 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi
I've just started a new job and there is talk about a work ski trip being arranged for 2011. Having done a season myself (in Tignes), it appears that I may well be called upon to arrange said ski trip, and, well, being the new boy don't really want to arrange a crap one!
Their previous trips have been to Courmyeur, Meribel, Courchevel etc (apologies for spelling!), so places with good skiing as well as decent apres-ski seems to be the requirement.
Age wise everyone is in their late 20s to mid 40s, and all, by the sound of it decent skiers.
Any suggestions of where to look for a long weekend (out Thurs eve, back Monday eve) which would tick the boxes would be great, and any knowledge of places that snowheads have stayed in for a similar weekend would also be very helpful!
Many thanks
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
where would you be flying to? for that sort of trip you can't go too far wrong with Portes du Soleil or Chamonix if you are flying to GVA
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
I am bias but Chamonix ticks the boxes, short transfer, guaranteed snow, nightlife etc. Loads of hotels, and transfer companies, but choose lower season if you want just the weekend. Go for Mid March. I would steer clear of Zermatt due to the hassle and time doing the transfer, last time I did it it was 3 different trains from Geneva, although it is fantastic when you get there.
Like you say as the new boy you can't afford to muck it up and it sounds like a nice place to work.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
All the above + Val d'Isere?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
I'd say Zermatt or Verbier, both got great ski-ing and great apres.
We did a work long weekend in Zermett a couple of years ago, Thurs to Sun and it was fantastic, but do agree with jbob it's a longish transfer.
We did our work trip to Tignes last year and the night life was dead.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Courmayeur is great, that's where we did our work ski weekend - easy access from Turin or Geneva, compact ski area, nice village, possbility of doing the vallée blanche if coniditions permiy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I've organised our work trip for the past few years. The Big difficulty has been accomodation - Cortina, Kitz, and Cervinia worked but ZermAtt, Ischgl and muchof France hAs proved impossible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Fleecy, morzine?
Only cos the last time I was there on a 5 day stay we bumped into a bunch of 20-40 somethings in the buddha bar on a works outing....but it does seem to tick many boxes
1) easy flights n transfers
2) good for long weekends
3) Lots of skiing options
4) Somethings to do (well I'm sure there is) if people want some time off.
5) Choice of driking/eating establishments
no idea about accommodation but...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you can get decent flights, go to Salzburg. Obertauern would fit the bill. Enough for a weekend, some very good reds, a few decent blacks, decent if not excessive nightlife, lots of relatively cheap but very high quality appart hotels. And best of all guarenteed snow to the village. You dont want to be remembered for the ski trip with no snow. (or poor obviously). Its Austrian therefore relatively quite, means raucous for France.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Kitzbuhl?
Shortish transfers with easy flights (munich)
some nice hotels
decent bars/apres
Pretty
Range of skiing, quite a lot of terrain to cover...
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Thanks for all the advice - very much appreciated - like quite a few of you have said, rather a large amount of pressure as not wanting to be remembered for the wrong reasons!
In addition to the various resorts, does anybody know of anywhere comparable to places such as the Riders Palace in Laax, or the Clubhouse in Chamonix?
And also, I suspect that we'll be arranging a private transfer - any suggestions as to companies who are reliable in, I would guess, France and Austria?
Cheers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fleecy, There are a few people on here who do transfers. Im sure they would do you a good deal. What about Morzine as a resort. Ticks all the boxes and is 1 hr from Geneva airport. 650km of linked piste and a big town with good night life? You could do worse, a lot worse infact!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
1. Chamonix;
2. St Moritz;
3. Lech.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Must suggest Mayrhofen (to remain consistent in my posting) good skiing, good apres.
Have you thought about going out Saturday and returning on whatever day suits? That way you don't block off 2 weeks of a hotel's season, will be easier to find somewhere to stay that way. (And this from the man who accidentally booked all the boys flights Wed to Sun by mistake this year  )
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
I've been to 3 work trips in the last 4 years to Les Gets, Champery and Morzine.
Morzine was probably the most successful as the skiing was suitable for most abilities and there was some nightlife.
Champery was the least successful as it wasn't suitable for absolute beginners. The organiser got some stick for that so I understand the pressure on you!
If I were you I'd make a shortlist of 3 places giving them rough costings, transfer times, piste maps and links to the resorts on WTSS and then let them vote. At least it won't be all on your head then.
The one thing I can guarantee though is that you won't please everyone - someone will always whinge in a situation like this.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
having done it a few times myself, i would give the following tips:
1) get 1 or 2 others to help you - set up an "organising committee"
2) don't let the group as a whole vote (it "crystalises" choices and people will feel a little upset if their first choice didn't get chosen); instead, make an executive decision saying "the trip will be to [x] - anyone want to sign up?"
3) take as many "executive decisions" about how things work out/what/where/when as possible. most people will not object to be "told what to do" if you do it in a nice way.
4) get as much money up-front as you can (and if you are paying in euros and getting money from people in £ then make sure you are fully covered as you dont want to be taking currency risk on £10k or so - for every 1c difference in exchange rate, it will cost you EUR 100!
5) a nice touch is a small "trip guide" - giving each person a small booklet with list of flight times and bus routes, maps of the resort, piste maps, some info on apres ski places, restaurants and clubs (if that's your thing - it tends to be on our work trips), people's mobile numbers (if they are OK giving these out) so you can meet up on the mountain, etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Might be worth getting a couple of prepaid credit cards, sort of an electronic whip, with everyone chipping in sooner not later, saves all the aggro of topping up a cash whip or trying to sort it out during/post holiday. This can be past around so nobody gets stuck with a) 1000 euros on them b) the same person getting the beers in.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
