ladtalk, Tignes is going to be a huge waste of money for you - its a tremendous, expansive resort but when you can't get down most of the runs its kind of pointless.
Andorra - I learnt to board in Arinsal, enough for a week learning, cheap, english speaking instructors and good nightlife. This was about 10 years ago but I went again about 6 years ago with then bf and he learned to board there too.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
ladtalk wrote:
Can't seem to find any cheaper for jan plus where the hell you find 350 ones????
You need to wait till less than a week before you want to go to get deals like this. But if you have the balls for it, this is the way to go.
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:
The best time for France is march is that correct??
not necessarily - I was just trying to counter the first few posters who suggested that 9 March was "late" for a ski holiday.
The peak weeks in France, in terms of popularity are new year, and the four holiday weeks from roughly mid-Feb to mid-March. This doesn't mean "best" - New Year often has rather poor snow, and is also dark. Longer light days are great, and lifts open longer.
I'd suggest avoiding those weeks, if possible. because it's much nicer not to have to spend too much time in lift queues and/or big crowds on piste. But if you are with a ski school you'll get priority on lifts.
Package hols from the UK will be very expensive in school holidays - always best avoided, if you don't have kids. I don't know about Italian school holidays but the resorts near big cities like Turin tend to get very crowded at weekends, much quieter in the week.
Good snow conditions, and bad, can be found anywhere, most times of the season. You can cut out the "luck" element if you book very late, and you might find much cheaper prices, but you have to be prepared to wait really late (you certainly won't find late deals for January in mid November....) AND be prepared to be flexible between countries, types of accommodation, etc etc You might be very lucky, you might not, with a late deal.
You need to tell us your budget, and what is included. There are thousands of ski resorts; need to narrow it down!
You will double the cost of a £350 package by the time you've added ski pass, hire of equipment and lessons. Maybe more than double. There's no such thing as a cheap ski holiday. Just expensive or more expensive.
ladtalk, Livigno in Italy is perfect for you if you can get a deal. By a quirk of Italian and Swiss history, it's tax free, so lift pass, ski hire and lessons are very cheap compared to other resorts in Europe, but the ski area is great - high altitude, lots of snow cannons, picturesque and perfect for beginners. Food and drink is excellent authentic italian, and really cheap. I took my girlfriend there for her first week skiing ever and she loved it - there's a vid http://youtube.com/v/TUr05olAMro.
She had a week of lessons with the Scuola Sci Italiana - 2 hours each morning for 6 mornings of really good instruction in a group of about 8 people - 95 euro. Ski and boot hire was about 60something euro for the week, and it was good quality, new stuff. Lift pass is 176 euro this year in low season.
Love the place!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
pam w wrote:
Quote:
The best time for France is march is that correct??
not necessarily - I was just trying to counter the first few posters who suggested that 9 March was "late" for a ski holiday.
The peak weeks in France, in terms of popularity are new year, and the four holiday weeks from roughly mid-Feb to mid-March. This doesn't mean "best" - New Year often has rather poor snow, and is also dark. Longer light days are great, and lifts open longer.
I'd suggest avoiding those weeks, if possible. because it's much nicer not to have to spend too much time in lift queues and/or big crowds on piste. But if you are with a ski school you'll get priority on lifts.
Package hols from the UK will be very expensive in school holidays - always best avoided, if you don't have kids. I don't know about Italian school holidays but the resorts near big cities like Turin tend to get very crowded at weekends, much quieter in the week.
Good snow conditions, and bad, can be found anywhere, most times of the season. You can cut out the "luck" element if you book very late, and you might find much cheaper prices, but you have to be prepared to wait really late (you certainly won't find late deals for January in mid November....) AND be prepared to be flexible between countries, types of accommodation, etc etc You might be very lucky, you might not, with a late deal.
You need to tell us your budget, and what is included. There are thousands of ski resorts; need to narrow it down!
You will double the cost of a £350 package by the time you've added ski pass, hire of equipment and lessons. Maybe more than double. There's no such thing as a cheap ski holiday. Just expensive or more expensive.
Well looking to spend 1200 on 7 day b&b including everything,,,, not a easy ask right ? Lol
May have to wait and book 2 weeks b4 we go but would like to know where to look out for !
ladtalk, can we establish what your budget is, for everything, including travel, accommodation, eating, ski pass, lessons, hiring gear. Everything except drinking. Then we can give you more specific advice.
Maybe the rich GF would pay for you to go somewhere nice?
Yes up too 1200 !!!
And I wish
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
element wrote:
ladtalk, Livigno in Italy is perfect for you if you can get a deal. By a quirk of Italian and Swiss history, it's tax free, so lift pass, ski hire and lessons are very cheap compared to other resorts in Europe, but the ski area is great - high altitude, lots of snow cannons, picturesque and perfect for beginners. Food and drink is excellent authentic italian, and really cheap. I took my girlfriend there for her first week skiing ever and she loved it - there's a vid http://youtube.com/v/TUr05olAMro.
She had a week of lessons with the Scuola Sci Italiana - 2 hours each morning for 6 mornings of really good instruction in a group of about 8 people - 95 euro. Ski and boot hire was about 60something euro for the week, and it was good quality, new stuff. Lift pass is 176 euro this year in low season.
Love the place!
That vid was brill she had really ever skied b4 ??
Can really see her improve although the random guy she knocks over may disagree lol
After all it is free
After all it is free
1200 pounds for both of you?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
pam w wrote:
1200 pounds for both of you?
Yes, for flights accommodation & pass etc !
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Haha it's ok, that was our friend! Yep, hadn't even been to the dry slope beforehand. It's a good place to learn - nice wide easy slopes, good ski schools, and usually good snow.
We're doing it DIY this year and getting flights, transfers, self catered accommodation, ski hire, lift pass and lessons for about £575 each in January. Self catered makes sense there, as with the tax free status, food and drink is incredibly cheap (1l of Smirnoff can be had for about 5 euro - no exaggeration) and really good quality take away pizzas start at about 4 euro. There are loads of good restaurants for eating out which aren't expensive at all. They are actually good too, not just good because they are inexpensive. Lunches are cheap too - the pizza restaurant at the top of the Carosello lift serves massive slices of pizza for 4 euro - one is enough for two people for lunch.
I've been to Pas de la Casa in Andorra, which is also tax free, but the skiing is nowhere near as good (in my opinion), and the town is much less pleasant.
Good luck with it wherever you end up heading!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
element wrote:
Haha it's ok, that was our friend! Yep, hadn't even been to the dry slope beforehand. It's a good place to learn - nice wide easy slopes, good ski schools, and usually good snow.
We're doing it DIY this year and getting flights, transfers, self catered accommodation, ski hire, lift pass and lessons for about £575 each in January. Self catered makes sense there, as with the tax free status, food and drink is incredibly cheap (1l of Smirnoff can be had for about 5 euro - no exaggeration) and really good quality take away pizzas start at about 4 euro. There are loads of good restaurants for eating out which aren't expensive at all. They are actually good too, not just good because they are inexpensive. Lunches are cheap too - the pizza restaurant at the top of the Carosello lift serves massive slices of pizza for 4 euro - one is enough for two people for lunch.
I've been to Pas de la Casa in Andorra, which is also tax free, but the skiing is nowhere near as good (in my opinion), and the town is much less pleasant.
Good luck with it wherever you end up heading!
Thank you what was the place you went again???
Will the slopes be okay in early march????
Yeah me and my girlfriend think looks perfect!
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.
Livigno sounds like a winner for you ladtalk! You can always try one of the French or Austrian mega-resorts when you can make more use of the mileage.
element, it's great to see your gf having such a great time and clearly improving, can't believe she even tried a jump (extra points for knocking your mate over!), I would never have done that in my first week!
It's amazing how quickly you can improve with good instruction and confidence. Until you have a big crash.
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
Piccadilly, That came on the last day - a little bit too much confidence and the first time she had seen flat light - she was ok though!
ladtalk, We booked last year with Ski Mcneill, but they aren't running packages to Livigno this year, so we're doing it DIY - we got an apartment through this website - http://www.livigno-appartements.com/ - There are lots of other websites though if you look around. You can fly to Milan Bergamo or Innsbruck, and there are local bus services from both as far as I am aware - you should be able to find this out with a bit of searching. We've booked a minibus as there are 12 of us travelling in total, so the transfer for us worked out at about £55 return each.
You can always get freak weather, but at that altitude, right in the centre of the alps, it would be very very unusual not to have decent snow. They have almost all the runs covered by snow cannons too. They've already got plenty of natural snow and it's early.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:
It's amazing how quickly you can improve with good instruction and confidence. Until you have a big crash.
I've never really had more than a "small-to-medium-sized" crash (depending on what you mean), but oddly I get less confident if I haven't fallen over in a while. I need the occasional reminder that it's not the end of the world if I do
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
My first ski holiday was in Pamporovo, was great as a beginner, we got amazing snow in March and it was dirt cheap which was a massive plus for me in my 20's. Have also been to Bled but not sure it is as cheap now since Slovenia has joined the Euro. Bled itself is really beautiful but it is a bus ride away from the slopes every day unless you are actually staying in Bohinj. To be honest I think massive ski areas like Tignes and Mayrhofen are a bit wasted on a beginner go where you can afford with a good attitude and you will have a great time. When you can ski a few more runs then start worrying about the kms available. Get ski stuff from Ebay or TK Maxx, Asda used to do ski stuff as well but no idea if they still do.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
The guys here are right. If there's two of you, and there's some flexibility in when you go, WAIT! If you are able to fly from gatwick, if you wait til the week before, you'll get something. I've found alpine answers to be great for this, and they'd sort you out perfectly for your first trip. Booking now is possibly the worst time, as there are no early booking discounts yet there's still a way to go to get a late deal.
When you do book, local area lift passes will be plenty, and make sure you book your equipment hire in advance (I.e. not when you turn up in the shop - book online a few days earlier then you should be fine). If you're going out on the lash, buy beer from the local shop and 'pre-load' before going out. Students should know how to do that, right?
Spend any spare cash on more lessons - the more skill you have, the more fun it is!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
oh and March isn't really late unless it is a really, really bad season, I think I have had a holiday in march every year I have been skiing, most places close the lifts around Easter when there is still plenty of snow left.
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?
advice is ace... looks like a waiting game, will keep tabs on prices and upload what i have found,,,
any more suggestions let me know looks like a italian village or austrian village!!!
&&& yes looks like ring of fire to pre load lol..
i will look on ebay and see this morning cannot wait to find some where!
I went to La Rosiere in April for my first ski trip. There was lots of snow (resort is at 1800m), more than enough runs to keep us novices entertained (linked with La Thuile in Italy) and ski hire/lessons were a lot cheaper than most other French resorts. If you want nightlife though, I'd consider somewhere else as it was very quiet. Apart from that it was a pretty little resort built in a traditional style and we could ski straight from the lift to our apartment, which was convenient.
I've been to Seefeld too which was also good for beginners and a nice place but again not much in the way of apres/nightlife.
We arranged flights, transfers, accommodation, lessons and ski hire separately, which also kept the cost down.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
ladtalk, in Austria there is Soll, Mayrhofern and Nederau, all low resorts but if the snow is still good, the TO's always have good late deals for them, because your new don't look at size of ski area too much. Look at snow reports on the net, find the best deal and go!
ladtalk, in Austria there is Soll, Mayrhofern and Nederau, all low resorts but if the snow is still good, the TO's always have good late deals for them, because your new don't look at size of ski area too much. Look at snow reports on the net, find the best deal and go!
TO's???
&&& yeah its all about the skiing.. have been Malia with the lads cant get any worse resort wise! aha
but yeah i will look at Austria going to aim for the beginner based area's and sees..
i will upload vids for you all to giggle at!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Tour operators, ie Crystal//Thomsons, Inghams, Neilson etc.
After all it is free
After all it is free
I suggest UCPA for a much better [b]value[/] holiday than Bulgaria especialyl as you need hire and lessons. Google Action Outdoors. You get ALL your meal provided, lift pass, hire and full time lessons. Accomodation is in dorm rooms but some centres you can pay a premium to be in a twin. If you are really keen on actual skiing then this would be a better bet. You'll have nicer food, better equipment, better lessons and an all round better time in a major French ski resort than in cheap for a reason (cos its poo-poo) Bulgaria.
UCPA will be slightly more thabn your budget but only a very small amount and you will have a MUCH MUCH MUCH better time! At the end of the week you should be pretty good after decent lessons.
If you go to Val D on 23 March, its £650 for EVERYTHING except travel and another £109 for London coach which is a total of £1,518 for the both of you.
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.
ladtalk, Not skied Bulgaria, but one thing I will say is make sure you have proper gear. Not OTT technical stuff (the TK Maxx suggestion is a good one), but not "normal" clothes. Why? Normal stuff will get damp and the snow will stick to it like shite. You want something that's waterproof and wind proof.
Keep an eye on Lidl's too - they have some good ski stuff from time to time, and it'll be more than good enough for what you need.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I'm going to put it out there that you will be very, very hard pushed to get:
Travel
Accommodation
Breakfast and evening meals
Lift pass
Hire
Lessons
For £600 each. Not without some SERIOUS compromises. Plus you need to then budget for some lunch.
See my above ACTUAL costings for a week to UCPA.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
ladtalk, OK, it involves the French, but there're some good deals to be had last minute in France. They have the majority of the British ski market, so thus the majority of the space that needs to be sold. A flight @ £200 is worth £0 once the gate's closed... Try the Brit centered resorts like Tignes since there aren't too many french around. You can get cheap flights and some impressive all-inclusive deals if you book last minute.
Talking of which, best last minute deal I've had was in Courmayeur in Italy (Aosta valley). £800 each down to £220 in a 4* half-board hotel with flights and transfers included. Last minute doesn't work well if you're a big group, but it's fine for a couple. The Courmayeur lift pass gives a day in Chamonix too (a quick trip through the Mont Blanc tunnel). Don't have a pint in Chamonix if you're on a budget, though!
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.
That £220 in Courmayeur *didn't* include skis, ski-pass, lunch or beers.
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
ladtalk, Another one to add to the mix is Valloire (France). Not generally one for the British skiers, but you can get a small apartment for under £200, the area lift pass is only €120 and skis can be rented for about €50. Cheapest way to get there is by train to St Jean le Maurienne and then a 17km bus up the hill. (Check that because I've not done it - I always rent a car). You'll need to add food/beer to the mix, but we've done lads' holidays there for about £600 *ALL* in (i.e. door-door inc the beers).
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
kat.ryb wrote:
I'm going to put it out there that you will be very, very hard pushed to get:
Travel
Accommodation
Breakfast and evening meals
Lift pass
Hire
Lessons
For £600 each. Not without some SERIOUS compromises. Plus you need to then budget for some lunch.
See my above ACTUAL costings for a week to UCPA.
yeah considering the UCPA... as seems to be the best ski for money
the budget is flexible but prefer to be under for this time and blow couple of k at end of 2013
yeah where is the best place via UCPA - seemed to struggle to order one student and one non student ? :/
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Stumbler wrote:
ladtalk, Another one to add to the mix is Valloire (France). Not generally one for the British skiers, but you can get a small apartment for under £200, the area lift pass is only €120 and skis can be rented for about €50. Cheapest way to get there is by train to St Jean le Maurienne and then a 17km bus up the hill. (Check that because I've not done it - I always rent a car). You'll need to add food/beer to the mix, but we've done lads' holidays there for about £600 *ALL* in (i.e. door-door inc the beers).
cheers seem like a good deal!
due to my age driving isn't possible :/
would love to hear everyone's recommendation on places then ill search prices etc until a deal pops up!
soo any is welcome to recommend somewhere..
i dont mind the french just assumed it would be as busy as disneyland their lol
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Quote:
seemed to struggle to order one student and one non student ?
not quite sure what you mean by that. Just filled in the form (with fictitious date of birth....) and it never asked me whether I was a student or not.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
pam w wrote:
Quote:
seemed to struggle to order one student and one non student ?
not quite sure what you mean by that. Just filled in the form (with fictitious date of birth....) and it never asked me whether I was a student or not.
online tried to look at prices etc... not like you can add one student and one adult.. can only have one or the other.. :/
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?
ladtalk, Quite the opposite from busy - well-groomed and fairly quiet pistes, seriously picturesque traditional village (bird-friendly!). One of the lads did the train route there and I think it was something like €40 each. Don't even consider a car on a tight budget. With it being quieter and "french" prices in the village aren't silly either try €8-€10 for a pizza in a restaurant. Beer's always steep in french pubs, *but* a case of stubbies in the supermarché's as cheap as chips. (In fact cheaper than the chips in sme resorts!!). Try €4 for a case of 12. If you're in bars, do as the locals and drink wine - a lot cheaper.
I know a few that have been to Bulgaria and they all say it was utter gash. You want to be enjoying the skiing, not queueing and suffering the resort!
ladtalk, Quite the opposite from busy - well-groomed and fairly quiet pistes, seriously picturesque traditional village (bird-friendly!). One of the lads did the train route there and I think it was something like €40 each. Don't even consider a car on a tight budget. With it being quieter and "french" prices in the village aren't silly either try €8-€10 for a pizza in a restaurant. Beer's always steep in french pubs, *but* a case of stubbies in the supermarché's as cheap as chips. (In fact cheaper than the chips in sme resorts!!). Try €4 for a case of 12. If you're in bars, do as the locals and drink wine - a lot cheaper.
I know a few that have been to Bulgaria and they all say it was utter gash. You want to be enjoying the skiing, not queueing and suffering the resort!
where was the resort & who did you book from ??
due to make a tk max run this afternoon to hunt for a not to ott ski jacket lol!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
ladtalk, Valloire - www.valloire.net. Accommodation booked either through the resort website or http://www.chalet-montagne.com. I always sort out my own holidays, only do a package when someone else books it.
Keep an eye on Lidl's they do some ski stuff from time to time and it's ideal for a beginner. Check their website, it's all online.
ah i will try and do a package due to not being able to get their but thanks for info!
has any one has a bad experience with UCPA??
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
ladtalk,
Quote:
ah i will try and do a package due to not being able to get their but thanks for info
Not sure I understand. You can get *anywhere*, you don't need a package. By my fag packet calculations, on a £600 package, about £200 is going straight to the tour operator. All you need is to book a flight (online) look up the train schedules (online) - you don't always need a ticket in advance) and look up the bus details - again online.
If you're on a tight budget, you either want a package the week before you go; or you want to book it yourself and save ££
After all it is free
After all it is free
Quote:
not like you can add one student and one adult.. can only have one or the other
Still not sure what you mean. I think the price is the price. Student or not. If there's a difference it's well hidden on their website.
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.
Might be easier to just phone action-outdoors to try and sort out a 1 student/1 employed booking? Just because the website doesn't allow it doesn't mean it can't be done. Not that I know if it can be done.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Also, I think the website lets you do it.
Use http://www.action-outdoors.co.uk/students/dates-prices to book the one you want for your gf. Fill in all her details, select a twin room. Then on the next step it'll let you 'add a friend', which will let you select a non-student price.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Then we can give you more specific advice.
not quite sure what you mean by that. Just filled in the form (with fictitious date of birth....) and it never asked me whether I was a student or not.