Ski Season 2019/2020

mulbot wrote: »

Hi. Yea I always book with an operator when doing the family trip. I haven't been able to get cheaper going DIY so it does take the hassle out of it.

I can't agree.

We went to Arinsal, Andorra last February half term, we are going again this year.
I booked both trips DIY.
The trips were at least 40% cheaper DIY. Perhaps the difference is down to the fact that Andorra is served by 3 airlines via Barcelona which keeps flights costs down. Can also travel via Toulouse but its an expensive, Aer lingus only, airport

We (2 adults, 3 children 15,13,10) are staying 8 nights at Ribasol self catering apartments. Flights, accomodation and a hired jeep(xfers similar price) cost €2296.95.
Pricing the exact same accomodation for 7 nights, flights and transfers with topflight costs €4989.
Our flight times are more kind than those offered by Topflight, we get an extra day in the resort, the drive is a pleasant 3 hours compared to a 4 hour non stop bus journey.

Something else about going DIY if you do it, is that you can control your own transfer/car hire etc, so it reduces the possibility of waiting for 2 or 3 other flights to arrive in before your transfer departs.

mulbot wrote: »

Nice. Yes the package flight times are a pain in the as$. Do you mind me asking who you've booked flights with,and how tryout book accommodation? I'm looking at our trip for January at the minute,be great if I could save a few Euro.

Hi I booked in May, though I'd originally booked the accomodation through airbnb and then found the same place for €800 less, so cancelled and saved €400 with the airbnb cancellation fee. I use every source to find accomodation; Airbnb, esquiades.com(includes ski-passes in price), direct with providers, hotels.com, booking.com, trivago, there are Facebook groups which have ideas too. Some accomodation is only available from tour operators. As we decided on only Arinsal, it was easier to narrow the search.

I booked flights out with Vueling; they have a family fare including bags and seats that might save a few bob, I've booked Ryanair on the way back as Vueling was very expensive and the Ryanair mid-afternoon flight time is easier for travelling from Andorra.

Hi, we are a group of 8 in our mid 20s thinking about heading to livigno around new years time. Just wondering from anyone who has been there before what are the best areas to stay as I believe there are several towns close by? Thanks in advance

Nice little resort, enjoy. I gather the town at the bottom, aosta, may be nice, I think its like a Roman town or something, we just bypassed it to resort. But if you get bored you could always head there. Resort is small but you're planning on family time as opposed to skiing like a Duracell bunny so should be fine.

Mayrhofen certainly has a boozey atmosphere, and large british following so would I assume be good for night life. I did a day in saalbach, in very heavy snow, which made it look extra quaint. Its also very popular with brits but I suspect nightlife is more aimed at older audience, I'd imagine live music as opposed to ski techno anthems mit dj jurgen. Never been to soll but it has a very active irish following and a reputation for being ideal for skiers on their early trips who want to have good fun apres ski also.

You won't go far wrong with any of these resorts. But maybe your best criteria would be which suits your other half on her first trip. In this regard, in mayrhofen almost all the skiing is accessed from a lift from the town that climbs up a very steep cliff and you can't ski down. It might be a small bit more intimidating than Saalbach which is quite a gentle mountain environment, more hills like in ireland than jagged mountain peaks.

I think soll might be closer than mayr from munich if you're DIY and saalbach possibly slightly further. shouldn't be a problem but ski welt (where soll is) is quite low. Not sure if mayr or saalbach are necessarily much higher but both have glacier resorts about half an hour away (hintertux and kaprun) in the unlikely event of the snow being bad

If it was me I'd choose saalbach over mayr, mainly because I didn't like over touristed boozey you are a commodity atmosphere in mayr and Saalbach seemed nicer atmosphere. But I'm hard to please and atmosphere in resort is becoming almost as importation as skiing for me! And I know nothing about soll so maybe someone else will help you out (certainly has a reputation that meets your demographics)

God I fcking love skiing

Can I make that my sig?

a148pro wrote: »

Mayrhofen certainly has a boozey atmosphere, and large british following so would I assume be good for night life. I did a day in saalbach, in very heavy snow, which made it look extra quaint. Its also very popular with brits but I suspect nightlife is more aimed at older audience, I'd imagine live music as opposed to ski techno anthems mit dj jurgen. Never been to soll but it has a very active irish following and a reputation for being ideal for skiers on their early trips who want to have good fun apres ski also.

You won't go far wrong with any of these resorts. But maybe your best criteria would be which suits your other half on her first trip. In this regard, in mayrhofen almost all the skiing is accessed from a lift from the town that climbs up a very steep cliff and you can't ski down. It might be a small bit more intimidating than Saalbach which is quite a gentle mountain environment, more hills like in ireland than jagged mountain peaks.

I think soll might be closer than mayr from munich if you're DIY and saalbach possibly slightly further. shouldn't be a problem but ski welt (where soll is) is quite low. Not sure if mayr or saalbach are necessarily much higher but both have glacier resorts about half an hour away (hintertux and kaprun) in the unlikely event of the snow being bad

If it was me I'd choose saalbach over mayr, mainly because I didn't like over touristed boozey you are a commodity atmosphere in mayr and Saalbach seemed nicer atmosphere. But I'm hard to please and atmosphere in resort is becoming almost as importation as skiing for me! And I know nothing about soll so maybe someone else will help you out (certainly has a reputation that meets your demographics)

God I fcking love skiing

Can I make that my sig?

Thanks a million for the recommendation. I do like the idea of Saalbach and the higher amount of blue slopes compared to Mayrhoven. One thing I have just considered is the transfer time, it looks like Mayr is far easier to access compared to Saalbach. I don't particularly want to rent a car and drive on the mountain roads.

How early can you go skiing? Would there be many resorts open at the start of November? And would they be mobbed? Much more expensive? And how would the snow be?

Want recommended resorts would be appreciated.

Booked my first ever ski trip and I'm so excited. Going with a group of friends / mutual friends with experience of all ranges.
We are heading to tignes in January and so far have flights, transfers and accommodation booked.
Any tips or recommendation for ski hire, lessons etc?
I'm a total newbie so other than the ski trousers, coat, gloves what else needs to be brought in luggage?

OffalyMedic wrote: »

Booked my first ever ski trip and I'm so excited. Going with a group of friends / mutual friends with experience of all ranges.
We are heading to tignes in January and so far have flights, transfers and accommodation booked.
Any tips or recommendation for ski hire, lessons etc?
I'm a total newbie so other than the ski trousers, coat, gloves what else needs to be brought in luggage?

Get a couple of lessons in Dublin before you go. I got three before my first week and it was the difference between getting to go on a (very) easy trek to an ice bar at the end of the week as opposed to being on the same three or four runs all week long (one person on our trip got no lessons before and barely got away from base station).

Don't be a scaredy cat. What feels very fast is in fact embarrassingly slow. And once you lose that fear you'll be more inclined to lean forward and be more in control of your skiing and you'll simply "get it" faster.

Book equipment close to the lift and get a locker for your boots. You don't want to be hailing that gear around unnecessarily.

You have to get lessons in case you were in any doubt. You'll be a danger to yourself and others without, you need the instruction in your first week more than ever, you usually get a good group and they're great fun. I'll admit that I've had mixed experience with group lessons, 4 instructors in 2 years. 2 were fantastic and 2 were shockingly bad - I learned nothing from those 2. In my second year I'd have gone off on my own if I hadn't been moved up a class, but in the first year that's just not an option. I was fortunate that they just switched our instructor.

As regards equipment, you'll need ski socks, base layers, sun cream, goggles / sun glasses. I used the sun glasses much more in year one as the goggles were fogging up, I think due to my lack of speed. A neck gator is great for extra warmth and if it gets very cold you can bring it up over your face.

Sports direct stuff tends to be very decent quality for the price and the price is great. Keep an eye out for lidl / aldi ski gear too - again the quality tends to be very good.

It's absolutely the best holiday you can go on. I'm excited on your behalf!

OffalyMedic wrote: »

We have a chalet that we can ski to and from so I assume I don't need locker near slope?

There may be a slope to and from the chalet, but you probably won't be able up ski it at the start of the week and possibly not even the end depending on how tricky it is! You might find yourself walking to the lift each morning.

Usually you can leave the skis with the place you rent them from, so I'd rent near to the lift. It might be a few euro more than going down the town for them, but if it saves even a 500m walk wearing your ski boots and carrying your skis you'll be glad you spent it!

The locker only really fits the boots, but possibly the most satisfying part of a day is taking those things off! So again for a couple of euro each day I'd rent a locker for the week. If it turns out you're fine to ski in and out each day then that's great.

If you have hiking shoes I'd bring them for the week as your footwear too btw. Hopefully the town will be snowy when you're there. And snow melts, so it's nice if your shoes are waterproof.

OffalyMedic wrote: »

We have a chalet that we can ski to and from so I assume I don't need locker near slope?

You can just sort this out when you get there and the chalet staff will be able to tell you what's best. Unlikely you'll be able to meaningfully ski back to the chalet on your first day but you never know. I think a lot of those chalets offer a service where they get you your skis and also where they will spin you to or from a particular ski lift at the start / end of the day and obviously carry your skis so you may not end up needing the locker, but either way you can suss this out when you get there. Enjoy!

Lidl gear hitting stores on 7th November. I skied with a few people who were head to toe in it and never cold or wet. I had some of their gear. I much preferred their socks that cost a couple of euro to the great outdoors ones that were about 15.

OffalyMedic wrote: »

Booked my first ever ski trip and I'm so excited. Going with a group of friends / mutual friends with experience of all ranges.
We are heading to tignes in January and so far have flights, transfers and accommodation booked.
Any tips or recommendation for ski hire, lessons etc?
I'm a total newbie so other than the ski trousers, coat, gloves what else needs to be brought in luggage?

i use precision ski in tignes le lac, he gave me his own off piste skis,do a bit of googleing u might get a discount code, bring lots of socks and terminals