 Poster: A snowHead
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Has anybody skied in Slovakia before particularly near Poprad and wheres the best places to go.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I skied at jasna for 2 weeks in March this year. I have posted a review in the resort review section on here. I really enjoyed it and would go back, we had good snow for the first week with conditions getting worse during the second week then 2 huge dumps just before we left so we were skiing in waist deep powder on the last day  It is very, very cheap and the slopes were pretty quiet apart from 1 day when we maybe had to wait 10 minutes to get on the 6 person lift but the other lifts were quiet. if you are the sort of person who never likes to ski the same run twice then don't go, you will ski it in 1 or 2 days, the runs are really nice though and there are couple which are about 3kms long which were fun. We never went over to the other side as the lift was never running when we were there but the freeride area at the top was really good. Food was excellent, ski/board hire very high quality, not sure about instruction, we had 2 who seemed ok but I don't think they belonged to the offical ski school who you see on the website which is www.jasna.sk
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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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I've been to the resorts near Poprad in the summer... I'd say that the ski-ing looks very limited (even compared to Jasna) , the mountains extremely beautiful, and the resorts a mixed bag (Tatranska Lomnica being more aesthetically appealing that Stary Smokovec). There was a massive storm in 2004 that ripped up a lot of the forests, which means that the area isn't quite as pretty as it once was. If you have a car you could stay in Zdiar www.zdiar.sk which is a lovely village, with some pretty good nursery slopes of it's own.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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lynseyf, lynseyf, Hi can you tell me whether you went independantly if so where did you fly from and where abouts did you stay. I have located a house for rent from an english couple but could do with some more information. Thanks michelle
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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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Hi,
yes I went independently, the TO really rip you off.
I flew with SkyEurope from Stanstead to Poprad then rented a chalet in Jasna, right on the slopes. I got the person we rented to arrange the airport transfer for us as well, I think it only took about 1 hr. There is a massive Tesco just outside Poprad so we stopped off in there and stocked up on some food and booze, its much better than out Tescos, there was ski equipment and live fish for sale!
I spent a lot of time googling ski jasna, ski apartment jasna, ski chalet jasna, ski bungalow jasna etc. etc. You get the idea. Most of the Slovakian websites have English translations, just look for the little uUion Jack or en in a corner. I've got to say the Slovakian websites were far easier to use as an English speaker than the ones I have been using to book my holiday in Austria this year.
I take it you have seen www.Jasna.sk?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have taken a look at that website. I am communicating with a couple of people one is in Vazec near poprad airport they own apartments/houses but unless we get a good deal on the flights we will not go. We are also cutting it fine if we want to go early January.
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Yeah, we booke dour flights a lot earlier than this to go in March 2007, Sky Europe are the only airline that fly to Poprad so they get booked up pretty quickly. You can still fly to Bratislava but it would be more of a transfer once you got there. If you stayed near poprad airport you would have quite a travel to go skiing every day thoug, it was very flat around there, I would imagine a least 1 hour every day???
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The apartments are about 20 mins drive from poprad. The owners have told me the nearest ski area is strbske pleso and tatranska straba. Not knowing anything about Slovakia I am relying on their information. I do not want to book and find out we have to drive for hours to the ski resorts. I will be in contact with one of the owners at the weekend by telephone so hopefully they will give me all the information I need. Thanks for your help.
Michelle
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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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michellecarl, I have skied most of the 'major' Slovak resorts. I am glad to recommend you a resort near Poprad. I need to know your level of skiing and prefences.
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There are two adults who are intermediate, 1 adult beginner near Intermediate and 10 year old who is intermediate. We enjoy skiing comfortable runs with some challenges. Any information would be grately appreciated.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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michellecarl, OK, I suggest that you should try Chopok-Jasna in The Low-Tatras, the largest resort in Slovakia.
The Poprad Airport is closer to the High-Tatras, but skiing is limited there.
Strbske Pleso has only a few kms of runs. I do not think it is enough for a week.
Tatranska Lomica is notarious for long queues for the lift, but they have a real good black piste above Skalnate Pleso.
Zdiar is my favourite village in the Tatras, beautiful as on postcards, but the pistes are only for beginners.
The official site for Jasna.
http://www.jasna.sk/ (Click EN on the right)
A very good Slovak site for searching for accomodation.
http://www.limba.com/en/slovakia
And this link is only for accomodation near Chopok-Jasna from the same site
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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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thanks for that, I now have loads of research to do before we make our decision, thanks for everyones help.
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You know it makes sense.
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Jasna
I can not give an authoritative review as it snowed for almost the entire week. We did expect, from general weather records that sunshine would be less then the norm for the Alps, but the top of the mountain was shrouded in mist for all but an hour of the five days we were there. Areas towards the top of the mountain are largely unpisted and I did not want to lose any of the children, so we were confined to the lower slopes below 1670m on the North side of Chopok. The little we did see of the surrounding mountains suggested it was very scenic, but I am not sure the top lift S connection to Chopok Juh (South) was ever open because we could never see it from the top of lift B http://www.jasna.sk/userfiles-1/images/dmapa/nsv.jpg
The weather did generate an opportunity for the two youngest children to learn to snowboard, particularly during the night-skiing periods when the slope outside the hotel was empty. There was, however, very limited scope to develop their skills as there are only three blue runs in the whole resort and getting between them is not straightforward. The bountiful snow was ideal too for getting my wife back on skis for the first time after breaking her ankle eighteen months ago and for my oldest daughter at the end of her recovery from a broken metatarsal. No ice, no fear.
Pistes were well-maintained, not over-prepared. The grading of runs was accurate, but they were not always clearly marked. They were busy in the afternoon.
Lifts were of a good standard, but the chairlifts could have been faster. The exception was the creaky gondola M from Otupone.
I have to say the standard of skiing in technical terms was dreadful. There were also many who were a danger on the slopes; noteworthy being a group of ski-tourists all wearing high-vis vests, of varying ability and mostly skiing too fast. A women’s European Cup GS was being run whilst we were there http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/610.html?sector=AL&raceid=57442 and a collision between two of the glisseurs was typical – over-confidence and carelessness.
Off-piste was varied and with constant snowfall fresh most days. Highlight was the day that draglift N opened. It had been closed most of the week and there was no attempt to prepare the drag, so it was knee deep powder all the way to the top. A 5 metre wide piste had been prepared, but even this was regularly interrupted by islets of powder. All round was fresh snow, up to waist deep in places.
Hotel Druzba (3/4*) and food both up to standard. Food between 6 and 17 euros per main course. Beer about 1.5-2 euros per 500 ml. Quality just as good as the usual alpen fare at half to one-third the price.
We flew to Bratislava and hired a car (Budget, via Auto Europe) for the three hour transfer (Poprad is only 30 minutes transfer, but flights there would have been much more expensive). Plenty of advertising for small ski resorts en route and some brutal architecture. Main roads were kept clear. Remember to drive with your lights on at all times. Roads near the resort were snow-covered, but no chains needed. We had a brief look at Bratislava on the way back. There is a large Westfield-style mall near the airport full of various multi-national chains (with prices the same as the UK) and we saw nothing else of note.
Overall, yes I would go back, but please can we have some sunshine.
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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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The skiing in Slovakia is nothing like the alps. It is very limited and the areas are small. However, Slovakia is a nice country and it is a bit cheaper than the alps. It would be more worth it for a cultural trip with skiing than a complete ski holiday. As mentioned above Jasna is the best place in Slovakia but the high tatra resorts near poprad also offer some decent skiing in really beautiful surroundings. I suggest spending some time at both areas.
If you can't get a flight to poprad I might suggest flying to Krakow, Poland, renting a car and checking out Zakopane, Poprad and then Jasna. Other areas not to miss are Levoca, spis castle and Slovensky Raj-if there is not much snow.
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Poster: A snowHead
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My hubby is slovak, well, he is a british citizen now.
We skiied 10 years ago at Vishna Botza, I cant remember if thats the right spelling! It was up and down about three lifts for a bit then drive about 10 mins and do the same again. I was a bit bored but couldnt really say so.
He assures me that High Tatra is better. We have not been yet as he is not a keen skiier, wimps out at achy legs.
I do have a good map of the whole skiing area, Its a bit old now and things have changed alot in 10 years but if anyone wants help I will try to ask him.
Maybe next year I will go there.
ps I know all the drinking words but not much more 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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