Ski hire question

xRodge

Hey all,
Me and the girlfriend are going skiing in a few weeks to Austria (to Niderau). Normally we'd have things like ski passes and equipment hire sorted in advance, but this time she only wants to ski a few days as she feels able to - she hurt herself last time we went and isn't confident she could ski a whole week. So we haven't booked our gear yet.

My question is, is there any problems just finding a ski hire place and renting gear by the day? I know the answer is probably obvious, but we've never not had these things arranged before we go.
Also, I intend skiing every day (our hotel has a pool and spa for her ladyship to keep busy on days she's not skiing and I am). Is a week's hire of equipment and week's lift passes generally cheaper if you get them yourselves as opposed going through the package operator (Crystal in this case)?

olaola

By they day will be more expensive, but if you explain to the rental place - they're usually quite reasonable, they might give you some leeway.
Lift passes are the same price, no matter who you buy them from.

I'd be wary of hiring through an operator, more often than not - you get sent to a crappy shop. Look at the resort website and get a list of rental places. We usually use Intersport - if only for the fact that their gear is always in great condition, email any shop first - ask for a discount.

a148pro

Easy peezy to get skis by the day, half day etc. Its obv cheaper to get them for longer.

Don't know about the second question as I haven't gone on a package for years.

Fattes

Always cheaper and better if you organize the ski hire yourself.!!!!

Little tip bring the Hire staff a box of chocs from and they will treat you like royalty for the week.

TO tend to get good deals for rentals but the shops will give you crap because they know that you will complain to the TO and not to them!

EileenG

You'll probably get a better deal if you book yourself. The tour operators usually keep the cut for block bookings, and you are often locked into one shop or one brand of ski equipment.

Most hotels or apartments have an arrangement with ski shops that is worth 10-20% off. If in doubt, tell the shop that you are staying in whatever hotel and ask for a discount. Hell, tell them you are a member of the Boards ski club and ask for a discount. You never know.

Ski shops will hire day by day, no trouble. I suggest you hire for a week, but say that she's nervous about skiing and may stop early. They are well used to people coming back early due to injury or illness or whatever. And you can bet that Crystal will not give you a refund if you decide skiing is not for you.

Getting a refund on ski pass is pretty hard, so it might be worth buying that day by day until you are sure she'll like skiing. Still worth asking the hotel if they have any arrangement with the tourist office about a reduction on lift passes.

bovril

EileenG wrote: »

Still worth asking the hotel if they have any arrangement with the tourist office about a reduction on lift passes.

It's worth asking alright but I booked with a TO this year and asked the hotel and local tourist office for discounts on the lift pass and got nowhere as I didn't book through them. They do have offers alright but they don't seem to give them to people who book through TOs.. I did get a discount booking ski hire and lift pass with one of the shops by booking online at least a week in advance. It costs nothing to e-mail them all and ask so I'd advise to get on to the local tourist website and e-mail them all in advance and try your luck!!

xRodge

Tourist office, great idea! And thanks for the pointers all.

I had been looking to find a specific ski hire place in Niedaru and couldn't find anything but the generic ski hire sites. Hopefully the place has a tourist office with a web presence....

EileenG

Don't worry, there will be several ski shops and it's worth asking in the hotel when you get there, they may be able to recommend one for cheap prices or extra service or something similar.

If you are booking the hotel through a tour operator, as mentioned, it will be harder to get discounts on ski hire, but it's definitely worth getting onto the tourist office and seeing if buying on-line in advance will get you some money off.