rocketski.com

A snowHead

Any one used rocketski.com and have some experiences to tell?

A snowHead

They are the on-line section of Equity Ski Co. Quite a large ski tour operator.
I have taught their clients in resort for many years. They specialise in running school groups.
Note they have cancelled all the Italian flights for next year so don't book them for Italy unless you're going self drive or in a large group.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Renry,
Used rocket ski last winter & went to Folgarida............had a great time & price was excellent. They do seem to be doing some Italian trips but only with groups of 8 or more adults so that counts my family out ( shame).
Looking at trip advisor though their club hotel in Risoul is getting some pretty bad reviews ( mainly food oriented complaints ) so not sure if my experience was the norm or not
Wayne,
Hi, loved Folgarida last season but dont think 'we' will be able to get back anytime soon now Rocket ski have pulled the plug Sad

Cheers

Mitch

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Bear in mind when looking at reviews on Tripadvisor that as it is a tour op hotel there is a strong chance that there will be a different kitchen team each season.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

jezzy,
True, but wonder why the most recent 'kitchen team ' were reviewed so badly ? Would imagine has a lot ( if not everything ) to do with getting good staff; wages/time off etc suggest they are trying to keep costs to a minimum ( of course) & recruting kids with little experience who they can employ cheaply..
The hotel I stayed in at Folgarida was independant of the tour company so has its own agenda etc ( now its off the portfolio I presume the hotel wanted more than Rocket ski were willing to pay this year).......................Am still monitoring Rocket ski but will be very cautious if I do look to book one of 'their' chalets/hotels
Cheers
Mitch

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stayed in risoul last year, I had 50 school children with me and the food was disgusting! the resort and hotel location was very good. We travelled with skiplan, head office were informed on our return, try the soldenelles in Chatel,fantastics resort, chef is great, request rooms in the front as they are much better

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

Mitchell, the cheap inexperienced kids thing is the same across the industry. Sometimes your chefs are fine, and sometimes they aren't. If they aren't it takes a week or two to sort it out. I've worked three seasons for Equity/Rocket/Skiplan and never had a complaint about food.

skibluetiger, the Soldanelles is no longer part of their programme.

Wayne,
Who else goes there ?Would love to go back.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Mitchell,
send me a pm with dates and numbers etc

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Lizzard,
Didnt mean to 'tar' everyone with the same brush ; its strange as the most daming remports on the food were toward end of season so either very fussy customers at that time or maybe new chef arrived to cover last few weeks. Who knows, pretty hit & miss unfortuantely; Still ; our holiday with Rocket ski was very very good so a recommendation from me .

snow reports

We stayed at Clubhotel Beausoleil in Alpe d'huez last xmas and found the food and staff exellent whilst the rooms were just ok maybe in need of a bit of a refurb(tho prices go up then too!), the best thing about that place tho is the location-its right next to the gondola at the bottom of all the main pistes yet close enough to the rest of the town too.

Mitchell,

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Wayne,

A snowHead

snowlamb, See Send/Receive messages above right, below the SnowHeads logo and then New Post on the left of the new screen Very Happy

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

snowlamb,
Think we should go for the Caminetto snowHead

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Went to Claviere with them last time and had no problems - had a great holiday at a very good price. Hotel was what you'd expect for small cheap hotel ie rooms comfortable but not luxurious, food and staff were great. Had no complaints about Rocketski as a TO and would go with them again, booking was straightforward, no probs with transfers rep in resort more helpful than many I've come across.

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Went last February to Schladming, great holiday never stopped laughing. I can only compare it to asking my 17 year old son and his mates to run a hotlel in a ski resort for the season. Great fun, but a bit lacking in the finer detail around cleaning etc. Having said that it only added to the experience. Ski guiding was excellent.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I stayed in Serre Chevalier in March 2009 with Rocketski. The hotel was Le Grand Aigle, which we re-christened Auschwitz. It was a cheap deal, around £350 for flights, transfers, half board, and to be fair the hotel was right on the piste with a 1 minute ski down in the morning to the Pontillas gondola, so we were more than happy to make do with the miserable dark rooms with dirty carpets and dodgy lighting for a week.
Mind you, Rocketski focus on school parties, which is reflected in the hotels they use and the food available. Our food was just like school dinners - no finesse whatsoever but wholesome and ok to refuel on. We were lucky that we enjoyed the skiing so much and that the snow was great, as had we needed to spend more time at the hotel, it might have not been so good. Having said that, there is a nice little bar tucked away round the side of the hotel with a roaring fire and a cosy atmosphere.

I had also booked to take another trip with Rocketski, but had to postpone due to being made redundant. They were good enough to not apply cancellation charges, and keep my money "on account" for next season. Unfortunately, they have now pulled out of a lit of resorts for couples and small groups as mentioned above, and the places I wanted to try were no longer available, ie Schladming, Mayrhofen, Folgarida.
We ended up deciding to go back to Serre Che, but this time to Chalet Pyrene which is fully catered and away from the new purpose built ugliness of Le Bez and nicely tucked away in Villeneuve.
Hopefully being a chalet the food will be better than in the clubhotels, and it is also only a short walk to the Pontillas gondola again, which does not get crowded like the Frejus bubble of the other lifts out of Villeneuve can do.

I think its fair to say you get whay you pay for. They are pretty reasonably priced, and if you can be flexible when you can go and leave it late to book you can get a bargain in the region of £250 all in sometimes. However, I have also in the past booked similar bargains with Skiworld who provide good standard accommodation and an altogether more upmarket service for similarly good prices if you are prepared to look and be flexible with it.

I dont go back to Serre Che until early March 2010 and will report back then as to whether I will use them again, as at this moment in time, I would not choose to go back to a clubhotel that they use.

After all it is free

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Poor food at the end of season sounds like the chef had spent his budget already or was very close to it thus buying in cheaper poorer quality ingredience. Most Chef's bonuses are based on hitting budget.

Andy

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Tony_H, You wont be dissapointed with Chalet Pyrene!!
I stayed there for one week, a couple of seasons ago, and I am returning in Jan2010!
We booked first time around with Iglu.com (great operator btw), but yes it is a Rocketski Chalet, and since I discovered that I booked direct and got it for the same price as we paid 2 seasons ago!!
PM me for any info... Cool

snow reports

boardstupid,
How far is the chalet from the slopes ? Don not like walking in ski boots/carrying ski's etc.
Mitch

Mitchell,
Cross the road and over the river, turn left, or right & It is about 5-10 mins walk to the Pontillas lift, and a little more to Frejus.
There is a little train that rides around the village every 10/15 mins or so which you can hop on if you want to!!
If you goto the official Serre Chevalier.com website, you will find a realy good map of Villeneuve, & Chalet Pyrene is at D7 ( just behind the petrol station)

We usually end up at La Grotte du Yeti (Bar) near Pontillas, for an apres session. After a few beers its a gentle downhill stroll from there!

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Rocketski have just informed me 2 weeks before my holiday that they have double booked me and I can't go to the resort that I want to go to!!!!

They won't even offer a refund/discount in exchange for going to an alternative resort!!!

DON'T BOOK WITH ROCKETSKI!!!!!!!!!!!!

A snowHead

tomcheney, I would create a separate thread regarding Rocketski not offering a refund. I'm sure if they change the terms of your holiday you are entitled to a refund. Someone with a bit more knowledge than me will be along with some advice.

A snowHead

tomcheney please see below.

From Rocketski web site, see section C.

Cancellation
If we change or cancel your booking
We start planning the holidays we offer many months in advance. Occasionally, we have to make changes to and correct errors in our published information both before and after bookings have been confirmed, and we may have to cancel confirmed bookings. Whilst we always endeavour to avoid changes and cancellations, we must reserve the right to do so. Most changes are minor such as changes to the overseas airport, airline, aircraft, ferries or coaches used, changes to departure times of less than 12 hours or the withdrawal of certain facilities. Occasionally, we have to make a significant change which include a change of accommodation to that of a lower official classification or standard for the whole or a major part of the time you are away; a change of resort for the whole or a major part of the time you are away; a change of outward departure time or overall length of time you are away of 12 or more hours; and a change of UK departure point (except as between Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted or Luton and instances where we offer connecting transportation). All other changes are minor. If we have to make a significant change or we have to cancel, we will tell you as soon as possible, and if there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you the choice of the following options:

(a) accepting the changed arrangements or

(b) purchasing an alternative holiday from us, of a similar standard to that originally booked if available (if the chosen alternative is less expensive than your original one, we will refund the difference but if it is more expensive, we will ask you to pay the difference) or

(c) cancelling, in which case you will receive a full and quick refund of all monies you have paid to us. If we have to make a significant change or cancel on or after the date when the balance of your holiday cost becomes due we will pay you compensation as set out in Table C below subject to the following exceptions. Compensation will not be payable and no liability beyond offering the above mentioned choices can be accepted where we are forced to make a change or cancel as a result of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which we could not have avoided even with all due care. No compensation will be payable if we cancel as a result of your failure to comply with any requirement of these booking conditions entitling us to cancel (eg if you fail to pay on time). In all cases, our liability for significant changes and cancellations is limited to the above mentioned options and, where applicable, compensation payments as in Table C. We regret we cannot pay any expenses, costs or losses incurred by you as a result of any change or cancellation. No compensation is payable for minor changes or where we make a significant change or cancel on or before the date when the balance of your holiday cost becomes due. Very rarely, we may be forced by Force Majeure (see below) to change or terminate your holiday after departure but before the scheduled end of your time away. This is extremely unlikely but if this situation does occur, we regret we will be unable to make any refunds (unless we obtain any refunds from our suppliers), pay you any compensation, or meet any costs or expenses you incur as a result. Force Majeure - except where otherwise specified in these booking conditions, we regret we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our contractual obligations is prevented or affected by reason of circumstances amounting to '"force majeure". In these booking conditions "force majeure" means any event which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events may include war or threat of war, riots, civil strife, actual or actual threatened terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events beyond our control.

In accordance with EU Regulation 2111/2005 we are required to advise you of the actual carrier operating your flight/connecting flight/transfer. We do this by listing carriers to be used or likely to be used as follows: Monarch, First Choice, Jet2, Easyjet and RyanAir.

Looks like they should offer your money back, if they double booked, their problem.

Help!!

rocketski.com

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