 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All
Looking for a trip and offerings from
YSE
Skiworld
Ski Beat
Alpine elements
coming up been with skiworld quite a bit and know they are ok anyone had much recent experience of the rest?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Used Alpine Elements in Meribel last January. They were *cheap* and hence a bit "basic". But that's what we expected, that's what we paid for, that's what we got, and it was fine for our needs. Our negative memories of that trip were our co-travellers in the transfer bus (a bunch of lairy saaaaf laaaandaaan caaaants) and some horrific flight delays courtesy of Monarch. None of which was the fault of AE except possibly to note that they might be a TO that attracts twatty 20 year old punters. So, if you're going for sole occupancy and you're on a budget - recommended. Not sure I'd take a punt on a room in a chalet full of randoms though, in case those drunken Croydon barrow-boys end up being your 'friends' for the week.
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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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YSE are top notch - they are focussed on the fact that this is your holiday and will do everything they can to make it an enjoyable experience from start to finish. They've set their charter plane schedule to mean you don't need to be at either airport (departure or return) at the crack of a sparrow's fart; use really nice quality Loyet transfer buses, make sure you have a rest stop on the way if you want one (especially if there are kids in the bus) and you get the joys of comedy and some helpful local tips from John YS on the way - if not in person, then at least on tape. He runs his chalet staff hard, but from what I've heard, very fairly. The descriptions on the website are pretty accurate and their chalets vary in quality which is reflected in their price. Food has always been great and the wine with dinner was the best chalet wine I've ever had - bordeaux, local savoie wines etc - and it is plentiful. I really can't fault them - even with the ash cloud issues they hired coaches to deliver one set of guests and return the other without any hassle whatsoever as far as I know.
Skiworld I would also recommend - not used them for a couple of years but I have stayed with them in apartment type chalets, chalet hotels and a great place in Vail with hot tub etc. Again, their descriptions are fairly accurate although they may stretch the truth slightly on their proximity to slopes, town, bus stop etc. Quality of staff and food has always been good although their wine at dinner could have been better. Accommodation has always been clean if sometimes a little cramped. They seem to be doing quite well as a medium sized operator and hope as they grow, they don't lose the personal touch they have always had as they have been growing. I have seen lots of their staff return year on year though, which is always a good sign.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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YSE are fantastic - the coach trip alone is worth it for John's comedy routine ad he takes the Mick out of us snowboarders. Food was amazing, as was service and attention from staff.
Alpine Elements were cheap and basic but tended to us well and the staff were good.
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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 once got a bollocking from John, confined to barracks ie curfew and told that we were lucky not to be slung out.
Later in the week he took me for a beer and thanked me for what I had done.
Zero to hero in a week!
This was as a paying punter BTW!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Chattonmill, what did you do?
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I've not been with YSE but have heard only good things about them from several people.
Been with skiworld once a few years ago and they were fine - a chalet in L2A where a few days guiding was included which was good. Rooms were nice (the chalet actually had a decent number of double beds!) and the food was fine. Wine was ok - not the best I've had on a ski trip but certianly not the worst.
Unfortunatly the plane had been overbooked with skis - so my snowboard didn't come on the plance despilte booking and paying about 6 months in advance which was highly irratating. However it did arrive the next day and we were offered free hire although that wasn't very useful becasue my skipants, gloves, socks etc were in my boad bag. That was Manchester>Chambery on a small plane so probably an isolated instance to Chambery.
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Don't forget Ski Amis, a great company who I've been with twice and at a price point a bit lower than SkiBeat, though they have great chalets
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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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Used Skiworld before Xmas. Good value for money, great chalet hosts & rep, and they coped brilliantly with the aftermath of the snow cutting VT off for a while, getting us back to Gatwick only two hours late from Chambery instead of Geneva as scheduled. Some group members were unhappy with the resultant transfer back to Luton, where they should have ended up, but full marks for their operation in resort.
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Eldest daughter did a season with Ski Beat awhile back and,at that time,she rated them highly(and she was looking from the inside  ) But that was then.
Thing is,you take a punt with whoever you go with,and a lot of the time your experience can be determined by the other guests...as paulio says.
Spent Christmas in a Crystal chalet,and it was brilliant. Other times,with Crystal,have been variable....to be kind.
So many variables of staff quality,fellow guests,minor/major problems,location etc etc.....its a wonder that it works most of the time.
Never found price to be much of a guide(unless you aspire to the ultra expensive),its all about people,and they have a habit of being..err.. variable 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| welshskier wrote: |
| Used Skiworld before Xmas. Good value for money, great chalet hosts & rep, and they coped brilliantly with the aftermath of the snow cutting VT off for a while, getting us back to Gatwick only two hours late from Chambery instead of Geneva as scheduled. Some group members were unhappy with the resultant transfer back to Luton, where they should have ended up, but full marks for their operation in resort. |
As one of the group that had to get back to Luton, there is some credit due to them for getting us back only a few hours after we were due to be there anyway - I was very tired and really dissappointed at the time by their approach, but having seen the wider situation across the alps the next day it was fairly clear they were dealing with more than just us that afternoon, and they got the problem sorted. I have used other TOs which we'd have had to hold at gunpoint to get the same changed flights and transfer bus between airports in the UK.
I'd use Skiworld again quite happily now. They delivered extremely good value for money for us IMO, and they seem to be a good mid-market operator that fit my cost/quality balance reasonably well. I've had worse food in nicer chalets that cost me a lot more, and their staff as enthusiastic as any chalet I've been to.
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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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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
Are there other operators who specialise in Northern departures only?
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Not that I know of, but there are operators I avoid as they don't off a northern option - I live 15 miles from Manchester airport, I was once forced to travel from Gatwick and I'm not doing it again.
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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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nbt, agreed, we did the schlepp to Gatwick once. Never again as the 5hr drive home is a killer.
It is also for this reason we don't drive to the Alps.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Went to Les Arcs with Skiworld last season, the last week of the season for their reps, and the penultimate week for their chalet hosts (who had to stay on for the week to deep clean the chalets). I'll admit that our chalet was very cheap and cheerful, but it was also quite a walk to the nearest lift too.
The rep and chalet host were both dreadful. The rep said on the coach on the way "those of you who are going to LA, I'll be your rep for the week, it's going to take us 4 hours to get to resort from the airport, we'll have a short stop in Moutiers on the way, blah, blah, blah, you've heard all this before". That's actually all he said for the whole of the journey. Whilst he was fine to talk to, he was about as much use as a chocolate tea pot.
Our chalet host failed to turn up for breakfast twice, and when he was there would be swearing every time he made a mistake in the kitchen. I can sort my own breakfast easily enough, but it's hard when there isn't any food in as he'd bring it with him every morning. The chalet wasn't very clean, and he as a bit slapdash. We cut him a bit of slack as they were all partying as it was their last week there as a team, but getting wrecked shouldn't effect his guests stay.
We put a complaint in to the resort manager, who seemed very professional and supplied us with premium wine for the rest of the week (I'm not a wine drinker though!). Not sure how he dealt with the chalet host as I doubt he was going back to work with them this season.
It wouldn't put us off going with Skiworld again though, everything else seemed fine. I just think we got stuck with two incompetent members of staff with a "schools out" attitude that week.
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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 been with alpine elements twice- the last time being December 2011 to meribel. Chalet Martine was basic but was almost ski in ski out. Hosts are often young gap year students so don't expect Michelin star food. But echoing the earlier review " you get what you pay for" only paid 650 with lift pass had great week skiing. It is all down to who you share the chalet with. They are taking on board comments- they now have full cooked breakfast every day though they don't have wifi in their chalets. 
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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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Def agree the quality of the chalet hosts is more important than the TO, and that is a hard variable to ensure.
Generally find the quality of hosting is higher with the independent or small company chalets where there is better oversight, but actually the skiworld hosts we had made everything look very easy and effortless, although it was near the end of the season so they had plenty of time to practice.
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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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Just returned from a Ski Beat trip. We could not speak more highly of the experienced chalet hosts or our dealings with the company - and we've had a lot of chalet holidays. The only complaint if we must make one - the quality of the wine!
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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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My brother and his wife did a season with Skibeat three years ago, can't recommend them highly enough.
Food was great, Chalet was ski in ski out (as long as you had nerves of steel) and they knocked off my £350 single supplement when i said I was going to visit my brother.
Not the cheapest, but I'd definitely use them again, despite having to drive from Glasgow to Manchester for my flight.
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Many thanks for responses, arrived in val d'isere with Yse and great so far. Carried my bag from coach to room, 2 ski bags and boots to bootroom now that was welcome!
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Tour operators I have used before (there may be another one or two that I cannot remember)
* Nielson
* Crystal
* First Choice
* Inghams
* Myself
I have no complaints really, apart from the prices. It was kind of expensive going to VD over new year with First Choice and Inghams, but the service was good.
YSE is not really a tour operator and tend to only serve VD for Londoners.
I found going with myself was the cheapest, and the service was fantastic.
I accept that I had to carry my own bags, but luckily the distance from the coach to my room was not too far!
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FAQ
