Something we have wondered re safer chalet trips

A snowHead

We wondered if there were middle aged couples like us, who like a catered chalet, but may need to be more cautious of being in a chalet with a group of people who apres every day and don't shield quite so well. We thought the only way to secure against that (assuming we can go anywhere) would be to book a whole chalet and go with people similar to us. Would there be much interest? This is a tentative inquiry with serious intent. We always go outside school holidays, and we are thinking December-Jan-Feb. We care not where, and would be grateful for a mile or so of man made snow lol. If there is enough interest, we are happy to harass a TO and find a deal so we can whittle it down a bit. The proviso is it will just be couples or families who don't do apres (crowded bars etc) and will be trying to stay as safe as poss while away. (Obvs no one can be always safe, but the point is it would be nice to share a chalet with people who respect others who perhaps need to try harder to shield than others). Anyway, this is just to gauge if there is an appetite for that, and if so how big, before finding a TO who could supply it with decent CV cancellation clauses.

A snowHead

If anyone is interested but would prefer to let me know by PM, that's fine.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I will add, I am NOT saying young people are to blame for everything, I am just saying, that for other reasons, we just need to try to be a little more careful, and are looking for a chalet full of others who get that and/or might need that too.

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That's a good plan but the weak link is the chalet host that'll be out on the pi$$ every night in the crowded bars etc. And that's if the local authorities even allow catered chalets to operate due to their mixed household occupancy etc. I think you'd greatly reduce the risk if you self catered, especially if everyone drove.

And after seeing students out in Nottingham city centre a few weeks ago during Fresher week I reckon that the youngsters are to blame.

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@thecramps, It's a nice idea. Assuming that you can go anywhere anyway the issue seems to be that whilst you and the missus feel you're ok you can't ever be certain of other couples who you don't really know other on these pages no matter how careful they say they've been and vice-versa.

I have a problem for my upcoming trip on 2nd Jan. Apart from the fact that it probably won't go ahead, if it did there is one family of 4 who I don't know at all, I know one guy ok but usually only see him on ski trips and maybe one other time in the year socially, my best mate is going so I feel confident he's likely virus free and the other family I know reasonably well as we see each other socially on a regular basis (along with my best mate) as well as on ski trips. Of those I know well none of us are wild party animals anymore. We like a few beers after skiing but could happily do that between ourselves in the apartment.

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@halfhand, And that is the kind of thing I am thinking. I am not thinking of a totally secure environment, we can't have that, but it would be nice to be in a chalet, and have that chalet vibe, with others who aren't going to be wreckless, and will prefer a few beers in chalet instead of a bar. I know there are no guarantees, but we wondered if there were people like us who like a the social factor of a chalet holiday, but would like to feel the other chalet residents weren't out partying all the time. TO's won't assure that, UNLESS, you can book the whole chalet. Hence our OP question.

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Sounds like a nightmare. Everyone has different opinions of what "safe" and "reasonable precautions" are. You can't really be sure what people have or haven't done leading up to the holiday. You still have the issue of picking something up in the airport or on the plane. What can you do, when one couple decide actually they'd quite like a hot chocolate stop in a slightly crowded cafe. Not like you can kick them out the chalet. On the opposite end of the spectrum you probably have some overly cautious person who is going to nonstop nag and force people to adopt ridiculously over-the-top covid precautions. Then you have the issues with your chalet host who is most likely not shielding (do you really think a young person probably sharing accomodation is not going to socialise in any way with others?!). Chalet holidays are just not the way to go right now.

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Is be looking for a smaller option like a self contained apartment and accept that you’ll have to compromise in space to be safe.

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Self-drive and self-catering apartment really is a far safer alternative to sharing space with anonymous others. If you've not done it before, I can understand people being apprehensive with the driving element compared to flying, and I know that for some people, the whole idea of a holiday is not to have to do 'home chores'. But in a pandemic I think you need to consider your safety first. We're both over 65 and there's just no way we'd (a) fly or (b) share a chalet/hotel/apartment with anyone not in our bubble. I'm not saying self-drive/self-cater is risk-free, but for us it makes the risks involved in transit and residence the same and probably lower than being at home, which seems a good result. And even if there's a vaccine by the time we go in Jan-Feb, and we've been inoculated, we'd still minimise the risks of infection this way as we'd want to avoid contracting it.

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I suppose you could try to agree the rules with your fellow chalet-ers before you book.

What's so bad about s/c?
I only did a chalet once that I can remember (probably more than once), what a total boor we ended up with. Probably scarred me for life.
We always do s/c - young children and we want to feed them earlier than 8.30 at night, in Spain - but for years we've made lunch the main meal of the day and a large snack in the evening, so that works well for us as not much to prepare after skiing. I guess the only problem with that now is, we can't (?!) sit in a restaurant for lunch.

Are you prepared to have the chalet vibe spoiled by arguments as above?

You know it makes sense.

Look, it really isn't a biggy. We just wondered if there were others who like us, like a chalet vibe but would prefer to share a chalet with people who weren't going to be wreckless or who, like us, see a skiing holiday as a skiing holiday and not a bar crawl, and who might, like us, have reasons to at least try a bit, so the whole group could relax a little and enjoy skiing.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

It might also be hard to find a catered chalet this coming season.

A snowHead

@thecramps Appreciate that the responses may have been a bit negative! Don't take it the wrong way. Your original idea has a lot of merit and I think it'd be a good pitch for someone offering a catered chalet experience tailored to the epidemic situation i.e. rather than the usual 'we are fully set up for covid-secure conditions' which doesn't mean that much - it'd be interesting to see if any providers were offering exclusively over-60's solutions for covid-secure catered holidays: the assumption being that people like us in the risky age segment would tend to be the sort who would naturally be more careful anyway. Perhaps offering in-room dining or a series of lower-density dining sittings through the evening etc.

There is a hybrid solution between the fully-catered and self-catering, and that's where you privately rent an apartment/chalet, but a local café/restaurant delivers a 'proper' meal from a menu you've dropped-in or completed online earlier in the day. This was already gaining momentum in many resorts even before the Pandemic struck. To cater for that segment of the chalet market wh don't want to cook, and want a reasonable standard of food, but don't want to chare their space with resident hosts.

A snowHead

If you want to look at going forward with this contact some of the very small, or owner operated chalets, even if they are not offering catered this year they could probably sort it, and a small business could ensure the Covid safeness of the staff. As an example, Hidden Alps for whom we ran a chalet a couple of seasons ago are advertising catered or self cater, if catered it will be done by the owners not seasonaires.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@LaForet, Thanks. Our thoughts were simply that if 5 or 6 couples like us got together, we could book an entire chalet all at once, and hence have some control who we share with. Just booking as a couple with a TO means it's a lottery. We thought doing this during a quieter period away from school hols, would help further. We aren't implying absolute safety or stringent rules or anything, just a chalet full of people who want a hot bath and a quiet beer or 5 after skiing in a convivial chalet, and who like us are happy to wear masks in shops and public transport, wash hands and at least make an effort, both for ourselves and others. We thought there might be some other couples interested in this as an idea going forward to this season if we get one, and maybe as a way of living with CV in the future, as surely we are going to have to.

Perhaps TO's could make a start by thinking about how they mix age groups in chalets, and perhaps offering some 50+ only chalets.

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@boarder2020, You are a narcissistic idiot. We would prefer a safer environment NOT because we want to discriminate against anyone, but because mrsthecramps has had chemotherapy within the last few years, so is likely to have reduced immunity. Mentioning age, I was only suggesting it would be easier to avoid people like you. Toofy Grin

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OMFG what has happened to you friendly bunch.

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@Nik, @thecramps, is living apart from his beloved wife because of Covid. He misses her very much and I think sometimes it's making him a bit crazy! He's usually very nice.

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I think this is a great idea and shame you have been getting some responses pointing out that it isn't perfect rather than agreeing with the advantages.
I already go to a catered chalet in a group where we usually have the whole chalet so completely get it. We are also generally happy to chill out in the chalet after dinner rather than hit the pubs. Call me boring but I am there for the skiing and the company not for noise and expensive booze.
Hopefully we'll be there in March next year and wish you the best of luck finding some more like-minded people. If my group falls apart I'll join you!

@Brownpack, You will be welcome, thanks for the comment.

You know it makes sense.

@thecramps, Why not drive out and take a self catering place, and get one of the in resort catering companies to deliver meals?

https://www.cgh-residences.co.uk/

https://hu.ski/

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

There's loads of chalet workers without a job right now. Get in touch with chosen chef, offer them a week of skiing for cock all, split the cost between your group and book self catered accommodation.

You need some kind of contract and clear understanding that everybody going and the chef are eating, skiing, sitting around the place but not going out or socialising.

Trouble with chalets are the staff. Problem with virus is if anyone was in the chalet the week before with the virus, you're all getting it. The staff will probably get it and pass it along, but also the average chalet is never going to get cleaned thoroughly enough to deal with the virus.

So basically drive down, 4 people in a car, don't stay over on the way, quarantine before you go, and you can probably do it quite safely.

But if you get sick, and having seen two healthy adults spend 3 weeks in hospital from this thing, you need insurance, and nobody seems to want to touch that risk right now.

A snowHead

A snowHead

PS. I think your idea is an interesting one and at first glance seems to work. The key problem, as you have so aptly demonstrated, is who makes the decisions about what is acceptable and what isn't?

I imagine your view is that it'll all go swimmingly if everyone adopts your views and your rules. My guess is that everyone else in the chalet also thinks it will go swimmingly if everyone adopts their rules and viewpoint...

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Funnily enough, I fully get the thrust of your suggestion, I have already the 'conversation' with the usual gangs that come out to chez chocks re minimising risk if we are allowed to travel and can get the medical insurance. Of the 3 groups (ages between 30 and 74) it was unanimous, we'll go skiing avoid the bubbles and trains if possible, and if you get the beers in, then no apres with the exception of the odd meal out at a well chosen restaurant.

With the number of middle aged folks on sH, I'm sure if you set out a framework, then you could find like minded couples or pairs of mates. Admin could even set up mini bashes.

Of course it could still go wrong, witness Mealgate at the Taos a couple of years ago!

Tignes Chalet Company have a couple of 5 room chalets and the gaffer is very sensible.

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@chocksaway, Cheers. I was beginning to think I was going mad or something, I didn't think it was such a difficult idea to think about. That's exactly as we were thinking.

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@thecramps, Never a bad idea to try and take a small percentage of infection risk away so you're probably not going mad (no more than any of us). The group that I normally ski with, all blokes, have always preferred to chill out in the chalet most nights but I wouldn't call that boring.

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@Zermattandchips, We wouldn't either.

We would go further and describe La Folie Douce as hell on earth Laughing

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Yep, one of the lads described Folie as polution.

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@Zermattandchips, A fair description Laughing

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@under a new name, they'd probably pass it on to the host though..? I guess that also depends on if the host has already had it and what sort of immunity they have though.

Help!!

Something we have wondered re safer chalet trips

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