 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, I'm organising a group trip for 2011/12 season and am looking into going to Are in Sweden. I've seen that neilson do package deals and was wondering whether anyone knows of any other companies doing affordable package deals there?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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danmcc12, Hi, Just will say to you that the best time to go to Åre is March and beginning of april, December, january to dark, february swedish halfterm, and also still cold and windy, very often the highzone closed,,
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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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Hi danmcc12, I organised a group trip to Are about 6 years ago for a group of fairly experienced skiers used to the Alps and Canada.
The general consensus was that for most people it was the best, or one of the best holidays we'd ever been on, whilst probably never planning to return.
I can't think of another resort in the world with a greater horizontal base to base distance for amount of piste kilometers (about 90km), this gives a great touring feel to intermediates and a real variety to the scenery (often gorgeous and deserted). There's also some serious skiing off the top station , with steep (steepest reds I've seen) & long descents on and off piste.
Fantastic town, loads to do off slope too. Has most of the good features of an alpine ski town with a lovely scandinavian twist.
We stayed in the Tott which was really convenient as there's a ski hire shop in the hotel who are happy to change kit daily if you fancy. You start the day with a 20 metre walk to the piste and finish in a hot tub overlooking a frozen lake drinking cans of beer they sell in the spa.
3 very serious downsides though:
as freeheelskier, says, do not under any circumstances go before March. It will be rubbish, as the upper zone (which has all the non-cruisy skiing) will not open before then.
cost - exchange rate was about 30% better I think when I was there. Eating on mountain was surprisingly good value, with a few places based on the austrian/italian model and pricewise only a little worse than austria. However beer was criminal - about £6 a pint and will be worse now.
drag lifts - as you will be able to see from the piste map, whole sectors are only accessible by long drags. You will feel the burn earlier from ski-drag-ski-drag compared to ski-sit-ski-sit.
To answer the question you actually asked - only Neilson do packages I think but it's very easy to book direct through www.skistar.com - if you give them a call they will speak perfect English and be very knowledgeable re. any independent travel arrangements.
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Hi,
I'll also be off to Are this season. I've got a really good deal on flights (£110 heathrow to ostersund return) and accommodation (borrowing friends time share so £170 between 3 of us). Unfortunately it's at the beginning of Feb so the skiing might not be the best.
If any of you could help me out with these questions that'd be a great help:
Cheapest/best way to get from Ostersund Airport to Are? Train? Bus? Do you need to book in advance?
Where's the best ski hire shop in Are?
Will the higher runs definitely be shut? We're going 5th-12th Feb.
How much are drinks in the town at a pub/bar? Pint of beer? Bottle of beer? Single spirit and mixer?
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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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mknight88, If U are 3, take a Taxi, and ask to have the price deal before you get in the taxi, about hire shop this link will perhaps help you, http://www.skistar.com/en/Are/Ski-rental/Locations-Skistarshop/ the highzone has allready open, but its wery offen closed because of wind and snowing early season, the best thing with the week you will be there is,, its the week just before the swedish midterm, have a great time up there 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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was forget to say about the prices,, the same as the expensive resorts in france
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Been to ARE twice and planning to return this year too. Skistar is your 1 stop shop unless you go with Neilson, who do their hiring thru them anyway. No complaints, equipment was of good standard and bases well kept etc, no problems swapping for fatter skis on a powder day.
We went in February first time, Areskuten was open 3 days of the week at the top when the wind was not too blowy, when we returned 6 weeks later it was open 5 days.
Night skiing available every night of the week in different areas, ski bus was reliable and easy to use. Transfers available by bus thru skistar for the airport.
We had a fantastic time. Still about £6 a pint but actually thats not that much more than the Alpes! Spirits extortionate tho, if your in a club think £12 for a jd and coke! Systembolaget is the only place you can buy off licence style, roughly equiv to independent offy's over here. £15 bottle of scotch, £6 a 6pack, £7 a decent bottle of wine.
Parkvillan is a bar worth checking out for a fairly quiet drink and very good quality food. On mountain on the extreme left of the Rodkullen area is Ulladalstugan, a really nice mountain eaterie, you can either visit the self service cafe area for hot choc and a sarnie or go to the table service area and sample the salt pork (bacon) on potato pancakes with lingonberry sauce which will thrill your tastebuds!
If your budget allows the food at the Tott is fantastic but very pricey. You can economise on mountain by using the bbq's on the slope or making up cup a soup in the warming huts dotted around.
For an unusual but relatively cheap experience visit MrBramwells teepee at the top of the Tegerfyall area, its a real teepee, 2 storey (yes really) you can get a very good sausage wrap with salsa for about a fiver, its a fantastic but very strange place!
I'd go in February again quite happily, the slopes were very quiet, snow quality was great too. We did not find the temperature too bad (-20 but sunny) but we did know in advance how cold it was likely to be and we dressed accordingly, if your used to sunning yourself in Italy in April you are in for a nasty shock!
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danmcc12, We organised our own trip (search prev Are threads for info) but one of our gang is Swedish. We got it down fairly cheap flying to local airport, 40 min transfer, lovely apartment with underfloor heating.
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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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Thanks for all the tips everyone.
Very glad to find out we'll be there the week before half term.
Lilywhite, I'm half Swedish and go over there quite a bit. The price of spirits in pubs/bars/clubs are a killer. Sounds like it's only 15-20% more expensive than Gothenburg though. I think the drinking age is 18 for beer but 21 for spirits. Is that still the case? We'll all be fine but thought it's worth asking for any others thinking about going to Sweden...
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mknight88, the drinking age is in sweden 20 for beer and spirits
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Ah ok. As I said we'll all be fine as we're mid 20s but thought I'd highlight it for the benefit of others thinking of going! I know when I was booking my first ski trip with mates legal drinking age was an important factor!
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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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