 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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moffatross, Well, some of those old chairs are really slow.....
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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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| ski kimberley wrote: |
alex_heney,
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If those prices are cheaper than Europe", yo must be staying in some really7 stupidly posh places in Europe.
The cheapest I could find in any of the first three links above worked out at around $200 per person per night. So that is about £800 per person for a week
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just checked those sites myself and came up with Ski Kokopelli at $499 US a week for full board in your money that should be about £300 odd pounds flights to Denver £400ish
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Suggest you check your figures again.
The very cheapest that is properly within a ski season is $90 per night per person, and that is only if you fill a 10 bed chalet.
That is $630 per week.
Almost all were a good deal more than that, and the only one offering individual rooms was between $257 and $459 for the cheapest room, depending on season.
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Sunshine Chalet which is in the resort I ski at Kimberley is £299 and £399 a week including luxury transfers and ski hire more during Xmas and New Year but isn't everywhere?
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Yes, OK I had misread that one. I thought that was per person per night, and $ 
There is still no possibility of skiing the same quality at the same time cheaper in the US or Canada than Europe for most UK people.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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moffatross,
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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moffatross,
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ski kimberley, tissues ? Puzzled I've not had anyone offer me tissues before going up a lift in the USA and I don't get the upside man. I mean, what do you expect us to be doing on a ski lift tha we need Kleenex for. Shocked Laughing
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Oh god your not another one of those sleeve users are you 
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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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Frosty the Snowman,
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ski kimberley, your maths, rates, and figures are wrong... And some of your statements.
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come on then brains put me right maybeee I am 10cents out here and there but at least i know what I am talking about. I don't put people down for no reason and I don't slag off the beginner resorts they went to either au, au, au,
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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 stayed in a few chalets, with big and medium size TOs, once privately. Always middle or up market prices. Ususally France, also Lech, St Anton.
IMV, they can be good if you're in a largeish group; I don't see the point for a family.
They are more of a gamble than s/c or HB; based on my exp, I reckon you have about equal chances of good, OK and poor food. I know a few people who have worked as chalet maids recently and they are woefully undertrained so it's a lottery.
At their best they're great.
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| ski kimberley wrote: |
[b]
come on then brains put me right maybeee I am 10cents out here and there |
Your starter for one:
$499 = £365 not £300
20+% error
Also, where do you get your flight prices from?
What is obvious; the flightr, lift pass and time required off work (a cost) will be much greater.
I would love to ski accross the pond, but that choice will rarely, if ever, be based on cost.
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You know it makes sense.
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I would love to ski accross the pond, but that choice will rarely, if ever, be based on cost.
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Same here. I nearly did once; had an option on a last minute TO bargain, but then looked up the price of the 10 day lift pass....
One thing that always sounded good is the legendary courtesy and customer service you get in North America - as exemplified in the posts above. Though unlike some people who have complained recently I have always encountered polite and friendly service in France, too.
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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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aaaaannnnnnndddd back on topic..................(for the love of all that's good and white)...........
Regardless of in which Country the chalet is in one thing people saty they prefer about catered chalet holidays is that once they get picked up at the airport they can stop thinking and relax.............. the chalet operators will take them to the ski shop, will have their lift passes ready for them at the chalet, will drop at the lift and pick them up, will guide them to tghe resort (either in the chalet or on the piste) will give them tea and cake and then dinner............ whereas an apartment they need to do a lot of those things for themselves..
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Poster: A snowHead
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pam w, we encounterd a number of rude peeps in Italy recently.
The number of wars in Europe comes as no great surpise.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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moffatross, Fernie has free kleenex available at the base of all of it's chairlifts, for goggle/glasses wiping/nose blowing, as well as lift maps, free recovery off of the hill, free ski hosting service, free plastic jacket covers in the unlikely event of rain or wet snow, so as not to get your jacket soaked, the liftees sweep the snow off of the chairlift seats for you too.
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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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marcellus, I/we love chalet holidays. The are the 1st choice for us.
Releaxed sociability.
Spyderman, i suspect all snowheads fancy a trip there.
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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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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| ski kimberley wrote: |
[b]
come on then brains put me right maybeee I am 10cents out here and there |
Your starter for one:
$499 = £365 not £300
20+% error
Also, where do you get your flight prices from?
What is obvious; the flightr, lift pass and time required off work (a cost) will be much greater.
I would love to ski accross the pond, but that choice will rarely, if ever, be based on cost. |
I've just done Fernie booked with Crystal for £800 each for 2 weeks, flight, transfer & room only, ski-in/ski-out. Lift passes 13 days £391 each. Eating out about a third of French prices.
I won't be rushing to book Europe again, certainly on cost.
We met a couple staying in a Crystal catered chalet in Fernie. They said costs were comparable with France for the package price, but they said overall it was cheaper, because of the lower cost of eating and drinking on the hill.
No lift queues, polite friendly service, great skiing.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
| the chalet operators will take them to the ski shop, will have their lift passes ready for them at the chalet, will drop at the lift and pick them up, will guide them to tghe resort (either in the chalet or on the piste) will give them tea and cake and then dinner............ |
only if you go to a really high-quality chalet, marcellus!!
For me, "not having to think" is absolutely NOT part of the attraction of chalets. It's more the relaxed and sociable atmosphere and feeling of being "at home" which is almost impossible to find in a hotel. I also find that in an apartment, but certainly it's harder work.
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pam w, spot on.
We stayed with flangesax in Radstadt and he took folks to the hire shop AND returned the gear thus maximising a short break.
marcellus, best subtle spam ever...but you are now on my wish list.
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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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This thread is on catered chalets btw.
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It can be helpful if the respondants keep the opinions and let their figures and facts to speak for themselves.
The OP is just interested in catered chalets
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| Ideally in Austria, |
Are they hard to find in Austria?
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Sun 1-03-09 16:20; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Haven't read all the detailed replies but our plan is to go to the local TO for a list of chalets available. We book direct, and do everything else ourselves.
We'll hire in linen and final clean and shop locally. The supermarkets may be a bit expensive but we aren't going to go down the valley to save a few pennies.
This does mean that some will have to cook and some will have to clear up after but the evening is our own and we don't have to rush to get ready and get a table.
We have a fully winterised 4X4 and this really is the best..and cheapest........ way we have off doing it... The price break isn't the whole reason for doing it but it helps
with the £ rate atm. We get the most flexibility and best of all ways, AFAIAC.
Catered chalets are fine as well....if done properly, IMV
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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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| Spyderman wrote: |
| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| ski kimberley wrote: |
[b]
come on then brains put me right maybeee I am 10cents out here and there |
Your starter for one:
$499 = £365 not £300
20+% error
Also, where do you get your flight prices from?
What is obvious; the flightr, lift pass and time required off work (a cost) will be much greater.
I would love to ski accross the pond, but that choice will rarely, if ever, be based on cost. |
I've just done Fernie booked with Crystal for £800 each for 2 weeks, flight, transfer & room only, ski-in/ski-out. Lift passes 13 days £391 each. Eating out about a third of French prices.
I won't be rushing to book Europe again, certainly on cost.
We met a couple staying in a Crystal catered chalet in Fernie. They said costs were comparable with France for the package price, but they said overall it was cheaper, because of the lower cost of eating and drinking on the hill.
No lift queues, polite friendly service, great skiing. |
Once you start looking at longer breaks than the "standard" 1 week, then USA/Canada becomes more cost effective, because the biggest reason for them usually being more expensive is the flight. Although lift passes are also generally more expensive for similar, that is offset by food usually being considerably cheaper.
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Frosty the Snowman,
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You know it makes sense.
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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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flying planet, Hey if you are hitting Kimberley drop me a mail I will be pleased to show you some great staches plus the legendary Sun Pit.
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Poster: A snowHead
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ski kimberley, I will take you up on that. We have a couple of days at LL after we land so will PM you from there. thanks 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| flying planet wrote: |
| you get great service plus lots of good local knowledge on the best runs for your ability, secret powder staches cheapest bar on the hill etc etc etc, |
That may well be true with a private chalet or the very best TOs, but the great majority of catered chalets are staffed by undertrained school leavers who often know less about the resort than you do by the 3rd day. As I said, they can be great, but they are a risk unless you have a recommendation or are a repeat customer.
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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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As I said, they can be great, but they are a risk unless you have a recommendation or are a repeat customer.
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Yup... totally agree..... mixed bag in terms of quality of food and service... we've had brilliant cheap deals in sitty resorts and crap expensive deals in so called exclusive resorts.... no rhyme or reason to it... I also tend to find they get worse towards the end of the season when all the chalet reps are exhausted from partying too hard and working long hours and just want to go home to blighty...
Also a risk that you could end up sharing with a totally incompatible bunch of people if your group doesn't book the whole chalet..... Biiiiiig risk which can ruin your holiday and lead to confrontation.
Having said all that I've had some excellent chalet holidays with both family and friends and haven't actually had one which has been a total disaster where I've had cause to ask for any refund or suchlike!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Dear all,
thought I'd throw in a possible closing comment having had some kind help from a fellow snowhead searching for an elusive catered chalet in Austria. No luck. Cannot find a snowhead recommended, Catered chalet, holding roughlt 10 to 12 people, in a ski sure resort, with all rooms ensuite, for less that an excellent hotel on halfboard. So why would anyone bother with a Chalet? Rather have a hotel, risks of unrecommended places are too high for my one prime week of skiing per year. Thanks to all those who gave comments and help,.
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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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We are going to a chalrt this year with Crystal so I don't know how it will be. I will give a full report when we get back.
Previously we have been to La Plange with Ski Beat. The first we filled a small Chalet and the second time we shared with 5 others. Both times the quality of the food and the sevice were excellent (the first time was the best though). Ski Beat have expanded to other areas since then and assuming the quality is the same I can highly recommend them.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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twoodwar, Tour Op run chalets in Austria tend to be focussed in St Anton where there is a fair choice - I have seen very few real chalets anywhere else in Austria (altho stand to be corrected). Likewise in Switzerland there are lots in Verbier and a few in Zermatt but not in many other Swiss resorts, bar the odd one here and there. Certainly France offers the greatest choice for a chalet holiday, but if you want Austria then look no further than St Anton. Try Ski Total for example, they have 8 chalets on offer in St Anton.
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Scott Dunn do great chalets in Austria, Switzerland and France. The ones in Meribel and St Anton were great. Zermatt less so, but possibly because we were a smaller group, and consequently a smaller chalet. You can usually talk them into throwing in a free lift pass for a week in hte price too.
One downside though is that you tend to venture less into town to sample the nightlife because you get 4 course dinner and free wine and beer at the chalet. But the courtesy driver pick-up and drop-off service from the slopes more than makes up for that!
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Masmith thanks for the ski total recommendation. However I have not used a tour operator for over 6 years. The Chalets here are all substantially more than a decent hotel on halfboard, so cannnot see the point. Also not all rooms are en- suite. Why does anyone go to a chalet? If there are a dozen of you, any hotel worth their salt will set up a table for you for the week. A was hoping to save substantially on a hotel, but it seems hotels save substantially on Chalets, - I'm amazed.
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FAQ
Kimberley Clarke - got a vested interest, maybe.
