 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi
I’m a 44yr old boarder with young family but the mrs doesn’t want to go this year due to COVID and the pull is too hard for me to miss another year. Got stuck in the French lockdown in 2020 without hitting the slopes so it’d be 4 years missed otherwise. She’s also given me the green light to go! 
Anyway, been looking at a holiday in March with these solo operators; Hofna, Ski Gatering and Solo Ski.
Does anyone have experience of these holidays and would you recommend it?
I’m not worried about meeting new people as pretty socoilable but how did you get over the fear of sharing a room? What if it doesn’t work out and your stuck for a week?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@Bluenose17, have you looked at the Snowhead bashes
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Sharing a room will mostly work out ok. But I would never consider doing it (again) for two reasons.
1. I have not shared a room with someone I don't fancy since I was a kid
2. It can go horribly, and I mean really horribly, wrong. Trust me!
Not worth the risk for me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
I've used Hofnar many times and have in fact just come back from my second week with them this season, so think I'd say I'd recommend them  I've also done a few Bashes, including this seasons Pre Season Bash and would recommend those too.
My experience of sharing rooms on both Hofnar trips and Bashes is that 90% of the time everything's fine. Your room's only really used for sleeping so sharing with a snorer is the most likely issue (Hofnar have a stash of free ear plugs in case). It is of course possible to REALLY not get on with your roommate and if it's just a clash of personalities you can normally swap rooms with someone who gets on with the other person (most other people on the trip are solo travellers). If it's the other person just being a complete dick then report them to 'the management' and they will usually handle it. I've done 12 trips with Hofnar so know the guys quite well and I think they've only ever been one real horror show - but that was between a couple of friends who came together/shared a room, not 'randoms'.
So 90% of the time there are no issues.
9% of the time your roommate snores, you put ear plugs in and remember it's just for 7 nights.
1% of the time you really can't stand each other and have to swap rooms in the chalet.
Or if you're REALLY against sharing you can always book a room to yourself - but obviously you're paying for 2 beds rather than 1 so it costs more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Quote: |
Lot's of single room options with no supplement
|
Much better option.... I wouldn't share a room with a random stranger. I snore, so that's my major reason, but also I don't sleep brilliantly and if I were awake listening to someone else snore I wouldn't even be able to feel cross with them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I was considering a solo trip this year but in the end didn't have to go on my own.
I would have done a DIY trip to somewhere in Austria which has good public transport links. You would book on a per room basis rather than adding supplements etc.
As it happens, I am going away with my usual boarding friends but we have each booked rooms to ourselves in case any of us starts feeling unwell.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I've done four solo weeks in the last few years (Les Menuires, Val D'Isere, Zermatt) and each time half-board in a single room in a hotel, booked directly, independent travel. Next trip planned for Jan 2023 I'll be doing the same thing. Lots of European hotels have single rooms - not quite half price of a double but pretty reasonable anyway.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
You would book on a per room basis rather than adding supplements etc.
|
This is the normal, civilised, European way of doing things.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
You would book on a per room basis rather than adding supplements etc.
|
This is the normal, civilised, European way of doing things. |
Depends how you defined civilised. I find being able to keep accomodation costs down by sharing a room and just paying for the bed I'm using much more civilised than (assuming no single rooms available) having to pay the same on my own as the couple next door are paying for their identical room.
Half the cost/twice the number of ski trips wins every time for me
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
I've done more solo trips than I care to remember. Hotels, chalets, apartments but never shared a room with a stranger. Always happy to pay for a single room - and there are plenty available across Austria, Switzerland and Italy. I find it so much more relaxed that way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
You would book on a per room basis rather than adding supplements etc.
|
This is the normal, civilised, European way of doing things. |
I disagree. Lots of hotels and apartments in Austria have additional charges based on the number of people. It always seemed ridiculous to me that adding an extra person to an apartment would add to the cost, but it often does.
This is extremely uncommon in the US, in fact in all my years of travelling there I have never been charged extra in that way. You pay for the room and up to you how many people you have in it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I've only stayed in Austria on UK tour operator packages, but I've rented French apartments and often stayed in French hotels and it's always been a charge for the apartment, or for the room. Of course, if you rent a French apartment from a UK tour operator as part of a package there are always "under occupancy" charges because they have to make a profit on the overall deal, including flights etc. But if you rent from, say, Peak Retreats - often recommended on Snowheads - you pay "per apartment". I should probably have said the "civilised French way of doing things"  . French hotels generally have information on the bedroom doors, setting out the room charge - probably this is a legal requirement.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
I’m currently considering going on a solo week, probably late March (if at all - lots of imponderables at the moment) BUT if it happens, I’ll go with a package in a hotel with a single room, or as it’s likely to be a late booking, ask for options without single supplements. I’ve skied solo a couple of times before, many years ago, and have always thought I’d do so again if it was a choice of that, or not skiing at all. Sharing a chalet with strangers or - worse - a room, really doesn’t appeal. Austrian hotels do seem to have single room options.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
I've traveled a bit solo to the mountains different ways.
Chalet direct solution room and see who has a spare bed at a decent price to match flights.
TO but most have harsh hefty supplements for single occupancy - hit and miss for accomodation.
DIY for a tiny French apt on airbnb can work out v cheap outwith peak seasons - solo transfers post covid can be cost restrictive though.
DIY in Austria - there seems to be more actual single rooms in Austria, both hotels and pensions. This can help with costs also the lie of the land means there is a greater tendency to get v close to or direct to ski areas on excellent, cheap public transport.
Next week (12/2) I'm off to Austria with Crystal only because the stars aligned with a last minute bargain for a single room in 4* hotel....doesn't happen often.
Joe
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
@Montan, Been solo skiing since retirement and all my ski mates either stopped or too old to ski. At the beginning found chalet or Ski operators options not quite suit me. As this old dog has stuck in it's ways and habits and difficult to adjust to new settings. Air b&b and small apartment rental with independent travels suits me perfect. There is always someone to ski with at resort if company is desired. Generally I ski by myself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@Goldfish888, I don’t really want to hire a car/drive to resort or take public transport, so a package will suit me better (when skiing with my gang, we usually book our own travel, independent chalet to ourselves etc.,). I think a hotel will suit me better for this trip, should it prove possible, and I’m very happy to ski by myself too
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
One advantage of a car is that you can stay in a cheap hotel in the valley (such as Ibis Budget Sallanches) and drive to a variety of lifts. I was recently unsuccessful in joining a group trip being organised by a friend because the "single supplements" were absurd.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Thanks for the replies. I was expecting everyone to say sharing isn’t an issue and surprised everyone thinking the same as me!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Seems expensive for what you get. A thousand quid for just the accommodation?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| NickyJ wrote: |
| @Bluenose17, have you looked at the Snowhead bashes |
I need to go mid March and these ones look more suited to skiers than boarders
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sharing isn’t an issue!
I booked an Inside Out holiday a few years ago, and I gambled that I’d be the only woman willing to share - so if I was the only one I’d end up with a room to myself anyway, without having to stump up for the single supplement! However, my gamble backfired, so I spent the week sharing a room with a total stranger. 
Neither of us seemed to have a problem sleeping next to a stranger for a week - you just naturally work it out. One tends to be the ‘early riser’ who gets up and out of the room, the other tends to stays later in the bar in the evenings (that way, you both get some time to yourself without someone the other side of a flimsy bathroom door). After eating dinner and socialising, there wasn’t actually much time spent together in the room while we were conscious. Pack earplugs if you’re a light sleeper, in case of snoring or other annoying noises (and if you know you’re the snorer, you could be thoughtful and pack a set of earplugs for them!). It helps to be tired, which we certainly were!
The best bit? We’re still in regular contact, and we have met up on several seasons since to ski (with the other friends we made on that holiday) and I therefore count it as one of the best decisions I ever made.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| NickyJ wrote: |
| @Bluenose17, have you looked at the Snowhead bashes |
I need to go mid March and these ones look more suited to skiers than boarders
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
I've just spent a week in Austria as a solo skier on a Crystal package - v cheap for a single room (although they upgraded me to a standard double on arrival which was nice). £350 included half board, flights and transfers - excellent value for money. I'm now looking to do the same again in mid-March. I met one Irish family at ski school who were really friendly and a group of 17 older solos/couples who invited me to join them for dinner each evening - I had company skiing when I wanted to and could do my own thing also. It worked out really well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I’ve also recently had a weeks package as a solo, £580 HB inc flights and transfers, which I was very happy to pay, in a lovely small hotel, there was one other solo there that week. The two solo tables were next to each other in the dining room, we both got on really well with each other and skied together on 4 days. There were a number of other people I met in the hotel as well who were all really friendly.
I’ll go solo again, but I have no desire to share with someone I’ve never met, friends maybe. I will probably go away with the guy I met next year, we discussed the room share issue, and neither of us had any wish to share a room.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
Lot's of single room options with no supplement
|
Much better option.... I wouldn't share a room with a random stranger. I snore, so that's my major reason, but also I don't sleep brilliantly and if I were awake listening to someone else snore I wouldn't even be able to feel cross with them. |
I mean, if you snore, trips with shared rooms with strangers is NOT for you. You basically have a duty to never ever sign up for sharing a room with anyone other than a friend or family member.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I've never had a bad experience sharing on sol ski trips. Have always found everyone very respectful, if its a group trip you are normally on the same sleep/wake schedule anyway and the room is a place to get changed and sleep rather than hang out doing anything loud or disruptive.
Strangely I generally prefer dorm-style rooms with a shared block of WC and showers rather than sharing with 1 other person and an en-suite as that feels more intimate to me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| kat.ryb wrote: |
| I mean, if you snore, trips with shared rooms with strangers is NOT for you. You basically have a duty to never ever sign up for sharing a room with anyone other than a friend or family member. |
I wish someone would tell some of our fellow SH'ed that! Had an industrial snorer to share with on one of my Bashes - but just 7 nights and the only time I've had someone really bad
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
@Bluenose17, I am also just about to book Chamonix with Cold Fusion for Mid March - do you know much about them? Their reviews or anything?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Hi James. I don’t know a lot about them tbh but they’ve been a pleasure to deal with and what little bits I can find out is that it’s decent and they look after you
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
