 Poster: A snowHead
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This is going to sound lazy, and also impossible - so i apologise in advance for this!
I know there is probably lots of people do this and if i should have posted this on another thread i'm sorry.
Firstly , Hello my names Adam and i've read these forums for about 2 years and never posted.
Secondly...this is my dilemma.
We have a reasonably low budget (up to 700 including spending money per person approx.
We want to ski for about a week.
We aren't fussed about nightlife because we want to Ski and we can't afford both.
We need intermediate ski area so not all flat slopes and a fairly vast area to ski as we'll be racking up a bit of mileage seeing as we have no money for lunch 
We are so clueless we went to co-op travel looking at package deals today, we need no thrills accomodation and self catering would be fine, as cheap as possible but great on-piste skiing.
Looking for any recommendations possible, resorts? best to go package or independant?
Maybe you were in similar situation and would recommend doing exactly the same?
We were looking at maybe even andorra as someone mentioned it to us ? anyone been there?
Any advice or answers to any of these questions would be greatly appreciated and i do realise that these are probably impossible requirements so where do we sacrifice?
Thank you in advance
Adam.
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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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When were you thinking of going? If you can find cheap flights to Salzburg, Innsbruck or Munich there are plenty of Austrian resorts that would fit the bill - easy cheap public transport transfer, cheap self catered accommodation (maybe in the valley then short bus to resort in the morning) - buy pasta in the local supermarket for evening meals. You might also want to consider smaller resort, the keep the lift pass pice down.
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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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123willo123, keep an eye on the deals, you should be able to get a weeks HB aroun £400 depending on the dates you want to go.
Check out Inghams Hot Deals.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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123willo123, Personally I've found a lot of the French resorts very good value. I've skied on a budget similar to yours for many years but one favourite was Val Thorens, France. Brilliant skiing across the massive 3 valleys, good enough night life for a few beers, loads of cheap self catering accomodation and good late deals with the main travel agents.
If you can't find any appropriate French deals maybe try Livigno or Bormio in Italy. I've been to both and they were very good value especially when going half board in Bormio; the ski area isn't vast but good enough for a week and you get the ski the Stelvio World Cup downhill run - Awesome!
My mate always books very late and gets good deals but he tends to get what he's given in terms of resort.
In my experience the package deals do work out cheaper overall.
I've never been to Andorra... not sure I'd ever bother with it but maybe someone who's been there may say different.
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I would look at a bargain chalet, the breakfast and afternoon tea / evening meal is usually great value + free wine if you can manage(I couldnt at 19 and still struggle to drink the paint stripper now  )
All you will need is lunch(make a sandwich or get from the supermarkets to eat on the lifts) and lift passes / hire
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Hello. I think your best bet would be somewhere like Soll in Austria.You can get a B&B for around €30 per night including breakfast.
Leaves you plenty of money for some Apres .Loads of Skiing and food and drink a lot cheaper than France.
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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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There is 30% off easyjet flight but book quick!!! Good luck!!!
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There is "up to" 30% off....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Don't be tempted by cheap accommodation alone, it's cheap for a reason - usually miles from a lift and basic poorly equipped sort of place which will be no good if you can't afford to eat out. Just a half decent kitchen, not just a microwave, will save you lots and give you something to do trying to poison your friends with your menus on an evening!
Livignio is good, but transfers take about 3.5 hours, not good at the end of a long day travelling either way.
If you're flexible enough to go at the drop of a ski glove keep an eye on very last minute bargains in places like Crystal Ski or Igluski? You'll need to be aware of snow conditions i.e. they have enough snow or some is forecast for your week and it'll need to be a big enough area to keep you all amused. As Chick suggested, Soll which is on the Ski Welt is a good idea as is any of the villages in that region (except Hopfgarten, dead end of a piste) so try looking at Scheffau, Going or Brixental - see http://www.skiwelt.at/en/
It's easy to get to - fly Easyjet or Ryanair to Salzburg or Munich then get a train to your resort. Train tickets can be bought for Austrian / German trains from http://www.bahn.com/i/view/GBR/en/index.shtml - they have an office here in UK so you can phone them for details if need be. In Munich you can link to mainline trains via the tube or in Salzburg just get the bus outside the airport signed Bahnhof (station).
To find self catered accommodation not from a Company (i.e direct is cheaper), decide on you resort and type it into Google (with tourist information added as well) - you'll get the website for the town, usually available in English, and just put your dates into the site and see what is available for you, checking to see it is close enough to lifts etc.
Also you'll need to check out lift passes, don't see much point of going to 3 Valleys etc as you probably won't utilise the lift pass enough to justify the cost - it's just too big an area for most people and I don't think it's good value for money?
Mayrhofen is another good option, lots of Brits (if you like that sort of thing.....) big enough and cheap enough with easy transfers.
Time to do some serious homework, have fun and let us know where you end up.
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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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| Quote: |
Don't be tempted by cheap accommodation alone, it's cheap for a reason - usually miles from a lift
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 Some of it might be, but there are plenty of cheap ski in/out apartments in most French resorts.
all the extras do add up - and most of the 19 year old lads I know are not too hot on cooking and washing up. That's why UCPA is such a good deal - FULL board, lift pass, equipment and tuition (even off piste etc - the top groups are seriously good). You really need to spend hardly anything on top - pack of beers from a supermarket?
The holidays through Action-Outdoors include coach travel from the UK. Beware of putting together a DIY deal without costing in transfers which often cost considerably more than cheap flights. And don't book cheap flights on a Tuesday, only to discover that all the accommodation is Sat/Sat.
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| oldsnowy wrote: |
| Don't be tempted by cheap accommodation alone, it's cheap for a reason - usually miles from a lift and basic poorly equipped sort of place which will be no good if you can't afford to eat out. Just a half decent kitchen, not just a microwave, will save you lots and give you something to do trying to poison your friends with your menus on an evening! |
For what it's worth, my past week was spent at the bargain basement Les Temples du Soleil. Read the reviews on Tripadvisor and you'll find grumbles about the noise of larger groups, and maybe there is some truth until security clamps down at 10, but in reality we were greeted with a surprisingly large living/dining area for France, modern fitted bathroom and a kitchen area with four hobs and a dishwasher. No oven, mind, but the microwave/grill wotsit was good and it's two hobs ahead of every other apartment I've stayed in so far including an apartment in Les Arcs that was furnished to an overall much higher standard. Genuine ski in/out from the bootroom directly opposite the Peclet funitel, and our side of the building faced the hills in the morning, magic 
Quite to the contrary to what I said earlier I would actually heed Pam's caution about DIYing the first trip, you need to know what you're looking for before you can book it!
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You know it makes sense.
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I would echo what pam w, has said about UCPA. I've done 3 trips (Chamonix, Serre che, Flaine) which were all fantastic. You get everything - full board, ski/boot hire (always rossignol as they are sponsored by them) lift pass and tuition/guiding - if you want it. If you don't want lunch at the centre you can make a packed lunch to take with you.
You can get a week in Les Arcs in March, including coach from London, for about £700.
Aprez is good as you will be with a few hundred like minded people. The bars are subsidised!
Otherwise go with a TO. Book very late, be flexible and hold your nerve. TO's have to fill their charters and the accommodation they've got for the season. Self catering deals - including flights and transfers - for £170 are not uncommon.
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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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| oldsnowy wrote: |
| don't see much point of going to 3 Valleys etc as you probably won't utilise the lift pass enough to justify the cost - it's just too big an area for most people and I don't think it's good value for money? |
No disrespect but I'm not sure I agree with this. I've stayed in Val Thorens, Meribel, and Courcheval and have found the area perfectly accessable. Ok you won't do it all in a day but thats a good thing; session the Val Thorens area one day, Meribel area the next day, and Courchaval another day. Or as we did ski from Val Thorens to Courchavel, have lunch, session a bit over there and hack back in time for beers in the Frog and Roast beef in Val. The variety of being able to never ski the same run twice (other than the runs to and from villages) makes for massive appeal to me.
Thats just my experience though and everyones view/experience vary of course.
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Poster: A snowHead
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123willo123,
Check out Silver Ski - you could have got to La Plagne with a last minute deal for £299 a couple of weeks ago. Flights, accommodation, meals etc included. Add another £200 or so for a lift pass and you will be able to buy some beers as well.
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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 are not flexible about when you can go and/or don't want to hang out for a last minute deal I would echo the comments about UCPA, there's definitely something to be said for knowing that the only extra money you will need is beer money if you are on a budget!! The lessons/guiding that I've experienced has also been really worthwhile through them.
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