| Best resort for a stag weekend ? |
| Verbier |
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2% |
[ 1 ] |
| Chamonix |
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14% |
[ 5 ] |
| Sauze d'Oulx |
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8% |
[ 3 ] |
| Val d'Isere |
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20% |
[ 7 ] |
| St Anton |
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37% |
[ 13 ] |
| Kitzbuhel |
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5% |
[ 2 ] |
| Soll |
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5% |
[ 2 ] |
| Other |
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5% |
[ 2 ] |
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| Voted : 9 |
| Total Votes : 35 |
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 Poster: A snowHead
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So my mate has his wedding all sorted. All that is left is for me to plan and organise his stag weekend.
What we're after is:
- short transfer time
- lively apres ski
- decent skiing for intermediates (for 2/3 days)
- also suitable for beginners / novices
- some challenging skiing for advanced is a bonus but not essential
- as for cost we'd be looking for a cheap option, so budget flights into Geneva or Turin.
- group size of 8-10 (age 35 and upwards)
- March 2005
Have got the following options in mind.
Fly to Geneva: Verbier, Chamonix (Val d'Isere could be an option but transfer could too long for just a few days).
Fly to turin: Sauze d'Oulx
Fly to Salzburg: Soll / Kitzbuhel
So my questions:
Does anybody have experience of a ski-stag weekend ?
What's the best resort for the apres ski for the occasion (with easy reach of a budget flight destination) ?
Any comments/views/experiences very welcome.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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masmith, We went on a stagboarding do to Val D'Isere this year, mid March. The transfer from Lyon airport (cheap easyjet flights) was 2 hours. 12 of us ranging from 24 to 40ish, in a self catering chalet. half of us stayed for the week, the other half came for a long weekend. Excellent resort, good night life.
For a short transfer time, Sauze D'Oulx is only 1 hour from Turin, and the Ryan Air flights out of Stanstead give you the maximum time on the slopes (& bars). Skiing or Boarding is good as well.
As for the night life, I don't think it will matter where you are as you are there to be in a group and what's around you wont really matter - trust me, "few" beers, bit of banter and the surroundings will not matter one hoot.
If you want anything else let us know.............
   
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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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Been to Sauze, thought at the time that it would be a good place to Stag. 
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St Anton is the place. Fly to Zurich for best choice of airlines, or check out Ryanair flights into Austria.
If you can get flights to Innsbruck you've hit the jackpot. If you can't get St Anton, Ischgl would be almost as much fun.
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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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Chambery gives very easy access to Courchevel (just over an hour in a car) - but weekend accommodation may not be easy or cheap to find
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As David says - St Anton is THE place. Best live music in any mountains! Also agree Zurich (easyjet)then (we) rented a 6/7 seater Galaxy/Sharon vehicle for the week just for the transfers (cheapest)- plenty of accomodation (not often cheap but nearly always good, saunas etc)to be found on the web but book early. I spent 10 years declining invites to St Anton until this year and wished I'd gone 10 years ago. Bars - well you'll find them Moosewirt, Griabli, Vinny Diesels etc etc unbeatable
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I've just booked Solden in Austria this year, for a group of 10, mainly because the nightlife is supposed to be superb. I was going to go to St Anton, but was a bit worried that it would be too difficult for a couple of people. Solden doesn't seem ideal from that point of view, as all the runs down to the village are reds. However there does look to be some good easier runs up high, with a gondala back down to the village at the end of the day.
Transfer from Innsbruck is about 2 hours. Don't know which cheap flight operators fly to Innsbruck though I'm afraid.
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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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Ever thought of Bansko, Bulgaria? Theres no budget airline that serves Bansko at present but, having said that the accommodation is very reasonably priced and the apres ski is very CHEAP! Half litre of beer 35P, spirits from 35p for (English double). Bansko has 3 night clubs, over 300 mehanas (restaurants), majority of which have live music. There is also ample skiing to suit all standards. check out our website www.devonshirelodge.com
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thanks for the replies so far, some useful information.
It has to be said St Anton is looking favourite. Despite the 35p beer I don't think Bansko has the same appeal,but, Glynis, I do wish you luck (you'll be quids in if Ryanair / Easyjet start flights to Sofia or nearby).
Frosty, how is the journey from Zurich to St Anton, any problems car parking in resort? Any recommended b&b's or s/c ? I see that Easyjet have stopped their Gatwick to Zurich flights, does anyone know if this is just for the summer or not ?
Dan, what more can you say about Sauze, can it possibly rival the almighty St Anton ? Maybe the timings of the Ryanair flights and the shorter transfer could swing it? Also Dan, I hear what you say about the night life, but I've been to a few places (Tignes, Les Arcs, etc) that I think are really unsuitable for a stag do. Another consideration is that we may have non skiers with us so a resort with ambience/charm and off the slope activities, on top of all the other requirements, would be a real bonus. I guess St Anton fits that bill too.
So what about the other places, Soll, Kitzbuhel ... don't they compare to St Anton/Ischgl ? Have never skied in Austria so don't have a clue. Also, it's been over 10 years since I went to Verbier so any views on there would be welcome.
Keep it up guys, this bulletin board is excellent.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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masmith, I have never been to St Anton so I couldn't comment on it directly but it will have a lot more charm than Sauze. The older part of Sauze has the charm but as you enter Sauze you see the newer end which isn't that pretty. We did see a lot of deer & stags in and about the town which was nice. Sauze would be great for Stag do's, there are bars with bands, nightclubs, good restaurants and a good party atmosphere. There is tons of sliding to be done as well, huge huge playing field of 400km of piste, let alone all the "off piste" is between that the Italians don't seem to use!
I'm not sure I'd want to go to a ski resort if i was a non-skier anyway, there are all sorts of other things do I guess but I have never looked into it, there are a few shops but basically snow sport related like any place. It is close to the train station down Oux (bottom of the hill) can mean they can go anywhere they want.
Flight out from Stanstead is sometime after 7pm. The flight back is about 8pm leave Turin.
If you want accomodation, especially for a long weekend, www.flexiblebreaks.com are fully geared up for that in Sauze - stayed with them and they were great, food excellent, lots of wine, I think they offer half board and B&B depending on what you want to do............possibly b&b being on a stag do? Further to that we are going back over new year.
............just checked the Ryan Air website and the flights i'm talking about don't seem to be available over the March period?????? might be worth giving them a call 
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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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masmith st anton is an excellent party place - but I would be a little concerned about non skiers and the fact that you seem to want to go for a weekend rather than a week. I voted for cham on that basis - not quite as "party" but better for non skiers and easier on transfer and accomodation.
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If you go to St Anton from Zurich you could get the train - which makes the return journey more palatable! Parking in St Anton can be a big problem. I wouldn't do Ishgl over St Anton for a stag because the accomodation is incredibly hard to get for just the weekend, the drive is slightly longer, the skiing not as good, the nightlife a bit german oriented. Kitz is great, esp for non-skiiers, interesting skiing, easier on the poorer skiers, nightlife less wild than St A. Soll has great nightlife but dodgy snow and would be dull for non-skiers. For me I would do St Anton, Kitz or Verbier or Zermatt for a stag. Zermatt great, but a bit a pain to get to. Check out BA prices as well, on overall price (e.g. transfer to airport in UK) they often beat the budget ones. went to geneva for £70 for a weekend last year from Hrow with BA.
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You know it makes sense.
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I can only comment on Kitzbuhel and Verbier: both have great nightlife, I'd head to The Londoner (Kitz) or Pub Mont Fort (Verbier). But for non-skiers Kitz has the edge as it's more villagey, and has an excellent pool/sauna complex. Also, Verbier is poor for beginners as there are almost no greens or easy blues and the signposting and piste-map are lousy. In Kitz I stayed at the "Sporthotel Astron" which was a fabulous 4* hotel at 3* prices. Don't know anything about weekend deals though.
If you're on the pull, Verbier has more beautiful people, but Kitzbuhel is more of a laugh
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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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We decided to have multiple stag dos for the different groups. The first was snowboarding earlier in the year (for a week ), the others are being planned. If people aren't sliders, i'm not sure why they would go as then non-sliders will have to spend at least 8 hours a day away from the main group and miss out on all of the days banter..........they'll feel well left out.
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Poster: A snowHead
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It's probably misleading to say 'non sliders'. There will be people going who have never skied / boarded but who will give it a try. I just doubt that they will want to spend 8 hours a day struggling to learn skiing with a hangover ! Other forms of entertainment in resort would therefore be a bonus .. sorry to have misled you.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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I'll have to introduce you to my friend Paul (the stag), then you'll have the excuse you're looking for !
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Anyone used Friedrichshafen aiport (Germany), only about 100km from St Anton? Ryanair go there and am wondering if it is a suitable alternative to Zurich ?
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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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Sounds ideal. I've a feeling they run buses from that airport to the major ski areas in the winter, but I'm not sure. I looked at Ryanair's site, but it seems not to carry the usual ski info. at the moment. Maybe the Austrian Tourist Office could confirm it. 100km should be a 1.5 hour journey, so it would actually be quicker than going to Zurich.
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masmith, Just hire a couple of great big MPV's and squeeze everyone in. Just don't skimp out on the ski boxes if people do have their own kit as we found out our mistake on the way from Lyon to Val D'Isere............several snowboards under your chin do 1. not make it easy to drink and 2. make it very uncomfortable although if recently serviced you can get a quick shave!
the freddy airport in germany sounds like a good plan, i'll have a cheeky look for some random cheap flights i think!
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The prices for the flights are good but don't be fooled, the flight times are complete pants. You will loose 2 days sliding as the flights are midday there and back, for a stag do (and any snow related holiday to be fair) you have to maximise the time on slopes and minimise the holiday time used travelling, therefore look for very early or late flights out and late flights back.
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Dan, you're right about the flight times, I just wonder if Ryanair might do extra flights during the winter months ? Good times make all the difference and are worth the extra cost. Last year for example we had a great few days away, flew out Sun at 7am, in resort by midday then on Tues skied until 3pm and back on the 7pm flight .... that's the way to do it, stretch out the skiing as much as possible.
Think we'l have to wait until all the winter schedules are out before decing much further. Jet2's (they fly from Leeds ..... we're primarily a Northern mob) are out tomorrow so I'm told. Ryanair say their flights for March will be available about Sept/Oct. Also waiting to see what Thomsonfly will offer from the new RobinHood airport near Doncaster ... there's talk of them going to Salzburg ... too far from St Anton I think, but Ok for Kitz. If we could fly from a local airport and avoid the trek to Luton or Stansted then so much the better. Maybe it's time to sit back, forget about skiing and cheer on the boys in Portugal. c'mon England.
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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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i'm afraid the winter schedules have already been snapped up for Ryan Air I think - see post above about Ryan Air, Turin flights. The late late flights to and from Turin seem to have disappeared...........hope that is because they are fully booked - I haven't plucked up the courage to ring them yet. Wait till Easy Jet come out in a month or so, keep your eyes peeled and you'll grab a bargin but sort out which airport you need............If the resort hasn't been sorted then i'd be tempted to plump for Geneva and then go from there when you know where the snow is. Some resorts it may be difficult to get the weekened accomodation you require though - my experience of Val D'Isere, Courmayeur & Sauze have not been too difficult to find weekend rooms, just patience and some e-mailing/phone calling.
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masmith, I know it's lads only, but jet2's fares seem to be available now.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Dan, I think they have reduced it to one fligth by the looks of things. I was hoping it was just for the summer, the times have changed too.
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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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Hi Helen, the !! BOYS ONLY !! tag was purely attention grabbing, views from anyone welcome ! Checked the jet2 website earlier today but nothing for Geneva .. did you see the fares on the web or get them by phone ?
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on web tonight
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You know it makes sense.
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Went on a stag to Chamonix this year and it was great. The town did not seem to mind us and there is an excellent transfer company that kept all travel down to a minimum time, no waiting at all. We also had no problems getting a large group of all men into the bars and clubs. Transfer company called ATS Tel : +33 450 53 63 97
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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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Welcome to snowHeads, edoakes! 
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Poster: A snowHead
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edoakes, Thanks for the comments. For us Chamonix has the advantage of being easy to get to. From the North of England we have several options to get to Geneva, but few options for getting to Zurich or other aiports that serve Austria or Italy, short of a 2/3 hour drive to Stansted/Luton. We might have to give in to the lure of St Anton in favour of easier travel arrangements, in which case Chamonix would be in the frame, together with Val d'Isere (depsite the longer transfer) and Verbier.
But have been put off by Chamonix by it' fragmented skiing, especially as we will have a mixed ability party. How did your group cope with that, did you all ski the same areas, could you easily met up for lunch for example? (this is a social occasion afer all). Having never been there I'm at the mercy of Snowheads advice on this. www.chamonix.net has good accommodation links, do you know of any others ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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A plug for U's new Resorts Database in snowBase on the forums index page. Try the official resort Chamonix web site. Seems to have everything from hostels to hotels.
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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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The fragmented area did not mater so much as a few people each day were unable to get out of the appartment! As we went for a long weekend we picked a location each day and used that as a base. then you get the benefits of 2 or 3 areas to ski. This helped those who were not big skiers and the one beginner. for lunch we arranged a time to meet and it was up to the individual to make it. I will try and get the details of the place where we stayed as they had no problems with a group of 14 stags.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Cheers edoakes, would you say having a car in resort to get around the areas is a bonus, or would you quite happily recommend using the local buses ?
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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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I personally don't like Chamonix as a town due to the very yobbish culture i've experienced there - search the archives if you want to know. I have been suggested that Argentiere is a much nicer place to stay.
The skiing/boarding oppertunities are fantastic though and each of the "satellite" areas have plenty to occupy you. And the terrain is so varied that everyone will find something they want. If you do have a wide spread of abilities it may be a lot harder to meet up that say Val D'Isere as it's not so linked and you'd rely on busses but great fun all the same!
I wouldn't advise using a car to get around Chamonix as:
1. you are on a stag do so i pressume there will be lots of alcohol involved so no point taking any unncessary risks.
2. there is no need. the busses run very frequently, ok they get busy and warm - especially if travelling to Le Tour from Chamonix, and i guess that wouldn't be very nice with a stinking hangover. But if you avoid the peak times then there isn't a problem.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
2. there is no need. the busses run very frequently, ok they get busy and warm - especially if travelling to Le Tour from Chamonix, and i guess that wouldn't be very nice with a stinking hangover. But if you avoid the peak times then there isn't a problem
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I doubt very much that we'd be up and out during for the peak times ... we'll let the eager beavers sweat out the rush hour.
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1. you are on a stag do so i pressume there will be lots of alcohol involved so no point taking any unncessary risks.
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Too bloody right there will be. If a car 'aint necessary then we'll be on the bus so that's OK ... none of us want to be counting the Weissbiers.
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buses worked fine and you can walk to the brevant lifts. The yobbish culture seems to work well with the idea of a stag do and you get lots of people joining in to aid in the pain of the stag. We had him stripped and falling over. There were plenty of young ladies willing to rub lemon in to help the healing!!!. how long are you planing? It gets expensive after day three. The place is not good on the pocket.
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Two or three nights depending on flights .. we could even mix it so keener skiers could do an extra night. Aren't all ski resorts expensive ? For the last few years we've done chalet holidays and haven't really taken part in any apres ski outside of the chalet, so ridiculously priced bars haven't dented my wallet. Still, have got a good few months to save a bit. I'd expect to be paying about £4 a pint, does that sound about right, or have I got a shock coming ?
Are there any 'stag orientated' venues, if you know what I mean (in any of the resorts mentioned to date) ?
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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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They all have clubs and pubs if that's what you mean. You may have to go to Bulgaria for any "extras"
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Soelden has lapdancing, according to the signs outside a few of the bars anyway.
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FAQ
