 Poster: A snowHead
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We're looking for a resort to go to for New Year 2010. We have to book early as I use BA Miles to pay for the flights.
Criteria...
Must have a reasonable likelihood of snow.
Must be within 90 mins of an airport serviced by BA.
Good 3* or 4* Hotel with Pool (wife doesn't ski)
Tartiflette and a pint in resort for a tenner or less
Hotel budget in the region of £1000 for 7 nights half board (2 adults 1 child aged 15)
Ski to the door not necessary but can't getting to the slopes needs to be reltaively convenient
Good Greens and Blue runs (not bothered about reds)
Rejected...
Bulgaria (borovets / Bansko) - Have just returned from Borovets (much better than some have suggested on here but lack of snow has put me off).
Andorra (Soldeu) - No hotels that fit the criteria. Is it really still cheap?
France (Brides-les-Bains) - Don't fancy the hassle of the hotel shuttle to the gondola to get to the Tignes lifts.
Under consideration...
Austria (Schladming) - This appears to tick all of the boxes (1 hour to Salzburg). Hotel Mitterhofer looks good too although is pushing the budget a little.
Does anyone know how snow sure Schladming is at New Year (what was it like last week)?
There must be lots of other places that I should be considering. Any ideas?
Cheers, Pete
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you don't want to stay in Brides because of the shuttle to the gondola, you might consider somewhere like Les Allues which is further up the mountain, still very reasonably priced, walk to gondola and only 5 mins from Meribel.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Sun 10-01-10 11:30; edited 2 times in total
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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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Zurich as a starting point! From Zurich airport there are plenty of Swiss and some Austrian resorts accessible by rail.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Schladming should be a pretty safe bet for New Year - it's probably the best known of the 25 or so resorts in the Amade region, so that will tend to push the prices up but there the skiing there is excellent. Alternatively look around the other Amade resorts many of which are within an hour of Salzburg and will probably be cheaper.
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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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Thanks. I've done some more research on Scladming and realised that it's more of a town than a village. Therefore it's probably a reject.
Currently looking at Flachau, Wagrain and Obertauern.
Will investigate Les Allues.
Cheers, Pete
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Snow in Obertauern usually good at new year.... but I thought you said "Budget"??????????
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PeteMan, if you think you're going to fulfil even half your stated criteria you've got another thing coming. Food and a pint for a tenner? When was the last time you went skiing? 1986? Seriously, your list of requirements will be difficult to meet even before you start looking at price. I'd start re-adjusting your expectations sharpish mate.
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How about the Ziller valley?
OK - it's a bit further than your criiteria (2hrs from Munich, less from Innsbruck but I guess BA don't fly there) but it's a pleasant drive (or train journey)).
It's as snowsure as you can get and there's a large choice of accomodation in a number of different resorts.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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seriously, my wife stays at home and me and daughter go
we have booked 7 nights in Montgenevre apartment for £840 last week of March, a chalet was running at about £1000
its a Neilson package and resort is 90 mins from Turin, you could book indepently i think
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Will take a look. I've been surprised at how exepnsive the Austrian and Italin hotels are. I'm not finding any 4*'s with pools coming in for less that around £2k (3 peeps New Year HB). Compare this with Bulgaria that is less than half that price.
I'm even looking again at Brides, Schladming and Andorra but all of these seem to have their flaws (smoking bars, long transfers, hassle getting to slopes, not snowsure, etc).
Pete
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Look up the taxes before using your BA air miles. The taxes appear so high it hardly seems worth using air miles for short haul. And unsurprisingly there never seem to be any flights available in school hols.
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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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if you can get your head round the long transfer, you'll love Livigno, its duty free, good shopping for errrrrr indoors, free bus round resort, its just finding a hotel with pool
skiings not bad too!!!!!!
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Thanks, will investigate Livogno too.
Regarding the BA miles I do monthly business trips to India so always have plenty to spend. I normally end up paying about £70 return for the taxes. Free seats to run out quickly during the school holidays but we managed to get flights to Orland in August and Sofia in December. You do need to book 11 months in advance, hence my enquiries about next new year. Going BA means we can also use the Business Class lounges f.o.c.
Pete
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You know it makes sense.
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| Dr John wrote: |
| PeteMan, if you think you're going to fulfil even half your stated criteria you've got another thing coming. Food and a pint for a tenner? When was the last time you went skiing? 1986? Seriously, your list of requirements will be difficult to meet even before you start looking at price. I'd start re-adjusting your expectations sharpish mate. |
I think Pete is a wum
Cheap holiday in 4* hotel over new years eve
Cheap beer and grub in non smoking bars
Easy acess to slopes
Short transfer time from BA airports
Snowsure
Moany missus who insists on tagging along even though she doesn't ski
He's having a laugh or else a travel agents nightmare.
If you're serious Pete - grow a pair and direct the OH to the Thistle Hotel in Cheltenham - it has a lovely indoor pool.
Yourself and the kid will enjoy the skiing holiday.
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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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PeteMan, you could meet more of your criteria if you didn't go at new Year. this last New Year many resorts across the alps had rubbish weather, lots of rain (people in Zermatt were complaining, and it rained to 2400m in the Tarentaise). That was particularly bad, but New Year is a really poor time of year to ski if you have any choice. About as expensive, un-snowsure and crowded as you can get.
If the 15 year old means you have to take school hols go at Easter. More chance of good snow (go somewhere moderately high, and with east/north facing slopes for the afternoons). Longer, lighter, warmer days (much better for skiers and non-skiers), fewer crowds and infinitely cheaper.
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Poster: A snowHead
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PeteMan, If you manage to find a holiday that ticks all of your boxes, would you mind looking out for a new Discovery 4 HSE for me? My max budget is £10k. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We stayed at the Postwirt in Soll for New Year 08/09. Soll has excellent access to the skiwelt area of Austria and is relatively cheap in resort (€4.50 ish for a beer). The hotel is great with a heated outdoor pool that is really cool. The transfer from Salzburg is about 90 minutes and the ski area pretty much fills your requirements.
For the New Year just gone a family room would have set you back €2367 which is just over £2000. I realise that this seems a lotbut you do get your lift pass thrown in with this and at €180 per person it makes it a bit more palletable. This is all for half board.
The hotel is great, the food is excellent and the staff could not have been any better. We have just booked to go back in June.
I hope that this helps.
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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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| Paul100 wrote: |
If you're serious Pete - grow a pair and direct the OH to the Thistle Hotel in Cheltenham - it has a lovely indoor pool.
Yourself and the kid will enjoy the skiing holiday. |
Spooky. The missus is a member there!
Pete
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Well, we've just come back from Borovets. I know it's got many faults but the 4* hotel we stayed in was pretty good (http://www.hotelslion.bg/borovetz_en/indexEN.htm)and cost around £850 (HB for the three of us for the week over new year). Taxi transfers were £30 each way (private car for the three of us). Snack and a pint was close to a fiver.
I know Boro is cheap (and some may say crap) but I hadn't realised that a comporable hotel in the Alps would be the bst part of triple the price.
Pete
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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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| Wardster00 wrote: |
We stayed at the Postwirt in Soll for New Year 08/09. Soll has excellent access to the skiwelt area of Austria and is relatively cheap in resort (€4.50 ish for a beer). The hotel is great with a heated outdoor pool that is really cool. The transfer from Salzburg is about 90 minutes and the ski area pretty much fills your requirements.
For the New Year just gone a family room would have set you back €2367 which is just over £2000. I realise that this seems a lotbut you do get your lift pass thrown in with this and at €180 per person it makes it a bit more palletable. This is all for half board.
The hotel is great, the food is excellent and the staff could not have been any better. We have just booked to go back in June.
I hope that this helps. |
Now this is getting very close to what I'm after. Food looks good, good review on TA, good value when you consider the free ski passes. Only downside is the lack of an indoor pool.
I'll have a look at the other Soll hotels.
I don't think I'm being too fussy. It's not like I;ve insisted on Ski In / Ski Out (but that would be nice)!
Pete
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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a thrown in lift pass is not such a good buy for a non-skier though.
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True but where I've seen this they normally give a bit of a discount if you don't take the pass.
Pete
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| Wardster00 wrote: |
We stayed at the Postwirt in Soll for New Year 08/09. Soll has excellent access to the skiwelt area of Austria and is relatively cheap in resort (€4.50 ish for a beer). The hotel is great with a heated outdoor pool that is really cool. The transfer from Salzburg is about 90 minutes and the ski area pretty much fills your requirements.
For the New Year just gone a family room would have set you back €2367 which is just over £2000. I realise that this seems a lotbut you do get your lift pass thrown in with this and at €180 per person it makes it a bit more palletable. This is all for half board.
The hotel is great, the food is excellent and the staff could not have been any better. We have just booked to go back in June.
I hope that this helps. |
Is the pool open in the winter? It seems there is also a public pool in Soll...
http://www.panoramabad-soell.at/home_e.html
How close is the hotel to the lifts?
Pete
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Hi Pete,
The outdoor pool at the postwirt is open for about 3 hours a day in winter and is heated and amazing. The panaormabad is open all through the year and I think that they charge you by the day.
I haven't stayed at the Gansleit but it looks really nice from the outside and is only about 2 mins walk from the lifts and 5 mins from the village centre.
I hope you find the right resort.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| PeteMan wrote: |
We're looking for a resort to go to for New Year 2010. We have to book early as I use BA Miles to pay for the flights.
Criteria...
[list]
Tartiflette and a pint in resort for a tenner or less
Any ideas?
Cheers, Pete |
not possible.
Tartiflette or a beer for a tenner- possible
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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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Where are people skiing where beers/food are so expensive. France and Switzerland maybe you'd pay a tenner for a beer....but even then presumably just the bigger resorts.
PeteMan, think your budget for the hotel is pretty light but you never know. If you want a short transfer and Salzburg remains an option for flights - you were considering Wagrain/Flachau/obertauern etc at one point. If you go to www.skiamade.com , you can put an enquiry out for accomodation - you should get up to 15 offers from hoteliers so there should be competition on prices. Worth a shot just to see what prices come out at. Wagrain and Flachau are less than 1hr from Salzburg and are linked by lifts to plenty of other villages.
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You know it makes sense.
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PeteMan, I don't know the hotel, but I do remember Niederau. A pretty and friendly village with great skiing for beginners, but a small ski area overall. I would have thought it's a good two hours from Salzburg.
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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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Small ski area is fine. When asked what level of ability I am I usually avoid the terms 'Beginner', 'Intermediary' or 'Expert' and opt for the term 'Crap'!
Pete
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Poster: A snowHead
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| queen bodecia wrote: |
| PeteMan, I don't know the hotel, but I do remember Niederau. A pretty and friendly village with great skiing for beginners, but a small ski area overall. I would have thought it's a good two hours from Salzburg. |
Well spotted. The closest airport is Innsbruck (still served by BA).
Pete
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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maybe in your budget would be Passo Tonale just 2 hours from Milan
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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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I reckon many of the posts on this topic have been overly cynical and unsympathetic which doubtless reflects the frustration people have at the sheer expense of a ski holiday especially with a family. Like you I have a wife who doesn't ski and frankly I normally wind up paying over the odds and going to a club med. These are very good for non skiers as the G.O.s will make a point of ensuring their happiness.
But in my spare time I fantasize about a cheap ski holiday and ransack the internet for them. I would say that some of the options you discount in your initial post would still be your best bet.
Firstly Borovets has a decent historical snow record at New Year and so may be worth reconsidering seeing as you had a good time anyway. The snow may be better next season.
Secondly I have noticed that there are always late deals in Pal-Arinsal, Andorra. If you were willing to risk this you could book the flights now and then book a 4 star hotel half board nearer the time. In skiing as in so many things fortune favours the brave.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Whilst there are a load of helpful comments (see above) there is definitely some snobbery on here towards the cheaper resorts (particularly Bulgaria and Andorra) but I have also seen similar negativety towards Brides-les-Bans andother places (e.g. a post along the lines of "They are cheap for a reason"). In my view people want to get different things out of a skiing holiday. I'm not a great skier but I still have fun, and as this is not our main holiday of the year it has to be cheap.
Maybe the admins of this site should set up a Forum for 'Budget Skiing' then the ski snobs would be able to avoid the threads posted by cheapskates such as myself?
Pete
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Thu 21-01-10 10:43; edited 1 time in total
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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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nice comments Pete, i'm in same positiuon with the exception of wife staying at home, i feel limited to apartments and hotels, as i could not risk getting stuck in chalet with 14 lads, me and my 14 year old daughter its to bigger risk. with apartments if we book early we have under occupancy to pay so sometimes hotels look a better deal. i will say though that when we went 2 years ago the week before easter weekend we got a great deal booking 7 weeks in advance
£465 for a studio at Livigno (the long coach jouirney aint that bad!) for the 2 of us, so with skis and lift pass we came in at about £850, the food and drink was cheap,so i reckon including spends the who week cost us about £1500, we did the sledging night and fondoo night too while there.
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We are off on a budget trip to Romania at the end of Feb. For 3 of us; all inclusive deal its costing £1600. That includes hotel, half board, all drinks, lift passes, equipment hire, ski school and transfers etc. And thankfully, the snow has finally arrived in resort so I have stopped biting my finger nails. I'm quite happy with that price and have read some excellent trip advisor/holiday reviews on the resort. Even if its deep Eastern Europe.
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The Maurienne Valley in France has some superb value resorts. The French Pyrenées are also exceptional value for money and decent skiing if you get it right with the snow.
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PeteMan, I think some of the anti-Borovets comments, some of which are from people who know the area well, can't just be put down to "snobbery". I've not been, but if I were in the market for a package I wouldn't consider Borovets, largely because of the dodgy snow record coupled with the horrendous queues which have been reported. Many reporters have noted that the hotels are good value, and that there are some good instructors, but I'd rather cook for myself somewhere I can ski on good snow with no queues.
In the case of Brides les Bains, it's true that it's a long ride from the slopes. I think information like that is invaluable for people considering where to go - they can make up their own minds about what's important to them. Info in the TO brochures is hardly famous for its impartiality!
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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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I was was in Boro for new year so am acutely aware of the lack of snow! Having spent many hours researching Boro (after we booked but before we went) the opinion that I formed of Bulgarian ski resorts was as follows:
Full of Mafia gangsters
Full of prostitutes
Full of Sex shows
Cold food
Smokey bars
Unfriendly locals who will rip you off
Crap ski equipment
Long queues
Basic accomodation
If you want to read about our trip then it's posted here http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=1428527&highlight=borovets#1428527
Negative comments concerning Boro or any resort are fine as long as they are accurate, informed, constructive and qualified (no armchair experts please). BTW, my understanding is that it's Bansko that has horrendous queues not Borovets (however I am no expert as I have only visited Boro when there was no snow and have not visited Bansko).
Pete
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FAQ
