Andorra recommendations?

Specifically - hotels. Something in the 2-3 star range, good value,
friendly, good food, located near to lifts.

Also: Andorra le Vella, Pas de la Casa or Arinsal? Which bit is best to
stay in and why?

Useful websites also appreciated......


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On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 07:17:37 +0100,
(The Older Gentleman) wrote:

Specifically - hotels. Something in the 2-3 star range, good value,
friendly, good food, located near to lifts.

Also: Andorra le Vella,

Too far from the skiing, and the town's apparently just a bigger
version of PdlC, i.e. full of 'duty-free- shops vying to rip you off.

Pas de la Casa

Awful place. Tacky shops, poor service, 'bling'. Good access to
skiing, though.

or Arinsal?

Never stayed there but it's a much smaller ski area.

Which bit is best to stay in and why?

Soldeu. As of three year back the two neighbours (it and PdlC) are
combined into a single ski area GranValira, which is a rival to the
bigger Alpine resorts, both in overall size and variety of skiing.
Mainly North-facing, so pretty snow-sure.

Soldeu town has also transformed in recent years, becoming much less
of a binge-drinking party town (that's still true of Pas de la Casa)
and much more of a family-friendly resort.

Useful websites also appreciated......

www.granvalira.com/gv/

--
Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.

Ace wrote:
On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 07:17:37 +0100,
(The Older Gentleman) wrote:

Specifically - hotels. Something in the 2-3 star range, good value,
friendly, good food, located near to lifts.

Also: Andorra le Vella,

Too far from the skiing, and the town's apparently just a bigger
version of PdlC, i.e. full of 'duty-free- shops vying to rip you off.

Pas de la Casa

Awful place. Tacky shops, poor service, 'bling'. Good access to
skiing, though.

or Arinsal?

Never stayed there but it's a much smaller ski area.

Which bit is best to stay in and why?

Soldeu. As of three year back the two neighbours (it and PdlC) are
combined into a single ski area GranValira, which is a rival to the
bigger Alpine resorts, both in overall size and variety of skiing.
Mainly North-facing, so pretty snow-sure.

Soldeu town has also transformed in recent years, becoming much less
of a binge-drinking party town (that's still true of Pas de la Casa)
and much more of a family-friendly resort.

Useful websites also appreciated......

www.granvalira.com/gv/

Cheers, Ace. Erm, that's an estate agents' website. Not quite what I
had in mind. I'll have a hunt around for hotels in Soldeu.

Just booked flights to Barcelona for the Feb half-term week. Bareges is
out now - hotel's changed hands, and not for the better, and while
we've actually got reservations in St Lary, I thought I'd give Andorra
a look.

On 26 Aug 2005 02:15:06 -0700, wrote:

Ace wrote:
On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 07:17:37 +0100,
(The Older Gentleman) wrote:

Which bit is best to stay in and why?

Soldeu. As of three years back the two neighbours (it and PdlC) are
combined into a single ski area GranValira, which is a rival to the
bigger Alpine resorts, both in overall size and variety of skiing.
Mainly North-facing, so pretty snow-sure.

Soldeu town has also transformed in recent years, becoming much less
of a binge-drinking party town (that's still true of Pas de la Casa)
and much more of a family-friendly resort.

Useful websites also appreciated......

www.granvalira.com/gv/

Cheers, Ace. Erm, that's an estate agents' website. Not quite what I
had in mind. I'll have a hunt around for hotels in Soldeu.

Sorry, I typoed it. Should have been http://www.grandvalira.com/gv/

'Best' hotels would include the Sport and Sport Village Hotels
opposite each other in the main part of the village or the Piolets
Park just outside it.

Down the road (about 2km) at El Tarter there's the Hotel Tarter about
200m from the lifts and the Llop Gris right next to the base station
(I _definitely_ recomment the restaurant). Access on skis from there
to the rest of the area is very simple.

Just booked flights to Barcelona for the Feb half-term week. Bareges is
out now - hotel's changed hands, and not for the better, and while
we've actually got reservations in St Lary, I thought I'd give Andorra
a look.

Good choice. We did a 3-week slot over xmas/new year 2003/2004 and
loved it.

--
Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.

The Xalet Montana in Soldeu is good and friendly. Excellent breakfasts. Been
there twice.
We rarely eat evening meal in the hotel as we prefer to explore. Solkdeu
has a reasonable range.

Andorra La Vella is only for shopping.

Caldea has a really excellent spa place (to me its on the outskirts of
Andorra La Vella).

John

--
John Owens
www.goodviews.co.uk
Fax +44 1509 890822
wrote in message
oups.com...
Ace wrote:
On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 07:17:37 +0100,
(The Older Gentleman) wrote:

Specifically - hotels. Something in the 2-3 star range, good value,
friendly, good food, located near to lifts.

Also: Andorra le Vella,

Too far from the skiing, and the town's apparently just a bigger
version of PdlC, i.e. full of 'duty-free- shops vying to rip you off.

Pas de la Casa

Awful place. Tacky shops, poor service, 'bling'. Good access to
skiing, though.

or Arinsal?

Never stayed there but it's a much smaller ski area.

Which bit is best to stay in and why?

Soldeu. As of three year back the two neighbours (it and PdlC) are
combined into a single ski area GranValira, which is a rival to the
bigger Alpine resorts, both in overall size and variety of skiing.
Mainly North-facing, so pretty snow-sure.

Soldeu town has also transformed in recent years, becoming much less
of a binge-drinking party town (that's still true of Pas de la Casa)
and much more of a family-friendly resort.

Useful websites also appreciated......

www.granvalira.com/gv/

Cheers, Ace. Erm, that's an estate agents' website. Not quite what I
had in mind. I'll have a hunt around for hotels in Soldeu.

Just booked flights to Barcelona for the Feb half-term week. Bareges is
out now - hotel's changed hands, and not for the better, and while
we've actually got reservations in St Lary, I thought I'd give Andorra
a look.

On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 11:39:00 +0100, "John Owens"
wrote:

The Xalet Montana in Soldeu is good and friendly. Excellent breakfasts. Been
there twice.
We rarely eat evening meal in the hotel as we prefer to explore. Solkdeu
has a reasonable range.

The food is not bad - buffet service, as are nearly all of the Soldeu
hotels[1], but a carvery most nights as well as a good selection of
cold meats, salads and several hot dishes. Not the best[2] of the
bunch, but certainly not the worst[1] either.

[1] We were ther for three weeks eating in a different one of the
hotels each night of the week, so we were in a good position to
comment.
[2] Of the hotels in Soldeu[4] itself, probably the Sport Village.
[3] The Piolets Park - would have been good but food was often only
like-warm.
[4] Best of the ones we tried was, as prreviously mentioned, the Llop
Gris down at the Tarter lifts.

--
Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.

Ace wrote:
On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 11:39:00 +0100, "John Owens"
wrote:

The Xalet Montana in Soldeu is good and friendly. Excellent breakfasts. Been
there twice.
We rarely eat evening meal in the hotel as we prefer to explore. Solkdeu
has a reasonable range.

The food is not bad - buffet service, as are nearly all of the Soldeu
hotels[1], but a carvery most nights as well as a good selection of
cold meats, salads and several hot dishes. Not the best[2] of the
bunch, but certainly not the worst[1] either.

[1] We were ther for three weeks eating in a different one of the
hotels each night of the week, so we were in a good position to
comment.
[2] Of the hotels in Soldeu[4] itself, probably the Sport Village.
[3] The Piolets Park - would have been good but food was often only
like-warm.
[4] Best of the ones we tried was, as prreviously mentioned, the Llop
Gris down at the Tarter lifts.


The bugger is that the hotels don't seem to want to take an eight-day
booking. Seven days, Sunday to Sunday, only.

wrote:
Ace wrote:
On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 11:39:00 +0100, "John Owens"
wrote:

The Xalet Montana in Soldeu is good and friendly. Excellent breakfasts. Been
there twice.
We rarely eat evening meal in the hotel as we prefer to explore. Solkdeu
has a reasonable range.

The food is not bad - buffet service, as are nearly all of the Soldeu
hotels[1], but a carvery most nights as well as a good selection of
cold meats, salads and several hot dishes. Not the best[2] of the
bunch, but certainly not the worst[1] either.

[1] We were ther for three weeks eating in a different one of the
hotels each night of the week, so we were in a good position to
comment.
[2] Of the hotels in Soldeu[4] itself, probably the Sport Village.
[3] The Piolets Park - would have been good but food was often only
like-warm.
[4] Best of the ones we tried was, as prreviously mentioned, the Llop
Gris down at the Tarter lifts.


The bugger is that the hotels don't seem to want to take an eight-day
booking. Seven days, Sunday to Sunday, only.

And another thing - I can't find phone numbers or email addies for
those hotels *anywhere*. Everything directs you through Andorramania
which is *not* helpful. Anyone got any ideas of phone numbers and
emails for the Xalet and Sport Village?

xalet montana has taken odd day bookings from us in past. Sister hotel is
Hotel Naudi across rd.

I lifetd the following from my files.

Fax 00 376 852022 (I think that is in the Naudi)
Fax 00 376 739331 (montana)
Bookings seem to be handled at either place for either hotel.
Phone 739333 (montana)

NB these are what is on their letter head from two and a half years ago.

I also found


good luck
--
John Owens
www.goodviews.co.uk
Fax +44 1509 890822
wrote in message
oups.com...
wrote:
Ace wrote:
On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 11:39:00 +0100, "John Owens"
wrote:

The Xalet Montana in Soldeu is good and friendly. Excellent
breakfasts. Been
there twice.
We rarely eat evening meal in the hotel as we prefer to explore.
Solkdeu
has a reasonable range.

The food is not bad - buffet service, as are nearly all of the Soldeu
hotels[1], but a carvery most nights as well as a good selection of
cold meats, salads and several hot dishes. Not the best[2] of the
bunch, but certainly not the worst[1] either.

[1] We were ther for three weeks eating in a different one of the
hotels each night of the week, so we were in a good position to
comment.
[2] Of the hotels in Soldeu[4] itself, probably the Sport Village.
[3] The Piolets Park - would have been good but food was often only
like-warm.
[4] Best of the ones we tried was, as prreviously mentioned, the Llop
Gris down at the Tarter lifts.


The bugger is that the hotels don't seem to want to take an eight-day
booking. Seven days, Sunday to Sunday, only.

And another thing - I can't find phone numbers or email addies for
those hotels *anywhere*. Everything directs you through Andorramania
which is *not* helpful. Anyone got any ideas of phone numbers and
emails for the Xalet and Sport Village?

On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 06:17:37 GMT,
(The Older Gentleman) allegedly wrote:

Specifically - hotels. Something in the 2-3 star range, good value,
friendly, good food, located near to lifts.

Also: Andorra le Vella, Pas de la Casa or Arinsal? Which bit is best
to stay in and why?

I've done Arinsal a few times now. The village is small and gets a
little noisy with the late night revellers, but if you can sleep through
that stuff, then no worries.

First time I was in a small family hotel near the top of the main
village (I forget the name). It was OK, but the food was rubbish. 2nd
and 3rd time were in the Hotel Solana, which had great food and plenty
of it. Basic but warm accomodation. These were all on package trips
before I knew better, but I'd use the Solana again if I had to.

The slopes at Arinsal are really for beginners and low intermediates.
The only black run is a bit of a joke, but generally empty for what it's
worth - like all 100m of it. The area is often subject to high winds
and can often have a high avalanche risk.

More challenging runs can be found in nearby Pal, which is linked with
Arinsal nowadays. Not much for experts really, but would keep them
occupied for some fun relaxing days. There wasn't much, if any,
accomodation at Pal although that may have changed in recent years. I
think most of the Pal people used to stay in La Massana (sp?) at the
bottom of the common valley but with the link up and running, I don't
know what they do.

There's some reasonable back country off the southside of Arinsal when
the conditions are right, but you need a local with a car or be prepared
to hike all the way back up. Also off the left side of the main peak is
good, but very prone to sliding.

I found that some of the Brits working out there can actually be
desperate to hook up with good (in my case) boarders on their days off.

One issue with Arinsal/Pal is getting there. If you come in from the
French border into Pas de la Casa, then it's a long trip along the
mountain roads which are often backed up with traffic. You have to go
through Andorra la Vella on a Sunday which was never a free run.

- Dave.

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