 Poster: A snowHead
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Has anyone got any info on this hotel-i'm considering going there for xmas-i can't seem to find any reviews for it on the usual sites,i'm half inclined to book it anyway just for the location as its right by all the main lifts-or has anyone stayed with Rocketski for an idea of what they are like as a tour op in general?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Atomic_Mick, be careful, it's a 'school hotel', you may be swamped by kids! We stayed there - we were warned by the TO that there was a school party staying in the same week (fine, we thought, we've had that before & it was OK), but not that there were in fact @150 kids, from several schools (plus teachers - a few of whom were considerably more annoying than the kids, actually. Gits  And before anyone complains, I've done some teaching too... good & bad people everywhere, I guess) to 12 'ordinary punters'. It was a bit difficult...
Actually, as it turned out, the food was excellent (we ate after the mass-catered hoards) - I think the chef felt sorry for us! And the location of the hotel cannot be faulted - it really is right on the slopes. Room-wise, fairly shabby, but comfy enough, with OK bathrooms & constant hot water. Basically, as a cheap holiday in a great location in a good resort, it worked out OK in the end, & we did enjoy ourselves, but we wouldn't have booked it if we'd known about the number of schoolkids there in advance. So if you are thinking of booking, do check this with the TO if possible... And if it's OK, & it might well be, being Christmas week, it's worth considering. Just don't expect posh!
(It could be a really great hotel, btw - we wondered if we should make them an offer! Just needs a bit of work...)
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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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Atomic_Mick, if you ask Rocket they will tell you whether or not they have school bookings for that week. Christmas week is usually quiet on the schools front though, so it wouldn't surprise me if there were none at that time. School groups eat at a separate sitting, so you won't share the restaurant with them. The rooms are fairly basic, bar and restaurant are nice, terrace is huge and sunny, hotel is right next to the main gondola and a drag lift which offers easy access to a load of beginner slopes. Can't vouch for the food, as I think there will be a new chef this season.
Queues for the main lift can be long, but you can scoot down the green at the back of the hotel and head off to Auris on a busy day. It's probably the best located accommodation I've ever seen, in fact.
Rocket's service is fairly basic - plain rooms, buffet breakfast, three course evening meal, no afternoon tea. If you want hot brekkies, cakes and canapes it's not for you. However, the Beausoleil is very well run (manager has been there for over 10 years) so if you're happy with what the company offers you should be fine.
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Thanks for the replies-we've gone and booked it for xmas week anyway for £389 which doesn't seem too bad for xmas week-the main attraction for us is the location-we stayed at the chalet viking in Alpe D'huez last year which was also ski in/out but that is located besides the main through piste running through the town which meant skiing down to the basket lift which then takes about 10-15 mins to get to the main lifts or take the slow chair across town to the les bergers area,so the idea of being in the best position in resort for the skiing whilst not beinf too far from the centre is pretty appealing.
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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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Atomic_Mick, we're staying in Chalet Viking at the end of Jan with first choice, what's it like? There is a large group of us going with a wide range of abilities.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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mcboz, its a really nice chalet with a outdoor hottub just outside the living room doors. It's situated in a fairly central position in the resort about a 5-10 min walk from the swimming pool and ice rink. One word of warning though is that the internal walls are wafer thin so you hear everything from snores to toilets flushing from other rooms-it didn't really bother us too much though we just got on with it. The staff were really helpful and the wine was available 24/7 (not rationed to just meal times like some places),the food was ok but not great-everyone found it very salty-we were told it was because of the stock that they were given to cook the food with-it was early season though and i'd imagine by the time you get there they should be more settled down. I'd still return back to that chalet (at the right price) even considering the few niggles we encountered.
p.s beware of the ice on the steps down to the road it was very treacherous-we asked them to get it sorted in the end which they did by hacking out the ice and putting salt down.
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Atomic_Mick, thanks for the info, sounds good. Not too worried about the thin walls, last year we stayed in chalet in val d’isere were some of the rooms didn't have walls, just curtains!. Can you ski in and out, most of us are good skiers?
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mcboz, sorry for the delay in the reply i hadn't seen your last post till now.
Yes its ski in/out-its right next to the central piste that runs through the resort-if your like me and hate taking your skis off to get on lifts then ski past the basket/lobster pot lift that takes you up to the main dmc gondola but carry on a little way across a bridge that takes you to a ski on/ski off lift that is quite short that then links you straight away to another that takes you across town(it is pretty slow mind you) to the les bergers lifts.
Skiing back to the chalet is also easy you just take the track/piste from the bottom of the signal d'homme-make sure you throw a a sharp left turn where you see the piste divide this will take you through a shortish narrow tunnel and the chalet viking is about 100 metres further on after the tunnel on your right hand side-we skied literally right back to the door last xmas.
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Dance Action Holidays
Dance Action Holidays
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I organise holidays for skiers who wish to learn to either Salsa or Ceroc/Leroc Jive.
I will be there with my group dancing in an area set aside for us. Anyone wishing to join us for the week would be trained to dance and able top join in our dance socials.
As all my guests have paid to be a part of this special group, you would need to register with me and pay to join us for the week.
Hope you enjoy your stay and please feel free to watch our experienced dancers strutting their stuff!
Peter (Socially interactive dance holidays).
00-44-(0)1625-875227
00-44-(0)7946-071639
www.skiandrock.co.uk
peter@skiandrock.co.uk
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Atomic_Mick, We are staying in Chalet L'Escapade 30/1 - 6/2. Any advice location-wise on that? I have been told it's near the L'Eclose lift, and ski in/out
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Dance Action Holidays
Dance Action Holidays
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Xmas Dance Group is staying at Club hotel Beusoliel.
I realised other topics were on this thread, so to the originator staying for Xmas at the Beusoliel, See you soon & Merry Xmas! Peter
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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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Dance Action Holidays, I'd be surprised - the original post was made in November '08. 
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| Quote: |
I organise holidays for skiers who wish to learn to either Salsa or Ceroc/Leroc Jive.
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Almost the last thing I'd want to do after a day's skiing!
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You know it makes sense.
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Butterfly, well, it's near the Eclose lift and ski in/out.
The Eclose lift takes you across to the Bergers area and into the system via the Marmottes telecabine, or alternatively across to Auris on the Alp Auris Express chairlift. The hotel is just on the edge of the old village - nearby bars are the Pacific, Underground, O Bar. Budget a decent amount for meal out on the staff night off and eat in Au P'tit Creux at the top of the steps by the tourist office.
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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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Dance Action Holidays
Dance Action Holidays
Guest
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| Colin B wrote: |
| Quote: |
I organise holidays for skiers who wish to learn to either Salsa or Ceroc/Leroc Jive.
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Almost the last thing I'd want to do after a day's skiing! |
It softens our muscles by burning off lactic acid. It also creates greater balance and control than purely skiing, so we ski or board even better.
All top athletes are encouraged to do dance as part of their training, to raise their game, and we do not have any mid week stiff muscles/heavy legs syndrome.
Do not knock it until you have tried it!! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hmm to be fair it's almost the last thing I'd want to do at any time  My last attempt at dancing lessons are best forgotten
I do sometimes get dragged around the ice rink after skiing which I guess is the same principle.
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Dance Action Holidays
Dance Action Holidays
Guest
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It is down to what we feel comfortable with. Most blokes are too shy to dance well, but can do not worry about looking bad at skiing. We would all probably laugh out loud if we saw our first attempts at skiing/boarding.
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I did wonder for a while why this thread had been resurrected-and for anyone going to stay at that hotel this year i can confirm its in a fabulous position right at the bottom of the main pistes into resort-xmas week last year didn't have school groups. The hotel itself is functional without being plush,food was good and staff were helpful and friendly. Definitely good value considering the price we paid.
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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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Lizzard,I realised it was an 08 thread resurrected but thought that someone might pop in! Thanks for the recommendation - but how much is "a decent amount"? I am going to be with "Granny Grumps", who came to LDA last March and her daughter & s-i-law so I can make suggestions, but the eating out location won't be my decision - far easier to go along with what they want . BTW - is the route to Auris & back accessible to a novice (not me! It's someone else going with us).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Butterfly, what kind of novice? You can get over there on blue/green runs I think (haven't done it for a bit). Can't remember what sort of price the restaurant was - more expensive than average but quality food, well worth the extra.
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Butterfly, Aha the scare chair! It goes down and then up the gorge which is quite un-nerving the first time. The runs over at Auris down from Signal De L'Homme are pretty steep, don't know whether there is an easier route down.
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Lizzard, she's early 60s and in LDA skied only Vikings, Gentiane, Route de Thuit (from red eggs-->Cretes) and the bottom part of Desmoiselles (from Aiguille chair).
Colin B, yes, heard of it - sounds like fun to me!! Wondered what you faced the other side and getting back again though as I had heard there were some great quiet runs over there.
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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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Butterfly, Yes it's pretty quiet. Runs down to and around Auris are fine. Runs from Signal De L'Homme back to chair are steepish, not sure whether you can return from Auris on gentle runs. This is the view back to ADH from Signal De L'Homme
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Colin B, you can get over to Auris itself on fairly easy pistes without skiing those runs on the front face though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Butterfly, Lizzard,
You can actually get to and from Auris almost without skiing, since last year they put a linking chairlift that then takes you from the end of the "scare chair" to the Auris Express that takes you right in to Auris. There is a green or blue run that you can take on the way back from the Auris Express to the scare chair. To "compensate" for building this they removed the 2 seater diesel driven chair that used you take you back up from Auris to the top of Signal d'Homme. So better for beginners but probably worse for better skiers who used to be able to pick up a nice run down the front face on the way back.
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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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skitow, thanks. Good to know that.
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