 Poster: A snowHead
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Considering this hotel for next year in Saas Fee as it looks very child friendly and offers child care in the price. So anyone got any experience of it, know what the hotel is like and what the childcare is like? Any info would be great, ta! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Have not stayed in it but eaten there once or twice. Nice spot bit of a trek form the lifts in the winter thouh with kids.
Village itself is a perfect Family resort.
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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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Stayed there with friends in Feb.The location is not the best as it is up a steep hill and at the opposite end to the lifts.The hotel itself is a bit dated but the rooms were fine and the breakfasts and dinners were top class.The owner was a real character and the staff are very friendly.It is very child friendly and every night at dinner there was little parties for the kids.My only negative would be that the sauna was never turned on when we were there as the room doubles up as a massage room. There is a play ground at the back of the hotel and the local swimming pool is a 5 min walk from the hotel.All in all we enjoyed our stay.
Would love to see the area in the summer as the town itself is very beautiful and rustic.
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Fattes13 & Chick, thanks, location was a possible concern, I knew it wasn't that near the lifts but the steep hill bit may be somewhat off putting ... sounds good otherwise though take it neither of you have experience of what the childcare was like?
We love Saas Fee, been once before and fancy going back next year - previous trip was quite a while back before having kids.
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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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Sorry. I nearly missed this. I went there this year with a 5 year old and a 3 year old.
It's a great hotel for kids. It is at the opposite end to the lifts, but the hotel puts on an shuttle service in the morning and afternoon to the sister hotel, which is next to the lifts. They give you a locker at the sister hotel, so you can keep your gear there. This makes things a bit easier. It's also not too far away from the electric bus service that runs round the resort. So I wouldn't really worry about the location.
The child care is great. It's run by the daughter in law of the owners. Although the family who own it are Swiss, the d-i-l is English, so absolutely no issues with language. Although most of the staff are fluent in multiple languages anyway. You can drop the kids off and pick them up whenever you want between 9 and 6. We put our 3 year old in the childcare while our 5 year old was at ski school, picked them up at lunchtime. Had lunch. Then on a couple of occasions we'd put them both in the childcare for a couple of hours in the afternoon. That was absolutely fine. They both had a great time.
The owner is great. He organises loads of activities for the kids. He puts on kids discos after the evening meal. There was an Alpine horn playing competition one evening. My 5 year old daughter was 1st in the little kids section. Sadly I let the side down by coming last in the Dads section. He organises a torch lit guided walk one evening.
I agree the hotel is a little dated in places, but you can forgive that. The food is great. The childcare is top class and as flexible as it comes. The entertainment in the evening is brilliant. You'll have a great time and more importantly so will the kids. My 5 year old wrote a little note towards the end of the week, which said, "I like skiing. I like Saas Fee. I like Switzerland".
It's such a great place, we are all going back there again next year. 
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We are now booked to go here with out 7 yrs old daughter next April. Great reviews on tripadviser. Only weakness was the distance to lifts, but that was described as 10 minute walk, which is fine if you can leave gear in sister hotel. That hotel seems to be virtually ski to door.
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*our* 7 yr old daughter. Can't go with "out" her!
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Thanks Lager, I'd nearly forgotten I posted this too! Your review is very encouraging, I like the sound of that. Having the ski locker at the sister hotel sounds ideal.
Out of interest how did you book? I got a quote from Crystal for the Alphubel with an adjoining room for the children but the price was eye wateringly expensive  I'm going to look at going DIY, was just trying to avoid the hassle of it all as Crystal also did flights to Sion which cut down the lenghty transfer.
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| Rowlski wrote: |
Out of interest how did you book? I got a quote from Crystal for the Alphubel with an adjoining room for the children but the price was eye wateringly expensive I'm going to look at going DIY, was just trying to avoid the hassle of it all as Crystal also did flights to Sion which cut down the lenghty transfer. |
I went with Crystal this year. However this year the price for next year was taking the proverbial, so I phoned up the hotel and sorted it DIY. The usual receptionist speaks very good English. They've changed the website recently and most of the info in English has disappeared unfortunately. However they have a price list in German here. I went in April this year, so my flight choices were only Geneva or Zurich anyway.
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Thanks Lager, glad to see it wasn't just me thinking the prices were rather OTT. What sort of rooms did you / are you going for? When I spoke to Crystal said they did do adjoining rooms but not as standard with Crystal? Guess depends on how old your kids are but we were hoping to get seperate but adjoining rooms rather than one big room with lots of beds.
As we're aiming for mid March the flights to Sion are possible but again not cheap!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Rowlski wrote: |
Thanks Lager, glad to see it wasn't just me thinking the prices were rather OTT. What sort of rooms did you / are you going for? When I spoke to Crystal said they did do adjoining rooms but not as standard with Crystal? Guess depends on how old your kids are but we were hoping to get seperate but adjoining rooms rather than one big room with lots of beds.
As we're aiming for mid March the flights to Sion are possible but again not cheap! |
Last year I don't think we could have did the holiday for that much less than Crystal were asking. But when I priced up the cost this year Crystal were nearly £1000 more than I worked out I could do it for. Unfortunately the exchange rates moved a bit, but even with the current exchange rate I'm still looking at £500 - £600 less than Crystal. I've paid the flights and the deposit for the hotel now, so most of that saving is now locked in.
We had a north facing room without a balcony this year. Going for a south facing one with a balcony this year. I think the doubles are all about the same size and the childs beds are fold down bunks. However, I think most can be set up as adjoining rooms. The rooms are all on straight corridors, so I think there are probably interconnecting doors in most rooms. There was certainly a door that would have enabled that to happen in the room I was in this year. My kids are still small so we are OK in the same room, but if they were a bit older it would probably have gotten quite cramped in there. Also you wouldn't necessarily want to go to bed at the same time as your kids.
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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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We are doing it ourselves too. We booked direct with hotel - a "twin room with adjoining child room." Think it is more of a family room with separate kids sleeping area really.
As for flights we have travelled DIY to Saas Fee before. Flight to Zurich then very easy train and bus journey with the usual Austrian level of efficiency.
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