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Is it too late to be booking for February half-term 2010 for a family of five?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
So now I know that I have work on the books for another six months, I need to work on delivering that half-term skiing trip I promised my family...

As you may know, MrsTallTone and I have three children. What are my chances of booking somewhere for 13/14 to 20/21 February 2010? I'm starting to feel confident about DIY, but with the TOs you had to be sorted by September for the NEXT season to get a family room for five.

I'm quite keen on a return to Serre Chevalier - would like to stay Monetier end so I can get lessons with Gavin at EurekaSKI again, but I'm guessing the Crosbies won't be back to set up for a while yet (I've had no reply to an enquiry). The other thing I'd like to do is take the family to somewhere on the Sella Ronda. I'm not absolutely set on either of these places - snow is the most important thing after all.

How should I approach booking? Do I need to be getting flights sorted ASAP, or can that wait until I've fixed accommodation?

All advice appreciated. (Except rude suggestions! wink)
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
If you're being soooo prescriptive with what you do and do want I fear you have left it too late and will be breaking the promise you made to your family.


If you are prepared to be flexible then you will have an awesome family ski holiday during the busiest week of 2010.



(Gavin isn't the only ski instructor in the world, the Crosbies aren't the only hosts, Serre Chevalier isn't the only resort................... that said I feel sorry for any ski instructor, hosts or resort that you ever have or go to as they will always be compared to the Gavin/Crosby/Serre Chev combination...................... if they were that important to you you should have booked up last February at the latest... mind you if you are that important to them then you should have no problems with the booking....... oh sorry just read the bit that they're not returing your emails..... I guess it's one of those occassions where the silence speaks volumes)
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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?
TallTone, You may be better advised to look at flights first, before deciding on location/accommodation. There won't be any cheap flights left now, and what there is, may determine the rest! We have good accommodation in Serre Chevalier (Chantemerle) and still have availability for 13/2. If of interest, drop me a PM Very Happy
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marcellus,
Quote:

If you're being soooo prescriptive
How is "I'm quite keen" and "I'm not absolutely set" and "snow is the most important thing" being "so prescriptive"? IMV TallTone did not deserve a reply as gratuitously rude as yours. Evil or Very Mad
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
TallTone, no not too late at all, just need to be a bit creative. We managed to book a self catered chalet for a party of 16 for the half term week only last thursday! Just to give you a bit of hope! We were also trying for New Year week initially until someone realised they'd got their dates mixed up rolling eyes and we managed to find availability for both dates. And these were in resorts we wanted too!

Re. flights the sooner the better as always. Having said this our friends have booked Milan flights, ok a fair bit further I know, for less than £400 for 3 for this week. Re. accomm, post a 'wanted' on here on the chalets/appartments board, you never know someone might have/know something.

Also maybe try doing the same on the chalets direct site? Someone might come back to you even though it's a popular week. Search all of the other property owners sites too, most display their availability.

Try also the resort tourist office for lists of owners who you can then contact directly, contact all the 'residences' in the resort directly, also the estate agents. Then try all the UK booking agents who will have/handle accomm in the resort. Google is your friend. Someone, somewhere will have an apartment in Serre Chevalier for that week.

There's every chance you will get what you want, stay positive and ignore the doom mongers snowHead
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Is driving to the resort an option? When Jane and I were tied to half-term we found it cheaper to book accommodation direct and drive out, although patience was required for the inevitable traffic jams.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
marcellus, maybe you missed the bit where I said "would like". Then where I said "the other thing". And "I'm not absolutely set". I'm sure a straw poll of people would take this as indicated flexibility. rolling eyes Oh, and I sent the mail a week ago. People are entitled to holidays y'know, even those whose business is holidays for others. Can't I think out loud?

Anniepen, will indeed drop you a PM, thanks Smile
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
sarah, thanks, I will take a look at the site again.

rob@rar, I considered it but decided against; we get on each others' nerves after a couple of hours in the car; it's not so much the journey there, but the journey home that I'd dread. Plus the whole snow-chains and wintry conditions doesn't appeal - would much rather let someone else do the "getting up the mountain" bit...

Hurtle, I did say all advice... Laughing
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OK I apologise if my sub comments has caused offence to anyone...... I'm sure it's not too late and you'll find the holiday you want at the price you want to pay but do so quickly as February is filling up fast....


we see a lot of clients saying "I would like x, y & z... but of course am flexible" and then actually wanting x, y & z.................... the fact that you actually put fingers to keyboard to say you would like x, y & z meant to me that even though you subsequently said these weren't important to you actually they were.

TallTone wrote:
People are entitled to holidays y'know, even those whose business is holidays for others

Yes those of us who own holiday companies can and do take holidays, but this is one of the peak times for people finalising their 2009/2010 seasons holidays now that the children have gone back after their summer holiday... and speed of response is always critically important..
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marcellus, I'll chalk your earlier reply up to peak-time stress then wink

Haven't been to Le Grand Massif before, your web site says you have availability, do you have a room for five? (Not sure that the rooms look big enough - how about 3+2?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
TallTone, Grand Massif is well worth a look.
ZigZag ski school based more in Samoens/Morillon are really good too. They are a relatively small school and book up quick. (I know I've been praising them a bit here lately I promise I've no connection with them other than an excellent private lesson last Jan and I'm doing their pre season course in Tignes in November). That said some of the ESF instructors have been excellent as well.
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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.
we can certainly help if you are interested in a catered chalet holiday in a great ski area
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
TallTone, I don't know what your budget is but if the website is up to date there still seems to be some availability in Folgarida, in the Italian Dolomites (the snowHead Wayne works there as a ski instructor). When I looked ten minutes ago there was a five bed room at Hotel Granbaita and some flights availability. One disadvantage though would be that we are also going there over February half term Toofy Grin
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Iski, I might be there that week as well.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
TallTone, I'm sure you won't have any problems. We're going to North America so our situation is slightly different from yours, but we've found widespread availability for DIY and TO options for a family of five for both flights and accommodation. Having said that, I've found that TOs are always difficult for that size of party and that's why we we almost always DIY our trips.

We shaved about £90 off each flight by extending the trip by a day at each end so the kids will miss two days of the school term. If you're DIYing, that's a trick worth investigating.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Quote:

If you're DIYing, that's a trick worth investigating.

Except that in much less flexible Europe that might make life difficult with accommodation. Sun/Sun can be a possibility. Friends are borrowing our apartment for half term and found a huge saving flying Mon/Mon - but they had unusually accommodating hosts. wink

At that time, given the usual chaos on the roads, I'd tend to go for minimum transfer time - the PdS could be a very good option from that point of view.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
TallTone wrote:
marcellus, I'll chalk your earlier reply up to peak-time stress then wink

Haven't been to Le Grand Massif before, your web site says you have availability, do you have a room for five? (Not sure that the rooms look big enough - how about 3+2?


YHM!
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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?
TallTone, Mel and Gavin should be back in Monetier now, They've been on holiday for a couple of weeks. Try emailing Mel again.
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rob@rar wrote:
Iski, I might be there that week as well.


Well between the two of us we've almost certainly put him off!! Toofy Grin
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Iski, Laughing
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TallTone, I'd look at the cost of flights first. A good place to find the cheapest flights is skyscanner.net, it lists most of the budget airlines schedules from most of the airports in UK and Europe. It shouldn't be a problem finding accommodation, we helped people find an apartment for 6 for Feb half term 09 at the beginning of February.
If you can find a private owner willing to offer midweek rentals it will save you a fortune in flights. Cheapest flights I could find from London to Geneva on the Saturday were £216 yet if you did Thursday to Thursday they are under £60, London to Turin is £136 Saturday flights, £37 Thursday flights. We always do Thursday flights at half term, our 3 bedroom apartment is taken but I could ask our French teacher if she is prepared to rent out her chalet.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Iski wrote:
TallTone, I don't know what your budget is but if the website is up to date there still seems to be some availability in Folgarida,


Yep - we have "one" 5 bed room left.
departs 13th Feb
£815 - inc flights, transfers, lift pass, ski hire or carriage, meals, 3* Hotel, etc, etc.
Contact me via web site if interested

Iski wrote:
rob@rar wrote:
Iski, I might be there that week as well.


Well between the two of us we've almost certainly put him off!! Toofy Grin


Laughing Laughing
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
TallTone, this is about the time I've booked the previous two years' half term trips, and it's been fine both times - although took a bit of shopping around to get bargains, and quite a lot of changing-my-mind about resorts when things went belly up with accomodation...

If you're DIYing it, get flights immediately.
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Whatever you want and wherever you want it don't hang about too long. There's still a fair bit of space out there but gaps are filling fast. ... and this isn't an effort to flog something as I've nothing left for a family of 5!
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TallTone, nothing to do with flights etc, but if you go to a French resort remember that as a family of five you are likely to get a discount on your lft passes - take ID for all concerned and ask at the ticket office.
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Thanks all.

skichampcouk, that's a good site, I'll bookmark that. And paulio, I will use it to book my flights this week if I go for DIY - thanks for the advice.

ctskifam, will be sorting something out this week I hope. And you would be welcome to try and flog me something, I asked the question!

Lizzard, I didn't know that, thanks for the tip. I guess this fits in with the famille nombreuse policy... with EU rules meaning it can't be limited to French families!

Right now am looking seriously at Folgarida with Wayne. No Iski you haven't put me off!
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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.
TallTone, I think it was last year, I was umming and ahing about which Easyjet flights to go for, and they were climbing in price by about a tenner a day!
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Decided to go with the Folgarida option... somewhere new is always good Happy (I should have put that in my OP!)

Right, I make that only 18 weeks on Saturday till we go! snowHead
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
TallTone, well done. My son in law took a school trip there last February, and said it was great. Have fun. snowHead
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
TallTone, excellent! Hope to see you there.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
TallTone, Is it really only that long? Yaaaay!! snowHead
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I've booked Feb half-term in previous years about 3 weeks before... I hate booking ski hols before I know where the snow is because the smaller, cheaper resorts typically are less snow-sure. Travelling Thurs-Thurs is cheap, but you have to wait till much closer to the holiday before most accomodation providers will get flexible with their bookings.

I've found the alternative is to book high and snow-sure like Tignes, Val Thorens etc. which bumps up the accomodation prices, the travel from the airports and the lift passes.
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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?
Iski, sorry, miscounted, it's 21 weeks on Saturday Sad

skimom, IIRC you have only two kids though? "Room for Five" makes it trickier...
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... waiting until 3 weeks before and trying to do Thurs to Thurs seems like a high risk strategy for half term to me .... particulalry if looking at France where half of them are also on holiday that week.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
ctskifam, I agree. Not sure I'd want to risk the quality of the accommodation I might ensd up with booking so last minute. Each to their own I suppose.
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Going on from that something I've been thinking about more and more (as someone who both flogs holidays and enjoys taking them) is that whole intangible thing of having a holiday to look forward to. It's just not as exciting if you have no idea where you are going and will simply chase whatever deal enables you to get your skis on - although I do realise for some that may be quite appealing, or may be the only route to the slopes due to budget.

If you are having a pants day/week/month/year at work it's nice to have in the back of your mind "Oh well, at least I'm off to X in Feb staying at that lovely chalet Y and can have long lunches at restaurant X." ... not that I have bad days at work of course ....! That to me is something worth paying for; I can't get excited about "I've booked a week off in Feb and if I'm lucky I might find somewhere half decent to go, but I don't know really."
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
ctskifam, Helen Beaumont, a very high risk strategy I'd say Confused and not one I'd recommend or want to use myself, but if skimom, has had success with it, I think she's been very fortunate
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
ctskifam, I used to do that for our Easter trip, as I never knew until the last minute if we had enough money for it. I had a regular three week spell at a local pharmacy each March, and used to wait until I had been paid for that before I started looking. It had it's own excitement, bargain hunting !!
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Book one at somewhere you really, really want to go at Shocked price. Then book another week off work and take what comes up cheap last minute! Cool
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maggi, like your thinking!
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