Ski Holidays?
- Thread starter quackers
- Start date
courchevel 1850
screw the cost, its the most expensive for a reason
if you want to stick to a budget duck down 300m to 1550 where it all becomes more reasonable on the old wallet, largest skiiable area in the world on one lift pass, done three seasons there now and will holiday there forever more
screw the cost, its the most expensive for a reason
if you want to stick to a budget duck down 300m to 1550 where it all becomes more reasonable on the old wallet, largest skiiable area in the world on one lift pass, done three seasons there now and will holiday there forever more
Will's right that 1850 is great, been there once and the amount of choice is incredible, but damn is it expensive.
If you are looking for something cheaper and considering Bulgaria I'd go to Bansko. A few places on the web rave about Borovets but having been to both there is really no comparison. Borovets is a throw back to the soviet east with hotels and food to match and the resort is poor, the smaller mountain has badly laid out runs that are poorly maintained and get swamped and iced up by beginners and the higher mountain is very dependant on the gondola being open, which is most definitely not a given.
Bansko is a much newer resort with a much wider range of slopes, newer lifts and cannons, a lot better maintained, and also a lot more choice for beginners. I stayed in a virtually brand new hotel with great facilities, flights, transfer, board hire, lift pass and lessons (if you want them) for just about £400 this year.
If you are looking for something cheaper and considering Bulgaria I'd go to Bansko. A few places on the web rave about Borovets but having been to both there is really no comparison. Borovets is a throw back to the soviet east with hotels and food to match and the resort is poor, the smaller mountain has badly laid out runs that are poorly maintained and get swamped and iced up by beginners and the higher mountain is very dependant on the gondola being open, which is most definitely not a given.
Bansko is a much newer resort with a much wider range of slopes, newer lifts and cannons, a lot better maintained, and also a lot more choice for beginners. I stayed in a virtually brand new hotel with great facilities, flights, transfer, board hire, lift pass and lessons (if you want them) for just about £400 this year.
Caporegime
Will Gill said:courchevel 1850
screw the cost, its the most expensive for a reason
See now i'd love to stay in 1850 or even 1550, but the cost isn't justifiable over Les Menuires or Val Thorens. You get the same ski area, great night life, but in less of a "quaint" setting, but for a LOT less cash.
"Now we've never done this before".quackers said:
If you haven't been skiing before, lessons are going to be far and away the most important consideration - they will determine whether you love or hate skiing.
Have a look at Andorra, if they have snow (which just at the moment, they don't), they also have native English speaking instructors (many from New Zealand) who aren't primarily focused on showing off. France is great for skiing, Andorra is much, much better for learning to ski - and enjoying learning.
Alternatively, go to a French resort and seek out and pay for private tuition from a BASI qualified instructor.
Incidentally, "a short ski weekend" for your first ski trip is a bit optimistic. Until you can get down a long cruisey blue and handle drag lifts & chairs, you wont really know what skiing is all about.
Good luck, I hope you get to go and never look back!
Soldato
Yes definitely, half a day spent on a dry ski slope or one of the snowdomes is the difference between wasting your first day abroad in the uber-n00b group and getting on with proper lessons as soon as you get there
Have had good experiences in Austria (Zell am See), lovely little town and lots of runs, plus a bus to glacier skiing if the snow isn't great. Good nightlife too without loads of idiots! The instruction is top notch as well from the people I've chatted to there.
Have had good experiences in Austria (Zell am See), lovely little town and lots of runs, plus a bus to glacier skiing if the snow isn't great. Good nightlife too without loads of idiots! The instruction is top notch as well from the people I've chatted to there.
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Associate
brakeinup said:
Myself, Best Mate & The girlfriends are off to La Plagne 1800 for a week from March 11th - Can't wait. Cost us about £550 each for Travel / Transfer / Accomodation / Equipment & Pass.
Decathlon is very good for clothing and accessories.
Keep in mind that a dry slope is so different to skiing on real snow it's not even funny. But yes i would recommend learning as much as possible before you go. And if it's your first skiing holiday you should have lessons every morning, and practice what you learnt in the afternoons. Youd be a danger to yourself and others if you get to the top of the mountain and struggle down.
Scam said:
dry slope skiing is crap, well it is at sheffield ski village. I recommend you go to Xscape (wakefield) and go down a few times.
I learned by my dad putting me on the intermediate then main slope at ski village and just bombing down until i learned not to crash. After a few times there I went to italy where I did all the runs my dad did (not very well mind)
Real snow is so much more fun than dry (and it doesnt shred your arms/other body parts when you fall !