First time sking trip

B

bradfield

Registered User
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Hello all,

Just some basic advice. We are looking at going sking in the New Year, have never been before and I was just wondering what people thought of a week in a sking resort in Austria with bed and breakfast, 3 star all the sking gear and lessons for beginers for €1112 euro? Is that good? I know sking is expensive but is this fairly average?

B
 
Is that per person? Or for two people? If it's for two it's good value, if it's per person, I think you can probably get a better deal. If it's a small group, I would wait till closer to the time and book something last minute - www.directski.com (no affiliation, just have used them a few times) usually have last minute deals. I don't think there is any point in spending a fortune the first time, wait and see if you get bitten by the skiing bug first!
 
Sounds about right to me for that area. I just priced the Today FM ski trip to Austria, €860, before board/skis/boots which would push it near to the grand mark.

Austria does seem to be very expensive (to me) compared with some other resorts. Is your heart set on Austria? I havent been there but to give some other options: we (12 of us) went to Italy (Livingo) in Feb this year (and also in Feb 05) and it cost around €650 all-in for flights, BnB, snowboard and boots (or skis and boots). Great spot, would really recommend it, especially for beginners (which we were in 05) as there are lots of handy blue runs to build your confidence and also some longer blues for later in the week when you are a little more comfortable with the whole thing.

I have been to Andorra (Pas de la Casa) as well (Feb 06) and that was also nowhere near as expensive as your qoute.

I would suggest trying a cheaper resort for the first time as you probably wont get the value out of going to an expensive resort if its your first time, as you will spend Monday to Wednesday falling over, especially if snowboarding!

Of the 2 I mentioned, I would recommend Livingo over Andorra.

Hope this helps, and good luck!

(Those prices also included lessons and lift pass)
 
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Thanks for the opinions!

Flanders the trip I priced was the Today FM Trip too! The price includes everything and while it is expensive from some feedback from family and friends its not crazy expensive it seems as it includes lessons and all the gear too! The Today fm trip is supposed to be great so that why we thought it would be good as a first time ski experience!

B
 
Ha ha!

So are you gonna go for that one? Apparently the accommodation is booking up fast, im still humming and hawing about it....
 
bradfield said:
B
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That seems about right for Austria at New Years which is their priciest week of the whole season - New Year's Eve celebrations are super - you'll have a blast

that week doesn't tend to feature too much in late offers as it is the premium holiday skiing week so i'd book it fast if i was you ...

enjoy!
 
Have you looked at Clavier in Italy, I have been skiing a few times mainly austria and go as part of a very mixed group - some very good some very weak, all loved Clavier.

Italy in general is cheaper than Austria and the food is better.. Clavier is also a quieter resort and the weaker skiers found it great as there weren't millions of people buzzing past them..
 
On an aside....if it's your first time going skiing and you're not too far from Kilternan, it's well worth spending a bit of time and money on some 'dry slope' lessons before you go. That way, you get all the basics out of the way (e.g. how to put on boots, carry skis, start/stop, etc.) and should have a better experience when you first hit the slopes over there. Also, it means you should start on a slightly more advanced class when you get over there.
 
Advice for beginners:
1. Don't go to Andorra. Go somewhere nice with good snow.
2. Don't go to Sierra Nevada in Spain. See above.
3. Go to a high resort if going for new year. Nothing as bad as slush. Check the altitude on the brochures. Try Obergurgl or Obertauern or other high resorts.
4. Spend the few extra bob and go to Austria or Switzerland. Go to the best hotel you can afford and enjoy the comforts after a day on the slopes.
5. Don't even think about Bulgaria. Kip with a capital KK
6. Ryanair and Aer Lingus fly to Salzburg. Book a hotel on the net and ask them to collect you at the airport. No problem for most of them, or hire a car and drive. Cut out the middleman!
7. Remember the golden rule #1. ABC (Anyone But Crystal).
8. Golden rule #2. Don't eat the yellow snow.
Enjoy it!
 
If snowboarding, go somewhere where us skiers don't have to put up with you. Don't wear a helmet, just put on a baseball cap backwards. I beleive that the "gays on trays" have a better time in France, try there!
 
Lollix said:
If snowboarding, go somewhere where us skiers don't have to put up with you. Don't wear a helmet, just put on a baseball cap backwards. I beleive that the "gays on trays" have a better time in France, try there!
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Lollix - Love it:D
 
one time only skier, so all the above are probably very valuable pieces of information.
my tuppence worth is pack blister plasters and 'deep heat', pain killers are your new best friends.... Forget the thermals, go with layers, you can end up sweating like a pig while everyone around you is in t shirts! Bring a small tube of ski specific sun factor with you every day... the sun can be very strong, and the 'red face / white where the goggles were' isn't really a good look!
If like me you end of not liking down hill ski-ing, try the cross country ski-ing, I really loved it, see if your hotel can set up a picnic and go for 5-10k ski. Also try snow boarding as well, it might be the one that 'clicks' for you.
If you really take to ski-ing, forget nightlife, 1 wine and you'll be ready for bed after all that fresh air.
 
Lollix said:
If snowboarding, go somewhere where us skiers don't have to put up with you. Don't wear a helmet, just put on a baseball cap backwards. I beleive that the "gays on trays" have a better time in France, try there!
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Nah. Its much more fun to cut skiers up and take all the snow off them while doing 360 turns. Why dont ye go to France, and take those stupid 26-long lines of "Mighty Duck" 5 year olds with ye!!
 
If we took away all the 5 year olds and left the place to the gays on their trays, it would lower the average mental age too much. Snowboarders should save their pocket money, stay home althoether and get a job as bulldozer drivers, pushing snow down hills while sitting on their arses.
 
Lollix said:
If we took away all the 5 year olds and left the place to the gays on their trays, it would lower the average mental age too much. Snowboarders should save their pocket money, stay home althoether and get a job as bulldozer drivers, pushing snow down hills while sitting on their arses.
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Tut tut tut "gays on trays", "ars*s", what is this forum coming to at all at all.

Snowboarders actually spend quite alot of time on their ars*s, having just fallen over (arising from the fact that its much more difficult than skiing, which pretty just entails standing up, which a 2 year old can do.)
 
This post will be deleted if not edited immediately lads - get over the "gays on trays" and "p*icks on sticks" discussion. As somebody who enjoys skiing and boarding they both have their merits. When boarding I have been taken out by skiers on piste just as much as the other way around. When there is good snow, decent boarders will all be off piste enjoying the powder so skiers can have the pistes all to themselves.

Getting back to the original question - €1100 or so for a week all in is fairly average (even good), unfortunately it is a very expensive sport but oh so worth it. 90% of people who go a snow holiday get the bug and then go every year (hence the deals for beginners). Austria is great for Apres ski with shots and chessy music on the go for about 2 hours after the lifts close. France - not as good apres ski but better nightlife and food.

I went on 2 trips in 2008 - 1 was a DIY job to Garmish in Germany (Austrian border) which cost me about €1000 for 6 days and the other was a week to Val D'Isere in France which was about €2,000 all in. i do have my own equipment and didn't do lessons.

Go - you'll have a blast, be prepared to discover muscles (& aches & pains) in places you never knew existed. Also you'll need a holiday afterwards to recover but it's great.
 
All this skier versus boarder stuff - lads, we're all coming down the hill together having a wonderful time. Lets just enjoy it.
Now, where are those hippies....
 
Man, I like, completely agree, Man.

I offered some advice to the OP and then Lollix waded in so I had to defend myself. Hmmmm, just though, "Lollix", kinda rhymes with B***** ;)
 
we went to Lillehammer in Norway, expensive but very good.

very quite resort and very friendly
 
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