Trip review - Saalbach with Ski Miquel 2022

A snowHead

Ski Miquel - Chalet Christina Saalbach

I wanted to post my detailed review of our holiday last week, I had some much help from this Snow Heads way back in 2020 when we first booked this break (pre covid!!).

A group of 16 of us have just returned from a fantastic trip to Austria. After huge stresses before leaving, organising the PCR test, which had to be taken within 48 hours of landing, actually getting there was so simple, with virtually no queues to check the documentation on landing!

There was a welcome soup and bread as soon as we arrived in the chalet, then we headed off to take skis and boots to the locker room at the Schatzberg lift. This made the short 5 min walk so much more pleasant for the week, and I don’t think the chalet boot room would have held all out equipment anyway. Carol organised lift passes for everyone, and explained how the lockers worked, she made it all very easy.

This was our first time using Ski Miquel but the group have been going on holiday for over 10 years now, we were recommend them a few years back as we loved the idea of having a ski guide (we’ve been with Neilson and Club med a few times too). We actually booked this break 2 years ago, along with Switzerland fo last year which had to be cancelled.

The welcome meeting with Chalet manager Carol introduced the team to us. With all the info we needed. The Chalet is welcoming, with a bar/lounge area and separate dining room. The bar doesn’t open until 7 though, which was a bit of a shock after our first day skiing.

Breakfast is continental style, with unlimited toast and a single egg variation each day. It’s more than enough for us really, we may have been spoiled with more hot options in the past. Tea and coffee is only available at breakfast, ski tea (4.30 til 5.30) and after dinner though. This is the one thing I could suggest could be improved, waiting for that first cup of tea when you get up is a bit of a killer. A kettle in the rooms or a water urn would be very welcome.

There was always hot water for showers, which is a must for a ski chalet, and the shower was really good, luckily I Brought a travel hairdryer as I’d read there wasn’t one in the room. The rooms were cleaned if you wanted them, but most of us didn’t bother with requesting this.

The food was a very good standard, with 4 veggies to cater for in our group, we were all very impressed with the meals, followed by cheese and crackers, with a glass of port available for a Euro, we were always very full after dinner! The complimentary wine was very nice too.

I think we surprised the staff by actually turning up at 4.30 for cakes, they said not many usually do, The cakes during the week could be a bit of a weak point compared to other chalets, but that’s just a tiny point which could be improved on, and didn’t impact on an enjoyable time.

The skiing was absolutely amazing, the other party in the chalet didn’t want to come with the guides, so amazingly we had 2 guides to our party, 8 in each group. There was a “espresso” group and a “cappuccino” group, no breaking us in with a lovely gentle blue run after a forced year off the slopes, we were straight onto red run, which were very mogul due to the volume of snow the night before. But we are a group of very capable skiers, so we all managed to keep up.

Every day there was a coffee stop at 11, and then lunch around 1ish, every time Carol managed to book us tables at the most gorgeous of spots. We were very grateful for this. Arthur kept the Espresso’s entertained trying to keep up with him, as he’s such a good skier.

After lunch Carol and Arthur (also barman!) would make sure we knew exactly where we were and how to get back to the right area, before they headed back and left us to a leisurely afternoon ski. We covered so much ground, and so many miles, and really enjoyed our skiing time.

Due to restrictions, the bars in town had to close at 10, but in our chalet we could have drinks until 11. We even managed a bit of a party night for Carol’s birthday, and spent other evenings playing cards or games too. It really was the best 2 year covid antidote, we felt very safe in our large “bubble”.

The chalet is on a fairly busy road, so with the window open you do hear road noise, the snow plough scraping the road etc, but that wouldn't put me off recommending it.

Every one of the team (Arthur, Axel, Alex and the Spanish chef) as well as Carol made us feel so welcome, the chalet is so well run during challenging times. I had the best holiday, and loved every moment. We will definitely try more Ski Miquel destinations in the future too. Thank you everyone who made it possible.

A snowHead

Lovely report, thanks for sharing. The noise from a snowplough is a joyous sound! Can recommend the Ski Miguel property near us - Chalet Rosa in Lauterbrunnen.

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

Thanks for the reply, the Lauterbrunnen chalet was where we were due to go last year, but we cancelled it with lcokdowns. The only issue is we will be a party of 18 next year, and I believe only 12 can fly from Gatwick to there with Ski Miquel (we are checking this), the rest would have to go to Manchester, which is a massive trek from Norwich where all live. We really want to go to that area of Switzerland, but with repots of everything being so expensive chalet board would be best. Is this the only chalet in the Vengen area do you know?

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@micheleperry, we don't have any other catered chalets in the area as far as I know, which is probably why Chalet Rosa does so well. However it may well be worth giving them a call if you'd like to come, as I believe they may have a deal with the hotel on the opposite side of the road for larger parties.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Have stayed twice in the Saalbach chalet - both unseasonably warm and fine half terms; you really have to book early! Excellent chalet and service. Have also stayed in the Lauterbrunnen one - only downside is that their bootroom at the station is just about unheated - try getting cold boots on in the morning.

The Lauterbrunnen chalet prices aren't any more expensive than Austria

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@micheleperry, Nice write up, thanks!

I'm missing why you needed to do a PCR test "which had to be taken within 48 hours of landing". Where were you travelling from?

@TopGooner, I'm going to take a guess that this was the day 2 return test that, at the time when the OP booked, would still have been needed (before getting downgraded to LFT, then abolished entirely).

Hope they were able to get a refund on that anyway!

Edit... or more likely wot @toyah807 said... doh! Embarassed

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@TopGooner, I assume it was the PCR required to enter Austria from the UK until the rule s changed the Monday after the group arrived.

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Thanks all, we were travelling from the UK on the 22nd, a few days before the rules changed last week. So we needed a negative PCR to arrive into Austria, which was mega stressful but we did it (4 of us had covid in the previous month and somehow all managed to get a negative result, phew!). Our test place didn't do return 2 day lfts, but I'd already booked a pcr with them (another rule change after I booked), so I just used these instead of buying another lft, as a pcr result is also acceptable for day 2. The rules probably changed again now of course.

I rely so much on honest reviews, that I always like to leave a detailed report of all my holidays. Onwards to 2023 now, I've taken a step back from organising this trip, one of the others is taking a turn! Very Happy

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Also just to add, the test centre just down the road from me does click and collect PCR 2 day test for just £12.50, our fit to fly with them was £75 for the outbound trip. Anglian DNA, if anyone still needs one and is in Norfolk.

Just booked to go here in March prior to reading your report and having read it am more excited than ever.

You know it makes sense.

Glad to have put your mind at rest Poshprop, you'll have a fab time I'm sure!

We couldn't get sorted for Lauterbrunnen, too many of us for the Gatwick flight, and half going to Manchester isn't an option. So we are off to Champoluc late jan, it's been on our list many times before, and we've talked ourselves out of it, can't wait to give it a try.

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

Wow, just got a notification of a new post here and I've reread some of the stuff on testing and vaccine proof we were all getting angst-ridden about early this year - it seems like a distant memory.

Here's hoping that it's all still fully 'normal' when we fly over on Boxing Day!

A snowHead

Here's hoping indeed, and having to wear an FFP2 mask on all the lifts last year in Austria. I still have the hooks on my helmet for mine. It all seems so long ago, hoping we don't have to go back to that again any time. But of course we were all just so happy to be skiing again last season, those hoops were there and we all jumped through them to get to the slopes!

A snowHead

Re reading this after making an enquiry about the chalet for 2024/5, to find they already have some provisional bookings! Time to wake up the what's app group

Help!!

Trip review - Saalbach with Ski Miquel 2022

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