 Poster: A snowHead
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I wonder if any snowheads can give me some info.
We were booked into an apartment in Val Thorens for the week before Easter (31/3 - 7/4).
The owners (Pierre & Vacances) have e-mailed me to say that we cannot now have the apartment as they have had a massive water leak flooding the apartments!  They have offered me some alternatives and the best bet seems to be an apartment in Reberty 1850 in Les Menuires down the valley. I know nothing about Reberty and wondered if anybody could give me some info.
Val Thorens was our ideal 1st choice as we wanted ski-in ski-out and was a good bet for our mixed ability group (my wife is a'wobbly second weeker'.) It is over 15 years since I last went to the 3 valleys and can not remember much about things further down the valley.
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hawkeye, We are in Reberty 2000 the same week  . We went last year and loved it. It is generally excellent for access to the slopes, we are ski in/out. it is sunny, cheaper, and not as busy as Val Thorens. Down side is that night life is very quiet if you want that type of thing. Dont know about lessons but their seems to be a smaller selection of ski schools. Plenty of easy stuff for the Mrs Especially off the Roc de Trois Marche Gondola and over to St Martin.
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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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In my view you're being offered something inferior (in terms of skiing and resort - don't know about the accommodation) so I'd present two options:
1. That Pierre & Vacances should grant you a full refund, so you can make an open choice of an alternative (having researched this beforehand).
2. That they should provide you with a part refund if you take up their option (which they are clearly having difficulty selling).
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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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Hawkeye, David Goldsmith, Before asking for a refund consider that it is UK and local French school holidays. |We are going with Silver Ski and they have almost 60 beds in Reberty2000, all of which were sold by last May. Add to this that conditions are fantastic at the moment and folks will be booking fast.
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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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We stayed in Les Bruyeres, just below Reberty over Christmas and drank too much got lost and ended up in Reberty on our way home..I would say it is ski in ski out.
All of the Les Menuires "villages" are very close to each other in fact La croisette, Reberty, Les Buryeres are along the same path and are perfectly walkable without ski boots..but don't let that put you off..It does give you access to a great ski area..VT is easy to get to and La Masse is very easy..
Like the other reviewers say try to get a discount..
Google for a review of the specific apartments..I think they are called Residence Les Valmonts
What you need to be careful of is where the apartments are as the Pisteurs keep their Piste bashing equipment up near Reberty 2000 and I understand it can get noisy in the night where they are starting up the tractors etc..
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for the replies everyone.
I don't think the full refund is really an option this late in the day as Frosty the Snowman says. Everywhere seems pretty full from the initial enquiries I made and we are already booked on the Saturday Eurostar, transfers organised etc. I will defintely ask for a refund though! To be fair, they were not just trying to fob me off with Les Menuires and did offer alternatives in Meribel and Courchevel 1650- but I would prefer the Belleville Valley.
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| Hawkeye wrote: |
Thanks for the replies everyone.
I don't think the full refund is really an option this late in the day as Frosty the Snowman says. Everywhere seems pretty full from the initial enquiries I made and we are already booked on the Saturday Eurostar, transfers organised etc. I will defintely ask for a refund though! To be fair, they were not just trying to fob me off with Les Menuires and did offer alternatives in Meribel and Courchevel 1650- but I would prefer the Belleville Valley. |
Strikes me that they are being as reasonable as they can be. Perhaps a case for some credit to reflect your chosen apartment. Are they of equivalent grading etc. I've always liked the couchevel valleys, but there is loads of great skiing in both. If you have got wobbly skiers in your group Courchevel 1650 would be a fantastic place to be based. I have never skied in to Reberty to be able to compare but FTS is skiing there and obviously knows that area well.
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dan100, On with the skis, ski down to La Masse lifts and you are at the top of one of 3vs "hidden" gems before you have finshed chewing your breakfast.
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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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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| dan100, On with the skis, ski down to La Masse lifts and you are at the top of one of 3vs "hidden" gems before you have finshed chewing your breakfast. |
Only ever skied down Jeruslam once and wanted to do it again but lift queue put us off. If I was a wealthy man I would love a chalet in St Martin. Nice village, nice restaurants , fab run home and access to all that skiing. You can tell its a bad day in the office and unlike some I can only wangle one week's skiing.
To rub it today, I was meeting a client whose wife loves skiing and her sister runs/owns a hotel in Megeve and whose father-in-law has a chalet there. Now where did I go wrong 
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Frosty the Snowman, Ease off a bit on La Masse! Hawkeye, has a mixed ability group and the top of La Masse is (to my eyes anyway) a steep black.
I agree it is great, but I usually find myself with an embrass de vitesse going down there, usually only rectified by a snowdrift.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I stayed in Reberty a few years ago and would say it was preferable to Val Thorens - nicer area, and the lifts seemed quiter than when we headed up to Val thoren.
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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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Hawkeye,
Let us know what the outcome is - whether you get any credit and how satisfied you were with the alternative.
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Well Reberty it is but am still negotiating the discount!
Thanks for all the positive comments about the place which certainly helped me make up my mind. The whole experience certainly brought into focus the pros and cons of DIY holidays if/when things go amiss. This is the 2nd DIY trip I have organised (last years went without a hitch) but it has not put me off. Infact, I did wonder what would have happened if we had been booked on a package with a tour operator. I suspect the 1st we would have known about it is when we stepped onto the transfer bus and been told where we were being relocated to.
Just one last request Frosty the Snowman if you don't mind. We are in Reberty 1850. I have re-organised our ski hire from a shop in 2000. Is it a reasonable walk up the hill or should we wait for the shuttle bus?!
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You know it makes sense.
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Hawkeye, We have arranged ski hire at http://www.sports1850.com/Index?lang=en so perhaps we should wave as we pass 
AIR the only ski hire in 2000 is the Leo Lacroix skiset shop. It is a long steep uphill walk and the only way AIR is via the road. I would get the bus. It is 50m from the bus stop and visible from the road. Take a rucksack and ski back down.
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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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Thanks Frosty and have a good week!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
Hawkeye,
Let us know what the outcome is - whether you get any credit and how satisfied you were with the alternative. |
Well, we got back home after our week in Reberty to find a cheque from Pierre & Vacances waiting for us for 350 euros - which basically was the difference in price for the apartments. Whilst I was pleased they had sent it so quickly, it obviously did not compensate us for the inconvenience or disappointment at not being able to go to our chosen resort so I wrote to them suggesting a figure of 500 euros might be more appropriate. I had just about given up hope of getting anything out of them when a letter arrived today with a voucher enclosed giving us 500 euros off a booking for next year. So at the end of the day, full credit to Pierre & Vacances for pretty good customer service.
As for Reberty, we were reasonably impressed. It was a long hike over to Val T and the better snow for my wife & sister and the long run back thro' the slush at the end of a tiring day was a chore but the resort itself was a pleasant surprise. My wife commented on how fewer Brits there were around and the restaurants were considerably cheaper than all the 'big name' French resorts we have been to.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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