 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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libby, North America - 10 nights fairly standard, e.g wed - sat
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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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libby, I'm the same. We're going fpr 9 nights to Morzine 14-03-08 on. We only had a choice of a few hotels because of the SAT-SAT thing. grrrrr. Last year a friend rented an apartment for a fortnight in order to have a 10 day holiday. grrrrrr grrrrrrrrr grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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North America is the way to go - over there, you can easily rent almost any accommodation for the period that suits you rather than the owner. Don't be tempted to change your plans - if the TOs can't provide what you want, go elsewhere. It's your money.
If you think that a ten-day holiday is bad, try booking for a family of five. It's almost impossible to do at a sensible price which is why we've only taken two package trips, summer or winter, in the past ten years or so. You can always get what you want if you travel independently.
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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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libby, as the others say - North America. Never been a better time to go to the US.. I had a 12 day holiday in the US over xmas, and am about to go to Canada for 9 days. Not a problem at all.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Jonny Jones, I definitely agree with you on the travelling independently matter. I haven't taken a package deal for years.
The trouble that I have found is many hotels in France will only take bookings for a complete week, even booking directly with the hotel.
North America seems like a much more civilised option. Might look at that for next year.
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libby, if I wasn't already booked up, you would be welcome to my apartment for any stay of more than three nights.
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We had 10 days in Austria over the New Year, from 27/12 to 6/1 - you either have to have a large party to make it worth their while, or book late when they're desperate to fill the spaces, or both. We booked and paid for 9 nights in an apartment, and then had an overnight stay in Salzburg to unwind on the way home.
To be fair, no-one in their right mind is going to take an early booking for 3 people which leaves them unable to fill the rest of a week. That's simple economics. Once they are faced with two empty weeks or taking a 10 day booking, they'll bite your hand off, but probably only the week before you travel.
We've done a couple of Fri-Mon long weekends, and that's even harder to arrange in advance, since it screws up 2 weeks for the sake of 3 nights income. But it can be done...
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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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ousekjarr, it is only a perceived problem though. I have not found that I have empty nights even when I have accepted a booking for a short break well in advance. Many people look for flexible breaks, but often give up through lack of suitable accommodation, then book a week instead. Perhaps I am not in my right mind to do so.
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| ousekjarr wrote: |
| To be fair, no-one in their right mind is going to take an early booking for 3 people which leaves them unable to fill the rest of a week. |
Except Americans. Oh, wait a minute...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Helen Beaumont is right. Think about it, are you going to turn down a one week plus 3 day booking to wait for two one week booking? Accept the booking, you only have 4 nights you're trying to fill. Don't accept it, you need to fill all 14 nights.
Oh but wait, I'm American... never mind. 
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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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abc, of course I won't, although I did gulp a bit at a long weekend booked right in the middle of an empty 2 week slot. I needn't have worried, as I got two 5 night bookings either side within a couple of weeks. I am seriously thinking of being flexible all season next year. I already offer Sunday arrival in the school hols and flexible outside of then. Summer is totally flexible.
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libby,
Have you tried the tourist offices? There are a lot of hotels in Switzerland and Austria who will take people for non standard weeks and quite a few places do child care.
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You know it makes sense.
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Jonny Jones,
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You can always get what you want if you travel independently.
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I hope you are right. Making independent plans are what sucked me in to the computer last night. Despite lots of hotel websites (France, Austria and Switzerland) suggesting any number of nights when I have contacted them directly we keep getting the same answer.
Most places just don't seem prepared to try it. Thanks to Helen Beaumont for proving it is possible. Thanks for the offer by the way - shame you're booked up. It's good to know that being flexible has been so positive for you.
The 'perceived economics' just can't be true, otherwise North America wouldn't offer such flexible holidays.
Cue next thread: "taking a 14month old on 9+ hour flight"; resurrect thread: "babies at altitude"
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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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libby, the perceived economics appear to be true.  While I understand your frustration at a perceived problem...
We run as s/c apartments - and it needs to be a self sustaining business. Which means renting by the week - and we choose Sat-Sat as that's what most people seem to want. If you want full hotel flexibility I'll happily rent you beds at the same price I pay (for the same standard of accommodation) while travelling on business i.e. €120-140... as opposed to what our average clients pay per night...
However, you're outside French vacances scolaires - I suspect (without knowing exactly what you're doing) is that you are actually being caught out by what many tourist office (and other) sites do - as in force you into Sat-Sat bookings. Why not ask for suggestions for known hotels who may be more flexible and contact directly - or contact the tourist offices directly?
And I thought many TOs did 10 day holidays anyway?
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Poster: A snowHead
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libby, We still have some self-catered properties available in Morzine for your dates and duration - YES there are holiday companies that are flexible!!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We did a 9 day holidy over xmas last year in Tignes. Just emailed a lot of private apartment owners although they said sat-sat we got an offer anyway.
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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 think the standard European skiing packages are sold on a weeky basis in UK. This is mainly true for the "in-resort" accommodations which British TOs concentrate on.
If you arrange it yourself, including transport, you can select accommodations that do not charge weekly. Almost all "off-resort" accommodations I know will accept any number of nights but in Switzerland there is a custom to go for a minimum of 3 to 4 nights. Most "in-resort" accommodations in Austria will be very happly to accept 10 days booking but their resorts are not popular with the British TOs.
If 10-day skiing is weird then I am one of them as I usually do 9 to 14 skiing days in a standard two week trip. Sometimes I stayed up to 4 locations to sample every local resort I can access by car. In 2007 trip I spent 3 days with Verbier/Crans Montana, 4 days in Cervinia/Zermatt, 5 days in Serre Chevalier/Milky Way and 3 days in L'Alps D'Heuz/LDA.
I may be weird by the British standard but I am pretty sure that is what the most of German, Swiss, Austrian, Italian and even the French are doing because most of them drive to the resort and can select less expensive accommodation "off-resort". The bulk majority of the European resorts are not big enough to sustain a full week skiing and booking less than a week is actually common. Only large or propitable resorts selected by the Btitish TOs are arranged as weekly packages.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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saikee, well, the received wisdom from everyone I've spoken to in Chamonix (and our limited experience) is that the French and Italians invariably are happy Saturday to Saturday, summer or winter. Often for more than one week to be true, but still Saturday to Saturday. Or, they're happy to pay Saturday to Saturday even if they arrive on Sunday and leave on Friday to avoid the motorway crush.
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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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David Murdoch, True.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
| Only large or propitable resorts selected by the Btitish TOs are arranged as weekly packages. |
not so, in my experience. Small French resorts unheard of by British TOs invariably seem to do exactly the same. You might strike lucky if you turn up on spec - but you might not.
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pam w, French people tend to expect Sat-Sat. I thought the Italians were big weekenders, and once tried to book midweek in Courmauyuer. I got no response from either hotels or apartments. If you stay 'down the mountain' or a drive away from the resort, or perhaps in a novotel or similar, you may have more success.
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St Anton is one place it is impossible to get anything except Sat - Sat. You have to literally wait till the day before you go if you want extra days.... or actually the day itself!!! (it happened to me).
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brian
brian
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Everywhere where demand exceeds supply books in full weeks, and why wouldn't they ? Full occupancy is the name of the game.
Pick somewhere in Switzerland and e-mail the tourist office. They'll do the looking around for you and come back with offers. If you go off the beaten track, you shouldn't have too much trouble. We got a booking months ago for a 2 night stay at the end of the Feb half term at a hotel in Leukerbad and we got hotel offers for other nearby smaller Swiss villages.
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Yeahh!  
All booked. We've got 10 days, actually the ones we originally requested, with childcare. Hooray!
It took A LOT of looking. Italy (Champoluc) has been the solution, so we're now looking forward to Espresso (proper Italian, not Starbucks rip off stuff), loads of pasta carbs (with meatballs if pielette has anything to do with it) and cheap, but good Italian plonk (we got perfectly drinkable Italian reds for 1 euro each this summer).
Can't wait. The only trip we've managed this year. (Not due to pielette, but due to Queen Liz and that nice Mr Brown?? still keeping the UK involved in hot sandy places)
For those looking for flexible options, I have to say Morzine seemed to come up trumps a few times - worth a look if you want anything but Sat-Sat (we just weren't sure about PDS towards end of season?) I also found a couple of websites where your details are sent to chalet owners and they contact you back if they can help (again had a few positive responses). I'll certainly look at both of these when we want weekends or 'longer than week' holidays in the future.
Of course those of you avidly following the children on plane thread, we will not be subjecting you to a trans atlantic babe!  Hope Italy has some fresh snow, so she doesn't miss out on the NA powder!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pielot, where did you end up? (I mean, in Champoluc?)
BTW, I thought you were going 19.3.08? that is hardly end of season...?
Not wanting to create any dissonance over your choice - after all our only other "holiday" booked is Champoluc 25.3-whatever a week later is ... but I have had one of my best PDS weekends 25-29 April...(that's getting kind of end of season I'd say)...and Chamonix doesn't close till May 11...
19.3.08 is just about prime skiing time IMO...(apart from January, April, early December, ...ad naus)
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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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libby, If you want 10 days in March we can accomodate you from the 9th March onwards, that's the only 10 day period when we have room before the 13th April when we can also fit you in for 10 days. If this of interest have alook at our website www.tracksvacations.com for details or email us on info@tracksvacations.com for more information.
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David Murdoch wrote
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pielot, where did you end up? (I mean, in Champoluc?)
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We're staying at Hotel Relais Des Glacier. Looks good.
Point taken about prime season. We have had some excellent skiing in April in the past. But, having stayed in a low resort early April last year, on a daily basis, we watched the snowline retreat up the hill. Actually that's not true, we had to drive to the higher places to find it, before we could see it retreat.
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