 Poster: A snowHead
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Club Med, the all-inclusive holiday destinations, have sold four of their 'resorts' on a lease-back basis to make their business more up-market. Club Med are upgrading the quality of their accommodation in the face of increased competition (partly resulting from low-cost airlines).
Two of the resorts being upgraded are in Val d'Isere and "Alpine La Plagne 2100", according to this report from MSN Money.
Anyone stayed in these Club Med places? They also have (assuming it's still there) a 'resort' up at Arc 2000, which always looked a strategically good location to stay.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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They're also building a large resort in Vallandry, so ideally placed for skiing either Les Arcs or La Plagne. I think the first phase is due to open at Christmas.
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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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It' really hard to say that this is a move in the right direction. Club Med bought Club Aquarius which was a chain of hotels offering a similar albeit cheaper deal to the Club Med. Club Aquarius were getting a lot of business from Club med, so club med aslo went for a cheaper formula. Now they are trying to rise back as more expensive operation. I think they are bound to fail. Their main crowd are families that enjoy their child care facilities.Nowadays many hotel offer some sort of child care, and many tour operators do the same. Their "over 18" clubs are not a huge success and having UCPA to offer a similar package at half price does not help. Their all-inclusive concept has been copied and bettered and they have ot use the ESF for instruction. All their hotels are in excelent locations but offer limited amenities (tiny rooms, most notablly). They will never be a luxury hotel short of a complete makeover. Wrong path. They just have to be more attractive to families.
I think they aren't gonig to improve their results untill they wiil change the way they work with the ESF (make sure they get the better instructors, make up smaller groups, organise races, family trips on skis acompanied by "GO"s) offer more sports (free indoor climbing, free snowmobiling, snow walking etc)
They way they are going now, they'll be bankrupt in a couple of years.
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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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David Goldsmith, I'm normally a big DIY fan rather than package hols but I'm going on my 2nd Club Med experience in Jan. And the price is pretty damn good.
We've negotiated about £100 of book price (group of 10), but for about £680 a head we are getting:
* 7 nights 3* ish accomodation in Les Menuires (for last week in Jan)
* Full 3V lift pass
* 5 days full day ski lessons with the ESF (typically groups of 8-10)
* 3 generally excellent meals a day
* Unlimited free alchohol (excludes only VSOP spirits and champagne). Both with meals and in the bar.
At 3V prices, you can drink one hell of a lot of alcohol if you try!
* Ski-in, ski-out accomodation.
* Flights and transfers
* Insurance
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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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That cannot be beat. I challenge all that will, go try. 
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