Skiers, recommend chalet companies please!

Scam · 29 Jul 2009 at 10:45

As above really. 7 friends and I are trying to sort out a chalet for ourselves for early January but are finding it quite difficult. Who are the big/best/well-known companies to go to? We had a deposit half-paid on one with Snowfinders but it turned out it was above a bar and there were lots of bad reviews, so that fell through. It seems very hard to know exactly what you're getting.

We're looking at anywhere (France really, but i'm open-minded if there is a good chance of decent snow) but need a resort with decent beginner slopes - as we have 3 newbies. We also need it to be a decent size as the rest of us are intermediate/advanced.

Any links/advice would be appreciated. Ideally we want a catered chalet to ourselves, preferably in a quietish resort (we're there to ski, not drink

).

Thanks!

The Dread Pirate · 29 Jul 2009 at 10:48

http://www.skitigneslesbrevieres.co.uk/

Skiddley · 29 Jul 2009 at 11:13

igluski for a package

Scam · 30 Jul 2009 at 15:32

Skiddley said:
igluski for a package

I saw these banded about a fair bit. Any other companies? How do people normally go about booking chalets for a large group? Do you go with a company that does it all, or can you get it cheaper by booking flights etc. separately? Also, it seems like chalets are getting booked up already. Should we be getting this sorted now rather than later?

Any more advice would be useful.

waso_dude · 30 Jul 2009 at 15:41

http://www.riders-retreat.co.uk/winter_index.php

Stayed with them in the summer mountain biking.

Awsome guys, have a chat to them, they will hook you up and also show u about.

Skiddley · 30 Jul 2009 at 15:42

Crystal, Inghams (resold by igluski) worth checking out.

http://www.inghams.co.uk/chaletfinder/chalet_finder2.pl?brochure=ski

Depends when you want to go, and how close you want to be to the lifts etc. Christmas & new year is pretty booked up already. I was looking at mid dec or very early jan (some good deals on).

Booking separately can save you about 100quid or so, and you can tailor it. Not tried booking a chalet directly myself tho, only hotels. Main benefit for me, is that I can tailor to fly from LHR, not the usual LGW or Stanstead - worth thinking about.

I'd be booking in the next few weeks for dec\jan if I were you.

Skidder · 30 Jul 2009 at 15:54

Theyr'e not the biggest but in my experience they are among the very best. Val d'Isere only but that is no bad thing since it's ****** great!

http://www.yseski.co.uk/

Great chalets - I've used them about six or seven times and have stayed in four or so different chalets. The staff are brilliantly trained (and the owner tends to hire attractive blond girls almost exclusively) food is fantastic. Very honest descriptions about the chalets and even the lowest grade ones are excellent. Can't go wrong with them.

If you don't know Val it's very snow sure. There is some great terrain for every level and the better people in your group will particularly enjoy it. Some great off piste too. Don't believe the hype about nothing for beginners we've had new people in our group several time and there is loads for them and plenty of ways for them to get up the mountain.