 Poster: A snowHead
|
I have just spent 2 early weeks (15 Dec - 29 Dec) skiing in the 3 valleys and am desperate for one last weekend before the end of the season.
However all my research show it is incredibly expensive.
I only want to have 2 (or at the most 3) days off work and would like to go for 2 or 3 nights. So I am looking for Wed/Thurs-Sunday, Friday to Monday/Tues or weekend till Tuesday/Wednesday.
I can get flights at a reasonable price to Geneva, leaving first thing in the morning and returned later in the evening but I cannot find much accomodation for less than a week.
I have tried googling hotels in places like Avoriaz, Les Gets, La Clusaz etc and they want a minimum of 7 nights booking.
I have tried all the traditional websites (igluski, igoski, skiweekenders etc) but they are all looking at £450 - £550 per person and some require flights on top.
I do not fancy a coach trip as we have a daughter who gets coach sick!
Any tips for where to find hotel rooms or self catering accomodation for a few nights?
Looking for a resort which is easy to get to from Geneva (sub 2 hrs), suitable for intermediates, doesnt need to be too big as only there for a few days.
Oh and where a lift pass for 3 days is at a reasonable price!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Most of my ski trips tend to be long weekends. Next one is Wednesday night to Sunday night. 4 days skiing for 2.5 days annual leave. There are a few threads around with links to any number of organisations offering ski weekends. Usually we book flights then use owners direct for a self catering apartment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
no doubt that ski weekends aren't the cheapest way to ski.
for accommodation, there isn't much point searching too far in advance, because many places do prefer full week stays. however, if you contact them closer to the time and they have plenty of space left, they will usually relent
also best to go out of peak times (so avoid feb/early march)
i have done a few weekends at les contamines which would fit your requirements quite well
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
In answer to the question though, I suppose it is affordable or I wouldn't do it but probably not the cheapest of holidays. Mind you skiing isn't a cheap holiay as far as I am concerned . 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
One way to sort out the hotel problem is to not stay in the resort but in the valley and drive up. Hiring a car at Geneva will also reduce the transfer cost.
Some suggestions based upon my personal experience
Option 1
Stay in Cluses and ski in the Flaine ski area. Get into the lift system at Les Carroz and it is only a 10/20km drive. Of course hundreds of people from Geneva have the same idea so an early start is required.
Option 2
Stay in Crolles (since this is a big high tech industrial area, weekend hotel stays are readily available) and ski in Les 7 Laux about 20 minutes drive away. I am not sure if there are any hotels in Les Sept Laux itself. Of course this gets flooded with skiers from Grenoble at the weekend.
Option 3
Bite the bullet and stay in Grenoble. Choose the resort from those surrounding: Chamrousse, Les 7 Laux, Les 2 Alpes etc. but remember the roads to the big resorts will be absolutely packed with other people with the same idea as you
Option 4
This is at the limit of your range, but you could try for a hotel in Aime. We managed it a few years ago and spent a day skiing in Valmorel before heading back to the airport for our flight home.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Depends what is affordable.
I tend to stay outside of a ski resort, and drive in in the morning (free parking all day in most Austrian resorts). OK I can understand that people may want to maximise piste time, and squeeze every last minute of skiing if it's a weekend trip. Quite often those hotels not in a resort actually have weekend deals, and if big chain type hotels, there's never a problem checking in late (we've checked in at 2am once!).
edit: just did that this weekend. All the traffic on Saturday am was leaving the valley for the airport, and hardly any traffic arriving. After skiing no traffic leaving the valley, but coming in was nose-tail.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Mon 14-01-13 14:53; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A weekend isn't cheap IME. Its real advantage is as a way of getting in a few extra days, perhaps in an all-adult group, without taking too much time off work - two or three days perhaps. But in terms of pounds-per-minute on snow*, it is probably more expensive than a full week because the flights cost the same whether you go for two days or fourteen days.
(* never, ever, do this calculation)
I find it harder to "do weekends" now because flights from convenient airports do not go at convenient times any more - evening flights from Doncaster were brilliant but only lasted one season
You are unlikely to find a hotel that will take you for a weekend as they prefer to let Saturday to Saturday. I would recommend you look to rent a privately-owned aprtment. A lot of snowheads, me included, own apartments and may be willing to let you go from Thursday to Sunday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
One way to sort out the hotel problem is to not stay in the resort but in the valley and drive up. Hiring a car at Geneva will also reduce the transfer cost.
|
Agree. another option is to stay at Sallanches (there's an IBIS) one hour from Geneva airport and you are within a very easy drive for days in Flaine, Chamonix, Combloux, Les Contamines (and various others).
But in terms of £ per ski-mile, weekends are always going to be expensive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
I go on ski weekends with friends, so view them as very cheap skiing, when I go with the family that is expensive.
Apartment for family has to be of a standard, not so for a group of men.
Ski lessons for children, ski hire, lift passes etc all add up.
Family ski holiday about 4k, me for a week end ( 3 days) more like £500, seems a bargain.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
pam w, that'd be my choice. Just did exactly the same this weekend, but Ibis in Innsbruck. Again, quite a choice of resorts to ski, either with a 30min drive , or hop on a bus, or a tram, or straight on to a funicular. Strange seeing people clomping in ski boots at 7:30am in a city centre, running for the bus, or buying breakfast in the bakery in the main station (cheaper than Ibis  ).
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
My wife and I did a weekend in Mayrhoffen 2 years ago - Thursday to Sunday, 2 days skiing (could probably have squeaked 2 and a half to 3 if we'd hired a car from Innsbruck rather than taken the train to resort). Hotel Cafe Traudl were taking weekend and part-week bookings from mid-March, and I'd certainly recommend them to anyone (reasonable price, 10mins walk from train station, 5 mins to Penken lift, 10 mins to Ahorn, very good room and excellent food).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
nicoledan1, Innsbruck (shock, horror, it's not in France). Expedia will package flight and hotel - I just did a quote over a weekend in March, 4 nights, 4 star inc breakfast = £290 pp including charge for luggage on easyJet (direct from Gatwick). You don't need a transfer as such, just a very short taxi ride to your hotel and then you can get the ski bus out to any of the nearby areas, or the lift out of the city to the Nordpark. Flight arrives 10:15 so easily get skiing in that afternoon on the first day. If conditions are iffy for any reason, you always have the Stubai glacier up the road. In the evenings you have a nice city to play in. I have yet to find anywhere easier/cheaper for a week-end. Being a business city, the hotels really don't mind week-end bookings because they are generally less busy then. Simples.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Yep, Innsbruck wins every time. First went there four seasons back and am now planning my 7th trip (early March). Flights seem cheaper this year, possibly because Monarch have started flying there so Easy Jet have had to reduce their fares (lots of dates for under £100 return).
The transfer from the airport is a 12 minute bus ride costing 2 Euros. Hotels, meals, drinks are all super-cheap (probably 30% less than big Austrian ski resort prices) e.g. you can have a single room in the splendid Weisses Kreuze for 40 Euros (with a generous and tasty breakfast).
Buses serve 6 or 7 resorts, and all are free. Trams also serve some resorts, and trains get you to tons more.
Call off the search!
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Mon 14-01-13 16:46; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Thanks everyone. We have been in the mould of week's skiing for the last 5 years with tour operators with childcare so we are out of the DIY model and good websites etc. Looks like I have a fun evening of web research ahead!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| Neil Neige wrote: |
| Call off the search! |
Well we've done our best for the Innsbruck tourist board but they'll keep flocking to France and paying the price.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
I have always gone for Zurich or Geneva for weekends because of the choice of flights at convenient times. However, I was really impressed with Innsbruck before xmas and could see myself doing more trips there in future.
I stayed somewhere quite close to the station and did a daytrip to St Anton, joining a guided group with Piste to Powder. Really fun
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Bode Swiller, sounds perfect BUT any alternatives but Gatwick?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
for a weekend the convenience of flights is paramount. Swiss from London City have been quite good for people I know who live in Romford... but that's not much use for most of the country.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
I've never understood why most British people seem to think the only airport you can fly to for skiing is Geneva and the only country is France. There are plenty of places you can do a (relatively) cheap weekend but virtually none of them are anywhere near Geneva.
Google the ski resorts near to any of the following airports: Turin, Milan, Brescia, Zurich, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Friedrichshafen, Munich and you'll find plenty of options. Go for places you've never heard of and it will probably be cheaper.
Sadly its nigh on impossible to find short stay booking at most ski resorts a long time in advance because the hotels are holding out for a week long booking but in nearly 20 years I've never failed to find accomodation close to the time. Especially if you're willing to consider a few different resorts.
As a starting point try the Aosta Valley resorts, e.g. Cervinia, La Thuile or maybe Sauze D'Oulz. Or you could keep going to France, it has some good points but if you try exploring a bit trust me you will have to force yourself to go back. If it has to be France try smaller places like Praz Sur Arly or Les Contamines.
Before all the Francophiles moan, yes I agree there are exceptions but I still wouldn't fly via Geneva...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
To qualify the 'relatively' cheap comment, it really depends how much you drink but you're still not going to get a lot of change out of £700 for 3 nights. Assuming 3 days skiing at a biggish resort with associated expensive pass and that you're hiring gear.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
If it has to be France try smaller places like Praz Sur Arly
|
Trouble is, small places like PsA are no more amenable to short term bookings than anywhere else - in fact bigger places such as Morzine or Chamonix are a bit more geared up to it. I have had season ski passes for the whole area including PsA for the past ten seasons and am a big fan, but I wouldn't recommend it for weekends. I once failed to get a one-night hotel booking anywhere in Les Saisies in the middle of the deadest of all dead January weeks. But the key factor for making weekends work is the flights and for people in many parts of the UK, Geneva often seems to offer more flexibility than many other airports. For anyone within easy reach of Innsbruck that it obviously a brilliant option for a weekend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
> Is a ski weekend ever affordable?
For anyone living north of Manchester then a long weekend in Scotland is by far the cheapest skiing you will get.
Manchester to Glencoe = 300 miles each way.
Split the petrol (say £30 each), stay in a cheap B&B or hostel (£20/30 a night) plus lift pass (£30 a day).
Though you obviously need to be prepared to watch the snow conditions and just go when ever the snow turns good, rather than plan in advance. IMHO a short weekend in the alp can easily end up costing the same price as a whole week.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Mon 14-01-13 16:49; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Yeah to be honest I'd prefer the whole Espace Diamant area to stay nice and quiet anyway, its about as good as I've found in France although we usually stay in Megeve to access it. Having re-read the opening post and seen the comments about intermediate skiing not sure they'd be particularly thrilled with some of the piste grading at PsA either.
Most of the MGMs will take short breaks if they're not full, take a look at www.cgh-residences.co.uk. Milan, Munich and Zurich are major hub airports though and should be accessible from most UK airports.
If you do go via Milan make sure you use Malpensa and not Linate.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Haggis_Trap, London isn't so bad really as you have 4 airports close by which will all fly somewhere close-ish to some mountains and snow - with lots of options any day of the week.
Any one who lives away from London with a longer drive to Scotland have it a lot worse, especially if as most lot regional airports don't have many options (date/time wise) to fly out to ski destinations.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| levart wrote: |
| To qualify the 'relatively' cheap comment, it really depends how much you drink but you're still not going to get a lot of change out of £700 for 3 nights. Assuming 3 days skiing at a biggish resort with associated expensive pass and that you're hiring gear. |
In Innsbruck, you can get everything (single room in hotel, all meals, drinks, ski/boot hire, lift passes, transport etc) for £100-£150 a day (I normally pay about £120). For £100 you're obviously being pretty frugal with lunchtime expenditure and aprés ski drinks etc.
So 3 days at, say, £130 = £390, plus flights for £100 = £490. Plenty of change from £700.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
^ London is about as far away from mountains that you can get in Europe.
From London the Alps are virtually the same distance as Scotland (seriously!).
London -> Morzine = approx 600 miles
London -> Fort William = approx 520 miles
i.e
If you live in London then you need to fly in order to ski - and the alps makes sense. However... if you live further north in the UK then scottish skiing, when conditions are good, makes more sense (and will always be much cheaper than flying to the alps)
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Mon 14-01-13 16:58; edited 2 times in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Bode Swiller wrote: |
| Neil Neige wrote: |
| Call off the search! |
Well we've done our best for the Innsbruck tourist board but they'll keep flocking to France and paying the price. |
Yep, it's an odd one. I think the size of the ski areas is probably the big draw. A lot of Brits think you need hundreds of kms of piste to have an enjoyable holiday but a choice of quiet little resorts with 7 lifts and 25kms of piste are all you really need for a weekend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| Neil Neige wrote: |
| levart wrote: |
| To qualify the 'relatively' cheap comment, it really depends how much you drink but you're still not going to get a lot of change out of £700 for 3 nights. Assuming 3 days skiing at a biggish resort with associated expensive pass and that you're hiring gear. |
In Innsbruck, you can get everything (single room in hotel, all meals, drinks, ski/boot hire, lift passes, transport etc) for £100-£150 a day (I normally pay about £120). For £100 you're obviously being pretty frugal with lunchtime expenditure and aprés ski drinks etc.
So 3 days at, say, £130 = £390, plus flights for £100 = £490. Plenty of change from £700. |
pretty sure i did a long weekend to Zinal which kitenski reckoned worked out at about £100 per day. we didn't need to hire kit though
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Haggis_Trap wrote: |
^ London is about as far away from mountains that you can get in Europe.
From London the Alps are virtually the same distance as Scotland (seriously!).
London -> Morzine = approx 600 miles
London -> Fort William = approx 520 miles
i.e
If you live in London then you need to fly in order to ski - and the alps makes sense. However... if you live further north in the UK then scottish skiing, when conditions are good, makes more sense (and will always be much cheaper than flying to the alps) |
Yes I get that bit. But at least in London you're close to airports that can get you somewhere. It is possible to live further away from Fort William in the UK than London, and also not get the benefit of being near any useful airport.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Hi everyone, we live in Bournemouth so were looking ideally for flight options from Bournemouth, Southampton or Heathrow, hence looking at Geneva.
I hadnt really considered Austria as I have not ever been before and didnt know where to start. Thanks for your suggestions, will definitely look into Innsbruck.
With regards to my comment re affordable, I just think it is mad that I could get accomodation for a week with flights for less than some of the published prices for 3 nights. I was even considering booking a cheap week's accomodation and leaving after 3 nights (obviously arranging own transport)! We are lucky in that our daughter does race club every Saturday so probably has more ski hours under her belt than I do, so we dont need to factor in lessons. We all have our own kit, which also makes it cheaper - but not always when you look at how much easyjet want to charge you to transport it!
First time I have posted in this forum and I am really glad I posted, thank you for all your comments and suggestions. Lots to look at! I knew we couldnt be the only ones trying to do this!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Quote: |
I was even considering booking a cheap week's accomodation and leaving after 3 nights (obviously arranging own transport)!
|
That is defo an option if you find the right deal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Quote: |
Quote:
I was even considering booking a cheap week's accomodation and leaving after 3 nights (obviously arranging own transport)!
That is defo an option if you find the right deal.
____
|
Except you will have to book two weeks to do Friday and Saturday nights. This is why the TO and hotels are not happy with weekend bookings.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
nicoledan1, drive a bit further to Stansted and ryanair offer flights to Salzburg, Klagenfurt (getting BIG powder this week) or Linz. I just booked a fist full of flights to linz averaging £33 per person per flight all fees and taxes. Linz is 2 hours drive to eastern end of ski amade area though other resorts closer by. Salzburg is a better hub airport in Austria, under 1 hour to a stack of resorts, I think there are ski buses that run out of downtown Salzburg. Munich is an option, loads of flights, easyjet do early and late evening flights. Motorways around Munich can get busy. try booking.com for austrian accommodation. car hire try auto-europe, I always find them the cheapest. Should get double b&b room from 60 odd per room per night.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
nicoledan1, I have friends with apartments in the same complex as mine who are often happy to rent their place for odd times. There are some French owners who charge less rent but are rigidly Sat/Sat. An hour and three-quarters from Geneva (in good weather) but you have to self-drive. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gordon.bodiesmith/
Ski in/out for anyone but beginners.
My daughter did Bournemouth/Gva with easyJet at Christmas - said it was brilliant, heaps easier than Gatwick.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
nicoledan1, all of my ski short breaks and weekends were always done DIY, and not using a tour operator. Small, local hotels with nice restaurants, based around the availability of flights, or sometimes a small apartment. If you contact the tourist office in the resort you wish to stay in they can often suggest something especially if it isn't peak season. I also flew to Geneva as it was the only ski airport available from my nearest airport, but have also dirven to Stansted down the A1 for Turin.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
nicoledan1, I do a DIY ski weekend every year, and agree it's not the cheapest way to do it. A few of bits of advice.
I find if you arrive Sat or leave Sun you have best options for accomodation availability since you don't cut across 2 rental weeks. You also still minimise days off work by using the w/end. We tend to leave Wed, ski Thur, Fri, Sat and come home Sun, or alternatively leave Sat, ski Sun, Mon, Tues and come home Wed.
Flights might look cheaper not travelling at the w/end but I find the cost of accomodation usually outweighs that.
Go to a resort close to the airport; for us that tends to be PDS or Grand Massif, since this keeps the cost of transfers down. For 3 days, these places offer plenty terrain.
Post you requirements up to the ChaletsDirect.com winter solution room. You'll usually get plenty of responses from Chalet owners/hosts, and the closer you're prepared to leave it, the better deal you'll probably get. Again I tend to find plenty of availability and options in and around Morzine.
As I say, budget wise, it's not the cheapest way to do it, I'm off to Morzine this weekend, Easyjet flight with skis £150, 4 nights catered accom & transfers just under £300.
And finally, January or Mid March tend to be the best times to go, quieter pistes and generally cheeper all in.
Hope to get something.
Cheers
Brian
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
nicoledan1, Chalet La Giettaz (run by snowhead miranda) offers short breaks (http://www.chalet-la-giettaz.com/Winter/Weekends-and-Short-Breaks/). It's a lovely chalet and great little ski area, especially if you self-drive and can drive round to Megeve, or have the patience and knack with timetables for the bus link (when it becomes not such a little ski area). About an hour and a half from Geneva. If you don't want to hire a car, a private transfer for up to 4 people from Geneva is 300€ with Action Transfers. I've stayed there once before (and been to the ski area another couple of times) and am going with friends for 3 nights in Feb and back with husband and 2 small children for 5 nights in March!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
(
One run at Flumet, the hardest green I'd ever encountered, was regraded a few years ago and is now a relatively easy red. The drag up, however (seigneur) is the steepest in France and if you fall off you are directed through some woodland to a mogully black, back to the beginning of the run. Sorts the men from the boys. 
