 Poster: A snowHead
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"With free wine during dinner you can be certain of keeping costs down".
Hmm, or not. I find it amazing that TOs skimp on something that is actually jolly cheap (what's an extra couple of glasses of French wine, £1? in the context of a holiday that is not cheap), but can make the difference between customers thinking that they are getting a good deal, or not.
Alpine Action were very generous - our chalet always had more wine than we could drink (admittedly there were some who did not partake much but even so there was loads).
Neilson were reputed to be very stingy - tiny glasses, and guests were rushed through dinner so that the moment coffee was served there was no more to drink.
Other experiences?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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James the Last, We always found there was plenty. But what did annoy me sometimes was that there was absolutely nothing for kids. Cheap orange juice, or squash, wouldn't cost any more than wine. James the Last,
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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 the chalet host said to us, "What's the point in rationing? You all walk past the wine store when you put your skis in the ski room. Do you think I'm staying in every night to guard it?" 
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Only time I've been to a TO chalet was a Crystal chalet in Andorra and I have to say that the chalet host was brilliant, kept opening further bottles of wine and putting them on the table as long as a glass needed filling.
Not having that much experience of chalets in general (so correct me if I'm wrong), surely it is more to do with what the chalet host is like rather than the TO, or were we just lucky?
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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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My Experience of Chalet wine,
BEST > Silver Ski Excellent quality and Quantity
Worst > ski Beat, we went out and bought our own, it was that bad.  (A few seasons ago now so hopefully better theses days)
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Wasn't great when we were with Ski Beat - 5 years ago now though.
Drinkable though - got better as the evening wore on 
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I never had problems with wine supply in chalets, always generous, although the quality was never better than OK (never awful, though). Once, I can't remember the TO, we kept on drinking the wine after dinner, tut, tut, mainly I think because we were annoyed at the chalet girls being pretty poor cooks and pretty ghastly people (not quite sure of the logic there, may have confused things), and we weren't given any with dinner the next night, which is pretty feeble PR with a chalet of 14 or 15 people looking for a similar hol next year, for the sake of probably £20 worth of wine.
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When I went with YSE over Christmas the chalet girls told us exactly where all the wine was and to help ourselves as often as we liked. It wasn't half bad wine either to be honest. It really is the stuff like that which turns the holiday into something you would actively recommend.
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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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I haven't stayed in a chalet yet but I do remember a couple of years ago when we were going the second to last week of the season that the reps were getting all excited as they got to drink all of the wine left over at the end of the season. Maybe that's why some are stingy, so they can keep more of it for themselves?
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I agree the ski beat wine is a bit nasty to be honest but im no wine connaisseur!
We had a good setup where they (now im not sure if this was the chalet hosts or the party leader) bought a coule of crates of beer and you put 2E in the jar when you took a beer. The group was a circle of honest friends (plus me and OH) so that worked fine.
Overall - I dont see the fuss about alcohol on skiing holidays. I didnt get drunk once during my stay coz I was too worn out. Skiing all day from 930 to 5 doesnt work up much of an alcohol apetite for me, I mean at a push I had 2 beers per night.
Each to their own but if the wine is a big deal - buy your own.
OP: When you add "free unlimited wine" it really does make the holiday sound like a better deal, but I guess most who have experienced it would have a better idea of its true worth.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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have only ever done catered chalet, never been with any of the major TO's as have heard the stories that everything stops at coffee, agree with Silverski being one of the best, so are Ski Amis and the independent chalet owners we have used are very good, we always ask what their wine policy is. I also like ones that have an honour bar, so the staff can make an extra bob or two
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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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The company I stay with offer all pre-dinner drinks (beers, spirits, mixers etc.), good quality, unlimited bottled wine (for which I have seen new bottles opened quite happily into the wee small hours..) plus stickies with coffee. OK, they are friends of mine, but this service is available for all guests.
For all TO's, it generally helps if you are polite, friendly and not too pompous towards your hosts
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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When we cater (not as frequently as we'd like) we budget on half a bottle each a head with dinner, and will provide more if needed. For whatever reason, we've never needed to (it is NOT obvious that there's any limitation). We usually end up with supplies left over.
Re quality, we use the same wine for parties at home, it's €2.50 a bottle and very quaffable. Unless you order the Chardonnay forgetting that the OH is allergic...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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"free" "gift horse" well to be honest, we've paid for it...
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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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Was in La Plagne at the start of the month and the wine arrived in 20 Litre poly lined boxes. We also spotted the invoice. Red was 16 eruo's for 20 L and white was 19 Euros for 20 L.
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| john w wrote: |
| Was in La Plagne at the start of the month and the wine arrived in 20 Litre poly lined boxes. We also spotted the invoice. Red was 16 eruo's for 20 L and white was 19 Euros for 20 L. |
Coo, you lucky booger, quality stuff 
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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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john w, ugh.
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been to La Tania with Skipower - wine certainly was 'unlimited'. Allegedly some Russian guests had it for breakfast! Also stayed in Rosiere with Crystal and wine was limited to 1 red 1 white and 1 rosie between 8!! In Soll with Crystal staff apppeared from kitchen with carafe and topped up once or twice - pathetic.
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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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went to les deux alps and stayed in a chalet, as near the end of the season there was lots of bubbles to drink as well as a never ending red and white supply, the store area was left open after the staff went home each day so we could carry on as much as we wanted
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I stayed in a Crystal chalet in Kitz last season and the wine was plentiful but a bit vinegary. But the food more than made up for it...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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James the Last, I have two examples.
I've stayed in a Mark Warner chalet hotel, and they certainly dont skimp on the amount of wine you can have. Several different wines on offer and these were freely available during the meal, the bottle remained with you. You weren't able to get extra wine out of meal times but we never went short! At Courchevel prices it certainly helped on the budget, bar prices are excessive.
I also stayed in SkiWorld 'chalet', what they served up was pure swill! It came out of a plastic barrel, and you had to request it by the glass. With the poor table service you were lucky to get 2 glasses per meal. Probably a good idea as it was so poor. They had a policy of 'as much as you want' but only during the main course. The whole set up , including food was 'budget', or should I say penny pinching!
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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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James the Last, Skiworld, Thomosn, Mark Warner and SkiTotal were really generous with us, so not had a stingy one yet !
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I've stayed in Skiworld chalets, and while they haven't been stingy with the wine they do stop serving after dinner - which is just as well, because it was pretty awful. To me I don't think "free wine" is much of a selling point - it's the kind of stuff that in France it's cheaper in the shops than almost any other liquid!
The last time we went to a chalet, I decided to nip out and get a decent bottle of wine or two from the local shop to celebrate the last night, but I slipped over on ice outside the shop and broke my arm! 
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You know it makes sense.
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Our house wines are really rather good, even if I say so myself. It is truly unlimited. We have a mini bar with free soft drinks & beer you can help yourself any time you like. There is also house white in the fridge and red available.
Our upgrade list is pretty serious if you like that kind of thing...
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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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Paul-B, that's terrible, but don't leave it hanging like that - did the bottle break too?
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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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parlor, sounds great especially as I can't stand wine so usually have to get a couple of crates of beer in at the start of the week. Got any late deals going for the end of season? 
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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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| Quote: |
Paul-B, that's terrible, but don't leave it hanging like that - did the bottle break too?
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No, it was on the way in!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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This whole debate underlines for me the drawbacks of catered chalets (vs Half Board Hotels). Less facilities (no pool, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, Bar or night club on the premises), less staff (a couple of chalet persons vs a team of maids, cleaners, waiters and bar staff), further from the facilites (i.e. not near to any restaurants or other bars), limited menu offerings (i.e. you get what they cook, when they cook it, and all have to eat (and breakfast) at the same time), and limited wine choices (you get what they give you, and only as much as they provide).
With all these drawbacks, and a price tag that is often higher than staying in a 3 or 4 star hotel Why do people use Chalets at all?
We tried it once in Meribel, and while it was comfortable and pleasant, we wouldn't do it again.
I'd MUCH rather pay for my wine, drink what I want, as much as I want, when I want, than have any amount of 'free plonk' that isn't free at all of course, it's just part of the price you pay, without you having any control over what you receive. 
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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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Paul-B,
Phew! what a relief.
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Paul-B, was it your drinking arm?
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| Axsman wrote: |
This whole debate underlines for me the drawbacks of catered chalets (vs Half Board Hotels). Less facilities (no pool, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, Bar or night club on the premises), less staff (a couple of chalet persons vs a team of maids, cleaners, waiters and bar staff), further from the facilites (i.e. not near to any restaurants or other bars), limited menu offerings (i.e. you get what they cook, when they cook it, and all have to eat (and breakfast) at the same time), and limited wine choices (you get what they give you, and only as much as they provide).
With all these drawbacks, and a price tag that is often higher than staying in a 3 or 4 star hotel Why do people use Chalets at all?
We tried it once in Meribel, and while it was comfortable and pleasant, we wouldn't do it again.
I'd MUCH rather pay for my wine, drink what I want, as much as I want, when I want, than have any amount of 'free plonk' that isn't free at all of course, it's just part of the price you pay, without you having any control over what you receive. |
If that was the general experience, I would agree, but you paint a pretty pessimistic picture of chalet hols. Although there have been exceptions, I've mostly been very happy with chalet and chalet-hotel accomodation and service. You pays your money, you takes your choice, but if you don't do your homework then, well, caveat emptor.
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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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The Skiworld wine was OK, came from bottles which were readily opened. More was provided than we were ever going to get through - tiredness from skiing makes overindulgence difficult! Food was good, and as we were a group of 10, we occupied the whole chalet and would have eaten together anyway in a hotel. We could be rowdier in the chalet than we would be in a hotel, and we might not have ended up on the same table.
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| Quote: |
We could be rowdier in the chalet than we would be in a hotel, and we might not have ended up on the same table.
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V. good point
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FAQ
but I think he got his own back as a good pair of Oakley bins went missing from my room 
