 Poster: A snowHead
|
Horrified at cost of places for New Year - have been looking at snow sure in Austria ( and Finland/Sweden) - we want somewhere catered with a jolly atmosphere for N Year (not apres ski - have young teens) but not luxury - and decent intermediate skiing but the tour ops charging around 850-1100 pp - with lift passes and gear brings it to £5000. Is that normal for New Year - had thought with 'credit crunch' there may be bargains about?!
We can only go N Year week so no other options there.
Anyone have any advice, suggestions for a reasonable priced hol? Thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
sally s, I act as anagent for over 100 tour ops and have to say they are up to their necks in it. They are actually taking a big hit by not reducing prices as much as they should. £ vs €= 12% price rise, Inflation at 5%, fuel costs, and worst of all aviation fuel up 93% on last year. on peak dates on average they should be charging around £140.00 pp more than last year on a holiday that was previous £800.00. Now, that's no real use to you but just bear in mind.
There are some deals of chalets and hotels at under the £850.00 but not many. Club Med have a deal at £4500.00 plus ski hire but this deal (and here is teh saving includes - All meals - full board and dine around teh paradiski, tuition, lift pass, insurance, kids/teenager clubs (if required), entertainment, other activities, free alcohol, soft drinks and bar snacks throughout the day, etc. I reckon the lunches and drinks alone is worth about £1000.00 in total. BTW - no gratuities/tips! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
sally s, do you have to go new year? any sort of holiday season the prices just go crazy just look in the brochures and first week in feb the prices will be ok then when the kids half term hits the prices go up about £200-£250 and then the week after they go back down in price again. its a horrible situation coz they know if you have kids and want to go away you have to go in certain weeks and pay the prices. if you have to go new year then you will have to make a comprimise i think, either the size of the resort and ski area or its snow record etc something will have to give to get the price down. finland will be so expensive because its seen as finland/lapland and that brings santa in for the kids hiking prices up. italy may be cheaper but try look for somewhere with glacier skiing to give you a decent chance of snow. bulgaria will be cheaper but cant say how good the snow will be. if you are really brave wait until last minute to see if any deals come up
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
sally you should look of the beaten track,maybe valmeinier in france or nassfeld in austria, do a bit of internet research and by DIY you can save a fortune.....both have pretty good snow records for NY and dont have mega rseort premuims
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Thanks for replies - we do have to go NY week ( I teach, partner has to work Xmas) and I can see now why the prices are hiked - just can't understand why everyone pays them! Can see I will have to sit down and thrash around the net to find a half decent option.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Dunno about New Year, but I got a chalet deal last Christmas for under £350.00 incl drinks. It pays to look around.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I've booked La Plagne with Crystal for New Year for a lot less, but I have children in a cabine in bunks. They are a lot younger, 6 & 9.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Always fancied Xmas and NY but cost has put me off. That first week of jan is ALWAYS dirt cheap, it's a shame you're holidays are fixed. Have you looked at the search engines like igluski et al? I know it's pretty obvious but they'll ahve the best deals – Ski Deals, Direct Ski, ifyouski - they'll all have deals.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Thanks - we do want something catered with a decent atmosphere rather than apartments - and snow - so I know we are expecting to tick a lot of boxes and we have to look at ski hire/tuition/lift pass costs too as they vary so much - having a 13 and 15 year old I find sometimes they are classed as adults so we are looking at 4x expensive lift passes whereas sometimes youths or even children. Then there is the whole issue of flight times and long transfers waiting in buses and the misery of a 3 am start when all I want is a pleasant journey either end, nice accomodation, reasonable food, snow and a jolly festive atmosphere that doesnt cost me £5000! Too much to ask! Am hunting through the options though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
sally s, as said above, you will have to compromise on something. How about driving, staying in a good quality apartment, and exploring all the restaurant options. With kids, your own apartment for breakfast, and the odd snack/drink/beer 'n crisps at supermarket prices will save you a fortune. Driving will be cheaper, too, and if you plan the journey right should not be too difficult.
Have you thought of Easter? Better all round....
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| sally s wrote: |
| Thanks - we do want something catered with a decent atmosphere rather than apartments - and snow - so I know we are expecting to tick a lot of boxes and we have to look at ski hire/tuition/lift pass costs too as they vary so much - having a 13 and 15 year old I find sometimes they are classed as adults so we are looking at 4x expensive lift passes whereas sometimes youths or even children. Then there is the whole issue of flight times and long transfers waiting in buses and the misery of a 3 am start when all I want is a pleasant journey either end, nice accomodation, reasonable food, snow and a jolly festive atmosphere that doesnt cost me £5000! Too much to ask! Am hunting through the options though. |
Look at resorts with decent apartments and a good selection of restaurants, then you can organise your own transport and transfers. To save on skiing costs, look for resorts offering a family lift pass (Serre Chevalier offers one for two adults and two children up to age 1 .
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Like others have mentioned go for an apartment and try the good restaurants. The food will probably be better than what can be offered up in some chalets. Bearing in mind that it will be the start to the season and many of the high street TO's will have staffed their chalets with Mr. or Miss Gap Year, and they may not be as professional as they had blagged at their interview 
An apartment can give you great flexibility also! What is your budget? What are you looking for? You will get lots of good advice here so sort out what you want and the advice will come flying in!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
sally s, yep would look at self-catering/driving option. Once you have decided where to, then contact the local Tourist office who will give you details of all types of accommodation. As Roy says, an apartment willl give you great flexibility especially with teenagers. Each to their own but the idea of catered doesn't do it for me - it's nice to sample local restaurants, eating in maybe three nights a week or if we have had a sumptuous lunch up the mountain  . It means that you are not tied to times as much and if you fancy a quick toboggan before supper then no worries.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
I've done catered chalet, hotel etc. but feel like din dinns is so late at 8pm and if you don't like the people you are stuck with you are stuffed and catching the waiters eye and add on costs in hotel is a pain, we go self catering now - so please ourselves what we eat and when we eat it, can choose different restaurant every night, make a slap up din dinns at home or eat in whenever you want.
also benefit from tv, dvd player, extra space etc of an apartment without people in your face all the time.
I am going to alpe d'huez or tignes. reason for this is that it is definitely snow sure. couple xmas back there was panic when the snow never come - in europe it had the best snow. i was in tignes and la plagne at the time and it was brilliant - heard everyone else moaning in other resorts, but loads of snow in tignes and not too bad in la plagne.
this christmas and new year going to alpe d'huez for 2 weeks.
best way of making it cheap is to rent your own apartment. got 2 bed apartment sleeping 6 for £1200 for xmas and new year in alpe d'huez.
on alpe d'huez main website - there is a downloadable pdf with hundred or so apartments for private rent or look for tignes line on google.
can also recommend a cheap apartment in Chamonix, once again snow sure.. english owner too.
please email me at ottersholt@hotmail.co.uk if you want contacts to get cheap apartments
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
sally s,
declared interest. am an owner in the village of Les Arcs 1950.
Arc1950, which is pretty damn snow sure if anywhere is going to be, has 2 bedroom SC apartments ( that's 55sq m) at New Year ( I presume you mean w/c 27th) for EUR 2436. That will sleep 4 in comfort, and six if you want to use the bed in the living room. Its is about twice the space of a typical French apartment, and absolutely ski-in/out. Anyone else who has been will tell you that you will not be without your creature comforts. Restaurants or self catering or mixing it are all possible, with supermarket, bakery and the like all on tap.
You will need to travel, however, you can fly drive or train to the place pretty much from anywhere in the UK
But if you are looking for under £5000 and a top notch place (I would say that) I think it is amazingly underpriced right now. Oh and the skiing is pretty good too 
http://www.lesarcs1950.com for details.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Lou, I had the same reaction to that price.... there are plenty of cheaper places around, and for that sort of money you can get a very pretty independent chalet for a sizeable party. We are just waiting for sally s to decide which of her criteria to drop. Or to go skiing at Easter...
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Okay I get the message - go for an apartment, I realise that is the way to go. Some of the brochure pics of high rise apartments just look so grim and we have never travelled without a TO before and I suppose it just means more hassle for me to organise flights/transfers or car/ferry. Then instead of the fun of eating out I just think hassle - trailing around busy resort looking for a table and then I am completely spooked by trying to get decent ski school tuition in France after so many horror stories - which is why the 'easy' way out is a package and last year we had two for under £3000 each so was blindly expecting the same (we've only skiied for 3 years). Pam W - we hope to go at half term or Easter too
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Lou, pam w, Of course you can do cheaper - I just thought Sally wanted style and quality but at a reasonable price!
Believe me, it ought to cost a whole lot more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
sally s, organising it yourself really isn't too bad! You've already done some of the legwork by posting here. You are more likely to get decent ski school recommendations here - TO's will not necessarily use the best. Once you know what resort you are going to it will all fall into place with a little research
Our trips cost (approx) £1700-£2000 and that is for 10 days or so, includes food, eating out several times, ski school for boys, one or two private lessons for us, passes (family discount if buy min 6 days), fuel, tolls and thanks to Tesco clubcard our Eurotunnel is mostly paid for.
JimW,
| Quote: |
Believe me, it ought to cost a whole lot more...
|
Sorry I can't believe you for that price I would expect a whole lot more than self-catering.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Quote: |
Believe me, it ought to cost a whole lot more...
|
How much more!!! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| stortfordhal wrote: |
| Quote: |
Believe me, it ought to cost a whole lot more...
|
How much more!!! |
Well, taking into account the £: € slide (of say 12% this year?), makes it slightly more difficult to calculate. But I have heard that accomodation run by relatives of other owners, of similar standards, with similar facilities in Verbier and Val d' can cost 35% - 50% more.
So if wanting to sell in the UK at New Year rather than setting a pure Euro figure, say bump it by 25% to ~€3100, so if sleeping 6 that's €516 per head, or £430 each per week. As opposed to £338 at the current prices (and £166 a week later...when I'm going )
And don't forget, we are not talking the high-rise rabbit hutches of 2000 or Les Manures. See mrsfatcontroller's thread "We just bought this" on the type of things included in the deal for high-quality facilities these days.
Now, clearly the hotel operators don't agree with me, since they haven't raised the prices!
I still maintain that if you want top notch accomodation and great skiing in Europe this year, it is one of the best value-for-money places you'll find.
And yes, I do realise that I can be accused of pimping, apologies. But people were asking about the numbers. Mods: please delete if you think not appropriate.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If we're talking VFM... ie that quality v price perception/calculation, then I think we are looking at the wrong end of the alps. Go for somewhere totally snowsure but less heard of glacier resorts in Austria like Pitztal, Molltal, Kaunertal or maybe one of the smaller villages down the road from Hintertux. Cheaper lift passes, better quality accommodation and air fares at peak times are generally way cheaper to Munich, Salzburg, Klagenfurt, Innsbruck than say Geneva.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
