 Poster: A snowHead
|
Having booked a last minute week in Tignes for me and my brother through Alpine Elements staying in the Chalet Neve in Tignes Le Lac, I thought I'd share my experience (my first time staying in a chalet).
Having read so much bad press about Alpine Elements prior to setting off (and having got pretty near to cancelling as a result) overall I was presently surprised.
The Good:
The chalet had a great location near to the lifts, even managed to ski in on a couple of days when there was so much snow on the road!
Overall the common areas were nicely set out, although much too small for the number of people. Thankfully this wasnt such an issues given the number of families staying out that week (and the children taking up a lot less space) though I hate to think how little space there would be with 24 adults staying!
The food was excellent, both in quality and in the quantity (there was always plenty left over for seconds, or soups etc to eat the next day.) The Chalet staff were excellent, keeping the place in great condition and really going out of their way to help us. They also proved good company in the evenings.
The other guests were great company, I was a bit worried to hear that I was sharing a chalet with 4 families (each with 3 children under 10) but it worked really well and found it all very enjoyable.
The snow, which was awesome! Just wish I had taken slightly wider skis out than the SL9s so I could have enjoyed the powder a bit more. Really enjoyed skiing Tignes and would definitely want to go back!
The Bad:
The room was far too small, with the 'en suite' barely useable, it really felt like the room I was staying in was really intended for the seasonairs to use (particularly as it also contained the pantry which they had to come down and get food from umpteen times a day.) My thinking was that if this ground floor room (sleeping 5 of us) wasn't used, the up staires sitting room and dining room would actually be about right for the numbers.
The beds turned out to be bunks which were much too small for a 6ft+ adult (brochure showed twins)
The flights/transfers were awful, not impressed with a 4 am start and a 6am flight and only getting into resort at about 4pm (then another 4am start to go home.)
The rep seemed more interested in coming to the chalet for a feed and to flog the extras than to actually answer any questions. Ended up getting sold tickets (10euro each) to an evening out touring Tignes pubs, under the promise of 'free' drinks in each bar and much more importantly the chance to meet people from the other chalets (and hopefully find some more people to ski with), This turned out to be just me and my brother + a couple of the chalet hosts (and only one free shot in one bar.) Left the feeling of having been ripped off...
The worst thing he ended up doing was asking a sick mother to take her 2 young children out of the chalet for an hour so that they could clean it up pending an inspection by management...
Their other chalet in Tignes spent most of the week with no gas........
The Ugly:
Somehow a seriously nasty bug hit the chalet, completely knocking about half the guests out for 24 hours. More people kept coming down as the week went on (and I'm half expecting to go down with it tomorrow.)
We found out towards the end of the week that this wasnt the first outbreak of this....
Would I recommend the company?
Probably not,
if I could be guaranteed the same standard of cooking and service from the guys in the chalet and could get a week at a good price maybe, but I think its just too much of a risk. I certainly wouldn't consider paying their full prices!
As for the chalet side of things, I loved it. Will definitely be going down the chalet route next year, and hopefully drag a few more friends out as well!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Interesting! Thanks for this. I was close to pushing ahead with a booking with AE. On the back of your experiences, I will look around a bit more. Possibly see if I can book some chalets direct.
Cheers
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Ahh, the old bar crawl with "free drink" in each bar for €10. Didn't know it was still going on or that people still fell for it. Still, you only need to go on one once. Then you realise that you don't actually need any help finding bars (except, of course, when you really don't need to find another bar  ) or, indeed, to meet other people.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Tiger2, Guess I'm still too used to how it was at uni when such things were actually worthwhile...
Needless to say, wont be falling for it again!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Quote: |
| Somehow a seriously nasty bug hit the chalet |
This seems to happen a lot with Alpine Elements.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
tomstickland, it happens to lots of chalet companies (particularly smaller ones) and it's generally because they can't cover sick staff and send them back to work too soon. Food handlers are supposed to stay away from work until 48 hours after their last symptoms.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A friend went with AE a couple of years back. They didn't have enough room for all the luggage so tied some to the roof of the minibus. You can guess what happened next...
Had to take AE to court to get compensation.
I'm suprised that someone with their first post hasn't has commented that AE are the best thing since sliced bread. Seems to happen quite frequently.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
I'm suprised that someone hasn't commented that AE are the best thing since sliced bread.
|
I'm just back from having my leg put in plaster. Can I be the first to comment that A&E are indeed the best thing since sliced bread? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Alpine Elements - don't do it , no matter how cheap IMHO the_fatadder, had one of the better experiences I've heard of.....
mountainaddict, Get well soon !
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Got a discounted price so I'm going with them in 2 and a bit weeks, will let you know how I get on. It's in another of their Tignes Chalets, Chalet Lavachey, apparently previously run by Esprit.
I've been with them once before and they were ok, no problems then (My reports on another thread for that visit).
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
I have a week booked with AE.... we'll see ! I'll report back
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Please see my trip report, just posted.
I meant to say that half of our party had a vomiting bug too. From what I've heard, people are coming back from all over Europe with the same bug. Can't see that it's AE's fault in that case. Probably caught it on the flight.
I agree with what you say about the flights. We booked ourselves onto a flight leaving at 0925, only to be told by AE that they are moving us to another flight at 0700. When I wrote back and said that the 0925 flight was a clear part of my booking they agreed to keep us there, and we got a personal minibus transfer to and from the chalet.
Our rep was actually very helpful. She said that (being 3 families) the bar crawl probably won't interest us and neither would the quiz night and didn't try and sell us anything. She organised getting our lift passes with all the complexities of getting various family combinations to reduce the overall price. She came by twice a day to ask if there was anything she could do.
Seems like we were lucky, from what others have said. Trouble is, when you're a large family AE is about all you can afford if you want to go catered.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
An update from here in La Plagne with Alpine Elements.
I was very worried aot AE, they have had some scathing reports in various locations.
I am in Chalet Collette in La Plagne right now, and......... ITS ABSOLUTELY FINE !!! We have been there 6 nights, the food has been lovely and the host is helpful too..... no sick bugs !! The rooms is a cosy double with plenty of storage and plenty of hot water.
OK, its all a bit basic, but when you match against the cost, it exceeds. We paid about £500pp including a full Paradiski lift pass (which is prob about £200). So £300ish for flights, transfer accom, breakfast afternoon tea and cakes 3 course evening meal with free flowing wine.... a bargain i think.
There is a chap in our chalet who thinks the soft furnishings are a bit tires and the curtains are naff and various other "issues" he has, is probably one of the trip advisor posters. He keeps comparing what all these other wonderfull places he has been but is forgetting he paid twice as much !!! hes a n0b anyway, lol.
FOR THE MONEY, i think this has been a great trip and I am not worried about the curtains or that the host does drop a knife at every serving, ha ha.
Not worried about another trip we have booked with AE in Les Gets next month - cant wait !!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Libertine, That's good to hear. I'm away in a weeks time so will report back after then.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
we areaway with them in two weeks time too.... if it happens again....grrrrrrrr.
13hrs in in the end... Monarch had better cough up !! 250€ apparantly... cant see it though
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Alpine Elements Chalet Lavachey at Tignes le Lac is great, good food - inc cooked breakfast, hot water bath and showers, fantastic position ski to from the door. All booking and holiday well organsied and will be booking AE again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
xanderajma, Don't compare the two EK resorts as far as water is concerned. Tignes has a highly modern system (assessed by a skiing buddy who was a big cog in water production). Ive been drinking the water in vast quantities for years with no snags - Val does have a reputation - perhaps someone who lives there would like to comment.
Most of the bugs that run round resorts are norovirus (which I have had) - its nasty and highly contagious and spreads like wildfire in areas with lots of people in tight spaces.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
