 Poster: A snowHead
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We're not actually very familiar with this holiday thing and we've never done a 'last minute' one - so I thought I'd ask how other people do it 
We have some criteria:
* Snow (!)
* Good quality accomodation (last minute bargain - so cheaper but not cheap!)
* Europe (not Val D'Isere/Tignes 'cos we've been there)
* Flexible timing (ie don't care which week we go - sometime in march)
So should we go to a travel agent? or DIY?
Last minute DIY sounds complex 'cos you have to link up flights and accomodation.
Which agents are good for this kind of thing?
Is it worth it?
Thoughts....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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lbt,last minute will not fit too well with DIY anyway,unless you are prepared to take a few risks.Can work well for cheap flights,assuming there are some seats?Transfer will not be a problem,there's always a bus,or taxi.But will you get accommodation?Sure,there's likely to be something,but what?IMHO,DIY takes forward planning and some legwork.You need time to sort the options and stitch the various bits together.However,there's last minute 'deals' everywhere.Being flexible opens your choice.Pick a few dates and put a post on the chalets section.There are several here who run chalets etc.Have a look at www.iglu.com .Put yourself on their mail list.Keep your eye on the local travel agents in your town.Have seen a few giveaways just lately.Or put it off till late April,and come to the end of season bash(offer closes end of Feb)Les Arcs last week of April,you know it makes sense 
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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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You could do DIY for a cheap rate still. Sunday to Sunday afternoon flights with eujet from Kent to Geneva would cost £50 return each setting off on 6th March. You could contact Dave at trax about La Ros because they do Sun/Sun, and he might be able to sort transfers for you too.
There you go, sorted.
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My trip to Colorado was a bit last minute - OK, one month before going, but it is over Easter.
The rules I put in place were simple:
1. Which continent would I like to go to: North America
2. Currently, where in that continent has good snow: Colorado, Utah
3. Where in that country has good snow record for late March/early April: Colorado, Utah
4. Trawl the internet for Tour Ops who do online quotes/email the ones I know: IYS, Iglu, Ski Independence.
5. While waiing for responses, check out flight prices, and start looking at accomodation options: Flights affordable, accomodation in Utah NOT. accomodation in Colorado possible.
6. Get prices back from T/Os. Fall off seat. Pick self up.
7. Book flight to Denver. Book hotel. Book transfer.
8. Worry about how to pay for it all.
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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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Worry about how to pay for it all.
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WTFH, isnt that what summer is for? Pay last hols off and save for the next ones 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I usually start with a bad day at work, which sends me off to the internet at the end of the day to look for the holiday bargains. Usually done last minute trips at Easter, so we can see where the snows good.
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lbt, you could do either way,
1. Choose when to go & book time off work.
2. If DIYing then as Fox says, choose rough geographical area and book flights, say Geneva.
3. Wait for last minute to follow snow & get best accomodation deal in resort.
But it would be cheaper to just start looking for discounted package trips on, say, the Thursday before you were due to go - but you can't always get the resort you want.
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Done quite a few last minuite deals, usualy booked week befor travel , Went with Skiworld to valdisere in December had there top chalet there Great food ,location , for half there brochure price ,
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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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lbt,
Just jump in the car and follow the snow. Although true last minute means getting a call from your friends saying its dumping getting yourself out here!
A couple of things you can do is ring around one or two main TO's and ask them what they have available, taking your queue from their recent adds in the sunday papers like Mail or Telegraph, or look at teletext type things. This is the easiest as you get the whole TO package at a discounted price, hopefully.
Or, pick a resort and trawl the web sites, there are lots of indie Operators with their own sites and some will do adhoc prices nightly. Even better if you go for 7 days. Or sort out accom first, which is why we use hotels as you aren't entirely committed at this stage, then find a flight. If you go on a sat or sun you may even be able to 'hijack' the TO's transfer coach if they go to the same place by bribeing the rep'
Take heart from the fact that most other countries book their holidays independantly so there is an infrastructure outside the realm of Tour Operators as we know it.
First thing is decide which country you would like to go, I would say France is probably the easiest to get to but the other alpine countries might have a better organised TO for hotels. For example St Anton has a big screen in the Tourist office that you can walk in and see who has beds available. In my experience it is quite easy to walk off the street and get a hotel out of peak season but I can understand why you might not want to do this.
Maybe the best thing to do is see what last minute options are about and book with a TO.
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Wear The Fox Hat,
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6. Get prices back from T/Os. Fall off seat. Pick self up.
7. Book flight to Denver. Book hotel. Book transfer.
8. Worry about how to pay for it all.
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Allow me to suggest a slight variation;
8. Enjoy skiing & other associated activities
9. Get back home, then worry about how to pay for it
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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lbt,
I wouldn't bother about the DIY option, as you would have to work very hard to put together a last minute DIY holiday that's anything like as cheap as many of the late deals offered by some of the operators.
I would also avoid the big operators, as their late deals are not usually as good as the smaller firms (and who wants to go with last choice anyway?).
Remember that t'internet is your best friend. You'll have a much better choice on the web than by visiting travel agents. Some good internet agents are igluski.com, ifyouski.com, alpine answers and ski solutions.
But I always prefer to visit the operator websites directly. The best ones that I have found (both for availability and price) are Le Ski, Skiworld and Ski France. For example with Le Ski, if you wanted to go next weekend, you could get a good quality chalet in Courchevel for £449 pp (and it'll be even cheaper by Monday).
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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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Bernard Condon, I'm from Ballymena. Money comes first! haha.
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lbt, we have availability in our chalet for w/c 6th & 13th March at very advantageous prices. Our contact details are listed in snowShops.
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You know it makes sense.
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FAO : David@traxvax - is La Rosiere a low resort. Basically, what I am asking how late would you advise ( bearing in mind this years good snow record? ) a booking. Is late April 2005 too late for this resort. Half thinking of doing a late skiing holiday for a long weekend.
If memory serves me right is this resort linked to La Tuille ( spel?) in Italy and on the same lift pass?
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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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hibernia, I think La Rosiere village is at 1800m which is not exactly low
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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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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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lbt, There you are - they've got great snow - you'll be there anyway - GO SKI-ING. You can even try a 5 resort trip!
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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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I tend to find that the best last minute bargains are for the package holidays, especially the lower end of the market. I've gone for a week for less than £300 for a week inclusive of flights, transfers and fully catered in a reasonable room quite a few times.
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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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just trawl some websites and local travel agents, the later you leave it the better bargain you'll get. If your going out of school hols, and a cheap price is more important than where you go I reckon you will almost always be able to find something, but it's a slight gamble!
My best last minute was £299 for a week in catered chalet in Vail, but that was back in 1998!
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FAQ
