 Poster: A snowHead
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Seriously considering visiting Arabba next season (have to plan ahead for school hols, you know). I've looked at the current Dolomiti thread. Can anyone help with the following questions?
1. We are 2 adults looking for interesting pistes, no significant off piste, and 2 (by then 14 yo) kids looking for challenges on and off piste. Shall we like Arabba?
2. Is the grub on the slopes as good as you would hope in Italy?
3. Is the town a pleasant place? What are the restaurants like?
4. Anything known about a company called Colletts who offer chalet, hotel (I think) and S/C accomodation in Arabba? They write a good brochure and web site and seem very helpful, but a first hand report would be welcome.
5. We shall probably have to go at Feb half term, but Xmas or Easter hols a possibility due to kids' other skiing comittments. How would the area be at Xmas and Easter?
6. Anything else we should know?
Thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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richmond, I have looked at Colletts and would appreciate you sharing any info that comes to light.
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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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Frosty the Snowman, so is Arabba and the Dolomites the new 'LA Ros' then? 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Helen Beaumont, No the Ski Amade is the new La Rosiere with good skiing, service, and prices.
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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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| richmond wrote: |
Seriously considering visiting Arabba next season (have to plan ahead for school hols, you know). I've looked at the current Dolomiti thread. Can anyone help with the following questions?
1. We are 2 adults looking for interesting pistes, no significant off piste, and 2 (by then 14 yo) kids looking for challenges on and off piste. Shall we like Arabba?
2. Is the grub on the slopes as good as you would hope in Italy?
3. Is the town a pleasant place? What are the restaurants like?
4. Anything known about a company called Colletts who offer chalet, hotel (I think) and S/C accomodation in Arabba? They write a good brochure and web site and seem very helpful, but a first hand report would be welcome.
5. We shall probably have to go at Feb half term, but Xmas or Easter hols a possibility due to kids' other skiing comittments. How would the area be at Xmas and Easter?
6. Anything else we should know?
Thanks. |
As you may be aware I have just got back from Arraba. In order;
1. Yes - lots of intermediate slopes around arraba - the highlight being the 12 km Marmolada run.
2. I liked it! We were on a half board package so it was basically very snacky stuff - hot dogs, piazza etc. Also do spag. bol, lasagne etc. Same as most piste side restaurants. A lot of the menus are in German though.
3. Town very nice but quiet. On half board so can't comment on restaurants although there didn't appear to be that many around the town. However, Micky's Bar looked very nice - in the Hotel Mesdi.
4. No nothing about them.
5. Snow was good at half term. They don't get much snow (compared to the Alps) but their snow making is second to none. I suspect Christmas may be to early. As for Easter - depends when it falls. An early Easter may be ok as the area is relativley high but there is always a risk that the snow could be poor by that time. I would go Feb half term myself.
6. Go to the Hotel Mesdi - can't recommend it enough.
Any more questions and I'm happy to help.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
5. Snow was good at half term. They don't get much snow (compared to the Alps) but their snow making is second to none. I suspect Christmas may be to early.
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I went New Year this season and Christmas last year - the year the snow was supossed to be dreadfull everywhere. I will admit that upto mid december the first year every where bar the glacier was looking very green. But it snowed the week before Christmas over a couple of days, and turned colder so they could run the snowmaking. When we arrived over 3/4 of the runs were open and the Sellaronda was open. By running snow making they opened most of the runs by the end of the week. On piste the snow conditions were great, offpiste was basically non existant. We had wall to wall sunshine all week.
This year they had more snow and earlier, but south facing slopes away from the piste were thin. First half of the week was wall to wall sunshine, almost all runs were open and as it was very cold -14C in the mornings in Arraba they could run the snow making as and when they wanted. Last couple of days of the week we had some cloud and snow, and the last Friday it snowed all day, there was about 20cm of fresh powdeer on the runs and the Marmolada was closed due to the very poor vis. Skiing was best low down where the visibilty was much better.
In other words my limited experience suggests Christmas should be OK.
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Thanks for all that. johnseymour, is there expert terrain around the place? My kids will not be happy with only intermediate stuff (and even the OL and I like a challenge every now and then). The kids enjoy the on and off piste challenges posed by St Anton (although they have only scratched the surface of the off piste there); I appreciate that they won't find that in Arabba, but a bit of that sort of thing would be good news.
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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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I've spent the last 7 christmas's in the Dolomites - it's such a lovely place to be at Christmas that when it comes down to it I just can't bring myself to go anywhere else!! The snow is usually good at Christmas - season generally starts end November or beginning of December and as someone has mentioned, when the snow is poor the snowmaking is second to none. It's like everything, some years it's great sometimes ok - depends on the weather. Arabba, like most of the towns in the area is nice, rather small (can't comment first hand on specific hotels and resaurants there though as I generally stay in San Cassiano, Alta Badia where we have a large chalet). If you're looking for a town with a bit more going on at night Corvara might be better, also San Cass has lots of great restaurants including two with Michelin *'s! Generally eating on the hill is fabulous with a mix of Italian, Austria and Sub Tirol menus.
There is some challenging off piste around the place if the conditions are good. The Val Mesdi is a famous challenge which is fantastic - but there's plenty to do (not like St Anton). Up on Marmalada there is wonderful off piste to be had, try visiting the basket lift (I can't remember what it's official name is - that's what we always call it! probably doesn't help much) which is a lift that serves a non pisted area. It's great!
Another thing - Italian ice cream is to die for!!!!!!
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Just spent a very good week there in fabulous sunny, blue-sky weather.
Skiing? Mostly up and down the pistes - all very well groomed by the piste bashers; Sella Ronda both clock & anti-clockwise; a great day off-piste with Mario (contacted thro' Ski School) & a couple of walks with snow shoes - which is a lovely thing to do (get away from the crowds) though the paths are not well marked: the resort's focus is on piste ski.
Food? Our survey of rifugios concluded Frederich August rifugio has highest scores in all departments (no muzak-euro-pop; best apfelstrudel; stunning view; sheep & cattle basking in the sun; pizza from wood fired stove). In Arabba? Sport Hotel delicious but pricey. 7 Sass - good ambience, v.g. pizza which can be orerdered for take away if you're in self catering apartments (we stayed in Evaldo apartments which were very good).
Travel? Some of our group flew to Venice, bus to Arabba. Two of us went the nicer way - Eurostar St Pancras-Paris; very comfy sleeper train Paris-Muchen (depart 7 seconds late arrive 5 minutes early); 'Michaelangelo' train (goes on to Roma) Munchen-Fortezza via Innsbruck & Brenner; branch line Fortezza-Brunico; bus Brunico-Corvara; bus Corvara-Arabba. All connections - both ways - were met on time (except 20 mins late Eurostar departure to St Pancras on return journey thanks to too much faffing about with passport controls, 'security' checks etc - too much like the airports we avoided. We went through France, Germany, Austria and Italy with none of that. Something cockeyed there I think) and the views were far better than from 35,000 feet.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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robinsmallwood, How long did that route take you to get there? And what cost? What a lovely way to go...!
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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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robinsmallwood, I would love to know how long that way took and how expensive as we want to go to the dolomites walking at the end of june and are not sure how to get there or where to stay. We were thinking of staying in ortisei over arabba but the hotels are dearer there so we don't know what to do
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robinsmallwood, I'm interested in the time/cost details of your trip too. We travelled to St Anton and back last week by train, very successfully. If we go to Arabba, train in at least one direction is an option. Is the route you took the most direct? Presumably it is. We thought that we might go to Venice by train and pick up an airport transfer to Arabba (this Collett outfit I'm looking at throw a transfer in).
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You know it makes sense.
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Outward:
St Pancras: d 18:00 Eurostar.
Paris Gare du Nord a. 21:20.
Paris Gare de l'Est d. 22:45 (Deutch Bahn sleeper cabin. The sleeper car has 3 cabins with their own shower & toilet, other cabins for a variety of combinations of occupants with communal shower/toilet at end of car. Breakfast served an hour before destination.)
Munchen a. 08:58
Munchen d. 09:32 (Trenitalia 'Michaelangelo service to Roma)
Fortezza a. 12:48
Fortezza d. 12:55 (the connecting train to Brunico was kept as the Michaelangelo ran a few minutes late)
Brunico a. 13:32
Brunico d. 14:11 (S.A.D. bus leaves from outside the station)
Corvara a. 15:14 (get off at Posta Zirm Hotel)
Corvara d. 15:55 (Dolomiti bus from Posta Zirm Hotel)
Arabba a. 16:18 - in time for tea! or tiramisu and coffee
Return:
Arabba d. 11:25| Corvara a. 11:45. d. 12:46| Brunico a. 13:49 d. 14:14| Fortezza a. 14:45 d. 15:12| Munchen a. 18:26 d. 20:53| Paris Gare de l'Est a. 06:46 d. 20:53| Paris Gare du Nord d. 08:07| St Pancras a. 09:34
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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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Thanks. That's a brilliantly convenient timetable, especially as the best bits are all done in daylight. How much did it cost, ish, if you don't mind me asking?
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Poster: A snowHead
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richmond, Went with Colletts last year for a weeks skiing and am going with them again for two weeks starting on 2nd March have also been with them in the summer walking. Found them to be a well organised company who deliver what is in the brochure.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| andyarmitage wrote: |
| robinsmallwood, I would love to know how long that way took and how expensive as we want to go to the dolomites walking at the end of june and are not sure how to get there or where to stay. We were thinking of staying in ortisei over arabba but the hotels are dearer there so we don't know what to do |
We might be keeping our chalet open over the summer this year. Still negotiating with the landlady. It's in San Cassiano if that's of any interest - San Cass is very quiet in June so if you're after night lift and bussle it might not be for you. PM me for more details if you like.
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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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That's night "life" rather than night "lift" of course! 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Cost for one half of our group (4 adults & 2 children) from Birmingham International by air to Venice and a mini-bus taxi transfer to Arabba - around £250 per adult.
Cost for other half of our group (2 adults) from St Pancras to Arabba by train and bus (as described earlier) - around £400; but that included a night's lodging on Deutch Bahn and a very pleasant trip with excellent views, interesting discussions on the facinating history of Tyrol, Alto Adige and Ladin.
Skiing is not an environmentally friendly activity, with a high carbon footprint. Train's are thought to be far less damaging, and certainly don't dump a load of CO2 at 35,000 ft. You pays your money and you takes your choice.
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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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I should have said the costs were for return journeys. The Paris-Munchen train has only one sleeper carriage but several carriages non-sleepers, which'd be cheaper.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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As Jim Royle would say "CO2 footprint, my @...."
Bloody well enjoy it dont worry about the grand children, they will have enough to worry them with the nuclear storm, or numpties with helmets and earphones. 
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andyarmitage, without wishing to do down Joanne Mountainsun, this Colletts outfit offer accomodation in the summer as well. We might give them a whirl then.
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richmond, I acn't comment on off piste as I don't really go in for that. As for the pistes there were very few black runs around and I have to say I didn't find them to be especially challenging, although that could well have been due to the conditions.
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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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We stayed in Cesa Padon which is very good and good value. It is about 15 mins from the Village by the hotel minibus which will take you there fairly much on demand and pick you up at a time arranged.
The most Challenging on-piste skiing of the Sella Ronda is mostly at Arabba (and don't miss the Marmolada - the highest mountain in the area with fabulous views) and one even tougher run from the Passo Pordoi cable car (the main way down under the cable car is ungroomed and very steep - and the rest is off-piste).
I've probably talked about the off piste too much already - it can be fabulous if you have a guide - but note that the Italians just don't seem to ski off piste and in places there are even "No Off Piste Skiing" signs. However it turns out that the latter are just to absolve them of responsibility - though off-piste is at your own risk in Europe anyway (and they don't do anything if they see you skiing off piste).
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Richmond
Your 2nd question - food is excelent. I am ashamed to say I ate too much on the mountain during my recent visit. Most restaurants are table service, not self service and not as huge as self service places tend to be. Come early, they all start filling up quickly after 1200.
Challenging pistes in Arabba can be counted on the fingers of one hand IMO but then there is Sella Ronda with many runs to enjoy.
Comments have been made about off piste, I just wanted to say this was the first time that I saw uniformed "Piste police" on skis (some of the guys even use specially made "Carabineri" skis). Not sure what their duties are though! 'No off piste skiing' signs are indeed everywhere, some state large fines for breach thereof.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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robinsmallwood, thanks for that timetable: confirming the buses still run in winter means it's easy to transfer by train from Venice. Just change at Verona for Fortezza.
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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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I've got a trip (boarding) planned for 15th - 22nd March, and I'm starting to get ever so slightly nervous....
I'm trawling through as many snow condition sites as I can find (few & far between - any suggestions?), and from what I can see, there's 190cm on the upper slopes, 70cm on the lower slopes, all hard-packed, with nothing mentioned around the resort. There's another 17cm coming in over the next 7 days (www.j2ski.com), but I've still got my fingers crossed for a quick 50cm of powder the day before we arrive.
My question is for anyone that's been out there recently (since 2nd Feb, when the last recorded snowfall was) - what are the conditions actually like? I've heard a lot about the snowmaking in this thread - is it good enough?
I'm also quite interested in the surrounding resorts. Arabba is meant to be lift-linked to 900km of piste's on the Dolomites. Are these easy enough to get to, and what's the snow currently like on those slopes?
Any info would be a great help - I need to get some sleep before I go!!
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riverman, Where did you stay? I've just received the Colletts brochure and am thinking very seriously about next year.
Was your accomodation far from the slopes?
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You know it makes sense.
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Can certainly vouch for Hotel Mesdi, a full 20 yards to the lift in the morning, great spa facilities and excellent food...Hotel Portavescovo a bit bigger and livelier, close to lifts, and also top-notch.
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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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I got back on the 16th. Read my report on the Dolonmiti Superski thread in resorts. It was fine for skiing.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Tass, we went out on the 9th and conditions were really good. We were also there this time last year, when conditions were awful across Europe, and it was fine on piste then. They do seem to be really good at snowmaking, and pisting, in the area. There is snow forecast for mid-week as well.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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patrick318, I'll be taking the kids with me so won't need "lively" unfortunately!!
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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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ickabodblue, Last year and this years accomodation with Colletts was the Chalet Auberge which was about a 200 metre walk to the chair going anti-clockwise on the Sella ronda and about 300 metres to the cable car and gondala going clockwise on the Sella ronda.
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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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riverman, Great, thanks. It was Chalet Auberge we were looking at.
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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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Just finished packing, off to Arabba tomorow for two weeks and snow is forecast for tuesday.
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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 dont want to sound too ahem 'British' but can any of you who have stayed at the Hotel Mesdi confirm whether the Wellness Centre is 'au natural' or not?
Its probably my upbringing but sitting naked next to a group of strangers, followed by evening dinner with them... not sure its my thing
Just about to book it for a summer walking hol if I can wear my speedos!
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Monkfish, don't worry; you'll all be expected to dress for dinner. And if it's not your thing, at least you'll know whose thing it is.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Mon 7-04-08 18:01; edited 1 time in total
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richmond, I am totally and utterly biased - I have been to the Dolomites Superski area for the past 3 years running (stayed in the same hotel in Selva) each time - absolutely love it. So much so, I am reluctant to go anywhere else. There is a massive amount of skiing (1220km) and, touch wood, we have been lucky with the conditions each time we've been there. You can ski a different area every day (obviously you have to ski the same runs to come back to your home base). We have found the prices to be very reasonable and have never ever had bad food in any of the places we have eaten.
Looking to go back again next year.
Anything, you want to know, PM me.
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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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jb1970, thanks. We've decided to head back to Austria next year, possibly resort H or whatever it's called (you have to make early decisions for scholl hol skiing - last month, the TO we fancied for Arraba had no availability for Feb 2009 half term!), but it's on the cards for 2010.
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jb1970, Couldn't agree more - it's a very special place! I've spent seasons there and now get out at least a couple of times a year. Was out there last week for the last week of the season and the snow was still great and it dumped half a metre on Monday in San Cass. WICKED!! 
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FAQ
