 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello and great forum!
I appreciate this type of question has been answered 1000 times in 1000 different ways but my head is frazzled with choice.
I'll try to keep our requirements as concise as possible:
Myself & Wife - I haven't done any ski'ing in years and will want a couple of hours of lessons for myself each day. Wife has never skied, she may or may not want some lessons.
Kids - 8 and 11. 8 year old has never skied, wants a really good English speaking friendly school for morning lessons. 11 year old has skied once for a week, will want a few hours lessons each day then freedom to ski with me in the afternoon.
We are very much beginners. Greens and blues all the way with lots of friendly people.
We don't want to walk far from hotel to ski lift, no buses or taxis.
Lots to do for kids outside of the normal ski school. Some sort of kids club would be ideal but keep in mind their ages.
Lots of restaurants and bars to choose from.
Hotel is almost a must as the wife might want to hang back in the pool/bar rather than ski, a chalet doesn't tick this box nor does an apartment. 4 or 5* hotel.
Easy hire of equipment.
Budget - Everything included [flights] under £10k for a week.
Honestly, I've looked at Austria and France but I end up going down multiple location-based rabbit holes and getting lost. Courchevel 1850 looked promising until I priced it up. We will likely be travelling Feb 2025 but possibly end of Dec 2024.
If there are any agents/companies you can recommend who can handle it all that would be best.
Thank you in advance!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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For that money I’d have thought you could go anywhere.
For the other requirements maybe Trysil , the Radisson Blue resort hotel. Easy runs, great tuition. Pool with views of beginner slopes.
Book it yourself, its easy, and spend the saving on other things.
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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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| ster wrote: |
For that money I’d have thought you could go anywhere.
For the other requirements maybe Trysil , the Radisson Blue resort hotel. Easy runs, great tuition. Pool with views of beginner slopes.
Book it yourself, its easy, and spend the saving on other things. |
You'd be surprised, school holidays... Courchevel for example was £20k+ (starting at).
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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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Norway, maybe the Vestlia Resort hotel in Geilo.
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Mmm. Geilo a good idea - will presumably be far less crowded than French resorts (or probably Austrian ones) at half term.
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As I've recommended elsewhere look at Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise. Excellent family / beginner friendly resort. The killer is the dates - Feb is the most expensive time anywhere. I'm guessing you are stuck to shcoll holidays so would strongly suggest you consider Easter rather than Christmas
Remember that many apartment blocks have pools these days, so don't exclude them on that basis
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Edelweiss and Gurgle in Obergurgl.
I would not worry too much about "Lots to do for kids outside of the normal ski school. Some sort of kids club would be ideal but keep in mind their ages". Not least as a full day skiing will be pretty tiring for you all. Also I really encourage you to spend time with them on the slopes/eating out etc. It is precious time that you will not get another crack at.
An apartment can be more comfortable with you able to suit yourselves in terms of when/where/what you eat, and space for the kids to get some downtime. Maybe something to consider for the future.
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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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| aarontayto wrote: |
If there are any agents/companies you can recommend who can handle it all that would be best.
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Not been with any personally, but friends have had v good experiences with Mark Warner and Club Med. However, £10k in Feb might still be a stretch.
For your level - I'd try and avoid getting sucked into a mega-resort with hundreds of lifts and pistes - you'll just pay over the odds for "features" you don't need.
Somewhere smaller/cheaper - possibly even the Pyrenees or Andorra.
Since this is Snowheads, and everyone else has done it (given you suggestions that are inconsistent with your requirements) I'll do the same, and suggest you consider Easter as cheaper, more beginner-friendly, and sunnier for non-skiing outdoor activities. Then I would look at high altitude mega resorts tho - Tignes, Val Thorens etc.
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MY opinion : if your budget allows it, try some family friendly hotels in Austria.
There is a nice hotel in Galtür, in Zauchensee, a couple of them in Zillertalarena, many in SFL, and many many more. Some of them really expensive, other relativ cheaper
many of them with entertaiment programm for kids till 16 y old.
Since the 8 y never skied, try to avoid the ski - eat - sleep - repeat situation.
In a family hotel there are many things for the kids in the hotel, plus the food drinks , kids club etc
Such a way you will "lock" the kids to the skiing holidays in a generall way. Did it with our kids since they are 3 y old, and now they dont bother to got to an appartment in France (instead of a hotel) al long as the can ski etc
PS Hope you understand what i mean.
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You know it makes sense.
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I'd second the suggestion not to discount apartments as many have pools too - the Planibel apartments in La Thuile and Granges du Soleil in La Plagne (Soleil) are two that I've stayed in. But! Neither of those places has lots to do outside ski school (apart from ski!), or tons and tons of restaurants and bars. Serfaus (and linked resorts) often gets suggested as the top family-friendly place to ski, and apparently also lots of things like pools and climbing walls. On your budget, it should be do-able - check out Sunweb, I think Crystal may also go there from the UK.
I also wouldn't worry too much about finding a huge resort, it sounds like you won't be racking up the miles, so focus on slightly smaller places that match your criteria (and ignore everyone who suggests the three valleys, Val d'Isere, etc). My kids are 7 and 9 and we had our first family trip last year to La Thuile, the kids did ski school in the morning and skied in the afternoon with us - even so we didn't get very far and made sure to take things easy for the little one and not spook him.
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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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Whoa - £10k!?
I mean... you could, but I'm not sure that's necessary for some beginner skiing. For ref, I'm going next week to Grindelwald with wife & 2 kids and all in inc flights/carriage, trains, lift passes, bed and breakfast hotel at the lifts, ski hire for the kids, and a good food budget.. we shouldn't go above £5k all up. Sometimes we drive if the flight prices happen to be particularly bad but this year we are flying to LHR > Zurich then train up to the resort.
A fancy hotel in somewhere like Rauris Austria (the Rauriserhof is great) would suit you if you wanted to spend... good spa, amazing food, enough skiing and a great ski school. I'd keep it simple with kids.. especially initially. Get them in to a decent ski school and enjoy the time together. If they get in to it and get good they'll want more in time.
I always book the lot myself as it saves a lot and we can do what we want. But I get the lure of an all in booking.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Oberlech would be perfect if you can get a hotel at the right price. Otherwise obergurgl would be good too.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Surprised no mention of Esprit Ski as they seem to be the go to option for that sort of criteria.
For those restricted by school holidays Easter, Christmas, Feb HT is the order of preference.
Courchevel 1850 is one of the most expensive places to go.
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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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| aarontayto wrote: |
| ster wrote: |
For that money I’d have thought you could go anywhere.
For the other requirements maybe Trysil , the Radisson Blue resort hotel. Easy runs, great tuition. Pool with views of beginner slopes.
Book it yourself, its easy, and spend the saving on other things. |
You'd be surprised, school holidays... Courchevel for example was £20k+ (starting at). |
Maybe if you booked directly and not via an agent you’d save a bit, I have checked in the past and could never reconcile what I get if they did it and what they would charge over something I do myself.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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We use this hotel in tignes https://www.lessuitesdumontana.com/en/ ski in ski out, has a small spa, a bar and a couple of restaurants and half board or b&b options and one of the room choices is a two bedroom 'suite' which has two bedrooms, one double ensuite and one twin with a separate bathroom, and it's own living room which is a nice option for relaxing in the evening/during the day without having to sit in your bedroom or the bar.
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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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With an 8 & 11 year old ski school in Austria is typically 10-12 then 1-3 and the ski school keep them for lunch. By the time you e maybe done one run afterwards for them them show you what they’ve learned, the lifts are about to close. On that basis I maybe wouldn’t worry about kids club because you won’t have time to use it, but maybe a hotel with a pool to spend an hour in before dinner.
There’s a hotel in St Johann whose name I can’t remember but it’s at the bottom of the eichenhoff, looked nice and had a pool. Ski school is right outside. You’d probably want February rather than Christmas or Easter as it’s a low resort.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@aarontayto,
Not Easter 2025?
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Surely club med & money left over to pay a school fine?
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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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Any 4-5* hotel in Kitzbühel will tick all your boxes, and be more interesting/fun for your wife.
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A colleague did just this in Obergurgl once. Then kept going back every year since.
I would hesitate for Norway as the days can be short.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Orange200 wrote: |
A colleague did just this in Obergurgl once. Then kept going back every year since.
I would hesitate for Norway as the days can be short. |
to be fair they are still 24 hours  . Joking aside the lift operating times are similar to the alps (OK marginally shorter at Xmas) and I dont think skiing dawn to dusk as beginners was top priority
Norway is at least very snow sure in these uncertain time, pretty much queue free and uncrowded slopes, even in school hols (so you get more skiing time from your day anyway).
Raddison blu in Trysil would tick a lot of boxes for the OP's requirements. Hotel is on the slopes so easy for Mother to dip in and out of skiing, pool and spa on site, plus bowling alley / kids games room. very good english speaking morning ski school and beginner friendly area.
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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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| aarontayto wrote: |
Hello and great forum!
I appreciate this type of question has been answered 1000 times in 1000 different ways but my head is frazzled with choice.
I'll try to keep our requirements as concise as possible:
Myself & Wife - I haven't done any ski'ing in years and will want a couple of hours of lessons for myself each day. Wife has never skied, she may or may not want some lessons.
Kids - 8 and 11. 8 year old has never skied, wants a really good English speaking friendly school for morning lessons. 11 year old has skied once for a week, will want a few hours lessons each day then freedom to ski with me in the afternoon.
We are very much beginners. Greens and blues all the way with lots of friendly people.
We don't want to walk far from hotel to ski lift, no buses or taxis.
Lots to do for kids outside of the normal ski school. Some sort of kids club would be ideal but keep in mind their ages.
Lots of restaurants and bars to choose from.
Hotel is almost a must as the wife might want to hang back in the pool/bar rather than ski, a chalet doesn't tick this box nor does an apartment. 4 or 5* hotel.
Easy hire of equipment.
Budget - Everything included [flights] under £10k for a week.
Honestly, I've looked at Austria and France but I end up going down multiple location-based rabbit holes and getting lost. Courchevel 1850 looked promising until I priced it up. We will likely be travelling Feb 2025 but possibly end of Dec 2024.
If there are any agents/companies you can recommend who can handle it all that would be best.
Thank you in advance!! |
Les Arcs would be perfect for you - staying in Arc 1800.
It has Mille8 which is for beginners and for people to practice on but is a decent lengthy run of about 1km that is more interesting than normal nursery slopes. I would then hire a private instructor - Brice Lamons (I use every year) he is very good and well known in Les Arcs.
Hotel du Golf is good. But in Arc 1800 you could get an Airbnb and still use the spa/swimming pool and other activities if not skiing.
Loads of bars/restaurants in 1800. Cabane des Neiges, Benji's, L'escale Gourmand all good restaurants.
Once you are ready you can head out of 1800 on the transarc and get access to lots of blues from there. All the blues go up to the top which gets you the same views as those doing blacks/reds. There are some really easy blues around the Derby lift accessible by skiing there from 1800.
I am going with 4 kids 8,9,10,11 and my other half. 6 of us has cost us £3300 total excluding food/drink. We are getting eurostar to paris, then TGV down direct to Les Arcs so more relaxing than driving or airport/transfer routes with kids.
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You know it makes sense.
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Hi,
Thank you this actually sounds really good. If staying at one of those hotels, do we *have* to get a bus to anything other than the Mille8?
Also really like the idea of Eurostar, seems it would be about 11 hours door to door vs 9 hours flying [if lucky].
Thanks,
Aaron
| Macker13 wrote: |
| aarontayto wrote: |
Hello and great forum!
I appreciate this type of question has been answered 1000 times in 1000 different ways but my head is frazzled with choice.
I'll try to keep our requirements as concise as possible:
Myself & Wife - I haven't done any ski'ing in years and will want a couple of hours of lessons for myself each day. Wife has never skied, she may or may not want some lessons.
Kids - 8 and 11. 8 year old has never skied, wants a really good English speaking friendly school for morning lessons. 11 year old has skied once for a week, will want a few hours lessons each day then freedom to ski with me in the afternoon.
We are very much beginners. Greens and blues all the way with lots of friendly people.
We don't want to walk far from hotel to ski lift, no buses or taxis.
Lots to do for kids outside of the normal ski school. Some sort of kids club would be ideal but keep in mind their ages.
Lots of restaurants and bars to choose from.
Hotel is almost a must as the wife might want to hang back in the pool/bar rather than ski, a chalet doesn't tick this box nor does an apartment. 4 or 5* hotel.
Easy hire of equipment.
Budget - Everything included [flights] under £10k for a week.
Honestly, I've looked at Austria and France but I end up going down multiple location-based rabbit holes and getting lost. Courchevel 1850 looked promising until I priced it up. We will likely be travelling Feb 2025 but possibly end of Dec 2024.
If there are any agents/companies you can recommend who can handle it all that would be best.
Thank you in advance!! |
Les Arcs would be perfect for you - staying in Arc 1800.
It has Mille8 which is for beginners and for people to practice on but is a decent lengthy run of about 1km that is more interesting than normal nursery slopes. I would then hire a private instructor - Brice Lamons (I use every year) he is very good and well known in Les Arcs.
Hotel du Golf is good. But in Arc 1800 you could get an Airbnb and still use the spa/swimming pool and other activities if not skiing.
Loads of bars/restaurants in 1800. Cabane des Neiges, Benji's, L'escale Gourmand all good restaurants.
Once you are ready you can head out of 1800 on the transarc and get access to lots of blues from there. All the blues go up to the top which gets you the same views as those doing blacks/reds. There are some really easy blues around the Derby lift accessible by skiing there from 1800.
I am going with 4 kids 8,9,10,11 and my other half. 6 of us has cost us £3300 total excluding food/drink. We are getting eurostar to paris, then TGV down direct to Les Arcs so more relaxing than driving or airport/transfer routes with kids. |
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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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You wouldn't need to bus anywhere. You can ski out of the accomodation for the majority of accom in Arc 1800. Or just a short walk to all lifts. Mille8 is accessed from the main snowfront too next to the main Transarc gondola. You would get train to Bourg St Maurice, then 7 minute funicular up to Arc1600. Then free shuttle bus to Arc 1800 (20 mins) then you are there for the week if you stay in 1800. At the end of the week, shuttle bus back to 1600 and funicular into train station in Bourg.
I have been 10 years on the trot and taught 3 people from scratch in Arc 1800. It's the perfect place to learn and gain confidence and also great for experienced skiers for off piste and decent reds/blacks.
| aarontayto wrote: |
Hi,
Thank you this actually sounds really good. If staying at one of those hotels, do we *have* to get a bus to anything other than the Mille8?
Also really like the idea of Eurostar, seems it would be about 11 hours door to door vs 9 hours flying [if lucky].
Thanks,
Aaron
| Macker13 wrote: |
| aarontayto wrote: |
Hello and great forum!
I appreciate this type of question has been answered 1000 times in 1000 different ways but my head is frazzled with choice.
I'll try to keep our requirements as concise as possible:
Myself & Wife - I haven't done any ski'ing in years and will want a couple of hours of lessons for myself each day. Wife has never skied, she may or may not want some lessons.
Kids - 8 and 11. 8 year old has never skied, wants a really good English speaking friendly school for morning lessons. 11 year old has skied once for a week, will want a few hours lessons each day then freedom to ski with me in the afternoon.
We are very much beginners. Greens and blues all the way with lots of friendly people.
We don't want to walk far from hotel to ski lift, no buses or taxis.
Lots to do for kids outside of the normal ski school. Some sort of kids club would be ideal but keep in mind their ages.
Lots of restaurants and bars to choose from.
Hotel is almost a must as the wife might want to hang back in the pool/bar rather than ski, a chalet doesn't tick this box nor does an apartment. 4 or 5* hotel.
Easy hire of equipment.
Budget - Everything included [flights] under £10k for a week.
Honestly, I've looked at Austria and France but I end up going down multiple location-based rabbit holes and getting lost. Courchevel 1850 looked promising until I priced it up. We will likely be travelling Feb 2025 but possibly end of Dec 2024.
If there are any agents/companies you can recommend who can handle it all that would be best.
Thank you in advance!! |
Les Arcs would be perfect for you - staying in Arc 1800.
It has Mille8 which is for beginners and for people to practice on but is a decent lengthy run of about 1km that is more interesting than normal nursery slopes. I would then hire a private instructor - Brice Lamons (I use every year) he is very good and well known in Les Arcs.
Hotel du Golf is good. But in Arc 1800 you could get an Airbnb and still use the spa/swimming pool and other activities if not skiing.
Loads of bars/restaurants in 1800. Cabane des Neiges, Benji's, L'escale Gourmand all good restaurants.
Once you are ready you can head out of 1800 on the transarc and get access to lots of blues from there. All the blues go up to the top which gets you the same views as those doing blacks/reds. There are some really easy blues around the Derby lift accessible by skiing there from 1800.
I am going with 4 kids 8,9,10,11 and my other half. 6 of us has cost us £3300 total excluding food/drink. We are getting eurostar to paris, then TGV down direct to Les Arcs so more relaxing than driving or airport/transfer routes with kids. |
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Poster: A snowHead
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The Dachsteinkonig might fit the bill.
https://www.dachsteinkoenig.at/en/package-in-detail/?id=111459292
100m from the ski lifts and beginner area in Gosau, Dachstein West. It’s not an overly difficult ski area to navigate but you get a good sense of travel. The hotel is a families only set-up providing a wide range of facilities. They also have an in-house ski equipment rental shop. It’s positioned as a more upmarket experience.
Downside? Gosau (an old alpine farming valley) isn’t the liveliest place, though there are a couple of fun Apres bars.
Upside? If you fancy a walk (or snow shoe) or trying Langlauf, there are some fabulous trails all around the Gosau valley. There are also no shortage of more cultural activities/things to see, if a day off the slopes is wanted/needed. Hallstatt (UNESCO village), for example.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Not stayed in them myself, but Brother in Law and family frequently do, but would also suggest Club Med. Plenty of activities, all lessons and ski hire generally included and usually have pool as well.
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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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We liked Montgenevre at that age. Go Montgenevre were good. Cheap, accommodation in apartments with pools. Nice easy blues. Ski to Italy. Fun skidoo night trip to dinner.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I hadn't skied for years and finally persuaded my wife and 2 sons (age 9 and 11) to agree to go skiing last year. We went to Obergurgl in Feb half time 23 and they loved it. Great tuition, slopes are manageable for a beginner, (my sons were skiing from the top of the mountain within 4 days), easy transfer time, lovely hotel (we were at Haus Gurgl) with ski school and lift right outside the hotel. Everyone was so tired in the evening, we just chilled - I had visions of night skiiing yet I stayed by the fire with a red wine  .
We are heading back there this Easter
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Origen, its a bit of a walk to pistes but is good
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Corvara in the dolomites would be my suggestion. Fly to Venice and either transfer or hire car. Lots of hotels, lots of easy progression slopes and great on mountain restaurants. Tends to be cheaper than France at half term as the Italians don't have half term. Just check your dates don't clash with Carnivale.
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1. Les Arcs 1800
2. Val d'Isere
3. Montgenevre
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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My kids are a similar age to yours and skiing is not really my wife’s ideal choice of holiday. As someone else said, Austria has some brilliant hotels aimed at families - often with spa, kids facilities, good food and (importantly for us) family suites with separate bunk bed room for the kids.
We’ve been to Zauchensee, which was a cracking resort, somewhat under the mainstream UK radar. Great skiing, quiet slopes, short transfer from Salzburg. Village is fairly small though - so not much to do off the slopes. We stayed at the Zauchenseehof - the ski school meets there, so it couldn’t be more convenient. Rooms were large, they had activities for kids, good food, albeit that hotel has that traditional Austrian feel an a slightly old-fashioned way. We had a great time. There are other similar hotels in the village.
Last year we went to Obertauern at Easter. Stayed in Das Kohlmayr which was a fabulous hotel. Huge and fantastic adult only spa, plus a separate and really great family spa for kids. Great food, large family rooms, stylish hotel. Not really an organised kids club though. Liked the ski area. Larger village than Zauchensee. Our kids did half day in ski school. There are many other good family hotels in the village.
This year we’re going to the Galtenberg hotel at Alpbach. Similar hotel facilities by the looks of it - lots for kids including a teen room.
Other hotels that were on our radar:
Ellmauhof hotel in Saalbach-Hinterglimm
Hochfilzer in Ellmau
Hotel Baer in Ellmau
Kaiserblick in Ellmau
As an area, I think Alta Badia is somewhere I really want to try for the food, scenery and easy slopes for the family. I’m weighing up Mountain Hotel Mezdi and Wellness Hotel Gran Risa.
Post Alpina on Drei Zinnen also gets good reviews.
Things I’ve prioritised on a very similar criteria to you:
1. Short transfer (for the kids)
2. Nice hotels - half board - pool / spa (my wife will typically ski a couple of hours then call it quits for the day)
3. Avoided the mega resorts (typically in France) as we look for places with quieter pistes and not clashing with other countries’ school holidays.
I’m sure you’ll get lots of other great advice and I’ll be watching this thread with interest for my own research purposes!
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This sounds like Alpe d'Huez to me. Gondola up, wide green runs down. There are two simple village lifts to help get from your hotel to the base. If I was with a first time skier I take them there
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FAQ
and nice first post 