 Poster: A snowHead
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Greetings all
Myself and my Wife are trying to arrange a trip over the Christmas period. The problem we have is that we have very strict holidays and can only visit from Weds 24th December 2008 until Thurs 1st Jan 2008.(although if it is easier we can stay in Geneva on the 24th so the booking is for 1 week)
I realise that this is in the middle of 2 of the busiest weeks of the year. Because of the difficulty of finding accommodation for these date I am VERY flexible about where I stay, and will consider anywhere with a bed.
I have the flights booked but I want a snow sure(I know there is no such thing but a good early record is needed) Resort that has easy transfers from Geneva
Last year I went to Zermatt which was superb
I am not to bothered about banging apres as I can get drunk in Leeds but I want to be able to have a few after a hard day
So far I am thinking maybe Saas Fee?
Or my first trip to Chamonix as It might be a good fit
I have been to Tignes the last few time so not there or the 3V
Maybe thinking the Bourg St Maurice area I was in Les Arcs in Easter and loved it, I usually ski reds and blacks not to bothered about serious off piste
What do you knowledgeable lot think?
and if you can feel free to pimp
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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ajbaldwin, Book for two weeks 20/12-3/1 ?
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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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ajbaldwin, If you dont mind roughing it you MAY be able to book split weeks at one of the hostels in Chamonix, if your not short of a shekel then the superb 2 star
www.hoteleden-chamonix.com/ do 7 and 10 night specials around Xmas/New Year, good luck.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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ajbaldwin, Consider a valley town if you're not too fussed about apres ski. Bourg St Maurice for Les Arcs via the funiculaire. Sallanches if you have a car, it is about 20mins drive from Les Carroz, Megeve, St Gervais, Les Houches and slightly further to Chamonix. Hotels in the towns are much more flexible about dates and make a great place for an odd length break over Xmas. We do this regularly as we usually want to stay for a non-standard period.
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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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ajbaldwin, have to second homphomp, try the valley accomm. You will be astonishingly lucky to get NY week split in Chamonix. Without paying full price. At this time of year even getting NY is not even that easy...
L'Orangerie in Passy looks like a nice place to stay...also there's at least one big hotel in St Gervais (not the spa).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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ajbaldwin, you will be very lucky to get split weeks like that without paying for both of them. Try looking at hotels such as on Logid de France and see what they can offer you. We stayed at one in Champagny-en-Vanois (La Plagne) a few years ago for New Year week that seemed to have people arriving and departing on all sorts of days. Hotel Ancolie I think
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ajbaldwin, you'll get that duration in Austria (for example I'm doing 26th - 31st, flying home on the 1st... with hangover. I hate that). Try www.tiscover.com or go to the individual resort accommo sites. You might not get the best positioned hotels etc but you will get something. You're basically booking Christmas week and that isn't the highest of high season because most Germans seem to stay at home until the New Year week. You have to remember that some folks on here only know France.
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Bode Swiller, to be fair, he did mention he was flying to Geneva, and also sugessted several French and Swiss resorts he was thinking about. Austria is a long drive from GVA
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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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Helen Beaumont, to be fairer, looks to me like he hasn't booked that bit yet. Clearly, you'd have to be mad to drive to Austria from there.
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Bode Swiller,
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| I have the flights booked but I want a snow sure(I know there is no such thing but a good early record is needed) Resort that has easy transfers from Geneva |
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Helen Beaumont, oh yeah, so it does! See, I'm not perfect after all.
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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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Bode Swiller,  must be hard for you to take.
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Helen Beaumont, been a long day. No lavish lunches to attend. Blood sugar getting low.
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You know it makes sense.
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Bode Swiller, how awful for you. 
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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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Hotel Ibis at Sallanches would fit the bill for Chamonix - and is bookable for any duration.
I've just had a peep at availability for you (all part of the service!!) and IT IS AVAILABLE for 7 nts from 25 Dec at a bargain €39/room/night. Bob is indeed votre oncle! See the website for details:
http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/home/index.shtml?tduid=6034eb0e347606392dff526dd95114bf.
It's about half an hour drive to Chamonix and lots of other resorts are within close distance (eg Flaine, Les Houches, Les Carroz, Morzine/Les Gets, Grand Bornand, La Clusaz etc.) The town of Sallanches is pleasant enough and is ok for food and drink - though by no means a hot bed of apres ski and the restaurants are a bit of a walk from the hotel. Still - you can't fall off at this price for Christmas & New year can you?
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Poster: A snowHead
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ajbaldwin,
If you contact the tourist board in places like Saas Fee they will put out your request to the hoteliers. Swiss hotels seem better than French for non standard weeks. However I reckon a lot of places will not want to split the New Year so you may be unlucky. If thinking of a valley town Sion is quite convenient for many resorts in the Valais particulary for the 4 valley resorts and is not unattractive itself.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sorry to break up the loving you two 
I will take a look at all your suggestions, so thank you all for the info
Sadly one of the things about being a contractor is that you cannot take holidays when you want, so you have to squeeze holidays in when you can, and this is going to be my only chance to hit the mountains this season so it will be worth the hassle
I am missing a resort that's withing striking distance of Geneva that may suit my purpose?
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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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Wow you snow heads are up late!!
MountainAddict and TBar managed to post before I typed my answer (although I am having a nice glass of wine as I type)
I will checkout all you advise in my lunch break, but it looks like there is some chance at least
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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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ajbaldwin, to add to those places you can reach from Sallanches, Combloux (closer than almost others on the list) is well worth a visit; if the snow's good. Also Megeve, Notre Dame de Bellecombe.
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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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It's a good suggestion - Sallanches is a nice place to stay, too. That would probably be my vote unless partying is high on the agenda. Though for that price, you could treat yourself to an eye-wateringly priced taxi for NYE. Maybe the bigger hotels might be more amenable in general to split weeks - Chamonix Mercure or Alpina, the Diva in Tignes, or something similar in Bourg...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Yes I am looking into Sallanches at the min, I have also email the tourist boards at
Bourg\Arc
Chamonix
Saas Fee
For a list of hotels that might have rooms on a per night basis
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ajbaldwin, Don't ignore the suggestion of Sion. You can be in Veysonnaz or Nendaz in 20 minutes. I have had a couple of weekends staying there in different hotels.
Other places to try: Cluses, St Jean de Maurienne, Brides les Bains.
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ajbaldwin, you could try staying in Vallorcine for Chamonix but if it snows hard the pass can get shut down.
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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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ajbaldwin, If you send the specific dates to the tourist office they will usually forward it to the hotels who will come back to you if they have availability.
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Here is an update for you all which I am very surprised at
I mailed to Tourist office of these three resorts and they were not very helpful
Bourg\Arc
Chamonix
Saas Fee
So I did what I always do and went on the websites of the resorts and get the accommodation lists. I wrote a generic email the BCC'd them all in (around 300 hotels\chalets\apartments)
Basically everyone on the lists as I thought I might struggle
so far I have over 50 replies offering me rooms, many of them offering me multiple choices in there hotels, and plenty back from Chalets (no apartments as they only like Sat - Sat)
I am currently picking through them but it looks like either Cham or Arc 1800
I am very surprised by the amount of rooms that are out there for such an unusual period!!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ajbaldwin, I offer flexible arrival at my apartment, as long as they stay at least three nights, although Sunday is my usual changeover day for weekly stays. It has been very successful.
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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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| Bode Swiller wrote: |
| Helen Beaumont, oh yeah, so it does! See, I'm not perfect after all. |
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You know it makes sense.
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ajbaldwin, We can help with a studio in Morzine for your exact dates!!
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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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achilles, Helen Beaumont, clearly you require irony alerts. I'll try to remember that in future.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Bode Swiller, I took it with the irony with which it was intended Mr Swiller,
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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there is a hotel in Tignes - booked by the night and ski in out. went there couple of xmas back when the snowfall was very limited and had fabulous skiing - the snow in tignes was to die for and envy of all other ski regions.
the hotel is le lavanna or some name like that
we had bed, breakfast and dinner and the dinner was brill - i reckon they could give a celebrity chef run for its money. and actually was really cheapest hotel nearly bouts in tignes.
otherwise try www.just-going.com. if Fiona can't find you what you are looking for - nobody will.
good luck
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