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Recession Bites - So Which Resorts are Best for the Pocket

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
We tend to be a part of the self catering croud, and one thing our group has done in the past has been to do a load of shopping in a big hypermarche betwixt airport and resort. That saved some cash... and our arms from having to cart numerous crates of bee... um... heavy items of shopping from the centre of town back to the chalet.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
We are part of the s/c crowd too mainly because of the veggie/vegan people we have to take account of. However the price saving is quite welcome as well. Last year half term got a week skiing in PDS for £250 each including flights and transfer
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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?
ruthie wrote:
We are part of the s/c crowd too mainly because of the veggie/vegan people we have to take account of. However the price saving is quite welcome as well. Last year half term got a week skiing in PDS for £250 each including flights and transfer


Veggies are not welcome in the mountains which for 1000's of year has been Jäger territory Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ahh... Bless Ya Frosty!! And bless ya Smokin Joe too! Laughing

Just for your interest.... I was mainly skiing in the Reiteralm/Schladming/Haus direction last season.... met up with Waynos who has an appartment in Schladming (fantastic skier and full of very helpful tips!)

From the bus at the end of the road you can ski from Reiteralm all the way to Haus and back in a day - which is fan-bloody-tastic!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Valmeinier, went this year and it was very inexpensive compared to other places we have been too. Stayed in pierre et vacances place s/c. Skiing is rather intermediate, but there is quite a bit of it, and the off piste does not seem to get used very much. No one seems to go out if its snowing. Had one of my best powder days ever there, and it was deserted.

There is no nightlife at all and the place is blighted by car parks everywhere, (however they are free) and a new indoor one they are building that looks like a nuclear bunker/ concrete castle! but it is cheap.

2 bedroom s/c 3 star place, it was fine and reasonable size was £285 for the week. lift pass was very cheap, as were my daughter ski lessons, with only 5 in the group, and a instructor who spoke good english, a bit fierce (well it was esf), but she really enjoyed it and her skiing improved a lot.

drawback is if you don't ski there is nothing much to do.

Andorra is not that cheap anymore, (well soldeu) have been twice in the last 3 years, compared to 10 years ago it is much much more expensive. Yes its cheaper than the big league french resorts, but about the same as the smaller ones.
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Schladming is excellent value and a gret ski area. There is a local brewery,so the beer isn't too expensive,about the same as here. Loads of places to eat and plenty of bars, You can eat a desent meal out for 10 euros. Plenty of reasonable priced digs.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I declare my bias at the outset but I think Tour Operators could represent pretty good value next season (relatively speaking).

With a DIY holiday you'll be subject to the full impact of any increases in food, fuel and everything else costs. Plus you'll have a big price hike over previous years due to the exchange rate (if heading to Euroland) - don't expect the £/Euro rate to get much better than about 1/1.26 over the next 9 to 12 months.

However, my guess is that not many travel firms offering inclusive type packages priced in Sterling will be brave enough to increase their prices by more than about 5% over last year.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
The Pyrenees is still good value in particular if you compare it to the Alps. A beer is normal 4.50 for a pint, a good meal will only set you back between 10 and 15 euros and the lift passes can range from 20 euros for a day.

Here in Luchon where we have Superbagneres on our doorstep, Peyragudes just 15 mins away and a number of other resorts all within striking distance you can have have a great holiday with variety without busting the wallet.

Flights into Toulouse and Pau leave you with a 90 minute transfer and Easyjet, Ryanair, and a number of other cheap airlines have flights.

If you want empty slopes, then January is great, and even then with the exception of the main French school holiday the slopes are generally quiet with few if any lift queues.

If you want to know more drop me a PM
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Ski Guide, I think in general looking to January is a good way to save dosh. A lot of hotels/apartments/chalets have spare capacity and there will almost always be deals about for Jan weeks. Usually good snow too.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
ctskifam, interesting, I was wondering this last week, but being realistic, I guess I would be tempted to assume that TOs would pass on their extra costs to customers, as many have already done with fuel surcharges and currency surcharges etc. I would hardly expect them not to...

On the other hand, perhaps they might feel that overall it's going to be a weak market for holidays this year and so maybe they will be prepared to take a hit in order to gain lots of new happy customers and goodwill. I would be surprised though. Will be interesting to see the brochures this year.

I would expect to see a pattern of lots of early DIY bookers getting the best flight fares, then lots of package holidayers leaving it to the last minute to get the discounted deals.

D
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Deliaskis, I'm not convinced the market would take the kind of price hike TOs would need to put in place to recover all of their increased costs. They'll take a hit on margin and try and increase occupancy rates by getting bookings in as early as possible and shedding any marginal properties.

I would advise people to try and book with some kind of no surcharge guarantee though. There are some about and it's not inconceivable that the pound could take a further slide against the Euro. I'd also look carefully at prices - the base price may not go up much but there'll be plenty of operators increasing the costs of add-ons (room supplements, lift passes, insurance etc etc) to claw back money and sometimes in less than obvious ways (I've seen a number of firms up their credit card surcharge from 1.5% to 2+%).
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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.
If I was guesing I would say that tour operators will charge partly according to costs and as costs will go up so will charges. Where there is a sellers market as in the school holidays packages will be expensive. If people do cut back on second holidays etc there could be some deep discounting at the last minute with a lot of holidays going for less than cost. I would not by an unbonded holiday other than on credit card though.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Having just noticed the 'Tipping in North America' thread (again), good savings can be had by going to Canada/US by pretending not to know the ettiquette and not tipping at all - cheap ski lessons and tucker as a result Very Happy - together with decent exchange rates it may make for a relatively economical trip Laughing
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
rayscoops, difficult to avoid the tipping though............
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Just been to the Euro 08 footy. In and around Innsbruck to be precise. So used to French Alps beer prices that I was staggered to find you could get a large beer for 2.5 - 3 euros. Half price!!

The more you drink, the more you save!! Food was also cheap too - went hiking and found that basic main courses were 4 or 5 euros in the mountain huttes (ie refuges/mountain restaurants).


Already looking at Austria flights for next winter.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
mountainaddict wrote:
Just been to the Euro 08 footy. In and around Innsbruck to be precise. So used to French Alps beer prices that I was staggered to find you could get a large beer for 2.5 - 3 euros. Half price!!

The more you drink, the more you save!! Food was also cheap too - went hiking and found that basic main courses were 4 or 5 euros in the mountain huttes (ie refuges/mountain restaurants).


Already looking at Austria flights for next winter.


The main courses are a bit more than that in the Winter - usually about 7-8 Euros last winter IME (Zillertal).
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Have to say last year I organized a trip to zillertal that cost 1k s/c apartment for four adults with all the travel and lift passes and then a trip to La Ros with the family a couple of weeks later 2 adults and 2 kids in a catered chalet for just over 3k. No way I can cover that next season so I'm waiting for a late booking to Austria, the old week before thing like the old teletext days.
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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?
Using Innsbruck as a base and skiing the surrounding area is a good idea, but it is more like a city break with skiing rather than a ski resort type break ! alternatively you can stay in the Stubai Valley and ski Schlick 2000 and the Stubai Glacier. Innsbruck is nice city though and close to many resorts, with St Anton is a cheap one hour train ride away! Khutai also seems an interesting resort just a 20 km taxi ride away from the airport
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Save your money. This year is going to be a very poor snow & warm temperatures year plus the eastern resorts do not have sufficient snow making.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
stanton wrote:
Save your money. This year is going to be a very poor snow & warm temperatures year plus the eastern resorts do not have sufficient snow making.


How in hells-bells can you make such a drastic and yet seemingly 'informed' statement.... Oh.. I may be going back to the UK in the middle 2 weeks of august, can you let me know if it will definately rain or not as my balcony plants may die...?
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flangesax, Welcome to the world of stanton, Very Happy
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
flangesax, It's true what stanton, says, this year, particularly on the 11th of each month will be very poor for snow.
ski holidays
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Why not suss out the cheapest weeks to ski, and wait for a late date deal? If you chose a catered chalet, all but lunch is provided. Very Happy
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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.
... and you may find a few operators are starting to offer a packed lunch service to save you a few quid/euros out on the slopes.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Checkout the Interhome website for basic but very cheap accomodation in many major resorts - mostly France.

We've been with them 4 times and saved a fortune. You can see the interior of your apartment online if you're concerned about the standard. A lot of the accomodation is piste-side or very convenient.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
marmalade, I have also used Interhome over the years as well and agree with your sentiments on the accommodation side. How do you travel to your Interhome apartments because it is this part of the DIY package that can catch you particularly on car-hire or resort transfers. Do you have any figures on this please?
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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.
Booking directly with the apartment owners can save you some dosh too. Sites such as holidaylettings.co.uk , www.internet-cottages.co.uk have a good selection of ski apartments
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Went to Kopaonik in Serbia a couple of years ago and had a very good time on a very low budget. Good (but maybe not too challenging) skiing and only a pound a pint!!! Bargain!!
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
DAVID SNELL, Generally I just shop around a lot for cheapest car hire. I've used the discount codes posted on Snowheads a few times and it's saved quite a lot. AutosEurope and Carhire3000 are also pretty cheap.

I've just checked out Holiday Autos with the discount code on the car hire thread. Works out at £90 for a small car for 4 days - so at £22 each it's cheaper than a transfer and you have the convenience of the car during your holiday. Obviously you need to factor in fuel and a ski rack if necessary.

I would agree with Helen Beaumont, about booking direct with owners - not quite as cheap as Interhome but can be better standard. I've used holidaylettings.co.uk once but for ski resorts I reckon Homelidays is better. Got a bargain luxury apartment in Avoriaz thru them last year (800euros for a luxury 2 bedroom apartment in high season).

Anyway, a budget flight, Interhome apartment and discounted car hire makes for a very cheap holiday IMHO.

We're doing a 4 weeks in Serre Chevalier over next Feb half-term. It's costing about £620 per person for flights, lovely apartment and people carrier.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
marmalade, Good stuff! Our daughter was a ski rep. in Serre Che for the last 2 winters with Skibound, a specialist schools operator, and really enjoyed it there. My wife and I have had a couple of Xmas's out there with our daughter and really enjoyed it staying at the Hotel Plein Sud in Chantemerle.
Serre Chevalier is quite low key in the UK market but is really a great resort. There is a 100 strong ex-pat UK community out there in the Winter season who are really wedded to the place. So I am sure that you will really enjoy it and possibly repeat in the years to come. Helen Beaumont, a frequent contributor to "Smowheads" has her own apartment out there in Le Monetier-les Bains.
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