 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all, long time no see...
Rather sneakily I have planned my wedding for winter next year!!! and I want to start getting my fiance keen on the idea of 1 week of the honeymoon somewhere snowy.
The good news is we met skiing - but it was his first holiday and although he liked it - it hasn't replaced diving as his favourite holiday hobby. This is what I have this year to work on!!!!
So main question is need to start implanting some good ideas on where to go for a romantic honeymoon in Europe. Remember previous threads suggesting Zermatt as a fantastic destination - but I am worried that for a top class holiday there it will be megabucks. We will probably do a 2 stage holiday - so wouldn't want the cost for 2 of us for this bit to exceed £2500 - which would need to include flights, accomodation, food, liftpasses, ski hire and nice treats like spa visits, sleigh rides... etc
Would like the place to be about more than just the skiing, visually beautiful, good food and romantic. Would be looking to go in Jan probably. Have always thought of Italy as a romantic place - so can anyone give me any ideas - all opinions gratefully received...
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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mountain mad, congratulations! I guess this means that there really is no chance for DGO now?
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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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mountain mad, Hi! Haven't been up to the Chalet de l'Arc yet  Soon!
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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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Hi guys...
Nice to see the friendly faces again... Yep - off the market!!!! and very happy - especially as we moved in together about a month ago...
Now time to start planning some holidays....
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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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You could look into the Monte-Rosa area. I've not been but I've heard it's a lovely area.
Also, another idea is to go for a small village on the edge of a larger ski area (for instance Falera on the edge of Flims/Laax) as they tend to be prettier but you get decent skiing.
Both of those two suggestions have reasonable transport links to do other things.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Although the town itself is nothing to get excited about, there are a couple of lovely hotels in Davos, including the Schatzalp (http://www.schatzalp.ch/) at the top of the Schatzalpbahn, above the town, which looks like a good place for honeymoon type activities and skiing. The skiing is pretty good too.
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Sound good skanky... will do some research on those ones.
This is one holiday where am probably not too worried about needing a large area - because skiing will not be the only priority!!! 
Small pretty place with decent skiing sounds good... will look into them further
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Now, if you combine richmond's suggestion with a journey on the Glacier Express (the trip can start in Davos or St Moritz) the romance really starts to build. The day-long journey ends in Zermatt, so it's a question of setting budgets and finding a hotel at that end for a couple of days.
If you want to travel 1st class on the Glacier Express (and, let's face it, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience) then other things may have to be compromised just a touch!
Here's the Glacier Express website.
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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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Thanks richmond
Am a little nervous of being able to afford Switzerland - have tended to spend a bit less than £1k on a 'standard' holidays in France in the past because Switzerland is out of budget. Would want to go somewhere where I get some luxury for about £1250 each. Is that possible in Switzerland?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Also, have a look at Arosa. Apparently it's best approached by train (in daylight) for the views.
Some of the smaller resorts in Engadin are quite nice too (I hear).
Again not been but have heard very good reports (esp. if skiing is not the be all and end all).
Oh, and Courmayeur's quite pretty (and the Val Veny & Val Ferret are both lovel and reachable even in winter with cross country and walking available).
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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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mountain mad, welcome back and congratulations!!
In my experience, Switzerland isn't that expensive....don't rule it out just yet.
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| mountain mad wrote: |
Thanks richmond
Am a little nervous of being able to afford Switzerland - have tended to spend a bit less than £1k on a 'standard' holidays in France in the past because Switzerland is out of budget. Would want to go somewhere where I get some luxury for about £1250 each. Is that possible in Switzerland? |
Don't know. There are nearly 2.2 SFR to the £ at the moment, so if you pick the right week, it should be. Switzerland is not as expensive as it's cracked up to be. Anyway, how many times are you going to get married (there's no need to answer that, obviously)?
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Wasn't there a thread on this somewhere? Seem to think SnowHeads organised a wedding in Zermatt
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Poster: A snowHead
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Atually, that's jogged my memory. Warren Smith was saying someone got married in Saas Fee on one of his courses if that's any help.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks guys - I'll bear in mind Switzerland - but what I would like to do is not 'rough' it just so I can barely afford to go there. Would like to go somewhere where for the money we get a bit of luxury and special treatment.
So although the Davos hotel is nice - had a look and it works out that it costs about £2k to stay in a superior room (do not want the usual shoebox you get on skiing holidays for our honeymoon) - which leaves £500 for flights, skipasses, lunches, wine and 'extras' for both of us - hence needing to be a bit creative and thinking of perhaps Italy? But welcome to hear any other ideas/resorts/hotels you can tell me about!!!
For once this will be a skiing holiday where I won't be obsessing about the runs, quality of instructing, snow cover etc... but how good is the bedroom!!, what are the restaurants like, can we go for a romantic sleigh ride, are there spas/outdoor hot tubs... that kind of thing for £2500 for 2 people!!! Tall order but I've got over a year to plan for it!
p.s. please don't say spend more, its hard enough keeping the wedding budget to £5k and the honeymoon to another £5k total - I do not want to get into debt, just want to marry the man and have a bloody good time doing it!!!! 
p.s. don't want to marry out there - just have part of our honeymoon out there. (with a week somewhere hot and sunny before going skiing  - can't do it the other way in case we break a leg before hitting the beach - now that would be funny!)
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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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Are you ruling out N.America? The Banff Springs Hotel, in Banff reasonably enough, is pretty damn comfortable and if you look around the tour operators, need not be riduculously expensive. Banff would be a great place for a honeymoon (for me, anyway, although it's too late now). Lake Louise would also be a v. good spot, but the Chateau L.Louise doesn't really cut it. There are a couple of other comfortable hotels there, the L.Louise Inn and the Deer Lodge, I think. Just a thought.
Courmayeur is a very pleasant town, with some lovely restaurants and fantastic scenery. Don't know about the hotels; we stayed in Mark Warner and an apartment, neither of which I'd recommend for a honeymoon (or anything else).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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mountain mad, congratulations. Megève is a beautiful Alpine village/town, with pretty decent skiing to boot. Night-time pony and trap rides, complete with sleigh bells, are a speciality, with a nice warm blankets to snuggle under! There's loads of cosy restaurants, bistros, etc. Indoor and outdoor ice rinks, French and English-language cinemas, nice clothes shops, all sorts of attractions. The drawback is that it has the reputation for being one of the more expensive French resorts (not sure how it compares to Switzerland).
I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time wherever you pick, and you've got to go a long way for tolerable diving in January!
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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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mountain mad, Have a great time.
A couple of thoughts rather than specific suggestions.
You probably dont want to waste a lot of time and energy in the middle of the honeymoon sitting around stations and airports. Tryand find a flight schedule that will take you from your sunny spot to the closest possible airport to the alps. From experience of flying from Asia this may well be Zurich, ie ?london- sunnyspot, sunnyspot-Zurich, Zurich-London. Other airports may be just as good but you really dont want to come beck to UK to head out again if you can help it. Then work out which resorts are easiest to get to from the airport and which sound good.
Whereas it will obviously depend on Swiss Franc v Euro, my impression is that for a reasonable quality hotel as opposed to budget self catering Switzerland is not more expensive than France and hotel quality is more consistent. Certainly for overall prices my own experience is that 3 Valleys is more expensive than anywhere I have been to in Switzerland inc Zermatt. Austrian hotels usually offer excellent value in terms of room/bed comfort, as well as pools saunas etc. Though it is usually the pricier ones where the food is better as opposed to honest Austrian farmhouse.
If you are going in Jan avoid a resort at the bottom of a steep sided valley, go for one instead on a terrace or in a wide valley, you will appreciate a bit of sun on your honeymoon. Look into the possibilty of sending your skiing gear/ clothes seperately to the hotel so you dont have to lug them to the beach and back.
For what its worth we went to Schatzalp, mentioned above for our honeymoon and loved it. Although we were booked into the cheapest rooms we were upgraded to the best as it was our honeymoon. The food service and ambience were all superb. The only reason why I would hesitate to recommend it is that I believe the area immediately above it is now closed and it would be a bit of a trek to get to the other areas from here.
Lots of areas would I am sure be great and I suspect that for your honeymoon the hotel is probably more important than the area. But if I was to suggest one it would be Oberlech in Austria. Lovely traditional resort with loads of sleigh rides etc. Sunny outlook but a good likelihood of a snowy xmas card scene as opposed to a slushy sleigh ride in some lower resorts. Whatever I am sure you will enjoy it 
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