 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi crazy kids,
I'm planning a surprise ski holiday for my better half for her 30th birthday in December 08. She's never skied before and the last time I skied was about 16 years ago! I've never planned anything like this so need lots of help!!
So beginner slopes which I hear Finland is pretty good for. Also want to see the Northern Lights and go husky sledging etc hence Finland over the other resorts. I've been to a travel agent who quoted stupid money (although it included ski to door, half-board, lessons etc) I've had a look online at a couple of resorts and like the sound of Levi.
Any tips on booking such a holiday? I've had a look on Crystal but should I leave it until last minute or book now? Do I pick ski lessons or ski school? What should I look for in a hotel? I assume I hire boots/skis/poles, so how much should I be spending on the rest? (And what is the rest???) The extra bits (husky sledging, going out to see the Northern Lights) - do I book while I'm out there?
I'm not uber rich but want to make this birthday memorable! The birthday girl has always talked about wanting to learn to ski so thought this should be nice.
Any tips, dear snowheads?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Skysmile, welcome to snowHeads 
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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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Skysmile, what sort of silly money did the travel agent quote you so we have an idea?
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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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Finland is a beautiful country, full of great people and wildlife.
But it will be cold and dark in Dec.
Go in Mar or Apr, when it warms up a bit and the sun comes out.
If you must go in Dec and want style, sun and snow, then go to Switzerland. Try St Moritz or Zermatt.
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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 guess that would make you Finlandskier.
Welcome to snowHeads
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 must be a relative of mine
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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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FenlandSkier, has he got webbed feet?
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Thanks, guys - you rock!
Actually, talking to some people it might not be that stupid - the money that is! Thomas Cook quoted me about £2500...
Snobunni - did you realise that you'd just reached your 69th post!!! Congrats! lol
I ought to pick another time, but the birthday is in December so that would be ideal to surprise her then. It'll be cold an dark, but the lights would be so cool, right?.. right?...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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i went to yllas in february and its an amazing place to learn how to ski, ive been to la plagne and sauze dou'x and yllas in my opinion is much more suited to begginers than those places,my girlfriend was still very nervous when we went to yllas as she isnt to keen on falling off the edge of a mountain but as yllas dosnt have that problem it was great, we hired an instructor for 3 hours when we first got there for about £70 i think but will find out the exact cost for you and it really helped with her confidence and enabled her to explore the entire fell by the end of the day,yllas has really nice begginer slopes and you dont get the speed demons whipping past you there as they all go to the places with harder terrain so its ideal to learn there,the one thing i would say is that if you dont like t bars then dont go to yllas as its full of them apart from a few drag lifts,a four person chair lift and a new gondola but it didnt prove a problem for us.We went on the husky ride and it was brilliant fun and will definately be doing that again, we also went on the skidoos every day as im a bit of a petrol head and would recommend doing this to everyone, we saw the northern lights twice but we where very lucky apparantly as the conditions have to be perfect for them to be seen, the coditions where perfect all week with knee deep powder between the trees pretty much everyday but the temperature can be an issue for some, the lowest temp we experienced was -26 and to be honest i really enjoyed it for some reason(doubt i would enjoy it for long though) my goggles where freezing up on a daily occurance when it was that cold and everyones clothing was frozen on the outside and looked like snowmen so make sure you take the best clothing you can find as we did and you will be fine, let me know if you need any more info and i highly recommend yllas and will be returning without a doubt, loved the place
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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 been to both Levi and Ylläs. IMO Ylläs was better for learners. There were some nice easy runs from the Äkaslompolo side (we didn't try the Ylläsjärvi side). Äkaslompolo is a different style resort to many. It doesn't look much like a town/village but more like a collection of hotels/cabins spread through the forest ('though there are a couple of roads with shops or safari companies on). Ylläsjärvi and Levi look (to my eyes) more like a "conventional" resort.
We've been in Feb/Mar so no problem with snow. From what I've read Ruka is better for early snow, haven't been there yet.
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Ruka is the best for the early snow - and it is seriously developed in the last years. It's fine for beginners and has some little challenge for you if you are a better skier. Yllas is a larger ski area and works well for beginners. There is some offpiste available in both - but you need to know where to go, and have enough snow which in the last years in December has not been the case. However, the pistes will be ok as artificial snow is very good. Ruka opens in October if the weather is cold enough.
Don't expect anything to be in style in Finland. Being the resident Finn on this site I confirm that Switzerland or France would be much better suited for such purpose. As someone else told you already, expect very short days (sunlight from 10.30 am until 2.30 or so, otherwise pitch black with snow reflecting some ambient light from moon and stars). The best chance for Northern lights is cold, cold and cold, but it is not a guarantee as it can be cold with misty sky as well.
As for the costs, two years ago when I was in Rovaniemi for Christmas, a reindeer sledge ride in the evening was about 50-60 euro/head, a snowmobile ride for 1.5 hours (own snowmobile for each) in a small group 90 euro/person (if my memory serves me well)...
Generally, Christmas time the Finns remain home, although this is changing slowly. The hotels are booked by chains for tourists, therefore, look out in advance, not at the last moment. From October on, it will be difficult to get the things organised. If you are flexible enough when you have arrived and don't expect necessarily to be able to go sledging on the day of your fancy, you can book the extras there. Otherwise, take at least a week or two in advance.
Remember that you can easily, relatively speaking, go about doing the trip on your own. Almost everything is on the web and easy to book. Get flights to Helsinki (or directly up to the north), book your hotels and other things straight from the service provider. This is of course easier for a Finn, but trust me, they start to be pretty good with their internet tools and almost everyone speaks more or less acceptable English.
The above may or may not be correct. I cannot be held liable if there are no tourists but only Finns, no snow and it's miserably cold.
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You know it makes sense.
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Skysmile, you know me so well, such a significant milestone lol
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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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Snobunni I feel a celebration coming on!
Thanks, crazy kids - you rock!
The plan is this...
Tell the other half about my plan on her birthday in December - maybe get some dry ski lessons booked for preparation.
Go to Finland (Yllas?) in March/April where the snow is fluffy and edible... (weather will be better too and also gives me more time to save up the cash!!!) 
Will definitely try the instructor.
Any recommendations on hotels or are they pretty much the same? And if chains are booking up hotels, if I go March, when should I look to book by?...
So many questions!
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Poster: A snowHead
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This year the locals I spoke to said that Ylläs had lots of Finnish tourists, especially during the holiday period in Feb/Mar, due to the lack of snow in the south of the country.
demos, do you know of any cheap ways to get there if one of the requirements is to avoid flights from London (for various reasons).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Skysmile, fantastic information, straight from a Finn. Snowheads is amazing! Can't advise on Finland, but can say that for many people a few dry slope lessons beforehand is extremely useful, and means you make much faster progress on the real thing (which is a lot easier). Personally, if it was my birthday, I'd prefer to know, to get some lessons in, to do some general fitness and flexibility exercises (lack of both does hold up a lot of beginners, even young ones!) and go a bit later when the snow and the eather is better. And organise some thermal layers. But I would love to see the Northern Lights. Be so annoying to go and not see any, though. My daughter, being a Phillip Pullman "Dark Materials" fan is desperate to see the northern lights.
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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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Skysmile, a celebration . . . . hmmm and what form could that take? If your taking the other half for lessons can i come too, promise i'll be good, honest 
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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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we booked through inghams and stayed in the villa armas cabins, it has everything you need including a sauna and we will be staying there again next year, i loved my holiday to yllas and still check the webcams daily, how sad of me
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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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peura, if one can get to Helsinki, then take a night train (might not be THAT much cheaper than plane) to the north and get to a ski bus...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Leamington Spa, that's not too far from Tamworth!
Skysmile, I'd advise a couple of sessions there for both of you before you go.
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youspurs1, gotta agree!
Skysmile, Once you let the missus in on the plan let me know and we can all go up together.
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Thanks, youspurs1.
snobunni, would you advise Tamworth over dry slopes then?
demos and peura - probably better if we fly from London. Do you guys know how much roughly I should expect to pay for flights? (So that I don't get ripped off!!!!)
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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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Skysmile, dry slopes are harder so you end up finding it much easier when you get on real snow, some argue that you become a more technical skier this way, however indoor snow gives you a feel for the real stuff . . . plus at Tamworth you'd probably be on the main slope for you lesson so i can observe whilst also skiing, yay, you'd love that!
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Skysmile, I'm no longer sure on prices but for a scheduled airline I think Blue1 seemed better than Finnair. Last time I looked I think the prices where around €200 to Kittilä (one way). You may be able to find charter flights at the weekend, Inghams on Sunday, Neilson on Saturday(?). IIRC, there are buses from the airport to both resorts that tie-in with the flights. Travelling directly Ylläs(Äkäslompolo) is about a 50 minute journey, Levi is (IIRC) about 20 minutes. Rovaniemi is also a possibility with perhaps more flights but a longer "transfer" - I think ~2 hours to Kittilä. Having looked at various options I couldn't convince myself that I could make enough of a saving to make it worthwhile trying to book the accommodation and flights independently.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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if you wait till last minute you will be able to get it alot cheaper, although don't book anything fast or you might end up in a shitter.
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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 went to Levi last december and it was fantastic... nice snow and nice people..
if you weare goggles when you ski i suggest you get a clear lens before you go as under the floodlights it can be hard to see
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