 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello everyone! Glad to see you’ve all been looking after the place while I’ve been away (doing ‘summer’ things – eughhh!), and that snowheads is thriving. Hopefully I’ll be able to spend a bit more time here again now the clocks have gone back!
Anyway, I need to pick your collective brains for a bit of advice. I’m thinking of going skiing on my own for Christmas for a week. It would be the first time I’ve ever been on a skiing holiday on my own, and also my first time at Christmas. It’ll need to be fairly cheap (as I’m already booked on two pricier trips in January and March) so I’d be hoping to book a last minute deal, ideally leaving mid-week the week before Christmas so as not to have to take too much time off work. I’d also want to be in a chalet (or possibly a ‘chalet hotel’) as I guess this is a more sociable option for a ‘lone traveller’ (god – that makes me sound really sad!). So, I’d be really grateful for your experiences and opinions, particularly with regard to the following:
- Will I have any chance of finding a late deal (i.e. less than a week before departure) for Christmas, or will all beds in the good resorts have been sold by then?
- Most tour operators are selling 19th to 26th December. Does anyone know any that are operating mid-week to mid-week (I’ve only found Ski Beat so far)?
- What about resorts? As I’ve never been away that early before I’m not really too sure about snow conditions in December, although as I’ll be booking late I guess I can watch the snow reports. Any thoughts?
- For a slightly more sociable experience I’d thought that a room-share would be the best option. Any ideas which operators actively promote room-sharing (I know of Mark Warner & Ski France)?
As you can probably tell I’m a bit apprehensive about this trip! Basically what I’d be looking for is good skiing and some friendly company (I know there are no guarantees when it comes to chalet mates, but as long as I’m not sharing with either a stag party or the Glasgow fire brigade I should be okay!). All your thoughts would be gratefully received.
Cheers all,
Dave
PS: Apologies if this should be in the 'trips' forum - U feel free to move it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Dave, pm me I'm sure we can help you. We've already got some snowheads with us over Christmas.
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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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Thanks David - I've PMed you and dropped you an e-mail.
If anyone knows of any cheap flights to Geneva at Christmas I'd be grateful!
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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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There has been some publicity that Christmas is proving hard to sell and that discounting has begun. I would have thought that there would be some good bargains to be found.
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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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To answer your questions -
1) IMHO a late deal is always possible for a lone traveller, even at christmas and new year.
2) Can't help you with the mid-week to mid-week thing.
3) It can be quite variable snow conditions at that time of year, so choose a higher resort. Even better, leave it until the day before, and book for somewhere that you know has had snow.
4) I often travel as a lone traveller, there's no need to share a room with a stranger in order to make friends, and you never know quite who you are going to end up sharing with. If you book late then the trick is not so much finding a tour operator who will find someone for you to room share with, but more finding one who will let you have sole occupancy of a double room at no extra charge.
I go skiing alone in the week before christmas every year, my advice would be, to bite the bullet and go for it, it's great fun.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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a lot of tour operators are doing Thursday to Thursdat on the 23rd Dec this year as Xmas day is a Saturday. This should make part weeks or odd weeks possible.
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Glasgow Firebrigade are jolly good fun *ahem* 
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Don't rely on last minute snow reports - go somewhere with a reliable snow record. I've seen satisfactory snow cover disappear in a few hours of heavy rain in a low resort at that time of year - not to mention the misery of being out on the lifts in those conditions. 
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