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Last Minute Chalet cancellation (Crest Voland) - any help / advice?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
This will probably be a long shot but the Chalet we were planning to stay in over Feb half term, in Crest Voland, has just cancelled on us. (Despite us having paid a £3k deposit in April I might add). We already have travel, ski lessons for the kids etc all booked and it is all a bit of a nightmare. 8 adults and 9 kids with nowhere to go.

Does anyone have any advice or know of anything in the area? At the moment we are scouring the usual websites but obviously almost everything is booked. I'm sure from previous years there is someone helpful on this forum from that region?

I hope it's OK to ask this. I appreciate that we are probably screwed at this late stage

Many thanks.

ps - has anyone had similar experience? we booked through HomeAway
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
deleted, mistake


Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Fri 17-01-20 14:26; edited 1 time in total
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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?
Quote:


Have you tried emailing or calling chatel tourist office directly?

Hi - thanks - no I had not heard of that website. I will do that now
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Try Chalets Direct https://www.chaletsdirect.com/
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
The homeaway website suggests that they will help you if the cancellation was made with 30 days of the trip which you might be just inside

https://help.homeaway.co.uk/articles/What-is-the-Book-with-Confidence-Guarantee
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del


Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 17-01-20 14:26; edited 1 time in total
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@yeahdisk, terribly sorry I misread Chalet for Chatel Very Happy Don't bother, it's a different area Embarassed

But I am sure they will have local tourist office?
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
thanks for suggestions everyone, it is a big help. We're just so completely annoyed and frustrated that this has happened Sad Sad Sad

- i will try chaletsdirect.com
- yes, we are talking to homeaway as well but i don't think they have anything else
- thanks, yes I will contact the local tourist office. (Crest Voland is part of Espace Diamant so i guess i will also try Les Saisie, Praz, Hauteluce etc)
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First thing I'd do is check with the ski school.
If that expense is the only one tying you to the resort, ask them whether, in the circumstances, they'd be happy to release you from your booking. Most ski schools are fully booked that week anyway so surely they'd fill the spaces? Perhaps a small admin fee for your understanding Monsieur?
Free from that, you'd be able to widen your field of search for a replacement arrangement to anything that suits your flights. Yes it's a big group to find a place for in half term but cancellations happen and something is bound to crop up... just maybe not in Crest Voland.
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@yeahdisk, worth trying the Solutions Room section of chaletsdirect.com - you post what you want and owners then come back and propose what they can help with. I'm guessing it may help if you say you would be prepared to split across multiple places if needed, even if that isn't ideal.
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Quote:

First thing I'd do is check with the ski school.
If that expense is the only one tying you to the resort, ask them whether, in the circumstances, they'd be happy to release you from your booking. Most ski schools are fully booked that week anyway so surely they'd fill the spaces? Perhaps a small admin fee for your understanding Monsieur?
Free from that, you'd be able to widen your field of search for a replacement arrangement to anything that suits your flights. Yes it's a big group to find a place for in half term but cancellations happen and something is bound to crop up... just maybe not in Crest Voland.


Thanks for ths suggestions - yes I figure that Crest Voland or even Espace Diamant may be a long shot...


Quote:

@yeahdisk, worth trying the Solutions Room section of chaletsdirect.com - you post what you want and owners then come back and propose what they can help with. I'm guessing it may help if you say you would be prepared to split across multiple places if needed, even if that isn't ideal.


Brilliant, thanks, I had no idea that existed!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@yeahdisk, hope you get it sorted, what an absolute nightmare.
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
always29 wrote:
@yeahdisk, hope you get it sorted, what an absolute nightmare.


+1

If that happened to us with our party I would be in pieces right now!
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I only look for the smallest studios when I'm staying there so don't have a feel for how many big chalets are available.

For Crest-Voland, there are some apartment blocks in Le Cernix that might have 4-5 bed units close together.

Pras sur Arly has a fair number of apartment blocks, one in Flumet too.

You could maybe email the Tourist Office to let them know what has happened, at least they could have a stern word with the owner not to cancel this late again.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
That sucks. Sorry to hear about your situation.

Don't forget to look at Air BnB as well.

I assume you'll be getting your deposit back at least?
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Another vote for trying https://www.chaletsdirect.com/forum/category-view.asp and their Solutions Room

You can post your situation and leave owners to come back to you. Fingers crossed for you!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hi all, thanks for help so far. I'll let you know if we get anything

Quote:

I assume you'll be getting your deposit back at least?


Yes - at least we have that.
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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?
are you stuck to crest-volland area, or can you look elsewhere?

Wonder if you have any legal right to to claim the difference if something ends up costing you more.
My guess is someone has booked direct with the chalet owner allowing the owner not to pay the middleman.

Worth trying to seek out the owner direct for any chalets spotted at these listing type of websites.
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Quote:


are you stuck to crest-volland area, or can you look elsewhere?


At this point we consider anything... Haute Savoie region would at least mean we can re-use most of our existing travel plans though (we were planning to going via train).
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Not much to add to what's been posted above, but it might be worth you saying what dates you're aiming for and roughly what your price range is. It sounds like your best bet is the websites mentioned above, but there's always a chance that a friendly snowHead slots something online that might be a bit.

Hope you find something that works even better than what you had planned snowHead
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Thanks for all the helpful suggestions... We are finally sorted Very Happy

A local hotel is moving some furniture around so they can fit us in.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
yeahdisk wrote:
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions... We are finally sorted Very Happy

A local hotel is moving some furniture around so they can fit us in.


Well done and amazing news!
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@yeahdisk, that's great news! Would you like to name them? It sounds as if they deserve recognition......
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Hotel le Mont Bisanne came to the rescue. We have stayed there before, and also eaten there, and we can definitely recommend to anyone in the area. Toofy Grin

Chalet 2 ailes and 3 plumes are the offending chalet that massively left us in the lurch. As I'm in the same resort after all I will be paying the owners a visit in person very soon. Twisted Evil
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Glad things worked out. Not saying it happened here, but there are of course perfectly valid reasons why individually booked accommodation may cancel on somone. Most likely say from damage to the building, such as a fire - although most owners would state such a reason if only to indicate that it is outside their control.

And in that situation people can lose out on other pre-booked elements, such as travel. Similar to when travel disruption sometimes means the loss of paid-for accommodation.

But it is a risk that everyone takes with DIY holidays (although some fail to realise it); you save a bit when everything works; but at the risk of occasionally losing a lot if something goes wrong.
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