 Poster: A snowHead
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Think i'm stuck in a rut?
Started ski-ing 3 seasons ago after a 10 year layoff. I went to Courchevel 1850 in basic accomodation. The Hotel was the Catina, and I got what I expected. location fine, food abismal, and much loutish behavious (from others).
Loved the area though, so much so I went back next year but to a real hotel. I stayed at the Mark Warner Dahu. Last season did 3 resorts on the same trip.
VT - Bel Horizon , Excellent hotel, resort souless, but considering the weather there was SNOW!
CV 1650 - Telemark, Seasonaires delight,but not the place to visit on your own. Warm and very wet at 1650!
CV 1850 - Coq du Bruyere, hotel was adequate. CV1850 was its usually self
Although the 3V's overall gives me what I want, I think it may be time for a change.
Any other resorts \regions and hotels come to mind guys?
I'm trying to assess where I could go that gives me a similar comfort factor and ease of ski-ing. My hit list\ Comparrison list is:-
Gone are the days where I'm prepared to get a bus or wait on a hotel minibus.
If I cannot ski back to the hotel and still be in the resort, its a none starter.
Snow sure > 1800m
Other comparrisons:-
In Courchevel terms, the Dahu is a lower to mid range priced hotel. £850pw (expensive to me though)
Hotel was comfortable and I found the MW staff professional and nothing was too much trouble.
Single room (sad I know) bath definately not just a shower.
Close to main lift and slopes in 1850 its 100m
A variety of slopes and extremes, cruisey blues to 'Oh My god' type conditions
Ideally driveable and if so, underground parking a must.
Just writing this I realise i'm asking a lot. Does anyone have recommendations?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you enjoyed the setup and skiing of Courchevel you might also enjoy Val d'Isere. Similarly large and varied ski domain, ski back to the resort, hotels within walking distance of lifts, as easy to drive to as Courchevel with bookable underground parking. Mark Warner have three or four large chalet-hotels if you want to stay with them.
As an alternative approach, why not join the Mid-Season Bash with fellow snowHeads in Wengen? It's taking place 8th-15th March and if you're happy to share a room you won't have to pay the dreaded 'single supplement'! More details in the "snowEvents" section.
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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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BMF_Skier, I would suggest two options.
One of the Sport Hotels in Soldeu or as rob says the MSB in Wengen.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Any suggestions welcome. Re Val Disere, several of The Mark Warner hotels are not available during Jan and March 2008. Only one of the two remaining is in the center, Le Val D'Isere> The other Cygnaski requires a bus ride. I am going to look at other TOPs as well. Val D is now on the list
Holiday has to be Jan 2008 , first week in Feb latest, so the MSB is out. I'll take a look at Wengen anyway. Isn't Wengen a train \ bus ride away from the slopes?
Soldeu, Andora wouldnt have been be on the list, the drive would be a bitch! But again I will take another look.
Thanks for the advice.
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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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BMF_Skier,
If you like CV keep going there, I found that my wallet hemorrhaged when I went and the snow was terrible.
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Soldeu, Andora wouldnt have been be on the list, the drive would be a bitch!
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 Why? would you be starting from Turkey or similar?
Stockport United Kingdom Canillo (Soldeu)
Andorra 1005.34 ml 17:13 h
Stockport United Kingdom 73120 Saint-Bon-Tarentaise (Courchevel 1850)
France 896.38 ml 15:30 h
From www.Map24.com
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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What about Avoriaz?
-Similar height to Courchevel
-Car free resort with covered parking
-Large area with wide variety
-All ski to door with a couple of Hotels (Dromonts, Falaise.)
Also:
-Short transfer
-Bit cheaper than Courchevel (though not as up-market)
Having been to both Courchevel and Avoriaz I prefer the latter. 
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| BMF_Skier wrote: |
Isn't Wengen a train \ bus ride away from the slopes?
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No, Wengen is half way up the mountain, traffic free, and the the cog railway is the main way up the mountain (and continues on up through the Eiger).
La Plagne doesn't have much in the way of tough skiing unless you ski off piste (which it has lots of).
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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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| Dypcdiver wrote: |
BMF_Skier,
If you like CV keep going there, I found that my wallet hemorrhaged when I went and the snow was terrible.
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Take on board your distance comparrison, but having experience of travelling to north Spain via Paris over the Massive Central in winter, it can be a little interesting to say the least.
The costs in CV can be excessive, its certainly not 18\30 on snow! The whole point of my question is guaging other resorts to Courchevel. I'd rather pay for quality, including the hotel, rather than slum it. I've had to go budget many times, I think now I deserve a little more luxury.
I've heard many good reports of Androra, but it has never appealed to me. Shame you had poor snow in CV 1850, if you did then most of the other French resorts must have been in a terrible state. I remember Jan 2007, some resorts in Andora were in effect closed and people being bussed to the highest ones. The times I have been to CV1850, I never have mised a day, and if there was an issue in one valley, you just hop to the next. I must have been spoilt!
As I said i'm going to late a closer look at Soldeu. Still interested in feed back of other resorts.
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gwaelod,
Whats the situation of hotel accomodation in Les Arc or La Plagne? Thought this was mostly appartments?
snowball,
Wengen -Whats the game with driving there? I take it you park up, then train to Wengen?
marmalade, Avoriaz, another one worth a look.
Internet searches underway.....
If anyone one has particular hotel recommendationsin each of these areas I appreciate feedback.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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BMF_Skier,
I don't know if this will be much help but I can't help thinking that your resort requirements are a little bizarre. You seem to be travelling alone but by car. If you enjoy driving why are you not prepared to drive a little further? If you dont enjoy the drive and I would be tired travelling that distance why bother? For one person flights and train transfer would be much cheaper, and for me a lot more relaxing.
Slope side accommodation again you pay a lot of money for. You can usually pay to leave your equipment close to the lifts and a short walk before skiing loosens the muscles for the days skiing. Swiss and especially Austrian hotels are by and large far better and more luxurious at a given price level than French ones. You are missing out on an awful lot of good resorts and skiing by sticking to high purpose built French resorts.
If you have to stay slopeside I would suggest as a possibility Oberlech in Austria most of whose hotels are ski in ski out and whose skiing fit your criteria, it also has an excellent snow record.
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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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BMF_Skier,
Have to be honest we have only stayed in catered chalets in the Paradski area through TO's. We did a short break in Mrach where we stayed in a small hotel in Montchavin. It wasn't the best. There were a fair few hotels in the area but none seemed to bothered by short breaks. If you go the accomodadtion section of the Les Arcs website you can search under hotels.
http://www.lesarcs.com/?lang=en
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You know it makes sense.
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If you are looking at Belle Plagne I would avoid the Mercure, overpriced and not particularly good quality on my stay.
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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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Personally think that an independently run catered chalet would be a better option than a hotel. You get to meet like minded people and accomadation normally a very good standard.
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Poster: A snowHead
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T Bar, I dont think my requirements are bizarre at all, either traveling alone or with someone else.
I do like driving but i'm trying not to exhaust myself unnecessarily. I drive for many reasons, for example.... i go early and come back days later, I decide when and where I travel, what route and can vary it at will, I'm not treated like another member of the herd, no waiting around for that late flight from Glasgow, no 5:00am depart from the resort hotel, with planning I get a full days ski-ing on arrival and departure day, I can carry as much ski gear or clothing as i require, no suppliments, no risk of lost or delayed baggage, when i have traveled with another then stop offs on the way are a pleasant diversion and add to the experience rather than detract, I can combine the holiday with a beer, wine and fags pickup..... (pause for breath...) it's all personal choice.
Switzerland is a possibility.
Ive been to Austria many times, One excellent hotel was the Edelweiss + Gurgl in Obergurgl, although small and its more expensive than the Dahu. I'll take a look at Oberlech now.
Being close to the slopes is more what i'm after, not necessary slope side. Near the base lift is ok. I just want to make things easy. I've done the short 500m walk to lifts, waiting in bus queues, crowded buses, that is not my idea fun just a bind. In fact one 'slopeside' hotel I stayed at was a 30 min walk up hill, unless you skied a particular run at the end of the day!
So if there's anyone out there with experience of Courchevel and other similar resorts i'd appreciate the feedback. 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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BMF_Skier, hubby and I prefer to drive too, and no, we don't find it exhausting,, overnight stops being part of our holiday as well as the skiing. This summer we found a lovely hotel with cheapish rooms (75 euros for a double including a huge breakfast buffet) in a small champagne village ( Ambonnay), and an equally good one in Chalons, with supberb home-made pastries for breakfast. Dog welcome in all.
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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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BMF_Skier,
Not trying to critcise your method of travel so much as understand why. I would point out that you can have pretty much all of the advantages listed other than unlimited luggage by using air travel independantly rather than tour operator travel which like you I am not a huge fan of.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| BMF_Skier wrote: |
gwaelod,
Whats the situation of hotel accomodation in Les Arc or La Plagne? Thought this was mostly appartments?
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Lots of apartments in Les Arcs, but also a number of hotels. A friend stayed in the Hotel La Vanoise in Peisey and enjoyed it, I think staying in a single room. It's ski in/out, just a few seconds from a chairlift into the Les Arcs ski domain, or the Vanoise Express cablecar across to La Plagne. Apparently the restaurant was very nice and it is a short walk from the Flying Squirrel bar owned by Will who posts here as Flying Squirrel; it might be worth contacting him directly as he has lots of accommodation contacts in the resort. In Arc 1800 the Grand Hotel Paradiso and the Hotel Golf are both well situated for skiing and resort access. Other Les Arc villages also offer hotels, the Les Arcs website has details.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Val d'Isere.
Tignes.
Les Arcs 1800.
La Plagne.
Alpe d'Huez.
Isola 2000.
Avoriaz.
Obergurgl.
Hochgurgl.
Cervinia.
Sestriere.
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gwaelod, we enjoyed a similar experience on a self-drive trip to La Plagne a few years ago. We opted to ski on the Saturday, and left the resort about 4pm instead of the morning. We stopped for lunch and were the only customers.
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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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BMF_Skier, Mark Warner have a very nice hotel here too .... ski in, ski out, or a chairlift to very close to the hotel if you don't want to either ski black (at 3 weeks that's probably not on your list), or run the gauntlet of the road down (Chemin des demoiselles).
I should mention that you say> 1800m and this is not necessary for the resort. You may want high skiing, but a high resort is not necessary. What is important is that there's sufficient skiing above 1800m or so, and good transport to/from resort if another year like last year occurs. However I'm certain that last winter was a blip.
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easiski,
Which resort are you referring to? I assume LDA? Hotel Berangere? It was booked for the week I wanted.
BTW, This will be my 4th year back ofter a 15+ year layoff. I wish i could afford more time and money to do more. I have nearly 30 weeks holidays and 100's of hours on dry and indoor snow, so the occassional black (just to get the blood pumping) is sometimes useful!  What slows me down and screws the technique is arthritis, even at 47 (im now classed as an old git apparently!) it's a real bug*er to ski the way I want to, one bad twist and i can be stopped for days! 
In the general scheme of things, I know these numbers are really insignificant, but I trying to make the most of it. So, I dont do walking, that causes me the most discomfort and after effects are worse than most people realise.
I do expect good snow down to ski resort level, thats part of my personal holiday insurance. You see, I had years of following the herd to the low resorts, taking lifts down (due to poor snow cover)or the kamikaze icy runs to resort, then buses to and from the lifts (particularly in austria), and long walks. That was before I could afford to be more selective.
I'm still going over the earlier posted suggestions. May even give MW a call back for LDA. many thanks for the suggestions.
I to hope last year was a blip!
TTFN. 
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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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FAQ
), high up accomadation so you can ski to the door. Best stay Les Arc side but with the Vanoise Express you can easily get to La Plagne. No buses needed. 
I'll be back soon I'm just off to order my coffin 