 Poster: A snowHead
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Do you find weekend accommodation fairly easy to book?
Just wondering if it's harder as resorts are generally set up for week long stays?
Looking at something near Geneva for March/April...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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One thing with weekend accommodation to remember is that it splits 2 weeks up, a lot of places aren't willing to do that a long way in advance but will take anyting they can get when it gets nearer the time.
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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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It can be tricky in some resorts but if there aren't too many of you can usually find something if you persevere.
eg: we couldn't get into Saalbach with 14 of us in January and had to go to Mayrhofen but I'm expecting to be able to find something in Saalbach in a couple of weeks with only 4 of us.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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GordonFreeman, other than Xmas and half-term you shouldn't have a problem - hotels will always fit you in if they can and, generally, resort Tourist Offices will be able to help out (particularly close to the time). Certainly for March you should be able to find something and I'm not sure Easter will be that busy this year (unless there's a huge snowstorm and subsequent powder frenzy!).
Assume you've got flights to Geneva booked - in which case you have huge choice of resorts and can probably leave it quite late to book accom (so long as your dates are pre-Easter). If you're hiring a car you can look at some of the towns in the valleys to give you more choice still (e.g. Annecy is a beautiful place to stay).
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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 have had a MARE trying to get accom for a quick 4 day break over easter. I have emailed every chalet in les arcs, 3v and Tignes, they all say email me a week before you fly.
I have got a nice place a little down the hill from Tignes les lac, but I will have a car
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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ajbaldwin, We had a similar problem trying to find somewhere in the 3v in the end we have booked an appartment for the week although we were only going to use it for 4 nights although we have now extended that to 5.
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as someone has already mentioned, long weekends normally split up two weekly periods. you may have some luck if you begin your trip on a saturday. easyjet run flights leaving around 6am on Sat mornings, so if well planned, you could be on the slopes by 11am (have previously made it to my place by 10am). you may struggle somewhat with easter (6th-9th April) meaning that 31st March to 14th April are school holidays so flights are expensive and less accomodation is available.
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don't forget French resorts will be very busy till March 10th - still school holidays. But even out of school holidays it can be difficult; I was not able to book an apartment over a long weekend in Les Gets in mid January a few weeks ago, even though there was masses of empty accommodation. The tourist office simply refused to discuss it, effectively, insisting on Sat-Sat bookings. I did find a place in the end but we had to pay for quite a more than we could use. Are other countries more flexible than the French? It's another reason to get your own apartment!
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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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There are places available but it seems like this has to be in the bigger resorts like Chamonix.
Do you think it's easier to ring up locally than book online (more choice available) ?
All I'm worried about is booking the flights and leaving it so late that we can only get accommodation in a resort that has crap snow.
Obviously, most resorts within 1-2 hours of Geneva are gonna be popular !
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Wed 21-02-07 15:34; edited 1 time in total
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GordonFreeman, Given that Easter is in early April this year, everybody I know who do weekend packages were booked up months ago....I suspect you will find somewhere, but might not be picked from the top drawer...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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GordonFreeman, i think you'll be fine if you have a car and are willing to do a drive from your accom to the slopes every day
close to GVA we have sorted w/e accom in Cham, Grand Masiv, Les Houches etc with no probs
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You know it makes sense.
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What about ski bus or walk to lifts ? 
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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 will do short breaks/weekends with flexible start and finish days, but not in all properties in all resorts. The problem, as has been pointed out, is that the break can often be cutting across two weeks, leaving unusable/unsellable days at either end hence the need to charge more than a straightforward division of a 7 day cost, divided by 4/5 or however long the trip is. Start days of Saturday/Sunday are easier and often cheaper than if you arrive on a Thursday and leave on Monday for example
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Poster: A snowHead
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Surely enterprising chalet & appartment owners can make more money like this - break a week into Fri-Mon and sell it at say 70% of the week's price then sell the rest at 60% to those who like the cheap mid week flights? More admin/changeover cost but a big potential market that is inadequately served at the moment. It means that even in a hard to fill week you are virtually guaranteed the weekend to be booked and actually you can afford more voids anyway.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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fatbob, This is essentially what we do with some properties but can only do it with the properties we own/control for the season. For the others, we too are dealing with the French agents who don't seem to want to recognise this niche. I think in essence, that they don't want the hassle and it can be a hassle at times. This week for example one property has 3 different groups in on short breaks - one leaves, we do the changeover and the other arrives an hour or two later, and then again at the weekend. However, we recognise that there is a market hence why we roll our sleeves up and do it! 
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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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fatbob, I do this with my apartment. I offer a weekly price,with Sunday changeover, and a nightly price (minimum of 3 nights) , except during the UK school holidays. We have been fully booked for all available nights apart from 2 weeks in January, from 15th December until 7th April. From 25th Feb until 18th March (when we start our stay there, is all a combination of short breaks. It has worked well this winter, with no odd vacant nights. One enquirer changed her required dates to suit my vacant dates. We did the same last winter, but had 5 nights spare in mid-March, which we took the opportunity to use ourselves.
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