 Poster: A snowHead
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pam w, and maybe one day if I succeed in moving to the Alps, I might get to sample some of these delights, but until that day, I'll stick with the safe option.
Thanks everyone. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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i tend to agree, i'm no fan of ski in / out 
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First time (or second if you take queen bodecia, into account) I've heard that one....
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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mountainaddict, we all have different requirements from our holidays. This is healthy surely, otherwise we'd all be doing exactly the same thing.
And for the record, no I don't like beer. 
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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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I've been to Val d'Isere and I have no burning desire to go back, either. I would also much, much, prefer a walk in ordinary boots to a base station (even quite a long walk) to having to catch a ski bus or - God forbid - walk more than 100 m in ski boots. I enjoyed leaving skis up on the glacier in L2A in the summer, though no way would I have left boots up there to freeze.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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pam w, you like beer, though, I believe.  (I don't like beer, I too am less than enamoured of Val d'Isere, but I do like ski in/ski out: I also like a walk at the end of the day, but am happy to dump ski gear in accommodation first and maybe have a 'free' cup of tea before I have my walk to the shops/bars.)
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Les Carroz? The shop by one of the lifts has lockers, the town is sweet enough, not sure it would be lively enough though? I suspect if you find a TO with a hotel there it would be reasonably priced.
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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 suppose the issue with ski in/out is that it infers 'purpose built' ski resort rather than pretty traditional village that just happens to have become a ski resort. And having spent a season in Merihell, which in some parts is purpose-built and ski in/out (but with reasonably attractive architecture) but other parts are a right trek to any lifts, with no base station storage. This is the sort of thing we definitely wish to avoid. Walking fine. Walking in ski boots carrying skis, no thanks.
hedley, I have had 'Monaco' before which I believe is lager flavoured with grenadine. Still not keen to be honest. I'll happily drink real beer in the UK (i.e. ale) but I don't like that nasty fizzy stuff.
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queen bodecia, Grand Hotel in Serre Chevalier was offering single rooms last year. Not sure if the Plein Sud do too. Possible that the tour ops may not advertise them, but they are available. I think VolklAttiva5 booked one last March. Turin is an option from Newcastle.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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queen bodecia, no worries. Plein Sud has very good food (maggi stayed there in January). There are lockers and heated boot rooms to leave your stuff next to the lifts. Free if you hire skis from them, reasonable cost if you don't.
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Sort your own flights out to Geneva, the rest is a doddle.
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You know it makes sense.
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| pam w wrote: |
| I've been to Val d'Isere and I have no burning desire to go back, either. I would also much, much, prefer a walk in ordinary boots to a base station (even quite a long walk) to having to catch a ski bus or - God forbid - walk more than 100 m in ski boots. |
I'd quite fancy a return to Val D'Isere. My last visit there was when Mrs Snowplough was 6 weeks pregnant, so it was hard work, and we didn't make any use of the Cafe Face and it's most sensible time-dependent beer pricing strategy. 
I liked the ski-bus. Given Mrs S's condition, we generally skied back to La Daille (the descents to the main area were a bit hairy given that she was skiing, if not eating for 2) and hopped on the bus to get back. (I even got some snowboarding youth to give up his seat for the Good Lady when she was feeling rough, which with hindsight, must have appeared rather odd on a ski bus!)
I've never had any issues walking in ski boots - I can actually run short distances in mine - but carrying two sets of adult skis was hard work indeed. By end end of the week, Mrs S would get to the bottom of the run (first, despite being pregnant) unclip and start walking to the bus stop without even a backwards glance, leaving me to pick up and carry her skis. We got asked once if we'd had a massive row earlier in the day by a concerned bystander. It must have looked very strange!
In Paisey last year, we went to great lengths to ensure that the Ankle Biters did the "long walks" in their normal boots. It made a huge difference to everyone's enjoyment, and I wouldn't say no to not having to walk in my ski boots if the logisitics so allowed. (The Ankle Biters do not realise just how hard it is carrying two sets of kids' boots, particular when there are no carrying loops, and are yet to offer appropriate thanks for this heroic sacrifice!)
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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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This is the first time I've come across someone NOT wanting to ski in/ski out but preferring to walk a bit. I've always found skiing to your door and just lifting your skis off the snow into the ski room was bliss. Surely if you want to walk you could do it afterwards?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Quote:
Personally I think their absence is one of its most appealing features.
+1. May there be many delightful French resorts completely by-passed by the TOs for many years to come!!
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+2!
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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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queen bodecia, wrote
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the most important of our criteria (the two single rooms are the main requirement)
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and
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Our biggest concern is finding a nice affordable hotel that can cater for our two singles
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Now, I might be stating the obvious here and you might have good reasons (such as one being a smoker and the other a non-smoker, etc): but WHY two singles? Is there really any reason why you cant share a twin and save yourselves a ton of ££ and also open up lots and lots of great resorts / opportunities? If you really dont like the person, why would you be going on hols with them?
Just asking...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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As a matter of interest, given the singles aspect, would it not be easier (and cheaper) to rent an apartment together?
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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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SooperSlyder, single people don't necessarily wish to share. They might be people of a certain age who live alone and who are very used to and greatly appreciate their own space. Not only that, but double rooms tend to be just that, one bed, or an Austrian twin which is essentially one bed. We like each other as friends, but not that much! It's a holiday, we want our own space.
ajrduff, as above. It's a holiday. Shopping, cooking and cleaning is definitely not on the agenda. We want to be waited upon. I've done the budget six people in a room with two cooking rings, one loo and one shower before. I'm a grown up with more money now and I want more from my holiday.
SMALLZOOKEEPER, we want TO inclusive of flights and transfers only, not DIY. Sorry.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Shopping, cooking and cleaning is definitely not on the agenda.
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I completely understand that (and not wanting to share rooms - I wouldn't want to inflict my snoring on anyone else) but in many resorts you could have a choice of nice restaurants, within an easy evening stroll of your apartment. Being in a rented apartment is often confused with being "self catering".
Being in a rented apartment is also often confused with doing "6 people in a room with one loo and one shower". Again, no reason why you couldn't rent a high quality apartment with separate bedrooms and several bathrooms. Given that hotels can be a bit few and far between in some French resorts (the only proper hotel in Les Saisies is very nice but it's also pretty expensive) going for a high quality apartment would give you a much bigger choice of resort.
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pam w, totally understand where you are coming from there. We would probably need two apartments given that we need 5 bedrooms. It's certainly worth looking into but I do feel a half board hotel would work out a lot cheaper than two high quality apartments and eating out every night. Happy to be proven wrong though!
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| pam w wrote: |
| Being in a rented apartment is also often confused with doing "6 people in a room with one loo and one shower". Again, no reason why you couldn't rent a high quality apartment with separate bedrooms and several bathrooms. Given that hotels can be a bit few and far between in some French resorts (the only proper hotel in Les Saisies is very nice but it's also pretty expensive) going for a high quality apartment would give you a much bigger choice of resort. |
This is what I meant. This year we rented a 70 square metre, 2 bedroom apartment in Whistler. It accommodated four of us in comfort, was superbly equipped and cost us less than a double room in any of the main hotels in the village.
Last year we had two apartments in the same building in Les Arcs between nine of us. In truth, seven would have been a better number for the space we had but at a total cost of £1500 for the week it was good value.
As others have said it's about having the flexibility to cater for yourself if you want to, and a choice of eating places if you don't. Not to mention having your meals in your own time, not the hotel's.
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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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| ajrduff wrote: |
| As others have said it's about having the flexibility to cater for yourself if you want to, and a choice of eating places if you don't. Not to mention having your meals in your own time, not the hotel's. |
That's the main thing for me. I don't like hotels, and much prefer the flexibility and informality of self-catering in a nice apartment.
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I don't like hotels
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I don't either, but clearly for some people they provide the perfect holiday setting. I particularly dislike the "half board" style of arrangement where you get no choice about where to eat. I stayed in hotels a lot when I was working (often quite good ones in holiday resorts) and the only time I ever ate in the hotel was once or twice when I was alone and was advised against going out in the evening (Miami, for example).
My idea of complete holiday hell would be a cruise, where you can't even get off the damned ship until it stops somewhere - and even then, in many places, you're stuck waiting for a boat to take you ashore with a load of other people.
If we treat ourselves to a nice long lunch out on the mountain somewhere then I definitely just want a very "light bite" in the evening - something like melon and ham. It would irk me to "waste" a paid-for dinner so I'd probably eat it anyway; and get fat.
One of my gripes about hotels is the only privacy is in your bedroom - and if it's a fairly basic hotel, that's usually not good for much beyond sleeping.
One problem with trying to do a TO holiday in apartments is that they often use grotty apartments and the headline prices, though very cheap, assume you're going to cram in the maximum number of people. So for folk who much prefer a TO formula, they're probably not such a good idea.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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rob@rar, and you can relax on your own sofa with a nice glass of two of wine, instead of paying inflated hotel bar prices
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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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| Bergmeister wrote: |
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i tend to agree, i'm no fan of ski in / out
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First time (or second if you take queen bodecia, into account) I've heard that one.... |
found it boring, may have been the company or the place..
but i do enjoy a walk as well as a ski and belle plange.. yawnsville
btw i have no problem with purpose built..
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| rob@rar, and you can relax on your own sofa with a nice glass of two of wine, instead of paying inflated hotel bar prices |
It's nice to have the choice to do that if you want.
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You know it makes sense.
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FAQ
I'm just surprised your 'dislikes list' doesn't include powder snow and cheap beer 
