half term 2009. Best resort for beginner-single mum and 11 year old son

A snowHead

Hi, A work colleague of mine wants to take her son skiing next half term. Both would be classsed as beginners, although she did go once 20years ago. Not on a particular budget and very specific about wanting a hotel with pool and a transfer of about two hours or less. As we have never been so presriptive ourselves, I have been struggling to be much help. Could anyone assist with ideas. Cheers

A snowHead

maybe persuade her to add a "prescription" for a resort with top quality English speaking (proper English speaking, not just a standard vocabulary of ski lesson phrases) ski instruction, in small groups, readily available. Some of those (e.g. Courchevel) will be more than two hours transfer though. The quality of the instruction is the single most important factor. Les Gets might fit the bill, though I wouldn't know about pools there, having stayed only in cheap places (and spent the money on lessons....) snowHead

At half term, advance booking of lessons would be essential. Gives you priority in the big lift queues, though.

Even better, persuade her to take son out of school and go at a quiet time! Or go at Easter. If she's a teacher, commiserations.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I'd tend to point beginners toward the Easter hols rather than half term. The slopes are less crowded and it's easier to get a half decent instructor from a Ski School. At half term they tend to be so booked up that the the bigger ones will use anyone they can get their hands on. The smaller, more quality concious ones will be booked up weeks, even months in advance for half term.
At Easter the weather tends to be better too.

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I had my first trip with my daughter, who was 8 at the time, to Geilo in Norway. Good beginner resort with plenty of gentle slopes and good English speaking instruction. Hotels are of a high standard and I think most had pools (mine did). Can't imagine it gets too busy at half term there just aren't enough beds there. transfer was I think around the 2 hour mark. Not the cheapest country to choose though.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

mfamily2, how old is the son. That may have a bearing on peoples suggestions.

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We took my son to the Hotel Sport Vittoria, in Passo Tonnale. The hotel was reasonable, the food was good, rooms were ok and the pool, sauna etc were nice. The location was good as it is not far from the lifts so not too far to walk in ski boots and the ski school was excellent. Can't remember how long the transfer was though Confused