.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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stevepick, the Campanules was becoming my firm favourite but the Hotel Arbina(2 star) doesn't figure in any posts so far. Did you come across it? My wallet concious brother wants to join us and is steering us towards this hotel (which comes recommended elsewhere) with a half board rate getting on for nearly half the Campanules. As Nick L, rightly points out, we get what we pay for. If the added value from the Campanules were to come from the quality of the food, it might be a deal clincher. If it was from the freshness of the decoration, or wellness facilities we might use only occasionally, I might be persuaded to go with the 2 star. Decisions, decisions!!
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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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Colin,
Sorry , I don't know the Arbina at all ( didn't even see it around town). I would say that the evening meal at campanules was a 4 course affair that you would easily pay £40 quid for in a restaurant in the UK. Our first nights meal was :
Savoie Country buffet - soup, hams( cooked and dried parma style), salamis, cheeses of all kinds + salads
Duck and wild mushroom rissotto
Cheese ( excellent cheese trolley of a dozen cheeses perfectly ripe)
Chocolate souffle
One other option might be the logis Le Gentiana - I never went in , but its over the road from the Campanules ( looked a "smart" building) and any other logis I have stayed in has always had great food ( they do quite a good "package" with a lift pass included). I would say Les Campanules did do really good food and the service level was very high . We actually forgot to pack swimming trunks, but the spa area in les Campanules was enough to get me to spend a small fortune on some in Tignes and we used the facilities 3 times whilst there - it was really good to loosen up and relax /warm up in the pool, jacuzzi and steam room
EDIT
Just looked up the difference - its about £300 a week more expensive at Campanules, so its a tough choice - I guess your food and comforts in the 2* will be a few notches lower, but I felt we had great value at Les Campanules - would be interested to hear your report on the Arbina if you go .
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stevepick, thanks for this. The difference in cost is less significant when viewed in the context of the entire holiday costs. I'm less price sensitive than my brother, but, like skiing, its bad form not to ski at the pace of the slowest in the group. The answer could be to join a different group but then lose some of the fun and friendship. Since we shall ski together (there are 4 of us) staying in separate hotels might work, particularly if we fall out over this!!
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