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Advice - First time ski holiday?



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 23rd 06, 01:59 AM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Dan
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default Advice - First time ski holiday?

Hey,

My friends and I want to go on our first skiing holiday but the choice is
overwhelming so I'm asking on here for some advice. We are beginners, party
animals (good nightlife a must!) and being students, on a limited budget.
We're from the UK so english speaking resorts would be a bonus though some
of us have a basic grasp of french. Can anyone recommend a resort that suits
us?

Ideally we're looking at travelling either in the months of January or
February from a London based airport. Duration between 4 days and a week.

Also, we have no skii equipment or ski clothes. Where is the best place to
hire these? At the resprt or at a shop in England? Are there any good
websites which can tell us the basics on what we need for our first ski
holiday? Are there any other places where I can get good adivce?

Any help much appreciated.

Thankyou

Dan


Ads
  #2  
Old November 23rd 06, 09:35 AM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Paul Schofield
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Posts: 17
Default Advice - First time ski holiday?


"Dan" wrote in message
...
Hey,

My friends and I want to go on our first skiing holiday but the choice is
overwhelming so I'm asking on here for some advice. We are beginners,

party
animals (good nightlife a must!) and being students, on a limited budget.
We're from the UK so english speaking resorts would be a bonus though some
of us have a basic grasp of french. Can anyone recommend a resort that

suits
us?

Ideally we're looking at travelling either in the months of January or
February from a London based airport. Duration between 4 days and a week.

Also, we have no skii equipment or ski clothes. Where is the best place to
hire these? At the resprt or at a shop in England? Are there any good
websites which can tell us the basics on what we need for our first ski
holiday? Are there any other places where I can get good adivce?

Any help much appreciated.

Thankyou

Dan



I'd say Pas de la Casa in Andorra would suit you sir. No VAT or duty makes
it a cheap party place, the skiing is pretty good and lot of ski school
instructors are British or antipodeans so language not really a problem.
Lack of VAT makes hiring skis & boots cheaper out there, but I'd recommend
you borrow, rent or buy ski wear before you go. IIRC Edge to Edge do ski
wear hire ( www.edge2edge.co.uk )


Cheers

--
Paul Schofield



  #3  
Old November 23rd 06, 12:54 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Turan Fettahoglu
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Posts: 7
Default Advice - First time ski holiday?

My friends and I want to go on our first skiing holiday We are beginners,
party animals (good nightlife a must!) and being students, on a limited
budget.


Ischgl or Sölden are well-known to night-owls, but other places might be
cheaper.

Also, we have no skii equipment or ski clothes. Where is the best place to
hire these?

At the resort, otherwise you must transport it and might well get beyond the
20 kg of free luggage in the plane.

Are there any good websites which can tell us the basics on what we need
for our first ski holiday?

Pick your ski resort, then look for the local ski schools and contact them.
Please please don't try to learn skiing without an instructor!

Otherwise: have fun!


  #4  
Old November 23rd 06, 01:30 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Florian Anwander
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Posts: 22
Default Advice - First time ski holiday?

Hi Dan


Also, we have no [...] ski clothes.

I don't think that you can rent skiing clothes anywhere in the world.
(Exception: skiing boots).

But you definitely need:
- breathable, waterproof and mechanically resistant trousers and jacket.
- warm and waterresistant gloves,
- a wind resistant cap, which really keeps youre warm.
- Sunglasses which are suitable for the ultraviolett in higher regions.
Better are real ski goggle
- sun creme, with a sun protection factor of at least 25 better 30 or 50
(rule by thumb for skiing: height in meters divided by 100 results
the required sun protection factor).

I think Austria is the place with the leat expensive hotels. Andorra is
the spot with the cheapest parties.

Florian
  #5  
Old November 23rd 06, 01:54 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Dan
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default Advice - First time ski holiday?

Thanks for the replies guys. Andorra is sounding attractive now

Where's the best place to book the holiday? Travel agents? Are there a lot
of extra costs involved than just Hotel, and spending money?

Cheers

Dan


  #6  
Old November 23rd 06, 02:16 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Paul Schofield
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Posts: 17
Default Advice - First time ski holiday?


"Dan" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the replies guys. Andorra is sounding attractive now

Where's the best place to book the holiday? Travel agents? Are there a lot
of extra costs involved than just Hotel, and spending money?

Cheers

Dan


Andorra doesn't cater so well for the independent traveller, though if you
look hard or stay of the beaten track there are some places. For whole
packages the online booking outfits are usually cheaper then high street
travel agents, try www.directski.com www.lastminute.com www.expedia.com
www.ifyouski.co.uk etc. and, of course, the travel companies websites. Apart
from the hotel and beer money you should expect to pay for the pass to use
the ski lifts, the cost of ski lessons, and the hire of the skis and boots.
Use the www.skiclub.co.uk website to find the links to the individual
resorts, which should have the costs of passes, ski school and typical
equipment hire costs. A good tip for first timers is to use the 'learn to
ski' options offered by the travel companies as these include an all-in-one
package that saves quite a bit of dosh. These include lessons, equipment
hire, and passes (sometimes these are limited to smaller area for beginners
so double check).

Although beer in Andorra is relatively cheap be aware that, like all
resorts, the food can be more expensive than you'd expect - partly the fact
they have a captive audience and partly the fact the transport costs are
high.

HTH

--
Paul Schofield





  #7  
Old November 23rd 06, 03:09 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Alex Heney
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Posts: 80
Default Advice - First time ski holiday?

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 14:30:43 +0100, Florian Anwander
wrote:

Hi Dan


Also, we have no [...] ski clothes.

I don't think that you can rent skiing clothes anywhere in the world.
(Exception: skiing boots).


There are quite a few places where you can rent ski jackets and
trousers.

Gloves & socks you will have to buy.


--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
"Energize!" said Picard and the pink bunny appeared...
To reply by email, my address is alexATheneyDOTplusDOTcom
  #8  
Old November 23rd 06, 03:23 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Alex Heney
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 80
Default Advice - First time ski holiday?

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 01:59:07 -0000, "Dan"
wrote:

Hey,

My friends and I want to go on our first skiing holiday but the choice is
overwhelming so I'm asking on here for some advice. We are beginners, party
animals (good nightlife a must!) and being students, on a limited budget.
We're from the UK so english speaking resorts would be a bonus though some
of us have a basic grasp of french. Can anyone recommend a resort that suits
us?

Ideally we're looking at travelling either in the months of January or
February from a London based airport. Duration between 4 days and a week.

Also, we have no skii equipment or ski clothes. Where is the best place to
hire these? At the resprt or at a shop in England? Are there any good
websites which can tell us the basics on what we need for our first ski
holiday? Are there any other places where I can get good adivce?


The equipment, hire in resort. Clothing (Jacket & Salopettes/trouser),
hire in the UK, or buy.

Depending on just when you are going, ALDI usually have ski clothing
on sale for a week some time in January, and a set of jacket and
salopettes only costs around £40 to buy - and they are perfectly
adequate, I will be wearing mine again this year, and first wore them
on a trip to Canada with temperatures of -29C.

Tchibo also do some, currently in stock, but more expensive (£9 for a
jacket, £29 for salopettes).
http://www.tchibo.co.uk/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/uk/-/GBP/TdUkBrowseCatalog-Start?CategoryName=phase_1

Even if you hire the main clothing, you will need to buy gloves and
socks - football socks or hiking are NOT good for use in skis, because
the boots will be very tight. You need seamless socks. Again the
thermal performance socks listed in tchibo would be fine. Some form of
headwear and eyewear is also essential.

And layers for under the outer clothing. You will most likely find
that you don't need much more than a T shirt under the jacket, but
take more thin layers in case you do.



If you are looking to go for a week from one weekend to another, then
you will almost certainly get the best deal from a tour operator. If
you want to travel midweek, you will be able to get a better deal DIY.

Austria would tend to be a very good choice for first time skiers.
Andorra used to be good, but is no longer particularly cheap, although
it still has a lot of native English speaking instructors.

There are good deals available for mid January already to some of the
smaller Austrian resorts such as Neiderau.
--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
I am not a free man... but I'm reasonable!
To reply by email, my address is alexATheneyDOTplusDOTcom
  #9  
Old November 23rd 06, 03:36 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Ace
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 275
Default Advice - First time ski holiday?

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 13:54:43 -0000, "Dan"
wrote:

Thanks for the replies guys. Andorra is sounding attractive now


I'd also not hesitate in recommending it, although I prefer Soldeu. I
also recall that there is at least one shop in Soldeu that can rent
you everything you need, jacket, trousers, gloves et al. In fact, I
think there are several offering this, as they cater a lot for
day-trippers from Barcelona, who wouldn't normally have any need for
winter gear. Can't remember names offhand though.

Where's the best place to book the holiday?


Ahh, well. Depends, dunnit. It's many years since I booked onto a
package ski trip, for many reasons, although maybe for a first-timer
it might be better, to take away one particular source of worry.

And by doing so you can get all the hassly things, for a first-timer,
sorted out by the tour rep, like your ski school booking, lift pass,
etc. etc.

ISTR that the Panorama
http://www.panoramaholidays.co.uk/An...ME&s=323633522
reps were among the more professional in the resort, as they're a
local specialist, so perhaps start with them. I have no idea of
relative costs, but I know they run their own chalet hotel(s) and have
a head chef for the resort who organises all their catering, so they
may offer better food than the mediocre buffets offered in the big
hotels.

Travel agents? Are there a lot
of extra costs involved than just Hotel, and spending money?


It's a cheap place to drink, and the food is, while not always
excellent, adequate and not expensive either. PdlC is a bit like
Blackpool sur la Neige, full of tax free shops offering 'bargain'
prices, mainly on electronics/cameras etc., but beware of buying last
year's model, as they won't tell you that and they try to shift a lot
of stuff which may not be officially imported models.

But otherwise no, you won't have much more expenditure than a normal
summer holiday.

--
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.
  #10  
Old November 23rd 06, 04:04 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Alex Heney
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 80
Default Advice - First time ski holiday?

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 13:54:43 -0000, "Dan"
wrote:

Thanks for the replies guys. Andorra is sounding attractive now

Where's the best place to book the holiday? Travel agents? Are there a lot
of extra costs involved than just Hotel, and spending money?


There are three other main costs for a beginner:

1. Lift Pass - this varies between about £60 - £120 depending on the
resort and whether it is high or low season.

2. Equipment hire - a basic set of boots/skis/poles will cost anything
from £30 to £80 depending on the resort.

3. Ski school - you DON'T want to try and do without this. A 5 day
group course will usually cost between £50 and £100 for 2-3 hours per
day of lessons.
--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
The hangman let us down.
To reply by email, my address is alexATheneyDOTplusDOTcom
 




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