 Poster: A snowHead
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Esprit far betterr than crystal inour experience. Childcare simply does what it says on the tin and kids happy. Chalets vary from OK to brilliant. had one experrience that wasnt ideal but didnt spoil holiday as resort rep sorted problem immediately. Had best ski hol ever with them in Peisey (even got our positive comments in the esprit brochure the followijg year !!)
Family friendly ski in la tania will take some beating...prices good, food good, service good, childcare very very flexible (nanny comes to chalet to collect kids so no faffing in the mornings). La tania suits all abilities and is a nice quiet resort with just enough ameneties for families.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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CaurnieBred, as I have said above we are off to the Marta for half term.
Did you use the ski guiding and if so was it any good ?
And was the food OK ?
Thanks
John
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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 there - we did use the ski guiding on the 3 days offered: the Reps Helen and Rob are the main guides but on the Tuesday Rob was breaking in a new staff member so the head of childcare (Andy) joined us instead. We were hit a bit by the weather (high winds) on the Tuesday and Friday (normally do the Sella Ronda on Tuesday and James Bond run on the Friday) but due to the weather we weren't able to do either on either day (we did the James Bond ourselves on the Thursday which I can def recommend). The area is so spread out it was a good way to get your bearings a bit and now worry too much. I didn't like the piste map: the runs don't seem to be named - just their colour on the map - and then the lifts were marked by numbers.
The food was OK: you have to ask the chef (Grant) each morning what he has planned for the evening if you have any fussy members in your party (I had 2!) as there wasn't anything printed out to refer too. They were also constrained by delivery as it seems that not everything was delivered at the beginning of the week and it was dependent on what/when they received things.
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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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CaurnieBred, that's great , thanks.
John
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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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Did your kids have the all day ski lessons. We were considering booking Chalet Wissenheim for next year with Esprit, but we thought the all day ski school might be too much for our 6 year old. We are now lookin at Val D'Isere and Les Gets. Val D'Isere is not the best in terms of the challenging pistes, but it is central and seems a good price with Esprit. As for Les Gets it seems to tick all the boxes. Looking at Chalet Karine with Esprit, but a bit nervous about the fact the chalets only sleep approx 12 people so if a big group stays the same time you may get left out. Has anyone been to Val D - Chalet Ducs de Savoie or Chalet Karine in Les Gets. Commemnts appreciated.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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My 7 year old had all day Improvers as, when we booked, we were told that was all there was. However, upon arrival it turned out that a large group (who had booked weeks before us) had insisted that they only wanted half day lessons. This meant that, as we had paid for the Extra session, they ran it for us - albeit with my daughter being the only one in the session. Yes - she had 1-1 all day skiing, all week which was a result for us and she had an utter blast (if something was too steep she just got lifted down it!). We couldn't understand why they hadn't asked us to change to half day (and nor could the Child Care manager) but Esprit bore the brunt of the added cost and honoured the booking that we were told we had to make.
DD managed fine. According to the Dolomitisuperski website, her approximate distance (km) covered over the course of the week were (each day respectively) 12, 12, 12, 15, 19 (and with us on Saturday, 17). Every day, apart from the Friday the kids on the all day groups were taken to the Selva ski school lunch room. On the Friday they ate up on the slopes.
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| Joey wrote: |
| Val D'Isere is not the best in terms of the challenging pistes. |
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In Kaprun with Esprit 2 years ago, my daughter (then 6) was the only one in her weekly (1/2 day) class, so she had the first day on her own (albeit with a fantastic lady teacher, who coincidentally it turned out had been at school 200 yards from where we live in the UK for the previosu 2 years !!!) and then we persuaded one of the couples in teh chalet to put their 7 yr old son in as well. The pair of them had a blast and the teacher had them coming down reds and blacks with no trouble by the end of the week. It was sych fun watching the kids just make their way down these slopes with no probs at all whilst the majority of adults were skidding, falling and out of control. Just shows what can be done eaily with good teaching
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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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| always29 wrote: |
NickyJ, a quick note for next season, we had the 12/13 preview brochure arrive the other day and there's a half price nursery offer on at the Esprit place in ADH and half price snow club at a couple of other places. Seriously tempted to check it out further and book it if so before this season is out but seems wrong to book it before we've even been this season, although we'll report back week on Sunday  |
As soon as it came through I started costing trips up. Unfortunately the half price childcare is only on limited weeks.
How was your holiday? I hope you all gad a great time!
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what a diverse thread! for anyone doubting the time you spend with your children on an Esprit holiday - we have breakfast together, play a bit in the afternoon as invariably picked them up before nursery ended and we weren't the only ones, sit and have high tea with them, let them run amock and by then for the very littlies it's bedtime anyway so get a nice quiet adult dinner, how can anyone say that can not make for a good family holiday, given that our littlies can't ski yet, I don't know.
NickyJ, I might have already done some costings too this morning after getting back only yesterday! Had a lovely time, A seemed a bit non-plussed by the snow as he is still mainly concerned about when the next milk is arriving still but T had a blast with the other children in the chalet running around inside and building snowmen, sliding around on sledges, bum boards, his bottom etc etc on a little area near the chalets. Was curious about how the small chalet vs big chalet hotel would work but think I prefer the smaller idea although this is to some degree dependent on other guests I guess!
For anyone else, just got back from a week at the Chalet Ourson, one of the Esprit chalets in Plan Peisey in the middle of the Paradiski area. Seriously couldn't fault the chalet, staff, food, drink or anything. The baby listening in the chalet on staff night off was a real bonus - we had a proper grown up night out in a proper restaurant for the first time since Junior 2 arrived  The only slight niggle would be the lack of outside non-ESF space for the children to play out in - we really wanted to get our 2 year old on some skis but there are no nursery slopes in the village area so this is pretty much top of the list for next trip, which will be Esprit again - for anyone with any concerns about very littlies in nursery, our 6 month old was treated like a little king, everyone was hugging him all the time and massively helped with his weaning, they couldn't do enough The resort was very quiet but it suited us for our needs now and best of all after the massive snowfalls on Thursday / Friday seemed to be the only part of the region with more than one lift open so lots of tree lined fluffies to play in
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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travelled with Esprit to La Ros last year, and booked again for end of Feb this morning.
We had a six year old with us last year, and have a seven year old and 2 year old with us this year.
I'm one who can't stand the idea of leaving children in childcare from 8.30-5.00 just so that we can selfishly ski all day.
We chose the lessons and supervised lunch option last year, which meant we picked our daughter up at between 1 & 2, and skied with her in the afternoon. This gave us time to get to La Thuile and back.
THis year, same again, although using the nursery for the nipper. THey only have 'all day' rather than half days for the nursery, but i think we'll be getting him out at 2 ish as well, and taking it in turns.
All in all, very happy with Esprit. Not sure i'd ever pay brochure price, but with their late deals, it works out nicely (albeit regional flights get a bit sparse - only just managed to get an Edinburgh flight this year, and had to suffer a trip to Birmingham last year)
Chalet girls were great, and if a little un-PC, quite easy on the eye too.
I think food is a bit up and down. We were lucky, but those in a neighbouring chalet were not so happy.
THat said, our chalet girl was expecting her boyfriend out the following week, so she was on form.
La Rosiere is cheaper than almost anywhere if you are restricted by children. You are unlikely to be able to cover the ground of the big resorts, so why pay for the monstrous pass?
I think that once the kids are old enough to ski without lessons, we'll get hunting in the bigger resorts, but for me, previously a resort-hopper, La Ros is just dandy
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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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| CaurnieBred wrote: |
| but on the Tuesday Rob was breaking in a new staff member...... |
i think they should keep quiet about this sort of behaviour!
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dudders, that's good to hear that about La Ros, their cheapest chalet is there next year according to their preview brochure so might end up there.
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You know it makes sense.
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have travelled with Esprit many times. If you have young kids who want to ski then they make it really easy for the parents,that said, It's great my kids are able to sort themselves out now and we don't have to cope with other kids parents.
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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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yes, some parents are a bit precious! When cooped up with three other families, not of your choosing, it can be a bit interesting!
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Poster: A snowHead
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I've never been with Esprit but our old neighbours are about to go on their 4th year with them (with their 5 year old and 2 year old) and they really rate them.
I will also plus 1 for Family Friendly Skiing in La tania too - I've just come back from our 4th year with them as well (this year with our 4 year old and 18 month old). Chalet hosts were fab, even though our chalet had 10 adults and 10 kids (all 4 and under) they coped admirably, and 3 nannies came to the chalet each day for childcare (the chalet had toys, arts and crafts stuff, all that sort of stuff already there) - the three elder kids kids did 2 hours lessons in the mornings, whilst the younger ones played in the chalet. After lunchtime naps (for the young ones) they would all tend to go out and play (if weather was good enough), bum boarding etc. Really great trip. I was bit nervous when we arrived to find 10 kids in the chalet, but actually it meant there was tons of interaction with the other kids of similar age for them all to play together. I had no quarms skiing for 5.5 days, and it was great meeting our eldest after ski lessons and taking him down plan fontaine - he loved the adventure of it all. I guess as he gets older and better we can start taking him out for full afternoons, but till then the incorporated childcare works well.
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