 Poster: A snowHead
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Sorry, I know this has been discussed before but what is the list of middle of the French hotel chains - especially ones near to motorways? I say middle of the road because I used Formula 1 a few years back and it was just too cheap for me.
Also at which age do they start complaining about your kids sharing a standard double room. Our kids are 6 and 4 now but we can still just sleep in one double bed of a night?
What's the going rate these days - 50/60 Euros about right?
It is for coming back from La Norma over the easter w/e - we've decided to stretch out the journey home.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Layne, Premiere Classe, Campanile, Ibis - I think that Premiere Classe have an extra bed sometimes over the double bed at no extra charge.
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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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Fasthotel.
Ibis.
Novotel.
Etap.
Camponile.
No douby may others.
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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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Layne, Ibis are quite good, and sometimes have a third fold down bed in the room.
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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 used Formula 1 a few years back and it was just too cheap for me.
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Our kids are 6 and 4 now but we can still just sleep in one double bed of a night?
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F1 too cheap but you liek to cram 2 adults and 2 children in one bed? Can't be the most comfortable nights sleep! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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We have always used Novotel in the past family room has large double and 2 singles for about €80.00 which we have found to be better value than the like of Etaps and Formula 1s etc.
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I'm reluctant to give out this one but Mister Bed -> http://www.misterbed.fr/ They have quad rooms and are en-suite, they have a quad room available for Sat 7th for E42 in Troyes (we've stayed there). It's not a holiday hotel but conversely it's not a Formule 1 either 
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Ibis VFM
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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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kat.ryb, agreed.
Layne , If you have some idea of where you wish to stay have a look on www.logis-de-france.com for family run hotels. There are plenty close to the route home, including a few just off the motorways. Many have family rooms or space for an extra bed, have a restaurant, and a breakfast buffet, for a similar price to Ibis.
And there's some ideas on this thread.
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=28639
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Another vote for Logis - we use them lots.
Unlike the UK they seem happy to stick in extra beds as and when required. We have 3 kids and finding rooms for 5 in UK is a non starter
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Boris, we discovered them on our own trips to France with our kids, and still use the site for most of our trips, although our regular haunts get a phone call now, as I often get a better rate.
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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've used B&B Hotels, most of which which have various family rooms - double + single, double + 2 singles or 4 singles - and are pretty well all over France.
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Most F1/Premiere Classe have triple-bedded rooms, and we've never been challenged on putting 2 adults + 2 kids in them - but maybe by the time they are both teenagers they may get a bit more picking - in which case the kids might have to take it in turns sleeping in the car. 
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You know it makes sense.
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We are obviously too law abiding and have only ever booked a room for a family of four. We always use Novotel.
Last year we stayed in the Novotels in Annecy, Dijon Sud and Reims (town centre one) and all were fine. This year we have booked Troyes and Reims Tinqueux. All but the Reims one had restaurants with children's menus and there are lots of nice places to eat out in Reims anyway.
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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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Family rooms B&B's are OK. If you want to spend a bit more Novotel Suitehotels are quite cool, I've stayed in ones at Reims and Rouen (got cheap deals both times).
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Poster: A snowHead
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I think it all depends on whether you are intending to arrive early evening, have a decent dinner there or somewhere nearby, sleep for the night, enjoy breakfast and then head off - or whether you pitch up at about 11.30 or midnight, do the necessary with the credit card in the machine that spits out a key for you, have a few hours sleep and then head off again about 5.30 or 6 the next morning. I wouldn't bother spending good money on the latter - which is what we used to do when we were both working and had little time.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Worth looking at the All Seasons chain for good value for money
Not sure if it's the same everywhere but the one just outside Geneva was selling two linked double rooms for the price of one.
Ideally for families at 75 euros
Even more so when breakfast and wifi is included in the price plus free access to the indoor waterpark next door
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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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Use misterbed in le mans or premiere classe,both near the university. 4 of us in a 3 bed room, just take a blow up bed for the little one. Just one thing, the third bed in the misterbed is quite high up, and up a weird ladder thats slippy, my older one does not like it very much.
if you book misterbed early it can be as low as E29 and premiere class E33
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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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Would echo what Hells Bells, and Boris, say about Logis. Never stayed in a horrible one yet. Many are family run, so more than happy to accommodate kiddies. And food can be/is much better than on offer in Ibis and Campanile, though they have their 'familiarity' of layout I suppose.
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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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Depends on kids ages and timings.
When v small Etap is OK - dad in the bunk as he needs a good night so he can drive in the morning, kids with mum in the double (excuse the gender stereotypes but it's how it worked for us and in my experience quite common). Big advantage over F1 is an ensuite. Nothing worse than a toddle down the corridor at 3am when one of the little ones has to go. Breakfast is basically baguette and jam. Ok for a quick stop but hopeless if you actually have time to spend there. Other budget chains basically the same.
When the kids are a bit older Novotel is the winner. Double plus sofa converts to two singles and kids get free breakfast.
Once they get to early teens we switched to two rooms in an IBIS.
Of course there are loads of good places off the motorway if you have the time.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for all the info people, you really are stars.
Having a look at some of the options now.
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Novotel are the best mentioned here, I have used Camponile & wasn't that impressed, Novotel and Ibis are OK. I would recommend not going anywhere near an F1 unless you are skint and not at all fussy, and under no circumstances take your wife/girlfriend to one – you will never be forgiven.
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We stayed in the premier classe in Reims and had a family room (double bed and two bunks) for 60 euros last year.
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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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We are unsure how much we are going to ski on the Saturday hence we were planning to not book in advance but simply have some places located and written down at likely points. Is turning up at 7/8/9 in the evening likely to be an issue (bearing in mind it's also Easter w/e)? Thinking both in terms of availability and in terms of reception opening times. I was just looking at the Logis in Belleville-sur-Saône and it says "Hotel Policies - Check-in: 14:00 - 18:00 hours"
Also perhaps rates are cheaper in advance?
The same Hotel also states:
Free! All children under 5 years stay free of charge when using existing beds.
There is no capacity for extra beds in the room.
So I am presuming with a 4 and 6 year old we would have to book a triple. Sound right?
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Layne, no it shouldn't be a problem at all as long as you let them know in advance that you will be arriving late.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Layne,
I think it was an F1, but I'm sure that on one of our trips we phone booked in advance, then had to put a credit card in a slot in the wall (cashpoint stlye) to get in as we were arriving very late.
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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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Most of the bargain basement chains don't have reception staff in the late evening. Card in the slot and/or booking reference works. I think you are likely to get a better price if you book in advance. My suggestion would be aim for a four hour drive from wherever you are finishing skiing (Somewhere between Lyon and Dijon?).
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Layne, there will be staff at a Logis hotel, however with it being Easter I would check out availability and consider booking.
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You know it makes sense.
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Most of the bargain basement chains don't have reception staff in the late evening. Card in the slot and/or booking reference works. I think you are likely to get a better price if you book in advance. My suggestion would be aim for a four hour drive from wherever you are finishing skiing (Somewhere between Lyon and Dijon?).
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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When we came back from la norma we stayed at an ibis in south dijon. it was about £60 for a 3 person room - and we booked 2 rooms (for a total of 5 people) for £95. it was approximately 5 hours from la norma, and was clean and comfortable, but no kettle in the room (it is france) and the heating needed to be turned down a bit. staff friendly.
It was worth breaking the journey up on the way back (we drove overnight on the way there, which was fab).
Where are you staying in La Norma? I absolutely loved it in Febuary. Small, friendly and great skiing for me (as an early intermediate). The espace freeride is fab, and the run called 'clot' is just fabulous. watch out for the black at the bottom of clot though - it looked really nasty to us - massive moguls, natural halfpipe and trees. I suspect really good fun if you have skills, but a little out of my depth this year.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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B&B hotels are brilliant. They are basic but usually located next to a motorway junction so perfect for stopping off on the way to or from the Alps. There are loads of them so getting into one should be fairly easy.
We have stayed in several and they usually offer family rooms comprising of a double bed and two singles, a very good (and cheap) continental breakfast (which our kids gorge themselves on), free Wifi, secure parking and they are spotlessly clean. If you do arrive after the reception is closed then you just key your reservation number into the machine and you get access to the hotel. They also tend to have nearby restaurants (eg Buffalo Grill, Lunch Garden) that offer a discount if you show your B&B reservation.
We have stayed in them in Dijon, Besancon and St Quentin and they are now our hotel of choice in France.
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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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Kyriad do 4 bedded rooms. They are OK.
I prefer family run hotels in town centres but you do pay for the privilege. They often have family rooms (one double, 2 singles) and and more civilised than Formula 1!
In a 3 bedded room take an airbed and a sleeping bag for the extra child and no-one will know.
We often don't have hotel breakfast if noit included(too expensive - one place was € 13) instead try any local cafe, supermarket or motorway services
What are are you thinking of
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coming back from La Norma
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-- where is this? Then we can be specific!
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FAQ
