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Choosing Resort

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi guys,

Lookin for some advice. Trying to put together trip for a group next year but struggling to choose a resort. We fancy Swiss/Austria, group of about 10 students, very mixed ability. Ranging from very capable, so need some challenging terrain, to begginners. Also need somewhere relatively cheap. Very Happy Thanks. What you think?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Oh yeh also not really into quiet resorts want something big and lively, with quite a big ski area if possible.
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Okay, I'll throw a couple of ideas in just to get the debate going (nothing gets an answer better than a disagreement).

Don't know about cheap, but two places immediately spring to mind: Saalbach or Val d'Isere. I'm sure there are plenty of other lively places in Austria, but I can't think of anywhere really lively (compared to elsewhere) in Switzerlanmd, but then I've only skied one or two placs there. You could also try Pas de la Casa (?) in Andorra which is apparently pretty cheap and very lively.
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Yup Val D'isere had crossed the mind, as had Andorra. Unfortunately we have a ski snob in the party who still regards Andorra as a second rate ski destination ... but nevermind can't please everyone. Toofy Grin I really fancy some of the trees in Andorra Very Happy . So yeh Vals an option and I'm gonna go read a bit bout Saalbach cos I honestyly know nothing about it.
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Ooh Saalbach looks good.
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Quote:

Unfortunately we have a ski snob in the party

Val D'Isere it is then. OR how about Ishgl, good lifts, 200kms of piste, great Apres but limited learner facilities
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Frosty the Snowman, loking at the other thread about Val D, looks like thats the last place for a ski snob, sounds more like Benidorm!! wink
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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!
jonathanbone17, you probably read this thread on Saalbach, but just in case you've missed it:

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=6289
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jonathanbone17, Alpe d'Huez? Good for all abilities....I'm not a party animal so can't vouch for the nightlife except that the Underground bar used to keep me awake at night!
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jonathanbone17, Saalbach has everything you could want. Some great off piste, steep blacks, great cruising reds and blues and lots of Apres Ski that won't break the bank.
I've been last year and can't wait to go again. It's my favourite resort by a long way!
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jonathanbone17, Saalbach is great. I'm off there next year for my second trip. I've skiied quite a few resorts in Austria and it sounds like Saalbach or Mayrhofen (excellent value) would fit the bill. The only issue with Mayrhofen is the reliance on buses between the resorts and you can't ski back to the town. For experienced skiers it wasn't so much of an issue but for the beginners in our group, they had enough to worry about without the transport issue!

Saalbach offers brilliant convenience with 3 lifts from the town and skiing back to most hotels within a few (well, about 50 metres max.) but with a slightly higher price tag. It also suits varying abilities.

Read some of the resort reviews recently posted on places like Mayrhofen and Soll also. The only issue with Soll is that the nursery slopes are low so if the snow is not good then beginners may get taken elsewhere, such as another resort. It may lack some of the more challenging skiing you are looking for also.
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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.
Quote:

Read some of the resort reviews recently posted on places like Mayrhofen and Soll also. The only issue with Soll is that the nursery slopes are low so if the snow is not good then beginners may get taken elsewhere, such as another resort. It may lack some of the more challenging skiing you are looking for also.


The first resort that I thought of was Soll also. However as above it is quite a low resort. When we went 3 years ago there was no skiing to resort but it was the first week of January. Looking at the snow reports for this season it did quite well compared to the French Alps. The resort links around the whole Valley, this leads to a massive number of runs to go at. Although my group tends to put as many kilometers under our ski's as possible, we still had not touched all of the available ski area.

Only one problem, again touched on above, is the lack of challenging blacks. There are 3 blacks, if I remember correctly, off the top of the Holne Salve. Overall very good resort... Nightlife not to be sniffed at either.... Anyone for a quick half at the "Whiskey Mulhe"!!!! Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
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Solden is worth considering. I've written a report on the resort section on it. I've been to Val D and prefered the nightlife in Solden so if you are considering Val D then I reckon Solden ought to be worth considering as well.
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You know it makes sense.
There is one big problem with Val d'Isere for beginners and nervous intermediates. Bearing in mind that the blues can be comparatively quite tricky compared to other resorts, there aren't many green runs, and their options for going to different areas of the resort would be very limited indeed. We ran into this problem this year.

Andorra is limited for expert skiers who want challenging terrain, their black runs just don't cut the mustard I'm afraid.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
What about Les Deux Alpes. Plenty of difficult runs back to resort level and easy glacier runs up top. Good apres ski too
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I'd second Mayrhofen - pretty cheap, great apres-ski, varied skiing at different locations, the glacier at Hintertux. Not too sure what it would be like for beginners.
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Verbier might be worth a look.
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I would also rate Mayrhofen as a good bet for a mixed group of skiers, can be reasonably cheap, and night life is something else !
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mayrhofen is very good, les deux alpes is not - at all
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jonathanbone17, so you want somewhere in Switz or Austria; cheap; good for all abilities; lively....

Kitzbuhl or Saalbach-Hinterglemm fit the bill. Don't believe it when "experts" write them off, they have enough tough-ish terrain for a week. Nightlife tops.

Val d'Isere is in France and is not cheap. Ischgl & Verbier are also expensive. Mayrhofen has limited advanced terrain but I hear it is good apart from that.
I have been to the Gastein valley and it is good, but would say that if you are taking beginners you must stay in BadHOFgastein where the bus trip to the nursery slopes is short & direct.

Difficult to think of anywhere in Switz that fits the description & is cheap. Maybe Grindelwald? Flims/Laax? Saas-Fee has a small ski area but I hear good things.....
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Laax can be done (relatively) cheaply but is quiet. Flims is livelier (only went out there one night), but I don't know how cheaply it could be done.
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jonathanbone17, Leave the snob behind and go to Andorra, if you can hack it stay in Pas, if you cant then try Soldeu - huge joined up ski area - Gran Valira, www.pasgrau.com for more info

La Tania was excellent - right in the middle of the 3 vallees some nice tree lined runs down into the village, and easy access to Courchevel and Meribel.it was really cheap too - try www.themountaincentre.com i recommend it!
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There is a cheap place in Wengen that might be worth a try http://www.old-lodge.ch/ prices go from under £15 a night to just over £20 a night per person self catering mind you the walk up the hill in the morning is quite steep I guess about 10 mins walk to the station, though you could get a taxi fairly cheaply for the group
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Wengen+Students+ noise police = imminent arrest!? Shocked
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In terms of more "advanced" terrain, I would rate Mayrhofen/Ziller Valley, Kitz and Saalbach as offering similar levels, with perhaps Saalbach and Mayrhofen having the edge over Kitz. There are plenty of reds in all resorts, some quite tough in Saalbach and Mayrhofen which would keep an advanced skier occupied. The Harikirri in Mayrhofen seemed to give advanced skiers more than enough of a challenge. Most went down it head first!

All 3 are fine for beginners skiing wise, but depending on where you stayed in Mayrhofen, it could mean a bus trip to the gondola each morning. If cost is an issue then this is more likely as it's cheaper to stay at the edge of the town near the train/bus station, e.g. Hotel Neuhaus. This may also be the case in Kitzbuhel if you stayed in the town centre. Try the Hotel Montana which is near the gondola and next to the nursery slopes with a ski in option at the end of the day. It is also reasonable value. Saalbach offers great access to the slopes and you won't have far to go to any lift or the nursery slopes. I think that Chalet Julianne is near the nursery slopes and one of the main lifts.

Off-piste, the cost of drinks and food is about the same across all 3 resorts. Nightlife is also great, although I preferred Mayrhofen and Saalbach to Kitzbuhel with the latter offering more 'refined' apres ski! I'm more of a ski boot stomper.
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Nadenoodlee, Nah the old lodge is right on the edge of the village and well away from the police patrol
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D G Orf, police in Wengen,never knew that
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TMC looks sweet as a nut! I'm rather familiar with the 3V so it would make my life of organising a group quite a bit easier. WOW its cheap and its the 3V!!! Jeez I can't control myself. So it will be like a couple hundred quid each, did you stay in the chalet of the hotel bit??? How much do you reckon meals will set us back in La Tania.
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jonathanbone17, I stayed in the chalet - meals were 8euro per night including wine and were pretty tasty , Lasagne, Beef Bourginon that kinda thing, restaurants in La Tania are MUCH more reasonable than the rest of 3 V, from 6 euro (for burgers in Pub Ski Lodge) upwards.
We flew Easyjet to Geneva for about £40 each, Ive never been to the 3Vallees before that trip but La Tania kicked ass, and the atmosphere in the Chalet was really fun- thoroughly recommend it!
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Nadenoodlee, Thanks a lot. Decision made I think. Woo, I'm all excited! Very Happy Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Ok, sorry forgot, does anyone know when Easyjet release their winter schedules?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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jonathanbone17, I'd agree that Saalbach would suit you fine. I reckon it would represent good value. Great terrain for all levels and not too harsh on the wallet. I've had 4 good trips there and it looks like I'll be going back next year

Nadenoodlee is right, the 3V's would be OK if staying in La Tania, elsewhere it'll cost bundles. Look at www.skiweekends.com, they run trips by coach for upwards of a week at very reasonable prices.

I can't speak for Andorra.

Happy hunting.
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jonathanbone17, Late June/Early July for SleazyJet release....sign up for their newsletters and you'll be emailed when they get going. Get in early if you want a bargain!
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jonathanbone17, I've heard TMC is cheap, but don't forget to budget for transfers; mountain lunches; lift passes etc.....

None of which are cheap in the 3V. Oh and nightlife in La Tania consists of Pub Le Ski Lodge and............

Pub Le Ski Lodge.
Quote:

also not really into quiet resorts want something big and lively

Are you really sure you want La Tania?? Do you want to go to the same bar every night? There is nowhere else there at all "lively." Get yerself to Kitzbuhl it is crazeeee!!!!!
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jonathanbone17, pah im a hardcore apres "er" and I loved La Tania, it rocked
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I loved La Tania, it rocked

Nadenoodlee, you really need to get out more often! Smile
Just out of interest, where did you go in the evenings after Pub Le Ski Lodge shut? Puzzled

I think La Tania has a lot going for it as a cheap, family-friendly back-door into the 3V, but please don't mislead jonathanbone17 into thinking it is St Anton becoz it is not!

jonathanbone17, go to LT if you must but don't blame me if your mates confiscate your clothes & roll you in the snow coz there's nothing else to do.......
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the ice perv, I agree that La Tania is pretty quiet - on a busy night!

I'd go with jb1970's suggestion of Les Deux Alpes. Great nightlife, cheap, real variety of skiing for all (La Grave for the diehards). The company I went with seems to have demised but there is plenty to choose from.
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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!
the ice perv, did you honestly find it boring? hmmm bizarre, we had an amazing time, not as wild as Pas, but pretty fun none the less, especially in the group. Maybe no one liked you NehNeh

jonathanbone17,
you know what the 3v's is like, your in a group, your students, you'll be well away!
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Nadenoodlee, I never said boring - I liked the place, I just want to give jonathanbone17 what he is looking for......

...and he won't find it there! There probably is a good "backpacker vibe" at TMC but LT is just too darn small. They could always cab it to Meribel for a change of scene I suppose.

Now I have a young family I would seriously consider LT again but in my student days (god I sound old!) I would have wanted a bit more variety.
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the ice perv, you do sound old- I guess with the kids you do need to get out more NehNeh

LT is great, if you know how to have fun, you'll have a great time anywhere, so what if the Ski Lodge is the main place?, when we go to Pas we pretty much stay in the one place anyway because its good and we like it. If you cant have fun in the ski lodge then best get the scrabble and slippers out

I went with with a group aged 19-23 and we loved it there, TMC, whilst not really backpacker, is a really nice atmosphere and the guys that work there are a great laugh, even if they do try and get you hammered all the time snowHead
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