 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
I cannot say this is the norm but it was my experience. I stayed at the MW Chalethotel Dahu in Courchevel 1850.
I did have concerns that, in a relatively small hotel, a lot of 'other peoples' children could spoil my enjoyment and relaxation. Particularly with the MW group meal ethos. I could have selected one of the child free MW hols but these were all booked. Please remember,I dont go on my holidays then expect to fit in with other people families. I go for the ski-ing, hopefully good adult company and darn good rest.
I needn't have been concerned. What I experienced was well organised and professional childcare. I spoke to couples that were there with children and, without fail, they were very happy with the arrangements made for their children. The younger ones from toddlers upwards all seemed to be having a great time. Multiple nannies and a train of children were often seen going down the street to the slopes, with bum boards, other toys and singing at the top of their voices! Some older children went into Childrens ski school, the carers took them and collected them on their return. If fact, after speaking to the staff, the biggest issues appear to be caused by clingy parents with preset ideas as the children adapt and just get on with it! 
I would have thought at 3, proper ski lessons would be rather premature. I understand that in most resorts 4 is the youngest they'll take children. I think La Plagne is the exception. Even at 4, unless you're willing to had over your offspring to ski school it would be private lessons. The instructor wouldn't want parents hanging around 'egging' young Johnny on. However, everyone to their own. You certainly can take the child out out the childcare groups at any time, if you can get them away. There were several reports of a few chosing to stay with the nannies and other children rather than be with the parents. Little darlings aren't they? 
The childrens 'high teas' were all sorted + completed well before the adult meal time. During the week I was there, mid Jan, there were no older \ early teens, so adult only meal times! Dinner didnt start all at the same time but was staggered start over a 1 1/2hr period. So if there was a delay then you could start eating as late as 9pm. You could either orgnise a group or allow the staff to split the tables into larger groups. It tended to be organised arround the ski hosting groups that we were in during the day.
Alay your husbands fears re the wine, I never saw them ration it at any stage. I did my best the test the limits of that! 
Edited: After writing this, most can be found on the MW web site. See this link
http://www.markwarner.co.uk/why-choose-us/ski/childrens-clubs
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 14-01-08 3:30; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
We went with family ski company last year and they were great. They have a helper accompany the little ones ski lessons as well. The childcare staff were good
Gryphea
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Did MW (Les Deux Alpes and La Plagne) twice and Esprit 3 times (Morzine and PSV). Now the kids are older we go with snowbizz. With the specialist companies you basically pay a premium to have a more integrated holiday from a childcare point of view. This gives you more skiing time without your kids and the children normally enjoy it as well. Also there will be more families on the holiday which might make travelling more relaxing.
From your description, you might enjoy Puy Saint Vincent with Snowbizz. Their childcare is more flexible (pay as you go if you like) and they also have suitable ski lessons for 3 year olds. The appartments are comfortable and the resort is very convenient so it is easy to just go and play in the snow with the kids. There is a special bum boarding piste with a big inflatable sausage at the end to catch the kids that can't (or don't want to ) stop. The snowbizz lessons for 3-4 year olds are also of the 4 hours creche including 1 hours skiing with nanny support variety.
Also note that many resorts have ski kindergartens run by the ski school that take kids from 3 years. The aim is to let the kids have fun and learn some skiing if they want to. These will be a lot cheaper than the tour operrator equivalents.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| sarah wrote: |
nessy, I have been looking at Snowbizz and I really fancy it, ticks all my boxes but I don't think my husband will wear it from the resort extent point of view.
|
Fair enough but consider that if you only ski mornings, how long it might take to get from the area were you want to ski back to the appartment/hotel (in PSV this is maximum 15 minutes from anywhere). Beware of cold shady locations if you want to wander around the resort during the day. PSV is a nice sunny location for eating and playing outside at resort level.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
sarah, I would just add that MW and Esprit won't have a problem with you picking up and dropping off the kids. Just ask in case they will take them on a trip somewhere.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
sarah, We stayed in Hermine which is the top one- very nice, the best chalet I've ever stayed in. The advantage of this one is that it has the snow club downstairs and is also nearest the lift (literally across the road and up the steps). I would try and book one of the top chalets because it's quite a hike for the little ones in their ski gear.
I believe the ski garden is up by the lift, and they keep the skis up there in a locker to save carrying them.
They are very flexible about collecting the kids and they even agreed to have ours for an extra session so that we could ski a bit more (at extra cost).
Vallandry is very close but there's not much there other than a Sherpa and a few ski shops although we only walked there once briefly.
Don't know about swimming pool but kids are allowed in the hot tub. No one in our chalet used it as we didn't feel like walking through the chalet in the small flannel which they call a bath towel.
If you can't find a pool, they are happy to organise all sorts of other activities- dog/horse sledging etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
sarah, I second the PSV/Snowbizz experience ,they are small enough to be flexible and as a first experience of skiing for your little one it ticks all the boxes.The PSV ski area is not huge but is plenty big enough for a week with lots of variety in terms of pisted runs and off piste/ tree skiing.If your husband really wants to there is the off piste Narryoux?(spelling) valley on the backside of the main mountain which has to be done with a guide but is great fun.
I am well used to bigger resorts as well and like to ski miles and miles,but with kids their has to be a degree of compromise and all being well the whole family can ski together by the third day of a snowbizz holiday,which has to be your ultimate aim. 
I should add that if you choose www.snowbizz.co.uk it is very much like being part of a big family with like minded parents, a good social scene in the evenings should you wish to partake and good food at reasonable prices.The thing that makes it even better is that there is NO walking and if you choose a piste facing apartment you can see the kids messing around in the snow underneath your balcony,ski back to the locker room,everything you need is literally no more than a snowballs throw away,without having to decamp off the mountain if you want a break.
If you have looked at brochures and seen that the lifts/creche/skischool are more than 200m away i would think again, as it is this above everything else that can make or break your holiday.Convenience is essential
Consider all the companies ,they will all have plus points and minus points for your particular needs but if you want your first family ski holiday to be an enjoyable/positive experience for all involved then do speak to Snowbizz you will get a good vibe from them even over the phone.
Good Luck
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Mon 14-01-08 14:53; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Just to add,
We have got back from an esprit trip to la rosiere (having had 6 previous ski esprit and 2 snowbizz trips), whilst all was within the nice ratios quoted by esprit we had a class of 17 spritelets (3 and 4 year old) with 3 instructors and 2 snow rangers, whilst this is completely acceptable within ratios set out by esprit, it was very chaotic in a small snow garden. I would personally ask next time I booked with esprit how many spritelets is the most they will take in any particular resort and how many they have booked for the week you are looking at.
As snowbizz is fairly small you rarely get more than 2or 3 children in the 3/4yr old age group. If you are driving to PSV there is also pelvoux for a morning skiing (10 mins by car) or serre chevalier (20-30 mins) for a mornings skiing
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
fizz, Good Point
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
mrsfatcontroller, you want to try a family chalet company who give you a bathrobe and fluffy slippers to get to the hot tub with. I know a good one .
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
We have just got back from Courchvel with Esprit and once again our 7 and 4 year old loved it, with good childcare and lessons. Our 4 year old was in a ski class of 5 (there were two groups of 5 beginners) and my 7 year old was in a class of two after she was moved up a class after a couple of days. Our 4 year old did Spritelets last year so they let her in the beginners class which meant that her lessons were the same time as her sisters and they could spend the afternoon together, except when my 7 year old wanted to ski with me and my four year old wanted to stay with Max the snow ranger who was far more interesting than her father.
We have used Crystal in the past but they crowd their ski lessons with ESF and do not put a maximum on the numbers, but they do not charge as much.
fizz, La Rosiere is Esprit big resort. They have capacity for up to 220 guests, compared to 70 in Courchevel and about 40 in Les Gets. Small resort will mean fewer Spritelets I expect.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Thanks very much nessy, hedley, fizz, I did quite fancy Snowbizz for the reasons you all gave so I contacted them but they don't have the availability for the dates we needed.
So after the reassurances from thefatcontroller, and mrsfatcontroller, thank you very much indeed, and the other positive feedback from other threads on here we have booked with Esprit for Peisey week of 9th March
Hopefully we won't have the 17 spritelets scenario as described by fizz,
chrisb, thanks, good to hear Esprit were good for you, those class sizes sound fab, hope we strike as lucky!
Thanks again everyone, I have now one more hurdle to overcome - our son has only just turned 3 and is not yet potty trained, if we can't crack it before March he'll be demoted to the creche  so fingers crossed!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Having said all that about the 17 spritelets our 4 year old can now ski a green slope using snow plough and use a poma so he still learnt alot. La rosiere is one of esprits largest resorts and I have only ever been to much smaller resorts with esprit, but I would probably go back to la ros.
Another place to try is premier neige at sainte foy (they do childcare and private nannies) or ski famille heard loads of good resports about them but I have never used them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
The numbers last week were completely different in age bracket to the previous week and again changes this week. The sell the seats and staff acordingly.