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Pandora's 2012 Review - Selva

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
If it's snowing like mad at the airport, Pandora must be off on her hols! Here's a little review of my latest trip for you all to enjoy (because I know it will give various Snowheads pleasure to read and comment in a variety of ways Toofy Grin ) I would have done one last year but I didn't think anyone would be interested in me writing about how fabulous my own employers are (airline) in getting me to the slopes and how fabulous my own apartment was when we got there.

So, after sitting in Milan airport in 2010 and watching the Ski Esprit reps waltzing around with unprompted offers of compensation for a bad journey, flasks of hot drinks and immediately whisking their clients off to their resort - while we sat there in misery after our tour operator demonstrated just how badly they can get it wrong - it was inevitable that our next holiday was going to be with Ski Esprit. Notwithstanding the snow at Gatwick, we flew out more or less on time and were on our way on the bus within half an hour of landing at Innsbruck. We were met by staff bringing us drinks and snacks while our tired children were fed immediately (a complete contrast to 2 years ago when it hadn't even occurred to 'The Other Lot' to put the kettle on.) If I was being picky I would have to say that it might have been better if the rep hadn't given the form asking us to list a description of all the articles of my daughter's ski kit while we were on the bus. But how was she to know that my husband wouldn't have a clue what she has and would just skip that section of the form? It did mean that she wore a different pair of gloves from the spare box every day even though we had sent her off with her own gloves, but hey, at least she was warm - if not colour-coordinated!

We were in Chalet Marta, and the state of the chalet is the only thing I can really find to fault. It was a bit tired in it's decor, there wasn't really enough seating for the number of adults in the place (which when you bear in mind most families with small kids tend to stay in and drink rather than go out. Towing your toddler round the resort pubs in an evening is not a great look!) and we were a bit shoe-horned in - it would have been much more comfortable with about 2 or 3 fewer families staying in it. But we were aware in advanced that Ski Esprit properties tend to be a bit more, ahem, basic. The evening food though was fabulous. Hats off to Grant the chef - tasty food every night, and the only thing that might have been better would have been something other than a curry on the Friday - more of that later. The breakfast needed a bit of something extra though. All perfectly adequate, but just missing something.

The childcare staff were superb. Our party had 2 children in nursery and 2 in Spritelets and Snowclub. Whatever they teach them in the ski lessons, it was impressive and slightly terrifying to watch Child No1 hurtling downhill by the end of the week like a tiny pink torpedo. Child No2 was slightly trickier to keep happy, being a complete mummy's boy, but the nursery staff were patient and soon discovered he had a favourite nanny in the nursery, and she made sure she took care of him each day. The childcare could not be faulted at all - each morning the older 2 were waiting by the door to be taken to Snow club.

Italy - I love it! The skiing was great, lift queues non-exsistent (except for the day that the entire world decided to do the Sella Ronda all at the same time) and the pistes were kept in superb condition by the resort staff. The lifties were helpful and courteous. Excellent mountain restaurants and bars too. I was impressed.

The only fly in the ointment for the whole week was that the chalet suffered from a 24hr vomitting bug that went slowly through the chalet knocking down another family each day of the holiday. Ski Esprit were quick to provide extra hygiene measures such as hand gels and making sure touch points like light switches in the chalet were disinfected as part of the regular chalet cleaning and they were uncomplaining and helpful when our baby was sick on his sheets 2 nights in a row. It still got almost everyone in the chalet though. (So curry on Friday just as everyone's stomachs were not great was probably a poor choice of menu!)


All in all, a fab holiday, and I would certainly go back to the Dolomites, and was very impressed with the childcare. I would consider using Ski Esprit again because of the childcare, but would want to find a slightly 'shinier' chalet if I went with them again.

I have to add that I did spot the Snowheads banner outside the Rifuge Boe on the way into Arabba. I was very tempted to graffiti it with a little 'Pandora is here' on it but we didn't have a pen on us. Oh well.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
pandora wrote:
I have to add that I did spot the Snowheads banner outside the Rifuge Boe on the way into Arabba. I was very tempted to graffiti it with a little 'Pandora is here' on it but we didn't have a pen on us. Oh well.


What a shame you didn't... that would've been hilarious Laughing Laughing Also a shame that you didn't stop in to say hello too. Sad Glad you had a good trip though.
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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?
Quote:

What a shame you didn't... that would've been hilarious
+1. Welcome back, brave lady!
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Who opened the box ? wink

Welcome back. Shame we didn't meet you in Arabba.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
pandora wrote:
I have to add that I did spot the Snowheads banner outside the Rifuge Boe on the way into Arabba. I was very tempted to graffiti it with a little 'Pandora is here' on it but we didn't have a pen on us. Oh well.


That really made me smile Very Happy You really should have done it; even if it meant going back!

Good on you for coming back to snowheads. I stopped at Marta in Jan 2011 and would agree with your assessment of the chalet although I think I posted at the time that I quite liked the "retro" style. We stopped at Esprit's Alba in Meribel this January and I think you;d find it a little more up market, but it was significantly more pricey than Marta.
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Great to read , thanks - we go to Chalet Marta this Sunday. I was a bit concerned by the apparent lack of fresh snow but so what now , hopefully some whilst we are there.

John
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Interesting, Stevew, Meribel is on our list of potentials for next year.

I really wanted to do the graffiti.

alltnaha, they keep the pistes in excellent condition and there was a decent base down when we were there. Make sure you do the James Bond run down into Ortesei - lovely run.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Come on pandora, there must have been something you didn't like. It's the old adage... Dog Bites Man isn't news but Man Bites Dog is news. Pandora Has Nice Holiday just isn't doing it for me.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
It's amazing, isn't it, Bode Swiller? I'm a nice person. It's quite boring really. Just think how riled I must have been after my Peisey holiday!

I had a really, really nice holiday this year. I notice someone on the other thread said you get the holiday you deserve..... wink
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
pandora, and I used that phrase again the other day. Genius.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
pandora, welcome back, love a woman with balls Very Happy would have been fab had you written on the SH banner!!! Very Happy Glad you had a nice holiday.
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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.
Quote:

The only fly in the ointment for the whole week was that the chalet suffered from a 24hr vomitting bug that went slowly through the chalet knocking down another family each day of the holiday.

Sad not nice, that. Glad you liked Italy so much - we get far fewer reports from Italy, good to have some more. snowHead
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
We have been returning to Selva every season for the last 12yrs, the kids love the place. We do visit other resorts I may add.
We used Esprit in Selva for a few years when the kids were tiny, Esprit used the Chalet Franca in those days which was very comfortable. It became noticable that the comfort levels of the chalets used by Esprit dropped quite dramatically over the seasons. The Marta and the Waldek are pretty darn basic although, the Waldek is very well positioned.
Esprit childcare however, is possibly the best in the business. Madeye-Smiley
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Welcome back pandora,

Glad you had a great holiday - we've used Esprit for 5 ski trips and oen summer and they have all been really good holidays. we had the start of the bug this year, but somehow it held off for most of the chalet.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Great review thanks for posting we had a great time with Esprit last season and are desperately hoping we can go next season with them again your review is reassuring they are maintianing there standard as I have been Reading some doom mongering on here about them.
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