 Poster: A snowHead
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I can't really believe I'm typing this but after 5 years on the trot of going to Arabba my wife feels like we should try a new resort. At least for this season anyway.
I really, really like the Dolomites and always find something new to see. The scenery is fantastic, the food is fantastic and relatively inexpensive, the accommodation is of a very high standard at a reasonable price, the people are great, the slopes are pretty quiet. Quite plainly I love it. It's just that you can have too much of a good thing (at least I'm telling myself that at the moment whilst I type  )
Considering what I like about the Dolomites can people suggest some viable alternatives ? (other than leaving my wife at home!)
FYI, I've been to 3V's and Paradiski a few times so probably would like something different from them as well.
I am thinking that a short break to the Dolomites may help with withdrawal symptoms but I think I should just bite the bullet this season, as going twice may be too costly for me.
TIA
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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pokemon, IMO there is nowhere more beautiful than the Dolomites. Go to Covara for a change !
For something very diffent go to the Jungfrau; the skiing is still easy but the Eiger etc are awesome and you get around the mountain by train.
For Austiran apres: St Anton, Ischgl etc.
For more challenging skiing:Verbier, Chamonix etc.
For better snow: Japan or Utah.
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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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Yes, Wengen (jungfrau) is an interesting option. Certainly spectacular skiing around the Eiger. An excursion across the valley to ski Murren worth doing. However the Swiss prices will be higher. Continuing up above the pistes on the cog train through the Eiger is an optional excursion.
You could consider Montgenevre perhaps, which is pretty though smaller scale unless you connect across to the Italian part of the Milky Way. An excursion to the walled town of Briancon (World Heritage site) 15km down the road is an option.
Verbier is very expensive.
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| snowball wrote: |
| Verbier is very expensive. |
That's true. I am guessing pokemon does not need to party so if you get a T.O. chalet board deal, the lift pass and lunches are more expensive, so if you don't apres and eat out it does not need to be massively more expensive but the more difficult terrain might not to be pokemon's liking.
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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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Lechbob, yes we are not party animals. Shopping is more appealing, at least to my wife. Our skiing ability is pretty good but we have perhaps become complacent with the easier terrain of the Dolomites
Nice scenery, trees etc and good food and accommodation are high on the list above extreme skiing etc if that helps
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| pokemon wrote: |
| LechbobShopping is more appealing, at least to my wife |
I know the feeling, best to avoid St Moritz or Aspen when taking the wife.
I love tree skiing too but I usually go transatlantic for that which bumps up the cost.
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pokemon, Brenta Dolomites - Madonna di Campiglio?
Serre Chevalier?
Both would, IMO, offer you the sort of skiing that ought to appeal - variety, a bit of life/apres, tree-skiing, sense of travel, great scenery.
As it happens, just booked to Arabba for the first time.
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Hows about Cervinia or Zermatt? Both have reasonable 'villages' to wander around and good skiing with pretty decent fantatic....
funnily enough taking a nervous friend to the Dolomites for my first trip precisely for the reasons you state, good scenery, quite slopes, decent food and coffee 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| pokemon wrote: |
I can't really believe I'm typing this but after 5 years on the trot of going to Arabba my wife feels like we should try a new resort. At least for this season anyway.
I really, really like the Dolomites and always find something new to see. The scenery is fantastic, the food is fantastic and relatively inexpensive, the accommodation is of a very high standard at a reasonable price, the people are great, the slopes are pretty quiet. Quite plainly I love it. It's just that you can have too much of a good thing (at least I'm telling myself that at the moment whilst I type )
Considering what I like about the Dolomites can people suggest some viable alternatives ? (other than leaving my wife at home!)
FYI, I've been to 3V's and Paradiski a few times so probably would like something different from them as well.
I am thinking that a short break to the Dolomites may help with withdrawal symptoms but I think I should just bite the bullet this season, as going twice may be too costly for me.
TIA |
Appreciate this is a question within a question Pokemon, but myself & wife are seriously considering Arabba March 2013, could you recommend any accommodation (particually Chalets if pos) and what the conditions have been like over the last few years if you've gone that time of year.
Cheers.
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JB1, I've been the beginning of March every year bar one and had excellent snow every year, with the exception of last year. Snow was still good but suffered due to warm temps.
Inghams and Colletts both do chalet accommodation but all hotels are of a good standard, with some being excellent e.g. The Sporthotel. Btw avoid the chalet Karin unless you like being above a bar with loud music.
The Garni Laura is a lovely B&B in the centre with good price.
There are loads of choices for eating out but it may be cheaper to go half board in a hotel
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| pokemon wrote: |
JB1, I've been the beginning of March every year bar one and had excellent snow every year, with the exception of last year. Snow was still good but suffered due to warm temps.
Inghams and Colletts both do chalet accommodation but all hotels are of a good standard, with some being excellent e.g. The Sporthotel. Btw avoid the chalet Karin unless you like being above a bar with loud music.
The Garni Laura is a lovely B&B in the centre with good price.
There are loads of choices for eating out but it may be cheaper to go half board in a hotel |
Cheers for that, saw the Karin and laughed at the comment 'You may hear some noise'.
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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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JB1, hhhm, the music is so loud sometimes it's even difficult to have a conversation in there. I remember speaking to some guests who said they had complained endlessly about it. All the chalets in Arabbe used to be run by Neilsons until a year ago but the owner(s) renewed their contract with Inghams from last season. Not sure if this has made the situation at the Karin better or worse but is probably the same in reality.
On the plus side, the drinks were a reasonable price.
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Think I'll stick to the bar side and avoid the offer of a room. Quite a few options with Inghams and have been considering the Chalet Brigitta, any thoughts?
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You know it makes sense.
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JB1, Not stayed there but I believe they were pretty good. A little up from the village but not much at all. Near the Sporthotel and easy access to the piste although not actually ski in or out but very close. Just a few minutes walk
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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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pokemon, paradiski is excellent.
I advise staying in Les Coches / montchavin or Peissy Villandry (sp)
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Poster: A snowHead
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pokemon, Kitzbuhel, great town with scenery/ skiing and food. Plus good apres, sensible, not mad IME......although it can be! Never heard of, or been to Arabba (thought it was in Morocco) so can't compare but Kitzbuhel is a great place to sample the delights that Austria can provide.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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pokemon, Love the Dolomites. Try staying in St Vigilio for a change. Ski Kronplatz and when you want a change, nip into the 'main' Dolomite area and do the Hidden Valley run from Laguzoi. Or do a trip to the Marmolada Glacier, or ..... Just go back to the Dolomites.
Alternatives avoiding French prices? You will get plenty of suggestions for well known places, but consider some of these. Nassfeld perhaps for a change. This year I'm trying Hochkoenig near Salzburg. Not been to Jasna but it looks interesting. In France try Valloire or Valmeinier. There really is plenty to go at away from the mainstream resorts.
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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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JohnHSmith, we went to Hochkoenig last January, great conditions, relatively cheap beer and food, friendly people, we stayed in Maria Alm.
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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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Jasna looks like it's getting quite a bit of investment. It's on my list (either to ski or MTB). Some interesting lifts going in - double cable gondola and what looked like some kind of funicular, from pics I've seen elsewhere.
Oh and welcome to 
For the OP... dolomites is massive. I'd cheat and kill 2 birds with one stone by going to Cortina or Brenta Dolomites or Kronplatz etc.
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Valmeinier is TINY! Stayed there once at L'Aigle many years ago, Valloire is OK.
pokemon, I think you might like Austria. I'd suggest Bad Gastein, Kitzbuhel, the Nasserein end of St Anton or Westendorf.
Or in France try Megeve, Morzine or my favourite, Val d'Isere.
For those Snowheads thinking of going to Nassfeld, I went there a few years ago and quite liked it. The only major downside is lack of nightlife, and the 'home run' is like the M25.
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=1152526&highlight=nassfeld#1152526
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Piccadilly, Valmeinier is tiny. Very tiny. But you can (or could) get a lift pass for Valmeinier and Valloire. Not as convenient but it kept the cost right down.
Tom W, Thanks for the Welcome. I don't remember an unavoidable T bar at Nassfeld. If you are a boarder and want to avoid T Bars then put Kronplatz very high on your list. You can ski it out easily within a week, but the rest of the Dolomites is just up the road with a linked in bus or a short car trip if you have hired a car.
lilywhite, Looking forward to Hochkoenig. Not looked for accommodation yet but looking at Maria Alm or Dienten
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JB1, I've been to the Dolomites third week in March for the last four years. Last year was the worst of the four, but still skiable. Low down it is OK in the mornings but slushy in the afternoons. The 'snow management' is good. Sella Ronda was still do-able. Best plan was to aim high. Some of the runs were a bit like a ribbon of snow running through green fields. Hope this doesn't sound negative - it's not meant to be. I'm going back this year again. In earlier years there has been more snow. It's worth giving it a go.
I don't know where to stay in Arabba. Nearby you could try Mountain Sun at San Cassiano. I stay in St Vigilio which is part of Kronplatz area.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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pokemon, can only echo the suggestion of Maria Alm and the Hoch König area. Very Dolomiti in feel with the mountains to the north of the skiing area. Maria Alm is the better of the two villages in my opinion but Dienten also nice. The third village Mühlbach has the fastest access to the most interesting slopes but it does lie in the narrowest part of the valley.
There are several places in East Tirol friends claim are as good as the Dolomites but I've not tested any to be honest - look around the Lienz area to start with or maybe Heiligenblut under the shadow of the Großglockner - beautiful village location and good infrastructure.
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pokemon, you're going to be spoiled for choice! If you want somewhere with the scope of the Sella Ronda, you should look at the bigger areas. The ones that come into my mind include Kitzbühel/Kirchberg, the SkiWelt (Söll, Scheffau, Westendorf, etc.), Saalbach/Hinterglemm/Leogang, Ski Amadé (Hochkönig at one end or e.g. Flachau or Schladming - but Ski WM there from 4.2-17.2).
An alternative would also be to choose somewhere smaller as a base with the possibility to bus to other nearby areas. You could do that in Ski Amadé, e.g., or use Fieberbrunn or St. Johann in Tirol to ski the so-called Schneewinkel resorts.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Much as i love the Dolomites and the 3valleys, have you considered Zell am see and the surrounding areas, plenty of good skiing and lots of options in terms of accom and travel.
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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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pokemon, I've been to Arabba 2 years in a row now and nearly half my 15 ski holidays have been to Sella Ronda resorts, so I'm also looking for other options. I've tried other places but always gone back for that combination of scenery, sense of travelling on skis, great food, reasonable prices, ambience & friendliness that attracts you too.
I've done the 3 Vallees, Zermatt/Cervinia, La Plagne, Banff/Lake Louise, Grand Massif, Milky Way, Arlberg & SkiWelt/Kitz and while they were all very enjoyable and some had some similar attributes, even exceeding in some areas, none seemed to fully match the Dolomite experience. There just aren't many areas with 460km of lift-linked skiing and over 1200km on the liftpass, let alone as beautiful!
For the sake of change and seeing more of the skiing world, Ischgl, Zell am See & Lech in Austria, Wengen in Switzerland, Madonna di Campiglio in Italy and Val d'Isere, Portes du Soleil & Serre Chevalier in France are on my hitlist, but I know some of those are not going to be cheap to visit.
Let's face it, you can always have fun wherever you are on skis!! 
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Just to add, of those other places I've visited, I'd recommend Zermatt/Cervinia for ambience and scenery, Banff/Lake Louise for scenery and friendliness, 3 Vallees for extent of skiing, Arlberg for snow quality and challenging terrain, Lech was pretty too. Ski Welt/Kitz was a nice area, but the snow was rubbish in Jan 2007, nice views across to the Wilder Kaiser that looked almost Dolomitic.
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You know it makes sense.
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luigi, I know. I keep thinking it will still be there the following year  I think there are choices in Austria that sound good, especially as there have been quite a few suggestions supporting this. I also fancy trying Madonna, Wengen etc but was also considering the Monte Rosa area. Last season we had an away day to Kronplatz and really enjoyed it. I do like the possibility of visiting nearby resorts of which the dolomitisuperski pass offers this. In a similar vein, we visited Cortina for a day on a previous holiday. I think some of the large Austrian areas may also offer a comparable opportunity to experience different places in a relatively easy way.
Further suggestions welcome and thanks to all so far.
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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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I ought to pass on to you the details of Dolomites Anonymous, where like-minded people can talk about their addiction in a safe & supportive environment...
...I've heard that aversion therapy is the only way to kick the habit, 5 Apfelstrudels washed down by two bottles of Grappa and 3 Bombardino chasers should do it!! 
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Poster: A snowHead
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pokemon, I'm off to Madonna in early Jan and will report back, providing I don't get wiped out by some chav called Wayne...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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JohnHSmith, there certainly is an unavoidable T-bar at Nassfeld, it takes you back up to start the 'home run' - see my review
luigi, agree with all those opinions, esp on Banff/Lake Louise (haven't been to Zermatt or Kitz but I'm sure you're right!)
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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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luigi, maybe if I ask the local equestrian centre to drag me by rope across the fields on my skis behind one of their horses when it next snows in Derbyshire, it may help somewhat with the withdrawal. Can't think how I can recreate the frozen waterfalls though 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| JB1 wrote: |
| Think I'll stick to the bar side and avoid the offer of a room. Quite a few options with Inghams and have been considering the Chalet Brigitta, any thoughts? |
Pants.
Go to the Hotel Flora with Neilson. 200m apart, but infinitely nicer.
BTW, I have stayed at both. 
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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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| pokemon wrote: |
I am thinking that a short break to the Dolomites may help with withdrawal symptoms but I think I should just bite the bullet this season, as going twice may be too costly for me.
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If going away twice isn't an option, stick with Arabba.
I know, I have the same issues with Selva, but try to sneak another area in each year. 
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Piccadilly, Sorry, I'm very much new to this. How do I find your review? I've done the obvious and looked on the resort guide but it says there are no reviews. Help?
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JohnHSmith, Maria Alm has more going on but Dienton is in the middle of the linked area, Muhlbach one way and Hinterthal/ maria alm the other, if eating/drinking out are at all important to you then I would look toward Maria Alm, If your there for solely skiing or have a very young child with you then Dienton is a good choice. If your on a budget then the family run guesthouses or pensions are good value, the one we stayed in was very clean and friendly but a little further out of town than we would have liked, getting to the slope was no problem because of the free bus but any apres was a PITA because of the walk back.
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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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Tom W, Thanks. I was looking in the wrong place.
Piccadilly, I agree with what you say about Nassfeld. I remember the T Bar now, but it didn't feature quite so much in our trip as we didn't always come back to base via the Carnia run. We spent quite a lot of time a the other end of the resort (left side when looking up the mountain) and really liked it over there. We flew to Ljubjana and hired a car so it wasn't a problem to access the area from different starting (and therefore finishing) points. Also stayed in Jenig. I think the only reason for the lack of Brits is the absence of too many package hols from the big operators - I guess the German / Italian operators have the hotels on contract.
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JohnHSmith, glad you found the review. It's a very enjoyable ski area, and you're right, none of the big Brit TOs go there. It lacks a bit of town atmosphere/apres but the skiing is great.
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