 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All
Xmas trip is all sorted- now looking at Feb 2010- we loved Laax this year and would love to do something similar (lots of off piste for my other half, and wot not) although with a bit more night life.
Am looking into Davos - I have researched that Davos platz is probably the best place to base our selves with regards to night life, accommodation is pretty poor for the money so my point of the topic is please let me know what the pros are for going to Davos and paying a good bit of money for mediocre accommodation!
Pro 1- Huge terrain
Con 1- Alot of drag lifts 
I searched previous reviews on Davos which were great but if anyone can really give us some indication that it is definitely a place to visit, I'll have it booked tomorrow!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I only spent one day in Davos and had the most amazing powder, but it's not a place that I feel I have to return to. On the other hand, my non-skiing parents love it in the summer!! My experience was that the accommodation ( I stayed in the Youth Hostel) was very expensive compared to other places. The snow was amazing though, but having spent the previous day in Kitzbuhel for a third of the price and had amazing conditions there, I'm yet to be swayed by Davos. Having said that, I would happily return if someone else was paying the bill.
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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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Many years ago I stayed at a very plesant hotel at Davos Wolfgang, think it was called the Kulm, Davos itself is plesant enough just don't go there when there's a major confrence on
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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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snow09bride, I've only been to Davos on four individual day trips but the skiing seems very good, the town seems pretty buzzyin the evening (ahem by Swiss standards) the price of things though I found pretty high. Personally I think its easily worth a weeks stay though. Go by train from Zurich if you can as its easy and very picturesque on the way up.
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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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I liked Davos pretty much (have been there twice until now).
Pros:
* huge terrain, plenty of off-piste possibilities
* various distinct ski 'hills' (Parsenn-Weissfluhjoch-Gotschna, Klosters-Madrisa, Pischa, Jakobshorn, Rinerhorn) all with a slightly different 'feeling'
* pretty much snow-sure
* beautiful landscape
* lovely huts
* nice long 'backside' runs with verticals up to almost 2000m (e.g. to Kueblis etc.)
Cons:
* a little bit pricy (compared to smaller resorts in Switzerland and to Austria)
* the town itself is somewhat chaotic (traffic) and not very charming (but there are plenty of charming adjunct villages etc. around!)
Don't care about the drag lifts. You can easily avoid most of them if you prefer riding in chairs.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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How do Davos costs compare to say lech or Ischgl? roughly, of course ...
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| gortonator wrote: |
| How do Davos costs compare to say lech or Ischgl? roughly, of course ... |
Puh. Difficult question. The last time I was in Ischgl was in 1992 or 1993. I would assume that today it's almost more expensive in Ischgl than in Davos (at least if you stay directly in Ischgl). And Lech is even more expensive than Ischgl. Especially, since the all the cheaper accomodation options there are booked well in advance by (mostly) Geman 'regular' guests.
The plus side of the Arlberg is that you can find relatively cheap accomodation in adjunct villages such as Langen or Pettneu. And the ski busses are quite frequent. (I am not into Apres ski so I do lose nothing, but others may prefer to stay in the very centre).
When I was in Davos for the last time I stayed in a cellar (bunk beds) of a hotel in a side valley outside of the town (Sertig, at the foot of the Jakobshorn ski area). I think we payed about 20 euros or so. But of course, it was kinda weird. Even more so because of a bunch of drunken ice-hockey freaks who visited a derby there and shared the bunk beds with us. That was a hell of a night  .
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Thanks for all of the advice- have plenty of time to make up our minds and give the credit cards a break for a while 
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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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Pros for me are :-
1)Train connection to the resort and the opportunity to have your luggage sent on independently if you are flying, which Laax does not have.
2)Big area
3)Great hotels
4)No riff raff
I thought it was priced very favourably to France, though admittedly it is not bargain basement country. I have stayed in a couple of hotels there. Sunstar Park I have returned to.
Downside is it is fairly quiet at night, though it has a casino, sports arena etc. It does not seem lively.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Cost to us staying in Davos B&B, 1 minute from bus stop, in Jan 09 was GBP 79 per en-suite double room per night when 1 GBP worth 1.1 Euro.
The public transport IMO is the best in Davos with the train and bus running nearly parallel linking the 5 areas.
This is "the" place to ski to the extreme ends of the resort and take the train back. Transport in many locations are unidirectional and the public transport is the only way to return but the experience is rewarding.
Apart from the large number of drag lifts Davos is a great Swiss resort. Chairlifts in the biggest area Parsenn are as good as anywhere in the Alps though.
Apres is rather subdue everywhere in Switzerland. Skiers after night life should go to Austria.
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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 Klosters and skied Davos from there. My impression from passing through Davos was that I was glad to be staying in Klosters.
You'll need to use trains and buses.
I spent most of the time following others and relied on them understanding the buses and trains, so I never got to grips with them myself.
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Compared to Davos, Klosters was moribund.
Buses and trains should not be a big deal. If you cannot walk to the Parsenn, most hotels run courtesy minibuses.
Getting a train after skiing, is a novelty rather than a hassle.
Both Davos & Klosters are SCBG rep resorts.
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You know it makes sense.
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snow09bride, Been there a few times and always had excellent snow. I am not really into night life so can't comment a pleasant bar to park myself in is fine.
I think many of the pros and cons have been summarised above.
One thing which I noted last tiem is that the best black runs in the area no longer exist as either itinaires or runs of any sort which if you are into black runs is a bit of a dissapointment as there are only really a very few left . ( There are more marked but they were previously more accurately marked as red.)
I have always found it one of the most expensive resorts to ski, can't quantify it but it drains the wallet a bit.
Great skiing though with some really good marked itinaires and other excellent off piste.
Many of the old T bars have been done away with though a few remain. Weekend lift queues can be bad particularly in the main area and the Madrisa.
I love the place the scenery is great though the town is not the prettiest.
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