Beginners Ski Weekend on a Budget

Mark Hamill

Looking to book a ski weekend (depart on a Friday, return Sunday) for two absolute beginners some time over the next months, our budget is about €400 per person.
Is this better done via a tour operator (so we don't have to worry about booking equipment, passes and lessons) or should that be simple enough through hotels?

Any and all help is appreciated, thanks:)

EDIT: When is the cheap season for skiing in Europe? We are looking at March/April/May, will the peak season have passed by next month?

jameshayes

if you are absolute beginners you wont get anything from a weekend other than a dislike for skiing. Best thing to do with your money would be to go to a dry slope..

if you depart friday, lets say the morning/afternoon, after transfers you'll be lucky to be able to pick up your passes/ski's before closing which means you will have to do this the following morning. Saturday morning you wake up and go to get your pass, along with every other local going for the weekend, you'll be lucky to be on the lift by 9:30/10, which means you'll get to be able to stand on the ski's, play around on a baby slope and then you'll have to head back down the mountain for 4pm, leave your ski's back and then you'll be so tired from learning to ski and travelling you'll probably hit the hay, wake up the following morning, get on the bus for your transfer and then back on the plane.

you're talking 5-6 hours skiing for a lot of effort.

Mark Hamill

I know it will be cutting it very tight with very little time on the slopes, but 1) we can't take more than a weekend away for this and 2) my partner has never seen real snow so I want somewhere with genuine snow that we can at least have a go skiing on.

Thanks for your points though, I will keep them in mind .

Russman

I've no idea how reliable the snow is there or what the couple of resorts are like, but what about Scotland ? Shorter trip and transfers.

jameshayes

Russman wrote: »

I've no idea how reliable the snow is there or what the couple of resorts are like, but what about Scotland ? Shorter trip and transfers.

This could be your best bet, fly to glasgow/Edinburgh, rent a car and drive to the nevis range, you'll be taking a chance on the snow being good, but it will be a lot cheaper and easier to manage than a 'proper' ski resort..

fannymagee

If you want to combine it with a party, what about going for Paddy's Weekend? There's a thread on it here, and I've posted a load of info on the Soll thread. If you can fly out Friday & return Tuesday you're laughing. As the others said above you won't learn much in terms of skillz, bit you'll have a laugh & see some snow, sounds like that's what you're after :-)

dzer2

Ok

Say you can fly out Thursday evening at 4pm from dub to munich and back Sunday at 8 pm this will give you 2 and a half days on the slopes as long as you rent a car, then anywhere in the tirol will do you.

Booking.com will get you a room or bunk with fanny

you can rent skis online and book lessons

I wouldnt buy a ski pass until you need it

you can get private lessons for 2 but they will be expensive,

You could try out Fattes friends in kilternan before you go.

other than that you can pay for me for the weekend and I will organise the lot for us.

ezekel

jameshayes wrote: »

This could be your best bet, fly to glasgow/Edinburgh, rent a car and drive to the nevis range, you'll be taking a chance on the snow being good, but it will be a lot cheaper and easier to manage than a 'proper' ski resort..

If you do try Scotland, Cairngorm mountain just outside Aviemore is your best bet. I have been a few times on quick breaks to Scotland, the weather can at times be unpredictable mainly winds being too strong so lifts do not run (plenty of snow though). Munich would be a better bet if your tight on time and when you can go, at least you will get to ski somewhere

hawkwind23

im a big fan of eastern europe as a DIY destination , extremely cheap , around €400 for a week all in.
but snow conditions aren't good this year

maybe seeing the snow capped mountains with some lessons on real snow could be done in Zakopane?
return flights to Krakow and £3 bus straight to Zakopane
nevermind the skiing , its a great spot in the mountains and very cheap away from the tourist area , around a tenner for a 3 course meal with drinks!

private ski lesson around £15!

fannymagee

dzer2 wrote: »

Booking.com will get you a room or bunk with fanny

Haha!! No problem- but bunking with Fanny means you go full on Heidi. You'll have to carry firewood, check the cows & collect the eggs in the morning. But they're the best eggs EVER!! Lol

Ps OP your partner has never seen snow? I'm intrigued!! Where is he/she from?!

Mark Hamill

fannymagee wrote: »

Ps OP your partner has never seen snow? I'm intrigued!! Where is he/she from?!

She is from Sao Paolo, Brazil.
She would probably be as happy to just see somewhere covered in snow, if finding somewhere for a weekend's ski is not worth it. Plenty of good ideas so far though, I will go through them with her and see what she thinks.

fannymagee

Mark Hamill wrote: »

She is from Sao Paolo, Brazil.
She would probably be as happy to just see somewhere covered in snow, if finding somewhere for a weekend's ski is not worth it. Plenty of good ideas so far though, I will go through them with her and see what she thinks.

Ah come to Soll so, you'll have a great time!! My Bro-in-law's Philippina girlfriend has just arrived and she is IN LOVE with the place!! :-) xxx