 Poster: A snowHead
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I`ve been looking at booking next years ski holiday (Alps) and was yet again struck by how much more expensive school holiday times are.
I idly wondered what every ones opinion was on which is actually the cheapest/best value week to book a holiday?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Normally the week before Christmas and the first two weeks after new year week, for absolute cheapest.
For next season the cheapest school holiday week is 13th April. I have booked what I consider a pretty good deal for that week with Mark Warner - we are going to Les Deux Alpes but had the same price for Tignes and Le Plagne.
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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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First two weeks of December (depending on resort). Limited opening though
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| Quote: |
Normally the week before Christmas and the first two weeks after new year week, for absolute cheapest.
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I agree.
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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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Our apartment in Val Thorens was fully booked in early december this season. The only 2 weeks we were not fully booked were 2nd and 3rd week of Jan.
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CaravanSkier, end of January is also quite cheap. The week after New Year has been moved up into High Season in many areas because of the demand from Eastern Europeans (it is their Christmas and New Year). As Easter is quite late next year you may find that the first week of February is also in the low season bracket.
Other times for cheapies are usually middle of March but after the Fasching Holidays over here, but with Easter being so late next season that may not happen and the Easter week itself could be cheaper. Who knows really how the TOs operate to fix their prices. School holidays always seem to be the highest prices which was why, when I was teaching we always went DIY if I was not already fixed up with wok somewhere. We dealt direct with hoteliers who work on the resort pricing models NOT UK school holiday pricing.
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I think I might quite like the idea of a week in early Jan, without all the family in tow it might be quite nice to look forward to it after Xmas.
Do we think it varies at all from country to country. I know the French school hols push prices up in France whilst they are on. Is there a similar effect in other countries?
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CaravanSkier, yes. Resorts frequented by Russians will get busy the first week in Jan - Russian New Year, I think
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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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Where do the Russians go?
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CaravanSkier, Famously to Courchevel 1850 but probably other posh resorts too. Not Les Saisies, thankfully.  Cheapest times round our way are any time other than New year and the 4 French school holiday week. Easter is low season for renting apartments, even this year when it's early and snow should still be pretty good.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Bansko has a large number of Russian tourists. I have hard mention of Courchevel on here.
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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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CaravanSkier, Loads of Russians in Canazei (Dolomites) this January, and that was after their New Year break too. Quite a few in Ischgl the other week too - I guess that might count as a 'posh' resort, but Canazei definitely isn't.
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CaravanSkier, loads coming into Austria throughout the season, but the main season for families is their Christmas and New Year weeks. The Salzburg Ski instructors association is even running Anwärter courses in Russia and bringing those who pass over to teach Russian speaking guests throughout the season.
The ones I've met have not been at any different from any other nationality - there are loads of Brits, Germans Dutch, etc who can be loud and chavy or whatever you want to call them. I think a small number of extremely rich oligarch types did end up in Courchevel and they flashed the cash and bought in hookers etc if the gossip rags are to be believed. But I also heard at the same time that a 10% rule was bought in to prevent the place being overrun (could also be gossip I have no idea). However the stories have grown in the telling! I was told recently that the price rises in my favourite hotel (a lovely 5*star place right by the lifts) were being driven by the Russian clients, but when I popped in to say hello most of the clients were Germans and Austrians! I think they are some people's bête noires and blamed, possibly unjustly for exorbitant prices rises!
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You know it makes sense.
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| Scarlet wrote: |
| CaravanSkier, Loads of Russians in Canazei (Dolomites) this January, and that was after their New Year break too. Quite a few in Ischgl the other week too - I guess that might count as a 'posh' resort, but Canazei definitely isn't. |
Same 4 years ago when I was in Canazei in Jan, they all looked so glum waiting for their flight home at Verona airport.
You would have thought a fun week away would have lifted their spirits, but I suppose another couple of months of a harsh Moscow winter isn't much to look forward to!
That was the year the famous Italian skiracer Alberto Tomba had an altercation with a Russian tourist, so maybe the welcome wasn't so warm in Italy.
http://sport.sky.it/sport/altri_sport/2009/01/14/Tomba_ko_lite_parcheggio.html
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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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Interesting. I would not particularly mind what nationality was making a resort busy, but I do prefer the quieter places and times if I have an option.
I have just been looking at packages for over Xmas and I think I`ll struggle to beat the price I got last Xmas (around £1,300 pp) arranging it all myself, hence the question about cheaper weeks. Looking at the ads I had wondered in the present economic climate if a package might be cheaper, but even accepting some compromises it seems not. At least over Xmas!
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Poster: A snowHead
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CaravanSkier, depending on your accommodation requirements you could definitely do Les Saisies (and plenty of other places I'd have thought) for less than £1300 a person. Packages will be expensive at Christmas because it's school holidays but if you DIY, especially if you can avoid Sat/Sat, you can do quite a cheap holiday and Christmas costs less than New Year for private rentals. I have a friend whose apartment is let on a flexible basis but it's already booked for 10 days for next Christmas by my niece - so they can drive on quieter roads and ski on 2 Saturdays. Ski passes - a major component - cost the same any time of year (something that has always puzzled me, actually - you'd think there'd be some mileage in elastic pricing of ski passes).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Some areas do have peak/off peak pass pricing – Dolomiti Superski is one, also Ischgl and I'm sure there are others. The saving isn't massive (about €25 in the Dolomites, I think), but it all helps.
I also noticed that the price for airport parking was higher in February than January, and they still overbooked the carpark. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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CaravanSkier, Our cheapest, best value week was last season, starting 21st April in Livigno. Two bedroom apartment for four of us, including 4 six day lift passes, all for 690 euros! And we got to ski fresh powder every day.
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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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RobinS that was a real result!
Scarlet, e25 would not really tempt most people I don`t suppose, if other factors come into the equation. But as you say every little helps 
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CaravanSkier, book cheap flights for everyone, well in advance, then hire cars from the airport. And I thought you were looking for a cheap quiet week "without the family in tow"! How many people do you need to transport?
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It is amazing most of January is low / cheap season, when it is such a great time to ski.
Prices also depend where you are coming from; French school holidays drive accomodation costs, but eg this year flights from here at Easter are far more expensive than Feb flights
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There are two distinct possibilities Pam! I don`t know yet which way the wind will blow! If I sneak off without the kids I would go at the cheapest time, otherwise I am constrained by uni term dates. The party could be as few as 3 (cheap week) or up to 9 with everyone.
Car hire works out expensive because of the whole young driver thing with under 25`s!
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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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| Quote: |
Car hire works out expensive because of the whole young driver thing with under 25`s!
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I had you down as older than that, CaravanSkier
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 Thank you Pam, that made me laugh!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| CaravanSkier wrote: |
| I idly wondered what every ones opinion was on which is actually the cheapest/best value week to book a holiday? |
Usually the cheapest way of booking a holiday is close to departure date. Tour operators always have excess capacity in low season weeks particularly january that they have to sell off. doing it this way gives you the added advantage of skiing wher you know the snow has fallen rather than guessing in advance where is going to be good.
Unless you are determined to go resort x with a large number of people or you have a particular low useage regional airport that you have to fly from picking up last minute packages is generally cheap and more snow sure.
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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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Thats a thought, I have received lots of emails offering last minute bargain breaks for the last few weeks. Hmmmmm much to ponder
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I got a good deal booking for week starting 18 Jan next year in Meribel. Waiting until the last minute wasn't really an option for me as I need a single room and it's part of a big Europe trip coming all the way from Australia and I had my heart set on 3V or Val D'Isere. It's not like I can just go to France any time I want. So jealous of you guys there in the UK!
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You know it makes sense.
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Yes, the question of single rooms! Few and far between it would seem! I would love to find more catered chalets that offer single rooms but those that do seem to offer a broom cupboard with a shared bathroom at the bottom of the garden for which you pay a lot more money!
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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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CaravanSkier,
I haven't been here, but this looks amazing, especially if going solo, and won't break your budget:
http://www.nagens.ch/accomodation-and-rooms.htm
I'm thinking of going myself next season, likely solo, mid-week or something, just to spoil myself  you know I deserve it!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Apparently the room I've got as a single in Meribel is an ensuite and has a balcony. It has however already sold out for not only that week for all weeks around that date which says something I think. I've also got my eye on a nice looking place with an ensuite single room in Saalbach. After 2 weeks sharing rooms during a trip to Japan a few years ago never again! Obviously not everyone is in the position to book so early though.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Wow that looks spectacular Heidi! And of course you deserve it
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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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just back from a tour of Austria taking in a total of about 10 resorts stretching all the way from Gaschurn in Montafon Voralberg to Kleinarl to the east in ski amade. had another post where I was looking for info on some resorts and thanks to Samerberg Sue, for some great inside info. having visited many resorts we went all the way back to Gaschurn which had the best mix of good sking/snow cover, prices, and nightlife. anyway to my point CaravanSkier,
looks like a lot of the accomodation are doing special offer accom+cheap lift pass for the week 18th -25th jan 14. we worked it out a decent (basic)apartment and lift pass approx 280eur. ryanair do cheap Memmingen flights and also you have Zurich airport which is a short train journey away. really nice resort with zero Irish or British skiers , and you can get a main course for 15 eur approx. a 5cl beer from 3 eur in the locals only bar to 3.10for 3cl in the boom boom bars.Samerberg Sue, sorry didnt get the chance to meet up but didnt stay in your part of the world, this time!!
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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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Sounds wonderful value garc. Just need the family to let me know now weather its all of us at Xmas again, gulp! or 3 of us for a cheap week (not skimping on accommodation quality) early in the new year! The pockets want one choice and the heart the other
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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