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Tignes apartments and deposit system

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Although I have had my two Covid jabs I have decided to drive out this December and stay solo in an apartment. I am concerned that if I stay in a chalet or hotel and there is an outbreak, even though that might be unlikely by then, there could be quarantine issues even if I do not catch it myself. I will be staying two weeks and the travel costs work out well compared to two separate trips by air which I would normally do.

Ideally I would arrive in Tignes on Friday 3rd with a view to skiing on Saturday 4th, then leaving Saturday 18th, again skiing on that day if the conditions are good. I would therefore need accommodation Friday 3rd to Saturday 18th. I realise that getting a place for the first Friday might be difficult because most people want Saturday to Saturday rentals. Does anyone have any thoughts on that? The alternative obviously is to stay somewhere en route on the Friday night just leaving an hour or two driving early Saturday.

After searching online I am finding places between £550 and £600 for a two week period which seems reasonable, however the additional deposits vary from £300 to as much as £500 for one particular apartment. I am assuming the deposits are refundable but how does that work? Check out times are usually 10.00 a.m. however if it's a blue sky powder day I want to be on the first lift. I can recall two superb Saturday mornings in Tignes after fresh snow and not too many people about. I don't want to be hanging around while somebody checks the apartment for cleanliness and damages etc. It seems that most apartments are let via professional agencies so it would be easy to drop off the keys but I would then have to trust that the agency would do a fair assessment of the state of the place. I will certainly take plenty of pics but any advice will be appreciated as I do not want to get ripped off with regard to the deposit.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@richjp, it is quite normal to pay a deposit in case of damage, and it is refundable once an apartment has been checked for damage.
If it is a large organisation like Pierre&Vacances, they usually take by card on arrival and refund later. If you want it refunded instantly on departure, you will have to hang around until it is checked, or be prepared to wait for a refund. Rare for anyone to rip you off and if you've paid by card, you've got chargeback. I charge a deposit on my own apartment. I take it by card from UK guests before arrival, and refund to the card once my housekeeping team have confirmed the apartment has been left in a decent state and there is no damage. Some French guests pay it to my housekeepers on arrival and it is refunded by them later if they have to leave before there has been time to check it. If people were ripping off guests, it would soon be splashed all over social media.
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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?
@richjp, When I go to Tignes I rent through Agence Roc Blanc, they have several small studios in Palafour.

Have never had a vacuum cleaner provided in the apartment so the agency expects to do a bit of cleaning, you need to clean the kitchen and bathroom though.

Deposit can be a pre-authorization on your credit card. If you are skiing on the final Saturday you can call into the agency afterwards. Have never had anything charged against the deposit but I don't break things.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I have just booked an apartment in Val Claret for 923 euros for the 4th December 2020 - 18th December 2020. The deposit is 250 euros. I have a free cancellation up to 3 November.

I did this all on booking.com

Chris
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@richjp, have you checked sites like Airbnb or Vrbo?

In my experience as long as you're not booking over Christmas, New Year or in February you'll be fine getting an apartment for a non standard Saturday - Saturday.

As an example:

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/45824885?check_in=2021-12-03&check_out=2021-12-18&federated_search_id=09226eb2-dbe6-4fdc-86f3-ea4481b6d147&source_impression_id=p3_1620810134_XYIDZojQ9alPMLwz&guests=1&adults=1

£616 for the Friday 3rd to Saturday 18th. No mention of any deposit, but would be worth checking.

Another example:

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/35446893?check_in=2021-12-03&check_out=2021-12-18&federated_search_id=09226eb2-dbe6-4fdc-86f3-ea4481b6d147&source_impression_id=p3_1620810247_mqQ%2Bb9EEnMB6VJA8&guests=1&adults=1

£655 for the same dates and again no deposit mentioned.

This place even cheaper:

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/48339570?check_in=2021-12-03&check_out=2021-12-18&federated_search_id=09226eb2-dbe6-4fdc-86f3-ea4481b6d147&source_impression_id=p3_1620810293_yV7M%2Fi2nOihSz0Oc&guests=1&adults=1&translate_ugc=true

£471 and again no mention of deposit.

I've generally found with Airbnb's, there tends to be a key safe and they provide you with the access code a few days before arrival. There's a cleaning fee included and it's not physically checked when you leave. You just leave the key in the keysafe and off you go.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
@swskier, @swskier, although AirBnB do not allow their owners to take a deposit directly, there is a guarantee of some sort taken in case of any damage by the guest. Guests pay ABB direct and ABB pay owner, so I guess it must be some sort hold made on their card, as I can certainly request payment from ABB if there is damage done.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
richjp wrote:
Ideally I would arrive in Tignes on Friday 3rd with a view to skiing on Saturday 4th, then leaving Saturday 18th, again skiing on that day if the conditions are good. I would therefore need accommodation Friday 3rd to Saturday 18th. I realise that getting a place for the first Friday might be difficult because most people want Saturday to Saturday rentals. Does anyone have any thoughts on that?

Should be no issue as you are going so early season. We usually go out Christmas week (Paradiski/3V) and even then the apartments are usually vacant the week before - hence if we get there early we can dump stuff/get changed. Agencies in my experience are pretty helpful if you get in touch.

richjp wrote:
After searching online I am finding places between £550 and £600 for a two week period which seems reasonable, however the additional deposits vary from £300 to as much as £500 for one particular apartment. I am assuming the deposits are refundable but how does that work?

Usually the agency just puts a hold for the amount on your CC. Never had an issue getting it back. But you do need to check if cleaning is included or not. If it isn't, it's not an issue but do make sure you do a good job. We are quite thorough and are usually complimented on how the apartment was left. One time we did forget to put the bin under the sink out but we just called to let the agency know and they were fine about it. Another time we broke a glass and they didn't charge for it. One time (La Norma - direct rental iirc) we have to pay cash. We didn't have enough so they accepted what we had and gave it back to us at the end of the week.

richjp wrote:
Check out times are usually 10.00 a.m. however if it's a blue sky powder day I want to be on the first lift. I can recall two superb Saturday mornings in Tignes after fresh snow and not too many people about. I don't want to be hanging around while somebody checks the apartment for cleanliness and damages etc. It seems that most apartments are let via professional agencies so it would be easy to drop off the keys but I would then have to trust that the agency would do a fair assessment of the state of the place. I will certainly take plenty of pics but any advice will be appreciated as I do not want to get ripped off with regard to the deposit.

We always drop off the key as we leave to ski with the apartment all empty and clean. Most of the prep is done Friday night. Used to be more common I think to do inspections. Also a big chain like Odalys might. They did when we stayed in Tignes. Frankly they were terrible anyway and I only used them as a result of a last minute switch. Wouldn't again. I've also rented directly from owners a three times (one multiple) - two of which sent the key in the post in advance and we sent them back after... and one where the owners lived next door!

Personally I wouldn't take any pics as it's not necessary IME. I certainly never have and I've done 30+ rentals I would estimate.
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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!
Thank you all for your great help. I have now booked with confidence via airbnb.

I was also able to get accommodation starting on Friday 3rd December which was my preference.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
It's almost impossible to find accomodations on fridays evening as rental are from saturday to saturday. Going to Tignes, I use to spend the friday night in Grenoble were the choice of hotels/price is larger than Chambery for example. Then drivie on saturday morning at 6am to avoid queue on the road. At 11am the latest I am on the slopes....
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Quote:

I use to spend the friday night in Grenoble were the choice of hotels/price is larger than Chambery for example.

Also look at Crolles. A small town on the road to Grenoble.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
johnE wrote:
Quote:

I use to spend the friday night in Grenoble were the choice of hotels/price is larger than Chambery for example.

Also look at Crolles. A small town on the road to Grenoble.


This is the part of Grenoble I was refering, thanks for correcting me. Crolles is perfect, very close to Chambery, just on the motorway and there is a very decent Carrefour very close to buy food before driving next day to the resort !

Carrefour: https://goo.gl/maps/hKJN3FcTH2LxsFhJA
Ibis Hotel: https://g.page/HotelCrolles?share
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