Beginners holiday - help needed

cacio

Hi I'm looking for some help and hope this is the best place to get it.
I've done a search on this forum but didn't find an answer.

I want to book a ski holiday as a surprise for my boyfriend. There might be another couple going with us but I don't know yet.
We'll all be beginners at skiing and snow-boarding. I was looking at packages on some sites but as the other couple would only be able to go from Wednesday to Sunday they weren't the best options.
I've tried googling options to book accommodation separately but only got a few results.

What we want from the holiday (in order) is:
Good for beginners in skiing and snowboarding. A school is needed.
Good nightlife - bars, cinema, restaurants. Nightclubs aren't important.
Cheap - My budget is about €500pp
Activities - ice-skating, sledging, husky rides, bowling etc.
Scenery

His birthday is the end of February so we'll be going on 21st, 22nd, 23rd if possible for one week.

Any help or links would be really appreciated.

Thanks!

robinph

You'll struggle to find anything outside of the weekend to weekend deals and going mid week will be akward to find accomodation due to that then messing up the occupancy for wherever you are trying to stay. Most resorts run on a Saturday to Saturday schedule, Andorra runs Sunday to Sunday though and there might be the odd one or two other places that do sundays as well.

Overflow

Yup have to agree with robinph, you will be hard pushed to find accommodation, that is apartments midweek. You could book a hotel if you are arriving mid-week, but hotels can be very expensive, i think you have left it a bit late to be booking apartments at this stage, most regular skiers starting booking there holidays around august, well at least i do.
You might get some late deals with some tour operaters.

cacio

My boyfriend and I will be there for the week.
The other couple would be arriving mid-week so we could book a two-bedroomed place for the week if it wasn't too expensive.

Any idea where to go?
Is it better to book through an operator or separately?

Thanks

Overflow

you could try do it seperately but it might be a bit late a this stage, nearly everywhere will be booked up. Your probably better off going with a tour operator, but then your situation with your friends coming mid week wouldnt work out with that. You should try Andorra out or Livgnio Italy, both great for beginners.

Static M.e.

As mentioned Andorra and Livigno are both great spots for beginners.

i71jskz5xu42pb

OK so weekend to weekend is the way most package operators do. But it's very easy to self organise a trip that is not weekend to weekend.

Use the British Ski club site to find the appropriate resort (you can filter on resorts suitable for beginners+good night life) and marry that with flights from Dublin (or wherever you are going from)
http://www.dublinairport.com/plan-your-trip/destination_map.html

I've done this a few times. Scheduled flights to Munich, Zurich, etc will all have you within easy striking distance of the slopes. Ryanair will get you closer as they fly into some of the smaller airports. Many B&Bs will organise a shuttle bus to pick you up or you can train it to a lot of the resorts.

Accommodation - B&B's can be found in most of the Swiss and Austrian resorts (I can't talk to anywhere else). Most resorts have a town council web site with lists of B&Bs. Google "Pension" for the Geman speaking countries. The standard is generally very high and they are very reasonably priced.

To be honest I think this is a much better option - package trips can be shíte. Annoying reps in your face, flying in the middle of the night, long bus journeys, etc. Not my cup of tea anyway.

irishspark

I only started skiing at 23 and as a couple that have no experience at all with slopes you would be better with a package deal as there is a fair bit to take in.
You have to organise flights, accom, transfers (Which are approx 3-4 hrs), ski school, ski hire, lift passes.... etc etc. so its nice to know the reps/ tour operator has all this covered especially for your first time. After you get a bit of experience it is easier to organise yourself as previous posts have mentioned.
For cheap ski deals check out topflight and skimcneal. I went through the UK last year for one cheap deal using Crystalski and it was spot on.

Areas that are really cheap at the moment are Bulgaria and Andorra and they are perfect for beginners with excellent ski schools. Make sure though if you are going for a late deal some tour operators require a minimum of 2 weeks to book ski school/passes etc. its worth a call to check them out. If you want more info on the places that I went on just PM as I travelled as a couple too as beginners

spurscormac

If you're staying for the week, then you could go with a 2-bed apt for the week & have your friends join you later.
You may be lucky to get something with late availability, but I think that week is one of the peak weeks (schools off in various countries).

Hard to know what flight deals you'll get now, but check all the usual suspects, they are flogging seats, you might get a deal on the days you want.
You'll be doing well to get everything under €500 pp.
For instance, my selfmade ski trip this year, 1st week of March will cost:
Flights €150pp
Accom €300pp
Ski Hire + school: €190 (found a deal on this, usually ~€220 when seperate)
Lift Pass: €180
Transfers: ~€80pp (cos we're going to get a private transfer rather than a bus)

So all in, we're looking @ €800 pp without any food or drink catered for.
Thats not including any gear - we've built up our stuff over the past couple of years, so have all the essentials.

flikflak

If you guys are going Sat - Sat then you will be fine for your lessons as you can book in for a weeks ski school. Your friends will have to book all private lessons as they will be arriving mid week when all the groups will be half way through their week of lessons. This could prove very costly.

I would say you will struggle to find anything now as that is peak week for a lot of countries as all the kids are off school.

You will deffo not get anything for €500 for those dates. I am going mid March had it booked since Sept and am paying about €500 but thats with no ski hire or lessons.


If the other couple can only go Weds - Sun then it hardly seems worth their while as by the time they get there on Weds they will have to get to resort and collect all their ski stuff and they will be leaving Sun so Thurs, Fri and Sat are their only ski days and they cant learn the basics in such a short time.

Also if you do book an appartment then you will need to book if from Sat - Sat and thats no good if your friends are there until Sun - they will either have to come back early (which then means only 2 days of skiing) or book into a hotel for one night which could be expensive and hard to find at such a peak time.

I would say dump the other couple and try and find yourself a deal with a TO and book a learn to ski package if you are still keen to go.

Either that or wait until next year and look early when you will have your choice of accom and resort.

keezer

Just got back from our 1st ski holiday, we went to a place called samoens, we went from a wednesday to wednesday, with coveyski.com......they organised everything, lift passes,ski hire,accomadation,tuation etc. The 3 lads that run it also own an irish pub there and would do anything for you or needed

Cost approx 700-750 each but that included everything apart from the clothing

ShayK1

my first thoughts on reading this are... €500pp is not enough.

mcgratheoin

spurscormac wrote: »

For instance, my selfmade ski trip this year, 1st week of March will cost:
.......
So all in, we're looking @ €800 pp without any food or drink catered for.
Thats not including any gear - we've built up our stuff over the past couple of years, so have all the essentials.

^^^ What he said. My trip this year is coming in very cheap, but €500 is really asking a lot. I'm paying about €200 return for flights and €350 for 7 nights B&B with 5 evening meals included. Add in €200 for a lift pass and straight away it's €750.
I have my own gear so no rental cost (but flights are about €50 more because of extra luggage) and I don't need any lessons, though I may get an off-piste guide for a day or two.
Just remember when you see offers for a week's skiing from say, €249pp, that usually means self-catering and no lift-pass, gear hire, or lessons included. Any first timer asks me and I tell them to budget for €1000 and they won't be too unpleasantly surprised.

Overflow

flikflak wrote: »

If you guys are going Sat - Sat then you will be fine for your lessons as you can book in for a weeks ski school. Your friends will have to book all private lessons as they will be arriving mid week when all the groups will be half way through their week of lessons. This could prove very costly.

I would say you will struggle to find anything now as that is peak week for a lot of countries as all the kids are off school.

You will deffo not get anything for €500 for those dates. I am going mid March had it booked since Sept and am paying about €500 but thats with no ski hire or lessons.


If the other couple can only go Weds - Sun then it hardly seems worth their while as by the time they get there on Weds they will have to get to resort and collect all their ski stuff and they will be leaving Sun so Thurs, Fri and Sat are their only ski days and they cant learn the basics in such a short time.

Also if you do book an appartment then you will need to book if from Sat - Sat and thats no good if your friends are there until Sun - they will either have to come back early (which then means only 2 days of skiing) or book into a hotel for one night which could be expensive and hard to find at such a peak time.

I would say dump the other couple and try and find yourself a deal with a TO and book a learn to ski package if you are still keen to go.

Either that or wait until next year and look early when you will have your choice of accom and resort.

Have to agree with everything you said there.

Lolamaud

cacio wrote: »

Hi I'm looking for some help and hope this is the best place to get it.
I've done a search on this forum but didn't find an answer.

I want to book a ski holiday as a surprise for my boyfriend. There might be another couple going with us but I don't know yet.
We'll all be beginners at skiing and snow-boarding. I was looking at packages on some sites but as the other couple would only be able to go from Wednesday to Sunday they weren't the best options.
I've tried googling options to book accommodation separately but only got a few results.

What we want from the holiday (in order) is:
Good for beginners in skiing and snowboarding. A school is needed.
Good nightlife - bars, cinema, restaurants. Nightclubs aren't important.
Cheap - My budget is about €500pp
Activities - ice-skating, sledging, husky rides, bowling etc.
Scenery

His birthday is the end of February so we'll be going on 21st, 22nd, 23rd if possible for one week.

Any help or links would be really appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi Cacio
Trying to contact you as we know the pefect place in Serre Chavelier France sleeps 6-8 but last minute deals.
Lolamaud