Re: >>Skiing Holidays
Some other posts
dinky
Unregistered User
Ski in Scotland
thinking of taking a weekend break to ski in Scotland.
Anyone done this and can recommend where to go/stay/how to get there? Or even if there is enough snow there to ski right now! thanks
travel fan
Unregistered User
scotland ski
try aviemore.co.uk =
www.cairngormschamber.com/ think I remember this as being the centre of organised skiing and other outdoor sports in scotland. Also where there was a piece on dog sledding in scotland
Martin
Unregistered User
Snow Holiday
Anyone any experience of a snow holiday thinking mainly of my kids. Would Scotland be a possibility say in February. Just for them to experience lots of snow.
Thanks.
Enaja
Registered User
Re: Snow Holiday
I don't think you would really get any snow. It really isn't that cold there. Been there a few times at Christmas and have yet to see a flake! I'd say you would be better with somewhere in Europe that can guarantee snow or else how about Lapland I'm sure they would love that.
zag
Administrator
Re: Snow Holiday
Snow in Scotland can be a bit hit and miss. It has the advantage that it is relatively close at hand, but the disadvantage that you may not get any snow at all. Good for last minute, but not good for forward planning.
We got flights to Munich in the Aer Lingus sale last year, booked a train and accommodation online and saved a good bit over the brochures. If you aren't going for ski-school then the cost of the overall package drops again.
z
zag
Administrator
Skischool for children
Anyone had any experience of kindergarten or skischool for young children in Mayrhofen in Austria ?
All the websites and brochures talk about the fact that they exist and take the children from a very young age, but not the practicalities, like can you leave the kids in for 2 or 3 days instead of the whole week, or only part of the day, etc . . .
Anyone used these types of places ?
z
junior
Registered User
Skischool for children
Zag
Don't have experience of that skischool but in general it is at the parent discretion if they go or not, but if they miss classes they will fall behind the rest and later on in the week my miss out on coming down some runs. From my experience kids school runs at faster pace then for adults so even a class behind means they could be left behind.
temptedd
Moderator
Re: Skischool for children
Just back from my first ever skiing hol so I was being outclassed by the kids...in our resort they could choose 3 or 5 days but you had to start on day 1 and if you wanted to stay in the same group, you had to go to consecutive lessons. Otherwise, you were put into another group of slow learners!
Marion
Moderator
Re: Skischool for children
Children’s lessons are slightly less and include lunch. The schools are: Ski School Manfred Gager (63800), Ski School Mayrhofen Total (63939), and Peter Habeler Ski and Alpine School (62829). Most ski schools offer rentals.
Above taken from Inghams [broken link removed]
zag: Click on the Kids' courses link to view daily/weekly prices.
Marion
Redbhoy
Registered User
late ski deals
Does anyone know of any good places to get a late ski deal for february. We're looking for a good cheap deal (very cheap if poosible).
Tiger
http://www.directski.com/
Have a look at
www.directski.com/ for some discounted last minute deals. (They're Irish, I believe the same crowd as panorama but I'm not sure on that).
Don't forget the rest of the package probably won't be discounted:
- ski & boot hire: 80-120 E
- Ski pass: 180 - 250 E
- Ski School: ~150 E
- Travel insurance: 60 E
These vary from country to country so check the total package before you book.
Redbhoy
Registered User
Re: http://www.directski.com/
Thanks for that Tiger. I seen prices on Aertel that were too good to be true. Those extras bring the price up an awful lot. Thanks for the warning.
diamonds
Unregistered User
skiing for families
Can anybody recommend a family skiing resort and accommodation with facilities for children from 3 years old. Thanks in advance.
Redbhoy
Registered User
Re: skiing for families
Im just back from Soldeu, in Andorra. First time skiing for me. There was plenty of ski schools and i noticed that a few of them catered solely for young kids. Travel agent can sort everything for you. Inghams were our reps and were very good. There are separate nursery slopes for young kids too. Kids as yound as 4 or 5 were passing us on the bigger slopes too. Bit of advice- Dont stay in Hotel Confort as its 2kms from Gondola station. I found the place enjoyable and will hopefully be returning next year with my two wee'uns.
Cochese
Registered User
skiing for families
I'm just back from my maiden voyage in Mayrhofen in Austria with Crystal Holidays. Stayed in Strass Snow Homes which are 20 feet from the Penken gondola station. There's also a free bus which chugs around the village and stops at both the Penken and Ahorn gondolas. It's very important not to have to walk far to the stations as it can be very difficult in those fecking boots carring skis, sticks etc. Lots of two and three year olds were getting tuition when I was there. Some of them could barely walk. Some very gentle baby slopes for absolute beginners and lots of very good (blue) beginners & (red) intermediate slopes. Excellent (black) near vertical slopes for the psychos as well. Village, scenery etc is beautiful and has to be seen. Transfer from Innsbruck is 1.5 hours and Salzburg about 2.5-3 hours.
zag
Administrator
Re: skiing for families
Mayrhofen is supposedly the business when it comes to childrens ski school if the brochures are to be believed. Ski schools in most resorts will only take kids from 4 year up, but in Mayrhofen they take them from 3 up and also have a number of snow kindergartens for the really youngies.
We just came back from there and our 4 year old had a great time in ski school, while the 2 year old eventually had a good time in the kindergarten after the snow stopped and they could go outside.
There is a (reportedly) good kindergarten down in the village, but I wouldn't recommend it as it only opens at 0830 or 0900 which means by the time you leave small people off and get back towards the lifts it will be chockers (and late).
The ski school we used was SMT (something like Ski Mayrhofen Total) and the staff were great and flexible - ending up telling us that they would just bill us at the end of the week depending on the number of days used rather than billing in advance as their rather strict terms and conditions imply. They also suggested waiting until the kids were sorted before booking our own ski school (which saved us a packet) since they knew it would take a while to get them sorted and we would probably miss some of the lessons. In the end we just abandoned ski school entirely and did a bit of free-skiing. If you are bringing a grandparent along it would help with the logistics a lot.
I take it you are enquiring about next year ? Unless you go somewhere with a glacier, you will be doing *extremely* well to find anywhere with snow at this stage, and even then the lift companies will probably have shut down as the season ends towards the end of March.
I recommend leaving your (and kids) skis and possibly boots up at the middle station. Whatever about carrying your own skis - carrying yours and kids and trying to marshall kids on the narrow streets and busy bus just isn't a winner.
Oh yes - most important - do *NOT* book a package holiday as :
1) you will pay almost full price for the kids
2) you will be stuck in some awful small room with the kids wedged in somewhere
3) you will be forced to go out to get food for the kids when they don't like (or are too tired to eat) the food in the hotel
Have a dig around the web and you will see that most of the hotels offer *free* accommodation and food for kids staying with their parents. The holiday companies do not pass this on.
We booked a (huge) 2 bedroom apartment with kitchen, living room and 2 bathrooms (with bath/shower) for €100 a night. If there had been 4 adults staying there it would have meant an accommodation cost of under €200 per person. Compare that with the brochure prices for a single bedroom with no cooking facilities.
We booked €79 fares with EI to Munich, tube to the railway station, pre-booked tickets (and reservations) on an Intercity, and then took a local railway to Mayrhofen. A doddle. Took a little while, but it was grand.
cochese - were you that Irish bloke wearing the mad clothes and dragon-tail hat, belting down the nursery slopes with a beer in hand ? Seriously, were you there over Patricks week ? What was the snow like ? We were there the previous week and there was great snow, but it was melting pretty fast.
Cheers,
z
Cochese
Registered User
skiing for families
I was there for Patrick's week alright but it wasn't me you saw. I brought my hat but it kept slipping down over my eyes. I had a difficult enough time staying upright on the skis let alone scoff cold ones on my way to oblivion. I missed a few lessons due to sun-stroke and tiredness and it told in the end. There was plenty of snow when I was there and I understood that there was enough for a few weeks yet. Apparently the skiing goes on until the end of April. I hadn't skied before so wouldn't be able to tell the difference between 'good' snow and not so 'good' snow. Did the lessons with Wiviann of SMT and will probably pay for private (skiing!) lessons with her next year.
ISBN
Registered User
Skiing for Beginners
Hi, I'm hoping to go skiing early next year and am an absolute beginner. Anyone have any tips to give me? What is the best travel agent to book through and where to go? Is it really hard????
karton2004
Registered User
Skiing is the best
You will have a ball!!!! For beginners I would recommend Soldeu in Andorra as it has an excellent ski school and plenty of wide gradual slopes. Who you go with and where you go is dependant on budget - the cheapest areas are andorra, some parts of Italy and France. austria and switzerland are the dearest. Expect to pay at least €450-€500 for a package. Do keep an eye on the inghams last minute deals - we went last year for €160 half board - excellent holiday. Best advice I can give to a beginner is to remain patient for the first few days - you will find it frustrating trying to get the hang of it in ski school but aftre a few days when you have it its fantastic. Have a blast.
Litirspam
Registered User
Ski holidays?
I am planning on going skiing with a few friends next christmas. I don't know where to start looking or where to go. can anyone advise please?
Raid250
Ski
Have a look at
crystalholidays.ie/, their new brochure is out now for next season, pick a resort and then go online and research the resort....most have their own websites, also look for reviews on-line, this will give a better indication whether the resort will suit your ski level......
I have been to Lillehammer/Hafjell (great for beginners, not much nightlife) but would recommend the Wilder Kaiser area for mixed group's, try Ellmau / Soll .....