 Poster: A snowHead
|
Thinking of booking a last-minute ski trip for me and three friends for the end of March after chickening out of booking before Christmas. The last trip (Feb 2020) I went on I stayed at the UCPA in Val Thorens which was pretty good, aside from it being halfway down the mountain and hard to get to without skis on (made it tough to meet up with people staying in Airbnbs in town).
It's looking like the only UCPA option available now is Val d'Isere (we have one no-instruction, one intermediate, and two beginners). On the one hand this centre is more in the middle of town than VT which is a +, but it also says on the action-outdoors website it's not been renovated for ages and is more basic.
Was wondering if anyone's had any experience of it recently? My instinct is that as long as the food is fine and the rooms are clean it won't matter too much since it's in town and we can go to other bars and such more easily.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Myself and a group of friends are going end of March - as a group we've been twice before but not for a few years (we have been to pretty much all the other UCPA centres Action Outdoors sell to the UK).
I was hoping they might have refurbed it over the pandemic, but alas...
It is more basic for sure, the rooms are functional, compared to for example Serre Che, Flaine, Argentiere, Chamonix etc it's definitely more hostel like and less budget hotel standard. Depending on what room you are in the ratio of people to bathrooms is relatively high which is probably the main downside.
- Ski in / ski out - It's really well located (ski in almost and short walk out or pole to the main lifts if you're competent but a bit more of a schlep for beginners)
- Food - the food though has been the best of all the centres we've been to (though I'm sure it goes up and down each year as the staff change etc...). The dining room is quite social from memory, long tables etc...
- Bar - the bar is small compared to other UCPA centres which is a bit of shame as in other centres the UCPA bars can br great. But there's loads of decent bars nearby that I guess/hope will be open post pandemic etc..
In general - yes would recommend, for us the draw is being able to ski VDI / Tignes and despite the basic nature of the centre we've always had a really great time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
They are planning to finally redo the whole building within the next 2 years but for now it is a rather prehistoric building!!!!!! But good location thats for sure!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Steve Angus wrote: |
| They are planning to finally redo the whole building within the next 2 years but for now it is a rather prehistoric building!!!!!! But good location thats for sure! |
Much better location than the previous one 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Thanks guys, ofc I'm mostly interested in the skiing but gotta make sure the beginners are happy too 
Sounds like it's a good option regardless. The UCPA in VT was deffo more like a budget hotel so if VdI is more like 'decent hostel' then that'll do nicely
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ