Has any one ever been with AlpineElements?

A snowHead

Not in the biblical sense of course Toofy Grin

We're looking at a new year in Courchevel 1650..

A snowHead

I've been with them several times with mixed results. They started off as Snowboard Lodge and offered an excellent personalised service. Edging and all tech-facilities was in-chalet and there was real camaraderie between boarders and staff who knew their stuff. Without wishing to get into the skier/boarder thing, the company expanded and that led to a more inclusive offering staffed by A-level students who have worked a week or two in the local pub. Last year I was in a protracted financial dispute with them over what they offered via their website and what I found in reality, so I do have an axe to grind somewhat. However, when all is said and done, they are a friendly organisation and as good as any other operator. Just don't waste your money on Luxury options!

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

My friend has done a season with them in Tignes and she said that they were terrible. Didn't attempt to organise anything about her trip, she had to do alot of following up.

Have heard similar horror stories about thier summer months.

However I don't know about single weeks with them.

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Heard alot of bad stuff about them over the years. Any company who has to change their name must be iffy.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

They are very litigious apparently having threatened websites which have published damning personal reviews of their services. Caveat Emptor.

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Perfect just what a forum is all about..sharing both good and bad experiences…. thanks guys and girls

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Stayed with them in Vallandry in a very average chalet that in no way matched the description on the website, i recall the race to get the best bedroom when everyone rejected the 1st room as far to small only to realise a few seconds too late once it had been taken that it was the only room with a window. We found the level of service to be pretty basic and the food no better than ok, i know from acquaintances in the industry that their business model has been to expand as fast as possible and it showed from the obvious lack of budget directed at most areas of the overall service.

After all it is free

The lack of windows sounds like a good metaphor for their relations with the public.

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As far as I remember, Nick L is going with alpine elements to tignes next season?

I was put in contact with them about a possible job, but a little reading up helped me decide that it wasnt such a good option.

I suppose it will be a little late for Nicks report when he gets back next year then...

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

cfc5mu0, i stayed at 1650 with them and it was cr*P, nuff said

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Ok they are out then!

Ski Beat anyone?

You know it makes sense.

If in 1650 try Ski Olympic

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

A snowHead

fatbob, better than Neilsen who held a welcome meeting in a hotel 10 minutes walk from our chalet, 30 minutes before we actually arrived in the resort. Or Crystal who delivered ourllift passes to the wrong family, so we all ended up unable to ski that morning, with kids missing their lessons. Skiworld were great when we went to Les Arcs with them.

A snowHead

Was that AE?

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

Holy Moly, opened a can of worms here.. sufficed to say we are not now intending on booking with AE....If your google them "alpine elements reviews" they get slaughtered 3rd link down on google a snowboard club uk link it makes this thread look like a recommendation...

I will say we went last year with Ski Amis and they where great but our party size is a bit smaller this year..

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cfc5mu0, What a mauling! Link here

Edit: I should add also, they coughed up in the end for mis-representing accommodation.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

OOps friends of mine have just booked Les Gets with them for Easter.....and I'm going too! Shocked

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Generally in life its my experience that poo poo sticks for a reason. What seems to be sad is that there are a never ending stream of new punters to be taken for suckers by the less upstanding citizens of the world rolling eyes

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saxabar, I'm just reading that thread Shocked

After all it is free

I see this thread is now at 6 and 7 on google

We just got back from one of the worst package holidays I have ever been on with Alpine Elements. The skiing was great and the people in our chalet wonderful which really saved the day considering the everything provided by Alpine Elements was awful.

Resort - Tignes Le Breviere

- Transfer unorganised
- Food - ABSOLUTELY DIRE - child portions / bland / not as mentioned in their manuals
- Chalet host - miserable / unknowledable / in-interested - never offered to cook hot breakfast
- Sauna/jacuzza etc - souness / often not working
- Rooms - tiny / stuff not working - LOADS of people crammed into very small chalets - no space
- Staff very unhelpful including jeep driver

Overally I would NEVER book with them again

Most of the staff have come over from Benidorm or Ibiza where they were doing PR for bars and it showed

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Went with AE to Les Arcs 2000 last March - Chalet Altitude. Overall they provided a pretty good service and I don't remember any gripes - by me or by others in the chalet. The chalet DID look bigger in the website piccies and the room was pretty tiny (no surprise there then). But the service, food, transfer, care and support were good - loads of tasty grub - important to me!! Laughing

My mate broke his arm the second day (doh!) and they were very helpful, both at the time and subsequently. So personally my impression was good.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

We called them last year regarding a "family holiday" which they advertised as being specialist in. Sadly the person on the end of the phone didn't really seem to understand the first thing about what it means to take children on a ski holiday. He couldn't answer basic questions about the rooms, the hotel or the resort. We were put off by this and went with our instinct not to book.

I must say their brochure *looks* really nice though.

Sorry to hear about your poor experience ella.

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I think the main thing was that they charged us over £800 for the week of which we paid based on it being a premium holiday - when infact it is all very budget. Had I only have paid budget prices their services would not have been so bad. But moody chalet hosts, crammed conditions, and bad food is unacceptible especially from a company whose website and marketing materials look so special. It is mis representation.

I'm really getting worried now. Better read the restaurants in Les Gets thread Confused

You know it makes sense.

halfhand, can't you change? have you only paid deposit?

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

Having just come back from a week in Chamonix with Alpine Elements - I would say that holiday-ing with them is not only an unpleasant experience, but also a hazardous one. The food was disgusting, plugs were hanging off walls, the shutter fell off a window nearly decpitating a 'guest' and we were told if we went in the hot tub, 'the chemicals could kill us'!! Not quite what the brochure described!!

A snowHead

Just thought I'd update snowHead

on my Alpine Elements experience. Thanks for the prompt admin wink

I think I have referred to my trip with Alpine Elements in a couple of threads but probably only as to how I and my daughter thought Les Gets was a great resort. However, for the sake of clarity can I say that I enjoyed my holiday to Les Gets. Alpine Elements were fine as a company although my daughter and I did have to make our own arrangments to get back to GVA when we had originally thought we had paid for transfer (this was due to our requirement for flexibility rather tha Alpine Element's intransigence and all was fine in the end). I was in a party of 17 staying in Chalet La Seigneurie in Les Gets. This chalet is advertised as a luxury chalet but my group as a whole felt that the rooms were rather on the small side for 17 and the luxury touches stretched the point somewhat. However, everyone was adequately accommodated I believe and only the kids were inconvenienced to a small degree which I think they enjoyed.

The transfer to resort was handled professionally and the chalet staff were pleasant and courteous. They were sufficiently flexible to allow my 14yr old daughter to eat with the adults rather than take early tea with the kids. The cooking and food standard was adequate.

On the whole a good experience with Alpine Elements and not the horror story that I was fearful of based on some of the posts above. I think, however, that more clarity on the sizes of bedrooms and accommodation should be included in their advertising/chalet plans would be helpful.

I haven't communicated this direct to Alpine Elements since I had no major gripes and the holiday was organised by another member of our party.

By way of comparison I have only ever been on a similar chalet holiday once before. This was with Silverski to La Plagne. Comparing both organisations and holidays I would say that Silverski were of a better standard and than Alpine Elements.