Ski Holidays?

quackers

quackers

quackers

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Attention all you ski people out there, i need a bit of help!

I'm thinking about taking the missus on a short ski weekend, maybe next month. Now we've never done this before, so...

1) What's the cheapest and best resort for a begineer?
2) Can you hire all the gear while your there?
3) Lift passes etc? Should they be included in the price or do you pick them up separate?

Thanks everyone
 
1. Andorra is a good bet for beginners, although at the moment it may be better to see where the snow is and go there.

2. Yes, its probably best to hire boots and skis there and if you want jackets and salopets get them from somewhere like Ellis Brigham before you go.

3. Normally you buy the lift pass seperatly through the company you are going with. There is usually somewhere on the page stating the price (they can cost a lot so don't forget when sorting out pricing)

Hope that helps :)
 
Take a look at Val Thorens in France, very cheap for what you get, and at the moment most of the cheaper hotels are throwing lift passes in with the room to entice people to stay.

We booked everything separately last time we went (end of Jan), and it broke down like this:

Flights £80 (return to Chambery from Manchester)
Room £255 (including 3-valleys lift pass)
Tranfer €70 (return from Chambery to Val Thorens, buy from airport when you land)
Rental £85 (Ski's and Boots)

You'll then need a couple of £hundred for spending money, and a cheap insurance policy.
 
paradigm said:
Take a look at Val Thorens in France, very cheap for what you get, and at the moment most of the cheaper hotels are throwing lift passes in with the room to entice people to stay.

We booked everything separately last time we went (end of Jan), and it broke down like this:

Flights £80 (return to Chambery from Manchester)
Room £255 (including 3-valleys lift pass)
Tranfer €70 (return from Chambery to Val Thorens, buy from airport when you land)
Rental £85 (Ski's and Boots)

You'll then need a couple of £hundred for spending money, and a cheap insurance policy.
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Christ! Where did you get the room from including ski pass? Was that just for the 1 person?
 
paradigm said:
The total price of the hotel was €1152 for 3 people including 3x 3-valleys passes. Hotel wal Le Cheval Blanc. :)
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That was the one you were going on about in the other thread wasn't it? Hmm, thats a good deal. There are 3 of us and we are still looking for this years trip. We have been looking a Lake Louise in Canada, but thats looking at being £409 pp without the ski passes which will be loads as the US and CAN charge a blooming fortune for them.
 
I am off to La Plagne for a weeks snowboarding with the wife (its a ski and boarding resort).

It costs us under £650 each for flights, transfers, 4 star hotel half board, ski pass. Taking our own kit though.

And I can't wait!

There seems to have been a lack of snow in some resorts so do your research first. The higher you are the more likely the snow will be there. Or so I am told :)

Bulgaria is pretty cheap.
 
Andora was great! good mix of runs, and if your a beginer you will never run out of new runs!

Also it WAS cheap, but we decided to go over new year (not cos we like new year, just cos only time we had holls) which bumped the price up about 40-50%.

If i rember it was about £750pp all in (flights, transfers, hotel half board, ski pass etc)

so you should be able to get it for about £350ish i would think, really was a great place!
 
brakeinup said:
There seems to have been a lack of snow in some resorts so do your research first. The higher you are the more likely the snow will be there.
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And there lies another great reason to go to Val Thorens, as the highest resort in Europe, it currently enjoys over a metre of snow :) And is 95% open last time I checked.
 
quackers said:
Attention all you ski people out there, i need a bit of help!

I'm thinking about taking the missus on a short ski weekend, maybe next month. Now we've never done this before, so...

1) What's the cheapest and best resort for a begineer?
2) Can you hire all the gear while your there?
3) Lift passes etc? Should they be included in the price or do you pick them up separate?

Thanks everyone
Click to expand...


Ski-weekends can turn out expensive and not easy to organise through a tour company. A week trip is easier.

1) France is generally the cheapest and good for begginers.
2) yes, easy to hire gear there. Most companies you fly wiht you have to pay to carry ski gear, and companies like easyjet and rhyan air don't guarantee they will be sent!
3) You always buy them seperately. Tour operators often throw on a 15 quid supplemennt when they provide them. remember to take pass port sized photos. Some passes can be purchased in advance online saving a few bob.
 
/\/\
and its fully of french and dutch people, the lift lines are huge. Early march up high is a really good bet foir good snow, weather, quiet resort, plenty of sun.
 
Take a trip to T.K Maxx to get some cheap ski wear. (Jackets, gloves, thermals, socks and salopettes). Rent ski boots and ski's when you get there.

You say you are a beginner, don't forget to include the cost of ski lessons while pricing everything up, otherwise you'll end up on your arse quite a bit :p
 
As already suggested, TK Maxx for cheap clothes. Since this is your first trip you might want to hire clothes - jacket & pants (buy gloves, socks and a hat 'cos they're cheap). Or hire just the pants and buy a jacket since a jacket could be worn at other times, but ski pants are pretty limited as to other uses.

It's better to have morning lessons. After your first day you may be too knackered to do anything else. If you're not too knackered and also on other days you have the afternoon to ski.
 
paradigm said:
The total price of the hotel was €1152 for 3 people including 3x 3-valleys passes. Hotel wal Le Cheval Blanc. :)
Click to expand...

Where did you book from and how did you find it? Their website or something similar?

I'm trying to book a holiday for the next few weeks as my other one was cancelled so that looks excellent!
 
I've just come back from Serre Chevalier. Holiday cost £320 including transfers in a lovely hotel (half board, meals provided in a nice French restaurant). Skipass was €160 and ski hire was €125.

It's the first time I've been there and it was great, plenty of snow and 240km of runs so you never need get bored. I think I'll go back at the end of the season
 
Amp34 said:
Where did you book from and how did you find it? Their website or something similar?

I'm trying to book a holiday for the next few weeks as my other one was cancelled so that looks excellent!
Click to expand...

Yeah, we booked everything separately, hotel direct from their website, flights from Jet2.com, and ski hire (for the other two guys not me, I took my own) from intersport rental services (inside the hotel too!).
 
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