 Poster: A snowHead
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I am trying to organise a family trip for NY 2013 and would like to call on the combined wisdom of  to give me some inspiration.
Here are the specs.
Two experienced skiing families with older teenage boys who dont need tuition or
Party of 7
2+2 and 2+1
Ideal scenario
Italy,Austria or France?
Small Hotel (HB) or Catered Chalet ski in/out or less than 200m to the lifts/slopes(this is a big thing for us)
Luxury apt although would prefer catered.
DIY or Package dont mind.
Good food,good wine, good company.
Maybe a smaller less fashionable resort with links to larger more varied ski area although im conscious it will be NY and busy busy in 3Vs,PdS etc.
I went to the Ski Welt area for the first time in yrs for a short break last year and enjoyed the Austrian experience in terms of atmosphere,food huts and jolly apres etc, it was so nice after years of skiing in France.My only gripe was it was noticeable how little vertical drop there was.I felt like i was up and down all the time without that big magnificent mountain scenery in the middle of nowhere feel if you know what i mean?
I know we would get this with Ischgl,St Anton or Lech /Zurs etc(been to them all) but it the prices at NY are eye watering.
Realistically ive a grand a head budget for travel and accom, ex lift passes, and spends. If i could blow 1500 a head i would have my pick but C,est la Vie.
Resorts ive considered and not been to
St Foye
Always wanted to ski here for the ideal scenario of comparetively quieter pistes(at NY) ski in/out and potential off piste,trees,bowls but also with a small family atmosphere etc
Arrabba ~ Dolomiti Superski etc
Grimentz as St Foye (but too many drag lifts for the girls) 
What do you think Can it be done for less than £1000 a head.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yes I think it can be done, but you may need to compromise with the luxury and proximity to the lifts. Just a quick search on crystal, Mayrhofen £747 each HB, €215 each on lift passes, factor in €100 max for ski hire and you're just about there. There are probably lots of other ways you could do it DIY or with a TO. I know they're not fashionable, but call a travel agent and set them a challenge of £7k for that week and see what they come up with.
One consideration is to go a week earlier, I think we've worked out we can save £100-150 for each of us if we go at Christmas instead of New Year.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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my OCD is I like to plan ahead
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I think for New Year that makes sense. You will get a great deal closer to your budget if you drive, as flight prices are always high at NY. Is that a possibility?
Your best bet for getting good wine and good food on that budget at New Year is to DIY - even small resorts will have some good traiteurs to make the whole thing less of an effort and good wine in a supermarket costs the same, or less, than rubbish wine in a restaurant.
If you resolved to get a nice apartment (not luxury, they cost megabucks at New Year) and cater well for yourselves, I think the budget is manageable.
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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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im conscious it will be NY and busy busy in 3Vs,PdS etc
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At NY it will be busy busy everywhere in France - there aren't any little hidden gems which will have low prices and no lift queues. And many smaller resorts in France will also have the "lack of vertical" you complain of in the Ski Welt. Doesn't mean there aren't some good places to go - but you can't have everything.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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pam w, rubbish! Please keep not skiing where I do.
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hedley, if Arabba is of interest take a look at Colletts. They're an independent operator, specialise in the area so might be able to sort you something. We spent Christmas in Arabba and loved it (travelled with Inghams and stayed in one of their chalets), not ski in ski out but only 50m from the slopes so close enough. Where we stayed had triples where the third person had their own room connected to the double room, which was nice - can be a minor problem having an odd number.
The crystal thing was just an example to show it can be done, a bit of digging and you'll be fine, especially if you're an experienced DIYer. If you plan on flying DIY just got to make sure you can get somewhere to stay still once the flights are released (as NY is popular).
We usually go Christmas, I want to go NY next season so I can have my grandparents over for Christmas, but the OH still wants to go at Christmas. If we go NY I'll be wanting to get inside £1k per head too.
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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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Go Christmas week. Much, much quieter.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
im conscious it will be NY and busy busy in 3Vs,PdS etc
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At NY it will be busy busy everywhere in France - there aren't any little hidden gems which will have low prices and no lift queues. And many smaller resorts in France will also have the "lack of vertical" you complain of in the Ski Welt. Doesn't mean there aren't some good places to go - but you can't have everything. |
Espace Killy had no queues at New Year this year. The only queue I found was five minutes long, on the route back home at about 4pm - which was bound to be busy. (Yes, you could queue if you wanted to e.g. by being in the valley bottom at 2pm after lunch, but generally...)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just spent New Year in Andorra. This was a last minute deal but had 9 places available at time of booking (15/12/12) and cost £609 p/head for a half board hotel (Hotel Del Clos, El Tarter) flights and transfers through Neilsons. Hotel wasn't luxurious but it wasn't basic either. Food was good, especially New Years Eve when they put on lobster and every kind of shellfish u can imagine. Prebooked lift passes @ £195.00 each, superior skis (no Boots) £65.00 each, snowboard & boots £75.00 each. Ski/board school was £75 for 3 x 3 hours and was particularly good. Total price inc flights, transfers, hotel, equipment, passes, and lessons (for two) etc worked out at £876.75 each. Neilsons offered three days of guiding.
Hotel was approx 300 metres from lift but had private minibus every morning and evening to and from hotel. Snow was ok. All link runs connected. Nearly all blacks closed, alot of the reds too but still plenty of runs to keep everyone happy. If you want something closer the Hotel Nordic was ski in/out. They also have some apartments in same location called Aparthotel Del Clos (formerly Nordic apartments). The hotel Nordic hotel Del Clos and and aparthotel del Clos all owned by same group.
The pistes were quiet all week though the first weekend was busier with the Spanish coming up to the resort for the weekend. No queues at lifts to speak of, except post lunch in main areas.
Have been to El Tarter twice for New Year week and both times have been great. Also everything is so much cheaper ie. a large beer was €3.
We're planning to go away again for this New Year but will try and get somewhere with access to the Sella Ronda, possibly Arabba, Canazei or Selva purely because again it's good value and scenery is simply stunning.
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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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I paid 1078 Euro for two weeks in a 3* Hotel this past Christmas and New Year (16 nights Halfboard, including 2 special dinners - Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve). This was a single room by the way. There was a choice of 3 main course, including a vegetarian option every evening plus 3 other courses. My bar bill for that time was about 120 Euro but I was on my own and I'm not a big drinker - 0.5 litre of beer 3 Euro.
This hotel was in the middle of Altenmarkt which is fairly centrally placed for the whole of the Ski Amadé area and the ski bus shuttle stopped right outside the hotel both going to the slopes and returning. Useful to have a car though in order to really get around. so it would be a good base for self-drive types.
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Just spent NY in Mayrhofen. Half Board at three star hotel was £437, flight about £165 from Edinburgh, prob cheaper direct from down South, car hie £50 per person (big estate for 4 of us) lift pass about £200. Had own skis. Hotel was the Laendenhof, not piste side but not far and they run you down to the Penken in the morning. I paid 2 euros a night to store my boots at uplift so walk back to hotel in shoes with my skis took 5 mins.
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You know it makes sense.
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Have you had a look at a fellow snowhead's operation in Folgarida?(Folgarida.co.uk) It looks like NY comes in around your budget? Ive not travelled with them but gets good reviews on here.
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